bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Simple proxies of insulin resistance identify obese metabolic dysfunction‐associated fatty liver disease subjects with advanced liver disease
Authors: Petralli Giovanni , Salvati Antonio , Tricò Domenico , Ricco Gabriele , Colombatto Piero , Brunetto Maurizia Rossana , Solini Anna 
Published: October 2023

AbstractAimsInsulin resistance (IR) plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of Metabolic dysfunction‐Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD), which can progress to liver fibrosis. We examined the relationship of different IR scores with markers of MAFLD severity in obese individuals.Materials and MethodsIn this retrospective observational study, 346 non‐diabetic, overweight/obese individuals with newly diagnosed MAFLD (age 50.2 ± 13.3 years, 34% females, BMI 30.8 ± 4.4 kg/m2) underwent liver stiffness (LS) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) measurements by Fibroscan® to assess liver fibrosis and steatosis. Biochemical data were collected to calculate surrogate markers of IR (Homoeostasis model assessment ‐ insulin resistance index [HOMA‐IR], triglyceride‐glucose index, triglyceride by HDL ratio), liver fibrosis (Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases fibrosis score, fibrosis‐4 score, Aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index) and steatosis (fatty liver index, hepatic steatosis index).ResultsAll three IR scores were associated with CAP, while only HOMA‐IR positively correlated with LS (r = 0.275, p < 0.0001), independent of age and sex, BMI, transaminases, and fibrosis markers. Insulin‐resistant individuals (HOMA‐IR >2.5, n = 165) had higher liver enzymes, CAP and LS, with a 4‐fold increased risk of severe liver disease (LS >9.7 kPa, OR 4.42[1.95–10.01], p = 0.0002). Among HOMA‐IR components, fasting plasma insulin (FPI) was independently associated with LS (r = 0.270, p < 0.0001). ROC AUC for HOMA‐IR and FPI to predict severe liver disease were virtually identical (0.748 and 0.758, respectively).ConclusionsHOMA‐IR is independently associated with non‐invasive markers of MAFLD severity in overweight/obese individuals. This relationship is largely mediated by hyperinsulinemia, regardless of BMI. Measuring insulin levels in MAFLD individuals might be useful to identify those at risk of liver fibrosis.
Non‐coding RNAs in diabetic foot ulcer‐ a focus on infected wounds
Authors: Qin Boquan , Peng Qi , Dong Hongxian , Lei Lei , Wu Shizhou 
Published: October 2023

AbstractDiabetes mellitus is associated with a wide range of neuropathies, vasculopathies, and immunopathies, resulting in many complications. More than 30% of diabetic patients risk developing diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). Non‐coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), play essential roles in various biological functions in the hyperglycaemic environment that determines the development of DFU. Ulceration results in tissue breakdown and skin barrier scavenging, thereby facilitating bacterial infection and biofilm formation. Many bacteria contribute to diabetic foot infection (DFI), including Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) et al. A heterogeneous group of “ncRNAs,” termed small RNAs (sRNAs), powerfully regulates biofilm formation and DFI healing. Multidisciplinary foot care interventions have been identified for nonhealing ulcers. With an appreciation of the link between disease processes and ncRNAs, a novel therapeutic model of bioactive materials loaded with ncRNAs has been developed to prevent and manage diabetic foot complications.
Spatially and temporally explicit environmental drivers of fawn recruitment in a native ungulate
Authors: Gese Eric M. , Bleke Cole A. , Atwood Paul , Roberts Shane B. , Terletzky Patricia A. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractRecruitment is one of the fundamental drivers of ungulate population dynamics. Recruitment of neonates into an ungulate population can be influenced by a wide range of abiotic, biotic, and anthropogenic factors. Our objective was to examine which environmental variables most influenced pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) fawn recruitment, as measured by fawn:doe ratios, across six subpopulations in Idaho spanning 35 years (1984–2018) of herd composition surveys. Using a retrospective analysis, we examined the influence of precipitation, minimum and maximum temperatures, Palmer drought severity, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), vegetation, and elevation across five biological time periods of interest (one and two months pre‐parturition, one and two months post‐parturition, and breeding). Environmental factors, especially the variance in the greenness of vegetation (i.e., NDVI) during the two months post‐parturition (during lactation), were the main drivers of fawn recruitment for subpopulations occupying mountain valleys. Pronghorn fawn recruitment in these mountain valleys was dependent on the condition of the lactating female as influenced by the quality of vegetation, which would subsequently influence fawn growth rates. In contrast, pronghorn recruitment at lower elevations was driven by several environmental variables (i.e., NDVI, drought severity, minimum and maximum temperatures, forb, and grass cover) during the month pre‐parturition. Environmental variables at lower elevations were influencing the condition of the female during gestation which, if favorable, would result in higher birth weights and subsequent increased fawn survival. At intermediate elevation sites, results were mixed with fawn recruitment at one site influenced by low temperatures, which could induce hypothermia in fawns, while recruitment at the other site was influenced by drought severity during gestation (two months pre‐parturition). Influence of these environmental variables was also related to the timing of pronghorn arriving at the high elevation sites (i.e., arriving just prior to fawning); hence, effects were predominantly post‐parturition. In contrast, low elevation sites either had resident pronghorn or earlier arrival; thereby, effects on fawn recruitment were mostly from pre‐parturition variables. Given the range of environmental factors influencing pronghorn subpopulations, managers will need to consider the timing, intensity, and variability of environmental conditions as conditions were spatially and temporally explicit.
Geographic patterns of dental service use in the Child Dental Benefits Schedule: 6 years of claims in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children
Authors: Stormon Nicole , Do Loc , Hopcraft Matthew , Sexton Christopher 
Published: October 2023

