bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An Empirical Assessment Of Poverty, Food Security And Nutritional Status Of Former Enclave People In A Selected Area Of Bangladesh
Authors: Khatun M , Rahman S 
Published: March 2023

This article empirically investigates poverty, food security and nutritional status of selected former enclave households. Binary logistic regression was carried out to find out the factors affecting food security of the households. Following simple random sampling technique, a sample of 80 households from two villages of Dibiganj upazila of Panchagarh district of Bangladesh was surveyed in January 2020. On an average, they consumed 20 food items of which their daily per capita intake was 1414.52 gm. Mean of daily per capita protein and calorie intake was 63.14 gm. and 1619.67 Kcal, respectively. Rice occupied the major contributing source of protein and calorie intake as per capita consumption of rice was highest among all other food items (609.35 gm.). Among the respondents, 61.25% belonged to ultra-poor following by hard core poor (20%) and absolute poor (7.5%). Based on FCS, 81.25% of them were in poor diet clusters but consequently 91.25% of them belonged to high dietary diversity as indicated by household dietary diversity score. Assessment of CSI and HFIAS indicated that most of the sample households were suffering from moderately to severely food insecure. But based on MAHFP, 20% of the respondents were found to be food insecure as they had food provisioning for 0- 9 months out of 12 months. At the same time, 51.25% of the sample households were underweight based on their BMI. There was no household member whose physical feature was found to be obese based on BMI characterization. The result of the binary logistic regression shows that food security is positively correlated with total land size and family consumption of food. So, diversification of crop production and diversification of family consumption can be the recommended steps for the enclaves’ households to upgrade their food and nutrition security status
Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 46(4): 353-372, December 2021
Farmers’ Perception and Factors Affecting Adoption Of Mungbean in Patuakhali District of Bangladesh
Authors: Uddin MT , Roy SS , Hoq MS 
Published: March 2023

Mungbean is an important pulse crop in Bangladesh for nutrition, the economy, and food security, as well as a source of protein for the majority of the people. The study was carried out to better understand farmers' views toward mungbean production, the factors affecting mungbean adoption, and the financial profitability of mungbean cultivation. A structured and pre-tested interview schedule was used to interview 90 mungbean farmers that were randomly selected from different villages in Patuakhali Sadar Upazila, Patuakhali district for collecting field level data. A combination of descriptive, mathematical and statistical techniques was used to analyze the data. Profitability analysis showed that mungbean production was profitable because the net return of its cultivation was Tk. 21,959/ha and BCR was more than unity (1.73). The study revealed that short duration crop, sharing work within household members, crop diversification, minimum tillage, employment creation, and income generation significantly influenced farmers to cultivate mungbean than any other crop. Problem facing index pointed out high price of seed and fertilizer, lack of good quality seed and fertilizer, inadequate extension service as a production related problem and lack of value added product development and transport facility, low market price of output and lack of storage facilities were identified as a major marketing problem of mungbean cultivation.
Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 46(4): 385-396, December 2021
Perancangan Dan Implementasi Half Bridge Dc – Dc Converter Dengan Kendali Arus Hysteresis
Authors: Saputra Masramdhani , Yustiawan Gian Fikih , Ridzki Imron , Wiwaha Sigit Setya , Gumilang Binar Surya 
Published: March 2023

DC-DC Converter is a direct voltage (DC) power supply device that is produced by converting DC input voltage into a lower or higher DC output voltage. In its development, the application of DC-DC Converter allows an electronic device to function with a small energy source, where the output voltage can be varied as needed. DC-DC Converters have been widely developed because they have various advantages, including: simpler form and has high efficiency. In this thesis, an Arduino Mega 2560-based current controller will be implemented. The type of current controller implemented is hysteresis current control with the well-known, tested and proven considerations. Current control works if the inductor current rises from the lower limit of the hysteresis band to the upper limit then the switch will be turned off (inductor current above the upper reference Ip.Ref) and if this current drops from the upper limit to the lower limit the switch will be turned on (current inductor under low frequency Iv.Ref). This current control also has advantages in overcurrent protection such as when there is a short circuit in the load.
Structural and ligand binding analysis of the pet allergens Can f 1 and Fel d 7
Authors: Min Jungki , Foo Alexander C. Y. , Gabel Scott A. , Perera Lalith , DeRose Eugene F. , Pomés Anna , Pedersen Lars C. , Mueller Geoffrey A. 
Published: March 2023

