bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Development and validation of the Character Strengths Test 24 (CST24): a brief measure of 24 character strengths
Authors: Shimai Satoshi , Urata Yu 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Background
The present study aimed to develop and validate the Character Strengths Test 24 (CST24), a simple scale consisting of 24 character strengths represented by one concept word and one sentence each. Three studies were conducted to examine the validation and utility of the CST24 for future research.

Methods
Three internet-based surveys were conducted in Japan to investigate the psychometric properties of the CST24. Study 1 comprised 846 adults and focused on test development, including the evaluation of well-being and strengths scales, as well as retest reliability. Study 2 involved 1137 high school students and 1101 college undergraduates, aiming to investigate the factor structure of the CST24 and reaffirm its validity by utilizing happiness and meaning in life scales. In Study 3, 524 working adults participated to explore the scale's potential for future research. This study incorporated various psychological scales, such as value orientation, moral foundation, and work-related scales, to assess the utility of the CST24.

Results
In Study 1, the CST24 items exhibited a well-distributed response pattern, demonstrating favorable retest reliability and internal consistency. Significant positive correlations were found between the CST24 items and measures of subjective well-being, meaning in life, positive self-compassion, and knowledge or utilization of strengths. Study 2 confirmed the stability of the factor structure across diverse sample groups, consistent with prior studies utilizing larger-scale measures. Study 3 identified both core and peripheral strengths, highlighting specific strengths that made substantial contributions to well-being, value orientation, moral foundation, sense of mission, and work-related indices through multiple regression analysis.