AbstractIssue AddressedThis article explores the geographic patterns of claims within the Australian Government's Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS).BackgroundThe CDBS is a means‐tested schedule implemented in 2014 to improve access to dental services for children. Under the schedule, eligible children receive funding to subsidise dental services.MethodsThis study used data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children and linked data from the Medicare universal healthcare system, to examine dental service use amongst a subset of children aged 10 and 14 years. Dental service items were classified using Two‐step Cluster Analysis, and appointments were analysed using multinomial logistic regression. Geographic characteristics were included as predictor variables.ResultsThe study found that the majority of dental appointments were non‐operative (70.7%, n = 5808), with diagnostic, radiographic, and preventive items being the most common. There were slightly higher proportions of operative appointments (fillings and extractions) compared with non‐operative appointments in remote and very remote areas, low socio‐economic areas, and Queensland and Northern Territory. Cluster analysis identified eight groups of non‐operative appointments and four groups of operative appointments. New South Wales had a higher proportion of ‘prophylactic IV’ appointments than any other State and Territory, which included debridement and topical fluoride services.ConclusionCluster analysis identified distinct groups of non‐operative and operative appointments, each with unique characteristics. The distribution of appointments varied by State/Territory and region.So WhatFurther research and interventions are needed to ensure equitable access to services and a shift to preventive care for disadvantaged populations of Australian children. Exploring alternative funding models that support clinically relevant claims, rather than maximising financial benefits such as time‐based renumeration models should be explored.
Linguistic Relativity in Creative Thought: How Divergent Thinking in Response to Motion Events is Influenced by Satellite‐ and Verb‐Framed Languages
Authors: Mai Thu Anh , de Rooij Alwin 
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACTHuman creativity and ingenuity partly depend on divergent thinking – the ability to generate many varied, original, and elaborate responses. Prior research has found ample evidence of an effect of cognitive factors, including the organization of semantic networks and associative ability, on divergent thinking. Less is known, however, about how the language we speak shapes this relationship. Specifically, the linguistic relativity hypothesis stresses the influence of a linguistic variation on structural semantic representations that are essential for generating associations. To address this open scientific problem, an experiment with several tasks was conducted (n = 122). The category discrimination task replicated the linguistic relativity effect of satellite‐framed (e.g., English) versus verb‐framed languages (e.g., Spanish), by showing how English monolinguals, when exposed to motion events, were more attentive to the manner of motion than Spanish monolinguals. The free association task showed, in the same sample, that divergent thinking in response to motion events led English monolinguals to generate more elaborate responses than Spanish monolinguals. Linguistic relativity mediated this effect. No effect was found on the number, diversity, or originality of the responses. These findings contribute new insights into the relationship between linguistic relativity and divergent thinking in response to motion events.
Tunable Hairy and Crew‐Cut Supermicelles from Poly(N‐octyl glycine)‐Based Diblock Copolymer via a Hierarchical Assembly Strategy
Authors: Liu Hao , Ding Xiangmin , Liu Tianli , Sun Jing 
Published: October 2023

