bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Towards Analysis of Covariance Matrices through Bures-Wasserstein Distance
Authors: Zheng Jingyi , Huang Huajun , Yi Yuyan , Li Yuexin , Lin Shu-Chin 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Brain-computer interface (BCI) builds a bridge between human brain and external devices by translating brain signals into commands for devices to perform the user’s imagined action. The core of the BCI system is the classifier that labels the brain signals as the user’s imagined action. Among the array of techniques, those directly classifying covariance matrices using Riemannian geometry find broad applications not only in BCI but also in diverse domains like computer vision and biomedical imaging. However, the existing Riemannian-based methods exhibit limitations, including time-intensive computations, susceptibility to disturbances, and convergence challenges in scenarios involving high-dimensional matrices. In this paper, we tackles these issues by introducing the Bures-Wasserstein (BW) distance for analyzing positive semi-definite matrices. Both theoretical and computational aspects of BW distance are investigated, and three algorithms are proposed to estimate the Fréchet Mean (or barycenter) of a set of matrices efficiently and robustly. The BW distance and barycenter are further integrated into the Minimum Distance to Riemannian Mean classifier to explore their performance in classification tasks. Extensive simulations are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and robustness of the BW distance and barycenter. Additionally, we showcase the superior classification performance and enhanced computational efficiency of BW distance through evaluations on five real datasets.
Phototransformation and toxicity enhancement of AgCl NPs by polystyrene microplastics under irradiation
Authors: Sun Yong hao , Huang Jiaolong , Wang Zhen , Duan Peng , zhang weicheng 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Silver chloride nanoparticles (AgCl NPs) and microplastics (MPs) ubiquitous pollutants that coexist in water surface and are exposed to sunlight irradiation, yet their transformation and environmental risks are poorly known, particularly in realistic water. Herein, we found the PS MPs could enhance phototransformation of AgCl NPs by •OH, 1O2 and 3PS*, which promoted the release of Ag+ and Cl−. Subsequently, O2•− reducing the Ag+ to Ag NPs. Notably, this PS MPs-related phototransformation of AgCl NPs also occurred in realistic water, but was significantly influenced by environmental factors, such as pH and humic acid. Consequently, the PS MPs-related Ag species transformation (AgCl→Ag+/Ag0) increased the toxicity of AgCl NPs at environmental concentration, as evidenced by the reduced survival rate of zebrafish larvae from 100 to 23.3% to. Overall, this is the first study to reveal that PS MPs can enhance phototransformation of AgCl NPs to Ag NPs, and thereby amplify the environmental risks of AgCl NPs in realistic water.
Sparse intensity sampling for ultrafast full-field reconstruction in low-dimensional photonic systems
Authors: Manuylovich Egor 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Exploiting light’s phase dimension opened multiple avenues in photonics, from phase-contrast microscopy to coherent optical communications. Phase-sensitive measurements usually utilize interferometric techniques to extract the optical phase. However, in some cases, when the feature space of an electromagnetic field is highly degenerate or inherently low dimensional, the vast majority of field distribution parameters, including wavefront, can be extracted from intensity measurements only. But even the fastest of previously published intensity-only methods have too high a computational complexity to be applicable at the speeds used in optical communications and, most importantly, require data from CCD cameras, which are generally very slow. This paper shows how a few intensity measurements, taken from properly placed photodetectors, can be used to reconstruct the complex-valued field fully in systems with low-dimensional feature space. The presented method allows full-field characterization in few-mode fibers and does not employ a reference beam. It is 3 orders of magnitude faster than the fastest previously published result and uses 3 orders of magnitude fewer photodetectors, allowing retrieval of mode amplitudes and phases relative to the fundamental mode using only several telecom-grade photodetectors. This opens the avenue for ultra-fast applications of intensity-only mode decomposition methods, including the pulse-to-pulse beam complete characterization of lasers with spatio-temporal modelocking, providing an essential tool for experimental exploration of the modal dynamics in such systems. It can also be applied to ultra-fast sensing in few-mode fibers and for coherent mode division-multiplexed receivers using quadratic detectors only.