IntroductionPet lipocalins are respiratory allergens with a central hydrophobic ligand-binding cavity called a calyx. Molecules carried in the calyx by allergens are suggested to influence allergenicity, but little is known about the native ligands.MethodsTo provide more information on prospective ligands, we report crystal structures, NMR, molecular dynamics, and florescence studies of a dog lipocalin allergen Can f 1 and its closely related (and cross-reactive) cat allergen Fel d 7.ResultsStructural comparisons with reported lipocalins revealed that Can f 1 and Fel d 7 calyxes are open and positively charged while other dog lipocalin allergens are closed and negatively charged. We screened fatty acids as surrogate ligands, and found that Can f 1 and Fel d 7 bind multiple ligands with preferences for palmitic acid (16:0) among saturated fatty acids and oleic acid (18:1 cis-9) among unsaturated ones. NMR analysis of methyl probes reveals that conformational changes occur upon binding of pinolenic acid inside the calyx. Molecular dynamics simulation shows that the carboxylic group of fatty acids shuttles between two positively charged amino acids inside the Can f 1 and Fel d 7 calyx. Consistent with simulations, the stoichiometry of oleic acid-binding is 2:1 (fatty acid: protein) for Can f 1 and Fel d 7.DiscussionThe results provide valuable insights into the determinants of selectivity and candidate ligands for pet lipocalin allergens Can f 1 and Fel d 7.
The antiviral activity of a small molecule drug targeting the NSP1-ribosome complex against Omicron, especially in elderly patients
Authors: Shen Min , Ding Ping , Luan Guangxin , Du Ting , Deng Shanshan 
Published: March 2023

IntroductionWith the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 mutant strains, especially the epidemic of Omicron, it continues to evolve to strengthen immune evasion. Omicron BQ. 1 and XBB pose a serious threat to the current COVID-19 vaccine (including bivalent mRNA vaccine for mutant strains) and COVID-19-positive survivors, and all current therapeutic monoclonal antibodies are ineffective against them. Older people, those with multimorbidity, and those with specific underlying health conditions remain at increased risk of COVID-19 hospitalization and death after the initial vaccine booster. However, small-molecule drugs for conserved targets remain effective and urgently needed.MethodsThe non-structural protein of SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein 1(Nsp1) can bind to the host 40S ribosomal subunit and activate the nuclease to hydrolyze the host RNA, while the viral RNA is unaffected, thus hijacking the host system. First, the present study analyzed mutations in the Nsp1 protein and then constructed a maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree. A virtual drug screening method based on the Nsp1 structure (Protein Data Bank ID: 7K5I) was constructed, 7495 compounds from three databases were collected for molecular docking and virtual screening, and the binding free energy was calculated by the MM/GBSA method.ResultsOur study shows that Nsp1 is relatively conserved and can be used as a comparatively fixed drug target and that therapies against Nsp1 will target all of these variants. Golvatinib, Gliquidone, and Dihydroergotamine were superior to other compounds in the crystal structure of binding conformation and free energy. All effectively interfered with Nsp1 binding to 40S protein, confirming the potential inhibitory effect of these three compounds on SARS-CoV-2.DiscussionIn particular, Golwatinib provides a candidate for treatment and prophylaxis in elderly patients with Omicjon, suggesting further evaluation of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of these compounds in cell culture. Further studies are needed to determine the utility of this finding through prospective clinical trials and identify other meaningful drug combinations.
Influence of common palynological extraction treatments on ultraviolet absorbing compounds (UACs) in sub-fossil pollen and spores observed in FTIR spectra
Authors: Wang Tianyuan , Bell Benjamin A. , Fletcher William J. , Ryan Peter A. , Wogelius Roy A. 
Published: March 2023