Conclusion
The findings support the reliability and validity of the CST24 as a concise assessment tool for measuring 24 character strengths. Its potential utility for screening and exploratory research warrants attention in future studies, enhancing our understanding of the role of character strengths in various domains.
Selective neuroimmune modulation by type I interferon drives neuropathology and neurologic dysfunction following traumatic brain injury
Authors: Todd Brittany P. , Luo Zili , Gilkes Noah , Chimenti Michael S. , Peterson Zeru , Mix Madison R. , Harty John T. , Nickl-Jockschat Thomas , Ferguson Polly J. , Bassuk Alexander G. , Newell Elizabeth A. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAccumulating evidence suggests that type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling is a key contributor to immune cell-mediated neuropathology in neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, we demonstrated a robust upregulation of type I interferon-stimulated genes in microglia and astrocytes following experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI). The specific molecular and cellular mechanisms by which IFN-I signaling impacts the neuroimmune response and neuropathology following TBI remains unknown. Using the lateral fluid percussion injury model (FPI) in adult male mice, we demonstrated that IFN α/β receptor (IFNAR) deficiency resulted in selective and sustained blockade of type I interferon-stimulated genes following TBI as well as decreased microgliosis and monocyte infiltration. Molecular alteration of reactive microglia also occurred with diminished expression of genes needed for MHC class I antigen processing and presentation following TBI. This was associated with decreased accumulation of cytotoxic T cells in the brain. The IFNAR-dependent modulation of the neuroimmune response was accompanied by protection from secondary neuronal death, white matter disruption, and neurobehavioral dysfunction. These data support further efforts to leverage the IFN-I pathway for novel, targeted therapy of TBI.
Heart ventricles of the dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius): new insights from sectional anatomy, 3D computed tomography, and morphometry
Authors: Alsafy Mohamed A.M. , El-Gendy Samir A.A. , Kamal Basma M. , Rutland Catrin S. , Abd-Elhafeez Hanan H. , Soliman Soha , ELKhamary Ahmed N. , Nomir Ahmed G. 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Background
Dromedary camel heart morphology is a crucial research topic with clinical applications. The study aims to understand the dromedary camel anatomy, morphology, and architecture of the ventricular mass. Results: Sagittal and transverse gross sections were compared to sagittal, transverse, and 3D render volume reconstruction computed tomography (CT) scans. The subepicardial fat, which covered the heart base, the coronary groove (sulcus coronarius), the left longitudinal interventricular groove (sulcus interventricularis paraconalis), and the right longitudinal interventricular groove (sulcus interventricularis subsinuosus), had a relatively low density with a homogeneous appearance in the 3D render volume CT. The pericardium in the color cardiac window was identified better than the black and white window (ghost). Transverse and sagittal CT scans demonstrated the internal structures of the heart, including the right atrioventricular orifice (ostium atrioventriculare dextrum), right atrioventricular orifice (ostium atrioventriculare sinistrum), and aortic orifice (ostium aortae), chordae tendineae, the cusps of the valves (cuspis valvae), and the papillary muscles (musculi papillares). The papillary muscle (musculi papillares) was presented with a more moderate density than the rest of the heart, and the cusps of the valves (cuspis valvae) had a lower density. The ventricular wall (margo ventricularis) exhibited different densities: the outer part was hyperdense, while the inner part was hypodense. The thicknesses of the ventricular mural wall and the interventricular septum (septum atrioventriculare) were highest at the midpoint of the ventricular mass, and the lowest value was present toward the apical part. The coronary groove (sulcus coronarius) circumference measured 51.14 ± 0.72 cm, and the fat in the coronary groove (sulcus coronarius) (56 ± 6.55 cm2) represented 28.7% of the total cross-sectional area. Conclusion: The current study provided more information about ventricular mass measurements by gross and CT analysis on the heart, which provides a valuable guide for future cardiac CT investigations in camels in vivo.
Sample size determination for point-of-care COVID-19 diagnostic tests: a Bayesian approach
Authors: Williamson S. Faye , Williams Cameron J. , Lendrem B. Clare , Wilson Kevin J. 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Background
In a pandemic setting, it is critical to evaluate and deploy accurate diagnostic tests rapidly. This relies heavily on the sample size chosen to assess the test accuracy (e.g. sensitivity and specificity) during the diagnostic accuracy study. Too small a sample size will lead to imprecise estimates of the accuracy measures, whereas too large a sample size may delay the development process unnecessarily. This study considers use of a Bayesian method to guide sample size determination for diagnostic accuracy studies, with application to COVID-19 rapid viral detection tests. Specifically, we investigate whether utilising existing information (e.g. from preceding laboratory studies) within a Bayesian framework can reduce the required sample size, whilst maintaining test accuracy to the desired precision.

Methods
The method presented is based on the Bayesian concept of assurance which, in this context, represents the unconditional probability that a diagnostic accuracy study yields sensitivity and/or specificity intervals with the desired precision. We conduct a simulation study to evaluate the performance of this approach in a variety of COVID-19 settings, and compare it to commonly used power-based methods. An accompanying interactive web application is available, which can be used by researchers to perform the sample size calculations.

Results
Results show that the Bayesian assurance method can reduce the required sample size for COVID-19 diagnostic accuracy studies, compared to standard methods, by making better use of laboratory data, without loss of performance. Increasing the size of the laboratory study can further reduce the required sample size in the diagnostic accuracy study.

Conclusions
The method considered in this paper is an important advancement for increasing the efficiency of the evidence development pathway. It has highlighted that the trade-off between lab study sample size and diagnostic accuracy study sample size should be carefully considered, since establishing an adequate lab sample size can bring longer-term gains. Although emphasis is on its use in the COVID-19 pandemic setting, where we envisage it will have the most impact, it can be usefully applied in other clinical areas.
French Canadian cross-cultural adaptation of CAPTSure©, an index for the Clinical Assessment of Post-Thrombotic Syndrome in children
Authors: Pelland-Marcotte Marie-Claude , Stavrakoukas Angelika , Wong Gina , Santiago Raoul , Avila Laura 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) is the most common complication of deep venous thrombosis (DVT). The index for the Clinical Assessment of Post-Thrombotic Syndrome in children (CAPTSure©) is a clinical tool for the diagnosis and severity rating of PTS in pediatric patients. The purpose of this study was to translate and adapt CAPTSure© for French-speaking patients.

Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional study to perform linguistic and cultural adaptation of CAPTSure©, using a rigorous translation process followed by cognitive debriefings in twenty French-speaking pediatric patients aged up to 18 years old with a history of upper or lower extremity DVT at least 6 months prior.

Results
Forward and backward translations were used to produce a pre-final French version of CAPTSure©, followed by cognitive debriefings in twenty participants (median age: 11.5 years, 55% male, median CAPTSure© score: 26). The participants felt that the questionnaire was thorough, with an adequate length. Eight out of fourteen (57%) items in the LE questionnaire and 7/12 (58%) of the items in the UE questionnaire were modified following participants’ and a multidisciplinary expert committee’s input, leading to the final French version of CAPTSure©.

Conclusions
CAPTSure© was successfully adapted for French-speaking pediatric patients. This will ease the diagnosis and severity rating of PTS in children in clinical practice and allow international research collaborations for additional non-English-speaking patients.
The impact of COVID-19 infection on heart transplant function
Authors: MacKay Micaela , Tomcho Jeremy C. , Khalife Wissam 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Background
Heart transplant recipients are a subset of immunocompromised patients at particularly high risk of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. Acute effects of the viral infection have been well-described in the literature but the chronic effects persisting after recovery from infection have not. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of COVID-19 on heart transplant function both during and after recovery from acute infection.

Methods
We retrospectively analyzed the data of 32 heart transplant recipients at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). Echocardiograms of patients with documented COVID-19 infection were analyzed at three time points including pre-infection, peri-infection, and post-infection. Echocardiograms of patients without history of infection were analyzed as control. Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) and presence or absence of valvular insufficiency were collected from echocardiograms to assess systolic and valvular function.

Results
2 out of 10 COVID-19 positive heart transplant recipients had decreases in LVEF below 20% during the peri-infection period, and one of these patients passed away from complications of infection. Despite this, mean LVEF was not significantly different at peri-infection (p = .3, 95% CI − 11.5 to 27.6) or post-infection (p = .6, 95% CI − 3.6 to 5.8) time points when compared to pre-infection. A statistically significant increase in valvular dysfunction was found among COVID-19 positive patients without documented history of valvular dysfunction on pre-infection echocardiograms (p = .01, 95% CI 19.3% to 96.4%). COVID-19 negative heart transplant recipients did not experience statistically significant changes in LVEF 1, 2, or 3 years after baseline echocardiogram.

Conclusion
COVID-19 may induce myocardial dysfunction resulting in decreased systolic function and valvular dysfunction among heart transplant recipients. Severity of systolic dysfunction may be a useful prognostic indicator among this patient population. More research must be conducted to fully elucidate the effects of COVID-19 infection on heart transplant recipients.
Discrimination between leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 antibody encephalitis and gamma-aminobutyric acid B receptor antibody encephalitis based on ResNet18
Authors: Pan Jian , Lv Ruijuan , Wang Qun , Zhao Xiaobin , Liu Jiangang , Ai Lin 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThis study aims to discriminate between leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1) antibody encephalitis and gamma-aminobutyric acid B (GABAB) receptor antibody encephalitis using a convolutional neural network (CNN) model. A total of 81 patients were recruited for this study. ResNet18, VGG16, and ResNet50 were trained and tested separately using 3828 positron emission tomography image slices that contained the medial temporal lobe (MTL) or basal ganglia (BG). Leave-one-out cross-validation at the patient level was used to evaluate the CNN models. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) were generated to evaluate the CNN models. Based on the prediction results at slice level, a decision strategy was employed to evaluate the CNN models’ performance at patient level. The ResNet18 model achieved the best performance at the slice (AUC = 0.86, accuracy = 80.28%) and patient levels (AUC = 0.98, accuracy = 96.30%). Specifically, at the slice level, 73.28% (1445/1972) of image slices with GABAB receptor antibody encephalitis and 87.72% (1628/1856) of image slices with LGI1 antibody encephalitis were accurately detected. At the patient level, 94.12% (16/17) of patients with GABAB receptor antibody encephalitis and 96.88% (62/64) of patients with LGI1 antibody encephalitis were accurately detected. Heatmaps of the image slices extracted using gradient-weighted class activation mapping indicated that the model focused on the MTL and BG for classification. In general, the ResNet18 model is a potential approach for discriminating between LGI1 and GABAB receptor antibody encephalitis. Metabolism in the MTL and BG is important for discriminating between these two encephalitis subtypes.
Ultrasound assisted photocatalytic degradation of isoproturon and triasulfuron herbicides using visible light driven impregnated zinc oxide catalysts
Authors: Khan Kashif , Khitab Fatima , Shah Jasmin , Jan Muhammad Rasul 
Published: August 2023