Enhancing daily PM2.5 air quality forecasts in Dakar, Senegal, through the integration of
data from the automatic measuring station into a server using data assimilation
Authors: gueye ahmed , Drame Mamadou Simina , Niang Serigne abdou aziz , Toure Mame Diarra , Niang Demba Ndao , Diallo Moussa , Talla Kharouna 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
The objective of this work is to predict daily PM2.5 air quality in Dakar, Senegal using data from an automated measurement station integrated into a server using a data assimilation model. Initially, a 3-year data set was used to identify and validate an appropriate ARIMA data assimilation model. The data was split into an 80% training set and a 20% test set. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test was used to check the normality of the data series. Subsequently, we used the AutoArima method to determine the optimal model to represent the time series. Preliminary results show that a model with order (2,1,1) accurately represents the series. Additional analysis using model fit tests showed that the (3, 0, 1) model was most effective in representing and predicting the data. The statistical validation performance of this model demonstrates its capability to forecast PM2.5 concentrations for up to 72 hours (3 days), achieving correlation coefficients exceeding 80%. However, after three days, the predictions returned to background levels. In the final stage of the study, data from automatic stations were integrated into a server hosting the assimilation model to improve daily PM2.5 forecasts for Dakar. An interactive platform was developed to visualize measurements and forecasts over two days. The results show that by integrating the data with the assimilation model, predictions are significantly improved.
The Associations between Social Support and Mental Health among Chinese Immigrant Pregnant and Parenting Women
Authors: Tian Grace , Rojas Natalia M. , Norton Jennifer M. , Barajas-Gonzalez R. Gabriela , Montesdeoca Jacqueline , Kerker Bonnie D. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Background
While it is recognized that social support can alleviate mental health symptoms, this relationship is not well-understood among Chinese pregnant and parenting immigrants in the United States. This study aims to bridge this gap by exploring the relationships between different types of social support and women's anxiety and depression, and examining how these associations vary with pregnancy status.
Methods
Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey conducted in Simplified Chinese or Mandarin between March-June 2021 among 526 women who were pregnant and/or parenting a child under five years. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Anxiety, Depression, and Social Support scales were used to measure anxiety, depression, and social support levels. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-square tests, and Pearson's correlations were employed for analysis. Hierarchical regression was conducted to investigate the main and interaction effects of social support types and pregnancy status on mental health outcomes.
Results
Compared to non-pregnant women, pregnant women reported higher mean scores for anxiety (non-pregnant: 55, pregnant: 59, p < 0.01) and depression (non-pregnant: 54, pregnant: 56, p = 0.02). Instrumental support displayed a significant main effect in relation to anxiety (β=-0.13, p = 0.01) and depression (β=-0.16, p < 0.01); emotional support exhibited a significant main effect solely on depression (β=-0.13, p = 0.01). Notably, the interaction effects between pregnancy status and both instrumental (β=-0.28, p = 0.01) and emotional support (β=-0.42, p < 0.01) were significant for anxiety. In contrast, informational support did not exhibit a significant impact on either anxiety or depression.
Conclusions
The findings indicate that tailoring support to the cultural context is crucial, especially for pregnant women in this Chinese immigrant community, with instrumental and emotional support being particularly beneficial in mitigating maternal anxiety.
Reflectance confocal microscopy for plaque psoriasis therapeutic follow-up during an anti-interleukin-17A monoclonal antibody: an observational study
Authors: Jiang Qian , Qu Zi-Lu , Wang Bei , Jiang Rui-Li , Zhou Yu , Wan Li , Chen Liu-Qing , Hu Feng 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Background Interleukin-17A therapeutic inhibitors are among the most effective treatment methods for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis (PP). Reflectance confocal microscopy is a non-invasive imaging technique already documented to be beneficial in evaluating the follow-up of PP under treatment with topical actives and phototherapy. Objectives This study aimed to assess the epidermal and dermal changes associated with psoriasis and its treatment with RCM during systemic secukinumab treatment in patients with moderate-to-severe PP. Methods A pilot study was conducted to evaluate RCM as a non-invasive tool for monitoring secukinumab treatment in patients with PP. A total of 23 patients with PP were included in the study. Each patient received 300 mg of subcutaneous secukinumab as induction therapy at baseline and weeks 1–4, followed by maintenance therapy every four weeks. Lesional skin was selected for RCM imaging in patients with psoriasis using a standardized protocol. The RCM evaluation criteria were established based on the histopathological diagnostic criteria for psoriasis. The clinical severity of psoriasis was assessed utilizing the psoriasis area severity index. Results Microscopic confocal changes were observed during the treatment. The results identified early microscopic evidence of the anti-inflammatory activity of secukinumab, which was not detected during the clinical examination. RCM findings correlating with the PASI were used to observe the patient’s response to treatment and were identified as follows: acanthosis and parakeratosis, presence of epidermal and dermal inflammatory cells, presence of non-edge dermal papillae, and vascularization in the papillary dermis. Conclusions This study is the first to demonstrate the use of RCM as an effective tool for non-invasive monitoring of secukinumab therapeutic response at a cellular level in a clinical or research setting. Early detection of RCM parameters associated with secukinumab activity may facilitate the identification of an early treatment response. RCM appears to be capable of providing practical and helpful information regarding follow-up in patients with PP undergoing secukinumab treatment. RCM may also provide novel perspectives on the subclinical evaluation of PP’s response to biological therapy.