IntroductionBiological life, atmospheric circulation and the Earth’s climate may be influenced by UV-B radiation. In plants, Ultraviolet Absorbing Compounds (UACs) are an indicator of UV-B exposure, and the abundance of UACs in pollen and spores of embryophytes is measurable using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) micro-Spectroscopy. However, understanding the influence of common chemical pre-treatments on sub-fossil pollen and spores with a view to UV-B reconstruction still requires investigation.MethodsHere, peat samples collected from a Late Holocene raised bog were treated with different chemicals (HCl, KOH, and acetolysis) for varying treatment times (up to 210 min). Pollen or spores of three common taxa (Alnus, Calluna and Sphagnum) were isolated and FTIR spectra obtained on individual grains. The spectra were compared to modern pollen and spore samples collected nearby.ResultsSpectra of modern and sub-fossil samples show several visible differences related to lipid and protoplast contents. The results of chemical treatments on sub-fossil pollen and spores reveal that HCl produced limited changes, while KOH and acetolysis altered several peaks, including the UAC-related aromatic peak at 1516 cm−1. We observe that all treatments modify the FTIR spectra to some degree, from weakest (HCl) to strongest (acetolysis). With respect to reduction of UAC peak area and treatment time, we observe in some cases a significant log-decay relationship, notably for KOH treatment on Calluna pollen and acetolysis on Sphagnum spores. Compared to untreated control samples, UAC peak area in Alnus, Calluna and Sphagnum reduced by 68%, 69% and 60% respectively, after only 3 min of acetolysis treatment. After 60 minutes of acetolysis treatment UAC peaks were reduced by 77%, 84% and 88%.DiscussionDue to the potential for taxon-specific effects and significant reductions in UAC peak area even within short treatment times, our recommendation for future applications in palaeoecological studies on palynomorph chemistry is to avoid chemical digestions in the pollen extraction process in favour of separation methods including micro-sieving and density separation.
Loss of Müller cell glutamine synthetase immunoreactivity is associated with neuronal changes in late-stage retinal degeneration
Authors: Reynisson Hallur , Kalloniatis Michael , Fletcher Erica L. , Shivdasani Mohit N. , Nivison-Smith Lisa 
Published: March 2023

IntroductionA hallmark of photoreceptor degenerations is progressive, aberrant remodeling of the surviving retinal neurons and glia following photoreceptor loss. The exact relationship between neurons and glia remodeling in this late stage of retinal degeneration, however, is unclear. This study assessed this by examining Müller cell dysfunction via glutamine synthetase immunoreactivity and its spatial association with retinal neuron subpopulations through various cell markers.MethodsAged Rd1 mice retinae (P150 – P536,n= minimum 5 per age) and control heterozygous rd1 mice retinae (P536,n= 5) were isolated, fixed and cryosectioned. Fluorescent immunolabeling of glutamine synthetase was performed and retinal areas quantified as having low glutamine synthetase immunoreactivity if proportion of labeled pixels in an area was less than two standard deviations of the mean of the total retina. Other Müller cell markers such as Sox9 and Glial fibrillary acidic protein along with neuronal cell markers Calbindin, Calretinin, recoverin, Protein kinase C-α, Glutamic acid decarboxylase 67, and Islet-1 were then quantified within areas of low and normal synthetase immunoreactivity.ResultsGlutamine synthetase immunoreactivity was lost as a function of age in the rd1 mouse retina (P150 – P536). Immunoreactivity of other Müller cell markers, however, were unaffected suggesting Müller cells were still present in these low glutamine synthetase immunoreactive regions. Glutamine synthetase immunoreactivity loss affected specific neuronal populations: Type 2, Type 8 cone, and rod bipolar cells, as well as AII amacrine cells based on reduced recoverin, protein kinase Ca and parvalbumin immunoreactivity, respectively. The number of cell nuclei within regions of low glutamine synthetase immunoreactivity was also reduced suggesting possible neuronal loss rather than reduced cell marker immunoreactivity.ConclusionThese findings further support a strong interplay between glia-neuronal alterations in late-stage degeneration and highlight a need for future studies and consideration in intervention development.
Development of a new clinical tool to evaluate the balance abilities of children with bilateral vestibular loss: The Geneva Balance Test
Authors: Monin Emile , Bahim Céline , Baussand Lou , Cugnot Jean-François , Ranieri Maurizio , Guinand Nils , Pérez Fornos Angélica , Cao Van Hélène 
Published: March 2023