AbstractHerbicides in wastewater are considered as a serious issue to environmental pollution. Different impregnated metal zinc oxide (Cu/ZnO and Ni/ZnO) as catalysts were prepared through wet impregnation method for the degradation of herbicides Isoproturon and triasulfuron. The prepared impregnated catalysts were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopyand surface area. The degradation of selected herbicides were investigated using combined effect of photocatalysis and sonication. The experimental parameters such as pH, irradiation time, photocatalyst dose, effect of oxidants, diverse ion effect, herbicide concentration and catalyst reusability have been optimized. The percent removal of isoproturon was found to be 99 and 98% at pH 7 and triasulfuron was 98% at pH 6 using Cu/ZnO and 99% at pH 7 using Ni/ZnO photocatalysts respectively.
Graphical Abstract
Graphical abstract of Ultrasound Assisted Photocatalytic Degradation of Isoproturon and Triasulfuron Herbicides
Fertilization-induced reactive nitrogen gases and carbon dioxide emissions: insight to the carbon-nitrogen cycles
Authors: Pan Shu-Yuan , He Kung-Hui , Liao Yu-Lun 
Published: August 2023

AbstractDifferent agricultural practices can pose significant threats to environmental quality and human health. This study aimed to assess the emissions of reactive nitrogen (NH3, NOx, and N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) induced by fertilization in spinach and cabbage farmlands. Field and pot experiments were conducted to analyze the emission fluxes and intensities of reactive nitrogen gases and CO2. The findings revealed that the total emissions of reactive nitrogen for cabbage and spinach ranged from 21 to 798 kg-N ha−1 and 1.1 to 489 kg-N ha−1, respectively. Generally, organic fertilizers exhibited higher emission intensities of NH3 compared to N2O. While slow-release fertilizers effectively reduced NH3 emissions, they resulted in increased soil N2O emissions. Furthermore, the total emissions of reactive nitrogen from the soil showed a positive correlation with soil CO2 emissions. Particularly, organic farming practices, especially in the case of cabbage, led to increased CO2 emissions from farmlands. Based on the experimental findings, three priority directions were suggested to achieve sustainable soil carbon and nitrogen management in order to minimize emissions from farmlands. This study provides valuable insights for future soil carbon and nitrogen management in subtropical regions.
Enhancing rice resilience to drought by applying biochar–compost mixture in low-fertile sandy soil
Authors: Hazman Mohamed , Fawzy Samer , Hamdy Ahmed , Khaled Aya , Mahmoud Aya , Khalid Eslam , Ibrahim Habiba Mohamed , Gamal Mahmoud , Abo Elyazeed Naira , Saber Nourhan , Ehab Mariam , Kabil Farida 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Background
Climate change alters modern drought episode patterns by making them longer, more frequent and more severe, in particular in arid and semi-arid agroecosystems. Amending soil properties and enhancing its fertility is a needed sustainable strategy for mitigating drought’s damaging effects on crop production and food security. Here, we planned to investigate the potential benefits of biochar–compost mixture (B×C) as a biochar-based fertilizer (BCF) in enhancing the drought tolerance of rice plants cultivated in low-fertile sandy soil.