AbstractFabrication of hierarchical superstructures by utilizing bioinspired polymeric materials shows great potential that has attracted considerable attention. A new hierarchical assembly approach has been developed to fabricate supramolecular structures in a one‐pot preparation from crystallizable polypeptoids‐based block copolymers. Herein, both hairy and crew‐cut supermicelles are reported by systematically tuning the temperature and solvent from a series of poly(ethylene glycol)112‐block‐poly(N‐octylglycine)n (PEG112‐b‐PNOGn) with different degrees of polymerization of PNOG. The incorporation of a third polar component poly(N‐allylglycine)‐graft‐COOH (PNAG‐g‐COOH) into the amphiphilic diblock copolymers can promote the formation of crew‐cut supermicelles owing to enhanced intermolecular interactions. It is demonstrated that both surface energy and crystallization energy are of great importance for the preparation of different types of supermicelles.
Co‐targeting FAK and Gli1 inhibits the tumor‐associated macrophages‐released CCL22‐mediated esophageal squamous cell carcinoma malignancy
Authors: Chen Jie , Zhu Yanmeng , Zhao Di , Zhang Lingyuan , Zhang Jing , Xiao Yuanfan , Wu Qingnan , Wang Yan , Zhan Qimin 
Published: October 2023

AbstractEsophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a frequently seen esophageal tumor type in China. Activation of signaling proteins and relevant molecular mechanisms in ESCC are partially explored, impairing the antitumor efficiency of targeted therapy in ESCC treatment. Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs)‐released C‐C motif chemokine 22 (CCL22) can activate intratumoral focal adhesion kinase (FAK), thus promoting the progression of ESCC. Here, we demonstrated that highly secreted CCL22 by TAMs (CCL22‐positive TAMs) induced ESCC cell stemness and invasion through facilitating transcriptional activity of intratumoral glioma‐associated oncogene 1 (Gli1), a downstream effector for Hedgehog (HH) pathway. Mechanistically, FAK‐activated protein kinase B (AKT) mediated Gli1 phosphorylation at its Ser112/Thr115/Ser116 sites and released Gli1 from suppressor of fused homolog, the endogenous inhibitor of Gli1 to activate downstream stemness‐associated factors, such as SRY‐box transcription factor 2 (SOX2), Nanog homeobox (Nanog), or POU class 5 homeobox (OCT4). Furthermore, inhibition of FAK activity by VS‐4718, the FAK inhibitor, enhanced antitumor effect of GDC‐0449, the HH inhibitor, both in xenografted models and in vitro assays. Clinically, CCL22/Gli1 axis is used to evaluate ESCC prognosis. Overall, our study establishes the communication of FAK with HH pathway and offers the novel mechanism related to Gli1 activation independent of Smoothened as well as the rationale for the anti‐ESCC combination treatment.
The impact of cottonseed meal condition on water quality, zooplankton densities, and sunshine bass production when used as an organic fertilizer in ponds
Authors: Prangnell David I. , Norris Bryan J. , Fontana Ryan R. , Fitzpatrick Mignon D. 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Objective
Cottonseed meal is applied to sunshine bass (female White Bass Morone chrysops × male Striped Bass M. saxatilis) fry rearing ponds as an organic fertilizer to stimulate plankton development. The efficacy of cottonseed meal as a fertilizer following long-term storage and degradation is unknown. The use of degraded and undegraded cottonseed meal were compared during the production of sunshine bass fingerlings in lined 0.4-ha ponds.

Methods
Filling ponds were fertilized repeatedly between 13 days before and 6 days after fry stocking, and water quality, zooplankton, and 41–48-day fingerling production were monitored. Adequate phytoplankton and zooplankton densities were maintained using cottonseed meal of both conditions.

Result
Cottonseed meal condition had no significant impact on any fish production metric. The degraded cottonseed meal appeared to release nitrogen more readily as indicated by higher prestocking NH3-N concentrations. Higher nutrient availability likely stimulated primary productivity at a faster rate, leading to higher dissolved oxygen, pH, and zooplankton densities during the first half of the pond cycle. The ponds fertilized with degraded cottonseed meal required more intensive water quality management to maintain adequate dissolved oxygen and pH for sunshine bass fry. However, poststocking water quality parameters were within species tolerance ranges.

Conclusion
The study confirmed that degraded cottonseed meal can be used as an organic fertilizer in sunshine bass fry rearing ponds without compromising fingerling production, provided ponds are managed appropriately.
Effect of replacing fish meal with chicken gut meal on growth, immune parameters, and metabolism of juvenile Fat Greenling Hexagrammos otakii
Authors: Gu Yixin , Peng Tingting , Sun Qian , Dai Qianliang , Wei Yanchao , Hua Wenyuan , Wang Yue , Chen Bojin , Xue Zhuang , Wang Wei 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Objective
Chicken gut meal (CGM) is reasonably priced and rich in nutrients and can become a new source of protein in the diets of major aquatic products, such as fish and shrimp.

Methods
An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to comprehensively investigate the beneficial effects of CGM on juvenile Fat Greenling Hexagrammos otakii. Juveniles (1.58 ± 0.06 g [mean ± SE]) were fed with different levels of CGM in replacement of fish meal (FM) in the basal diet: 0% (CGM0), 25% (CGM25), 50% (CGM50), 75% (CGM75), and 100% (CGM100) replacement, representing a dietary CGM level of up to 40 g/kg.