Predicting Clinical Respondence of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease Using White Matter Functional Characteristics
Authors: Lv Lingling , Xing Fengbo , Feng Jingjing , Chen Xin , Wang Mengqi , Zhao Ziye , Han Jinying , Liu Pingping , Yu Liuzhenxiong , Sun Jinmei , Liu Tingting , Ji Gongjun , Wang Kai , Hu Panpan 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Objective The aim of this study was to predict the clinical respondence of rTMS in PD by WM.Methods According to the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part III (UPDRSIII) score reduction, Sixty-eight PD patients treated with rTMS for 14 days were divided into a responsive (R) group (UPDRSIII score reduction ≥ 30%, n = 20) and a nonresponsive (NR) group (UPDRSIII score reduction ≤ 30%, n = 48). The difference of low frequency fluctuation amplitude (ALFF) and fraction ALFF (fALFF) before rTMS and the correlation with UPDRSIII improvement were analyzed between the two groups.Results The ALFF values of the bilateral upper corticospinal tract and fALFF values of the left anterior thalamic radiation in R group were higher than those in NR group. The ALFF value of the bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus, the bilateral lower corticospinal tract, the left Forceps major and the right anterior thalamic radiation in R group was lower than that in NR group. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the UPDRSIII deduction score was positively correlated with the bilateral upper corticospinal fasciculus and bilateral anterior thalamic radiation and negatively correlated with the bilateral lower corticospinal tract and the bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus. The ALFF value of the upper right corticospinal tract and the lower right corticospinal tract and the fALFF value of the bilateral anterior thalamic radiation were included in the prediction model, and the prediction efficiency was 100%.Conclusion WM could be used as a predictor of the clinical efficacy of rTMS in PD.
Mechanisms of Anxiety-Like Behavior in the Great Ramshorn Snail (Planorbarius corneus)
Authors: Talk Andrew , Vanatheeva Sajeevan 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Like vertebrate animals, some invertebrates have been shown to exhibit anxiety-like behavior while in apparatus that allow choice between sheltered, darkened spaces and open, lit spaces. The behavioral mechanisms by which invertebrates accomplish anxiety-like behavior, and whether those mechanisms are similar across species, has not been fully studied. Across three experiments, we investigated possible behaviors (photokinesis, phototaxis, and sheltering) that Great Ramshorn snails (Planorbarius corneus) could use to accomplish anxiety-like behavior while in presence of the odor of a predatory fish. In experiment one, we used a light/dark preference box to demonstrate reduced preference for exposed and lit areas caused by the predator odor. In experiment two, we used an open field apparatus to demonstrate an increase in refuge-seeking (time spent near a wall) in diffusely lit but not dark environments caused by predator odor. In the same experiment we saw no effect of predator odor on photokinesis (difference in movement speed in a lit versus dark environment). In experiment three, we conducted a second open field study with a directional light source and found no evidence of phototaxis (movement direction with respect to light), and no effect of predator odor on phototaxis. Thus, in our studies we found evidence for refuge-seeking as a mechanism for anxiety-like behavior in the presence of predator odor and little evidence for perhaps more computationally simple strategies of increased photokinesis and phototaxis.
A potential risk factor of periodontal disease for chronic bronchitis: A nationwide population-based cohort study
Authors: Shin Hye-Sun , Hong Min-Hee , Moon Ja-Young , Sim Seon-Ju 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Objective
This study aimed to evaluate the association of periodontal disease with chronic bronchitis(CB).
Materials and Methods
A retrospective follow-up study using National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort was performed from 2002 to 2015 in the Korean population. A total of 189,274 subjects were followed up for incident CB during 11 years. Periodontal disease and CB were defined by a diagnosis using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision (ICD-10) codes. Periodontal status was divided based on the severity of periodontal status. Periodontal treatments included scaling and root planning.
Results
Periodontitis was associated with a 5% increase in risk for CB after adjusting for socio-demographic factor, health behaviors, and systemic diseases (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.03 to 1.12). The association of periodontitis with CB was increased in subjects aged 40 to 59 y (aHR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.11), and there is no sex difference (females; aHR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.10, male; aHR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.10). Participants with periodontal treatment showed no increase in hazard risk of CB, while those without periodontal treatment showed an 8% increase in CB risk (aHR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.03 to 1.12).
Conclusions
Our data showed that periodontal disease had an association with a higher incidence of CB. Thus, the periodic periodontal treatment should be emphasized to reduce the risk of CB.