IntroductionVestibular deficits are considered rare in children, but the lack of systematic screening leads to underdiagnosis. It has been demonstrated that chronic vestibular dysfunction impacts the normal psychomotor development of children. Early identification is needed to allow for clinical management, ensuring better global development. For this purpose, our research group has developed the Geneva Balance Test (GBT), aiming to objectively quantify the balance capacity of children over a broad age range, to screen for bilateral vestibulopathy (BV), and to quantify the improvement of balance abilities in children.MethodsTo determine the capacity of the GBT to quantify the balance capacity of children with BV, we conducted an observational prospective study with three populations: 11 children with BV, and two age-matched control groups composed of (1) 15 healthy subjects without the vestibular or auditory disorder (HS) and (2) 11 pediatric cochlear implant recipients (CIs) without vestibular disorders. Results of the three populations have been compared in three different age sub- groups (3–5, 6–9, and ≥10 years), and with results of a short, modified version of the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of Motor proficiency Ed. 2 (mBOT-2).ResultsStatistical analyses demonstrated significant differences in the scores of the GBT between children aged 3–5, 6–9, and ≥10 years with BV and in both control populations (HS and CI). BV scores reflected poorer balance capacities at all ages. Children in the youngest CI sub-group (3–5 years) showed intermediate GBT scores but reached HS scores at 6–9 years, reflecting an improvement in their balance capacities. All the results of the GBT were significantly correlated with mBOT-2 results, although only a few BV completed the entire mBOT-2.DiscussionIn this study, the GBT allowed quantifying balance deficits in children with BV. The BOT-2 test is not validated for children &lt;4.5 years of age, and the GBT seems to be better tolerated in all populations than the mBOT-2. Furthermore, mBOT-2 results saturated, reaching maximum values by 6–9 years whereas the GBT did not, suggesting that the GBT could be a useful tool for monitoring the development of balance capacities with age and could be used in the follow-up of children with severe vestibular disorders.
Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among Chinese college students following the COVID-19 outbreak
Authors: Wang Jie-Yu , Li Qi , Liu Wei , Yang Yang , Wang Xiao-Guang , Liu Chun-Yan , Shu Xi-Ji , Xue Li , Shi Yan-Wei 
Published: March 2023

ObjectiveThis study examined the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in college students 1 month after the lockdown of Wuhan to identify possible risk factors for PTSD symptoms in a cross-sectional study.MethodsOut of 10,502 who responded, 9,274 students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic were included in our study. PTSD symptoms was evaluated by the Impact of Event Scale-revised (IES-R). Anxiety/depression symptoms were evaluated by the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Personality traits, coping style, and social support were assessed by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Scale for Chinese (EPQ-RSC), the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), and the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). Logistic regression analysis was utilized to further explore risk factors for PTSD symptoms.ResultsMore than 1 month after the COVID-19 outbreak, 13.1% of college students developed PTSD symptoms, indicating that COVID-19 associated stressful experiences were connected with PTSD symptoms. After the COVID-19 outbreak, subjects with symptomatologic PTSD symptoms were more likely to experience strained relationships with their family, to have close contact with COVID-19 patients and to drop out of college. The logistic regression model demonstrated the association factors of PTSD symptoms. Neuroticism, psychoticism and an avoidant coping style were associated with increased risk for PTSD symptoms, while an active coping style was protective against PTSD symptoms during this pandemic.ConclusionThe results showed that PTSD symptoms was prevalent in Chinese college students 1 month after the COVID-19 outbreak. Effective psychological support work should be carried out accordingly.
Transformed common spatial pattern for motor imagery-based brain-computer interfaces
Authors: Ma Zhen , Wang Kun , Xu Minpeng , Yi Weibo , Xu Fangzhou , Ming Dong 
Published: March 2023