Results
Under drought stress, rice plants cultivated in unamended soil (no B×C) exhibited severely wilted, rolled and discolored shoots. Furthermore, the shoot dry biomass reduction ratio was 73.3% compared to 44.2 and 27.6% for plants treated with 5 and 15% B×C, respectively. Root anatomical and architectural traits were significantly less impaired in B×C plants and reflected better performance under drought compared to no B×C plants. During the induced drought episode, soil moisture content was enhanced by 2.5-fold through adding B×C, compared to unamended soil, thereby reducing the negative impact of drought stress. Moreover, the less drought-stressed rice plants (B×C-treated) rapidly recovered after rewatering and displayed the unwinding of previously rolled leaves and reproduced panicles. On the other hand, no B×C plants failed to recover and eventually perished completely. The expression profiles of several drought responsive genes suggest that leaves of more stressed rice plants (no B×C) significantly accumulated more cytosolic free calcium (OsCML3) and apoplastic H2O2 (OsOXO4) which eventually may trigger fast and prolonged stomatal closure (OsSRO1c). In addition, more drought-stressed plants (no B×C) may over-produce the reactive oxygen species (ROS) superoxide anion molecules (OsRbohB), the negative situation that has been further complicated by a possible reduction in the activity of the antioxidative enzyme SOD (OsSOD), and thus more lipid peroxidation (3.5-fold increase MDA) in drought-stressed (no B×C) plant shoots compared to B×C plants.

Conclusion
It is suggested that soil amendment B×C (biochar–compost mixture) could promote drought stress tolerance in rice plants by retaining more soil moisture content, thereby mitigating the negative effects of drought stress, such as the over-production of ROS in leaves, and thus eventually facilitating recovery after rewatering.
Pre-diabetes and diabetic neuropathy are associated with low serum levels of interleukin-9
Authors: Khalaf Noorulhuda F. , Al-rikabi Aaiad H. , Salman Isam N. , Saihood Yahya D. , Nassurat Shahad W. , Jasim Ola H. , Ad’hiah Ali H. 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Background
Interleukin-9 (IL-9) is a cytokine that has recently been proposed to be associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk, but the role it plays in the development of pre-diabetes (PD) and diabetic neuropathy (DN) is unknown. Therefore, this study analyzed serum IL-9 levels in individuals with PD (n = 89), T2DM patients without DN (n = 66), T2DM patients with DN (n = 21), and non-diabetic controls (n = 84) using an ELISA kit.

Results
Serum IL-9 levels (median and interquartile range) were significantly lower in the PD (18.9 [12.6–22.1] pg/mL; probability [p] < 0.001) and T2DM (19.4 [16.3–28.0] pg/mL; p = 0.04) groups than in the control group (20.8 [19.4–25.8] pg/mL). Patients with DN also showed lower levels of IL-9 than patients without DN, but the p value was not significant (19.4 [12.5–22.7] vs. 20.6 [17.1–28.1] pg/mL; p = 0.13). IL-9 showed better diagnostic performance in PD and T2DM with DN than in T2DM without DN (area under the curve: 0.699 and 0.702 vs. 0.567, respectively). Moreover, lower levels of IL-9 were significantly associated with PD and DN risks (odds ratio = 0.86 and 0.85, respectively).

Conclusions
Serum IL-9 levels were significantly decreased in individuals with PD and patients with T2DM compared with HC. The decrease in IL-9 levels in T2DM patients was more pronounced in patients with DN than in patients without DN. Therefore, low levels of IL-9 can be considered as a potential biomarker associated with an increased risk of PD and DN.