Clinical Relevance
Prevention and management of periodontal disease could be beneficial for reducing the risk of chronic bronchitis.
Individual-level differences in size drive movements and spatial segregation of a pelagic seabird
Authors: Krüger Lucas 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Individual-level differences in size play a crucial role in shaping the movements and spatial segregation of sexually dimorphic pelagic seabirds. This study investigated how size influences the response of Southern giant petrels (Macronectes giganteus) to environmental conditions, particularly wind speed and direction, during foraging trips in the Maritime Antarctic Peninsula. Utilizing tracking data from 36 breeding individuals in two seasons, was found that smaller males exhibited higher transit speeds in response to stronger winds, whereas females showed more efficient utilization of wind during transit independently of size. Additionally, smaller females engaged in longer foraging trips associated with higher chlorophyll-a concentrations, while larger females were associated with areas of sea ice. The results suggest that size-driven variability influences not only individual movement patterns but also spatial segregation within the same sex. These findings provide insights into the intricate relationship between size, environmental factors, and foraging behavior in pelagic seabirds, highlighting the importance of considering individual-level variability in understanding population dynamics and responses to environmental change. Understanding how individual differences in size shape seabird ecology is essential in the face of climate-induced alterations in wind patterns in the Southern Ocean.
Metformin hydrolase is a recently evolved, nickel-dependent, heteromeric ureohydrolase
Authors: Hartig Jörg , Sinn Malte , Riede Lea , Funck Dietmar , Fleming Jennifer R. , Mayans Olga , Bachmann Andreas , Lutz Hannes 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

The anti-diabetic drug metformin is one of the most widely prescribed medicines in the world. Together with its degradation product guanylurea, it is a major pharmaceutical pollutant in wastewater treatment plants and surface waters. An operon comprising two genes of the ureohydrolase family in Pseudomonas and Aminobacter bacteria has recently been implicated in metformin degradation. However, the corresponding proteins have not been characterized. Here we show that these genes encode a Ni2+-dependent enzyme that efficiently and specifically hydrolyzed metformin to guanylurea and dimethylamine. The active enzyme is a heteromeric complex of α- and β- subunits in which only the α-subunits contain the conserved His and Asp residues for the coordination of two Ni2+ ions in the active site. A crystal structure of metformin hydrolase revealed an α2β4 stoichiometry of the hexameric complex, which is unprecedented in the ureohydrolase family. By studying a closely related but more widely distributed enzyme, we found that the putative predecessor specifically hydrolyzed dimethylguanidine instead of metformin. Our findings establish the molecular basis for metformin hydrolysis to guanylurea as the primary pathway for metformin biodegradation and provide insight into the recent evolution of ureohydrolase family proteins in response to an anthropogenic compound.
Willingness to use HIV pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and its Factors among Female Sex Workers in Nekemte Town, Western Ethiopia
Authors: Hussein Abdu , Mosisa Getu , Bayisa Lami 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Background
Ethiopia has acknowledged HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis as one of the key prevention pillars and recommended it for all female sex workers and HIV-negative partners of serodiscordant couples. Even though pre-exposure prophylaxis is the most effective strategy for reducing HIV prevalence in those with increased exposure to HIV, there is limited data regarding the willingness to use HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among female sex workers in Ethiopia particularly in study area.
Objective
This study was aimed to assess the magnitude of willingness to use HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and its associated factors among female sex workers in Nekemte town, Western Ethiopia.
Method
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 422 female sex workers to collect data on the willingness to use HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis from May to July 2023. Snowball sampling method was used to approach the participants. Data were collected through face to face interview. Collected data was entered into EPI Data version 3.1, and transferred into SPSS version 25 for further statistical analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify associated factors with willingness to use HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis. P-value < 0.05 was used to declare the statistical significant association.
Results
A total of 422 FSW were included in the study and gave a response rate of 100%. Nearly two-third (68%) of them had willing to use the HIV PrEP with 95% CI: (63.3–72.4%). Respondents with age 18–23 years (AOR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.2–7.3), separated and divorced marital status (AOR = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.02–0.4) and (AOR = 0.3, 95% CI = 0.1–0.79), more than three sexual partners (AOR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.9–7.9), causal sexual intercourse (AOR = 7.87, 95% CI = 3.9–15.5), educational status primary educational level (AOR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.2–0.6), and heard about PrEP (AOR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.9–7.9) were significantly associated with willingness to use HIV PrEP
Conclusion and recommendation:
About Two-third of the study participants had willingness to use HIV PrEP. The PrEP related health information dissemination, reducing number of sexual partners, and reducing number of unemployment should be strengthened.