Result
The results showed that the percent weight gain; specific growth rate; feeding rate; feed conversion ratio; hepatosomatic index; and apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, protein, and lipid were significantly improved among the experimental groups. Moreover, the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase were significantly increased in the CGM25 and CGM50 groups, respectively. The activities of acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase were significantly decreased in the CGM75 and CGM100 groups. Triglycerides and total cholesterol were significantly increased in the CGM50 and CGM75 groups, respectively. Fish in the CGM100 and CGM75 groups had significantly higher activities of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase than the control. Moreover, the relative expression levels of the fatty acid synthase and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase alpha genes were significantly increased in the CGM75 and CGM100 groups, while the gene expression levels of hormone-sensitive lipase and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha were significantly decreased.

Conclusion
In summary, the optimal replacement level of FM with CGM was shown by curve equation analysis to be 61.30%, and their dosages were 24.52 and 15.48 g/kg, respectively.
Gafftopsail Catfish in Texas estuaries: Population trends and ecosystem implications
Authors: Cates Lydia , Hale Stephen , Olsen Zachary 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Objective
Given the limited information on population dynamics of Gafftopsail Catfish Bagre marinus in the western Gulf of Mexico, the objectives of this study were to determine the status of this species in Texas estuaries by assessing trends in relative abundance, length, and habitat preferences from fishery-independent trawl (juvenile) and gill-net (adult) data, as well as angler harvest trends from fishery-dependent creel surveys collected in all Texas estuaries.

Methods
Fishery-independent and -dependent monitoring data were collected by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in all major bay systems of the Texas coast from 1983 to 2022. Linear trend analysis was used to assess trends across the full time series and all major bay systems for both juvenile and adult specimens and for total recreational harvest. Boosted regression tree analysis was used to assess habitat preference for both juveniles and adults.

Result
Both juvenile and adult catch rates consistently increased in most Texas estuaries, with the most extreme increases occurring in central Texas coast estuaries beginning in the early 2000s. During the same time frame, mean lengths of adult specimens significantly decreased in many of the same estuaries. Habitat suitability analysis suggested that Gafftopsail Catfish were primarily influenced by salinity, though they still exist across a very broad range of salinity conditions. Angler catch rates showed some localized patterns of increasing or decreasing trends, though they generally did not follow fishery-independent trends for most estuaries.

Conclusion
These trends interpreted in the context of the known trophic role of Gafftopsail Catfish imply the potential for larger ecosystem-level effects on both prey organisms and competitors. A more thorough awareness of these trends and potential interactions should help fisheries managers operate in an ecosystem-based context when investigating population dynamics and recommending management strategies.
Transcranial direct current stimulation for fatigue in neurological conditions: A systematic scoping review
Authors: Jagadish Akhila , Shankaranarayana Apoorva M. , Natarajan Manikandan , Solomon John M. 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackground and PurposeFatigue following neurological conditions negatively impacts daily activities, reducing overall quality of life. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for fatigue management is still underexplored. This scoping review explores its use in managing fatigue among various neurological conditions.MethodsA thorough literature search was carried out using PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, ProQuest, and the Cochrane Library. Google Scholar and clinicaltrials.gov were manually searched for gray literature and ongoing trials, respectively. Regardless of the study design, all studies utilizing tDCS for the management of fatigue in various neurological conditions were considered. Two reviewers independently screened all the studies, following which the data were retrieved.ResultsStudies employing tDCS for fatigue management across neurological conditions is as follows: Multiple sclerosis (MS) (n = 28, 66%), stroke (n = 5, 12%), Parkinson's disease (PD) (n = 4, 10%), post‐polio syndrome (PPS) (n = 2, 5%), traumatic brain injury (TBI) (n = 2, 5%), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (n = 1, 2%). All the studies used anodal stimulation, with the common stimulation site being the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for MS, stroke, and PD. A stimulation intensity of 1.0–4.0 mA with a duration ranging from 15 to 30 min in 1 to 24 sessions were commonly reported. The Fatigue Severity Scale (n = 21) and Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (n = 17) were frequently implemented outcome measures. Regardless of the study design, 36/42 (85.7%) studies reported an improvement in fatigue scores in the tDCS group. The common adverse events noted were tingling (n = 8, 35%), headache (n = 6, 26%), and itching (n = 6, 26%).DiscussionApplication of tDCS for fatigue was explored in individuals with stroke, PD, PPS, and TBI after MS. Even though a wide range of treatment parameters and outcome measures were adopted to assess and target fatigue, tDCS proves to have a promising role in alleviating this symptom.