ObjectiveThe motor imagery (MI)-based brain–computer interface (BCI) is one of the most popular BCI paradigms. Common spatial pattern (CSP) is an effective algorithm for decoding MI-related electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns. However, it highly depends on the selection of EEG frequency bands. To address this problem, previous researchers often used a filter bank to decompose EEG signals into multiple frequency bands before applying the traditional CSP.ApproachThis study proposed a novel method, i.e., transformed common spatial pattern (tCSP), to extract the discriminant EEG features from multiple frequency bands after but not before CSP. To verify its effectiveness, we tested tCSP on a dataset collected by our team and a public dataset from BCI competition III. We also performed an online evaluation of the proposed method.Main resultsAs a result, for the dataset collected by our team, the classification accuracy of tCSP was significantly higher than CSP by about 8% and filter bank CSP (FBCSP) by about 4.5%. The combination of tCSP and CSP further improved the system performance with an average accuracy of 84.77% and a peak accuracy of 100%. For dataset IVa in BCI competition III, the combination method got an average accuracy of 94.55%, which performed best among all the presented CSP-based methods. In the online evaluation, tCSP and the combination method achieved an average accuracy of 80.00 and 84.00%, respectively.SignificanceThe results demonstrate that the frequency band selection after CSP is better than before for MI-based BCIs. This study provides a promising approach for decoding MI EEG patterns, which is significant for the development of BCIs.
Disrupted interhemispheric coordination of sensory-motor networks and insula in major depressive disorder
Authors: Zhang Chunguo , Jing Huan , Yan Haohao , Li Xiaoling , Liang Jiaquan , Zhang Qinqin , Liang Wenting , Ou Yangpan , Peng Can , Yu Yang , Wu Weibin , Xie Guojun , Guo Wenbin 
Published: March 2023

ObjectivePrior researches have identified distinct differences in neuroimaging characteristics between healthy controls (HCs) and patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the correlations between homotopic connectivity and clinical characteristics in patients with MDD have yet to be fully understood. The present study aimed to investigate common and unique patterns of homotopic connectivity and their relationships with clinical characteristics in patients with MDD.MethodsWe recruited 42 patients diagnosed with MDD and 42 HCs. We collected a range of clinical variables, as well as exploratory eye movement (EEM), event-related potentials (ERPs) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data. The data were analyzed using correlation analysis, support vector machine (SVM), and voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC).ResultsCompared with HCs, patients with MDD showed decreased VMHC in the insula, and increased VMHC in the cerebellum 8/vermis 8/vermis 9 and superior/middle occipital gyrus. SVM analysis using VMHC values in the cerebellum 8/vermis 8/vermis 9 and insula, or VMHC values in the superior/middle occipital gyrus and insula as inputs can distinguish HCs and patients with MDD with high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity.ConclusionThe study demonstrated that decreased VMHC in the insula and increased VMHC values in the sensory-motor networks may be a distinctive neurobiological feature for patients with MDD, which could potentially serve as imaging markers to discriminate HCs and patients with MDD.
Extended and replicated white matter changes in obesity: Voxel-based and region of interest meta-analyses of diffusion tensor imaging studies
Authors: Dietze Lorielle M. F. , McWhinney Sean R. , Radua Joaquim , Hajek Tomas 
Published: March 2023

IntroductionObesity has become a global public health issue, which impacts general health and the brain. Associations between obesity and white matter microstructure measured using diffusion tensor imaging have been under reviewed, despite a relatively large number of individual studies. Our objective was to determine the association between obesity and white matter microstructure in a large general population sample.MethodsWe analyzed location of brain white matter changes in obesity using the Anisotropic Effect Size Seed-based d Mapping (AES-SDM) method in a voxel-based meta-analysis, with validation in a region of interest (ROI) effect size meta-analysis. Our sample included 21 742 individuals from 51 studies.ResultsThe voxel-based spatial meta-analysis demonstrated reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) with obesity in the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum, middle cerebellar peduncles, anterior thalamic radiation, cortico-spinal projections, and cerebellum. The ROI effect size meta-analysis replicated associations between obesity and lower FA in the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum, middle cerebellar peduncles. Effect size of obesity related brain changes was small to medium.DiscussionOur findings demonstrate obesity related brain white matter changes are localized rather than diffuse. Better understanding the brain correlates of obesity could help identify risk factors, and targets for prevention or treatment of brain changes.