bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of structural factors for preventing HIV risk practices among adolescents in South Africa: A three-wave analysis of caregiving, education, food security, and social protection
Authors: Rudgard William Edward , Saminathen Maria Granvik , Banougnin Boladé Hamed , Shenderovich Yulia , Toska Elona 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Background.
Structural interventions are endorsed to enhance biomedical and behavioural HIV prevention programmes for adolescents. Aiming to inform future interventions, we evaluated longitudinal associations between six structural factors and five HIV risk practices in a cohort of adolescents in South Africa.
Methods.
We used three rounds of data between 2014–2018 on 1046 adolescents living with HIV and 483 age-matched community peers in South Africa’s Eastern Cape (Observations = 4402). We used multivariable random effects within-between logistic regression to estimate sex-specific associations between six time-varying structural factors − number of social grants, education enrolment, days with enough food, caregiver supervision, positive caregiving, and adolescent-caregiver communication − and five HIV risk practices − multiple sexual partners, transactional sex, age-disparate sex, condomless sex, and sex on substances. We calculated probability differences, contrasting predicted probabilities at average and maximum values of structural factors associated with multiple risk practices.
Findings.
The sample mean age was 15.29 (SD: 3.23) years and 58% were female. In females, compared to average, maximum positive caregiving scores were associated with lower probability of transactional sex (-1.06 percentage points [ppts], 95%CI=-1.60; -0.52ppts), and age-disparate sex (-0.73ppts; 95%CI=-1.26; -0.19ppts); maximum caregiver supervision scores were associated with lower probability of multiple sexual partners (-3.11ppts; 95%CI=-3.87; -2.35ppts) transactional sex (-1.07ppts, 95%CI=-1.42; -0.71ppts), age-disparate sex (-0.67ppts; 95%CI=-1.08; -0.25ppts), condomless sex (-3.96ppts; 95%CI=-5.65; -2.26ppts), and sex on substances (-0.93ppts; 95%CI=-1.50; -0.37ppts); and, seven days with enough food was associated with lower probability of multiple sexual partners (-1.18ppts, 95%CI=-2.06; -0.30ppts), and transactional sex (-0.91ppts; 95%CI=-1.41; -0.42ppts). Relative to non-enrolment, education enrolment was associated with lower probability of age-disparate sex (-3.18ppts; 95%CI=-5.35; -1.01ppts), and condomless sex (-11.32ppts; 95%CI=-19.15; -3.49ppts). In males, compared to average, maximum caregiver supervision scores were associated with lower probability of multiple sexual partners (-2.83ppts; 95%CI=-3.66; -2.00ppts), transactional sex (-0.90ppts; 95%CI=-1.20; -0.60ppts), age-disparate sex (-0.46ppts; 95%CI=-0.77; -0.15ppts), and sex on substances (-1.42ppts; 95%CI=-2.06; -0.78ppts). No other structural factors were associated with multiple risk practices.
Interpretation.
Structural interventions to improve food security and education enrolment among adolescent girls, and positive and supervisory caregiving among adolescent girls and boys are likely to translate into crucial reductions in HIV risk.
Perceptions of Pregnant Couples to Talking to Baby in the Womb
Authors: Bhamani Shelina , Syed Areeba , Karim Zaibunissa , Faisal Abdullah Bin , Malik Hajra , Abbas Maliha , Attaullah Anita , Sheikh Lumaan 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Various external factors influence a child's growth in-utero. Recent studies aim to investigate how external stimuli, specifically auditory stimuli, affect an unborn child's development. Data was gathered through an online survey approach, and the investigation was carried out utilizing a descriptive qualitative study methodology. The participants were asked to participate in the research survey and fill out a semi-structured questionnaire at the conclusion of the workshop, which is when the data was gathered. A total of 66 pregnant couples took part in the study. Thematic analysis was used manually to accomplish the analysis. This study investigates how parents feel about conversing with their unborn child. Interestingly, the findings were able to demonstrate that the parents had a fundamental understanding of the significance of such communication in relation to the fetus's cognitive growth elements. According to the participants' comments, there may be a limit to communicating in the womb due to physical and social issues such as household conditions, social taboos, shyness, being judged in public settings like workplaces, and a lack of family incentive to foster this link between mother and baby. The impact of stressors, anxiety, and mental health on foetal growth and development as well as the mother's reactions to the infant were also analyzed. Parents also discussed the obstacles they had during their pregnancy, discussing how communication is one-way and how challenging it is for parents to comprehend the fetus's signals and reactions.
Clusters, determinants, and short- and long-term effects of coexisting multiple high-risk factors in pregnancy on mothers and their children’s health: study protocol
Authors: Zhang Yue , Wang Hui , Ding Weijie , Zhou Yaguan , Dai Xiaochen , Zhu Xiaoqin , Xu Xiaolin 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Background: Existing studies have identified a wide range of preventable risk factors of adverse pregnant outcomes, including physical and mental conditions before pregnancy, complications and symptoms during pregnancy, and obesity and other risk factors. These risk factors may co-occur simultaneously, resulting in the coexistence of multiple high-risk factors in pregnancy (MHFP). There is a lack of study evaluating the characteristics, determinants, and health outcomes of MHFP.
Methods: This study will be conducted by combing retrospective and prospective cohort studies. Our data will be collected from Huai’an – a prefectural region in Jiangsu province, located in the eastern part of China. In 2010, 2015, and 2022, we conducted three population-based birth surveys from 151 level I-III hospitals; and we have routinely recorded morbidity and mortality data for mothers and their children since 2008. Traditional and statistical machine learning approaches will be conducted to characterize and identify clusters of MHFP and to investigate changes in these clusters over time. Moreover, we will prospectively collect data for participants from 2022 (n=2000) to examine the short-term effects of MHFP during 2023-2025 (0-3 years); meanwhile we will retrospectively collect data for participants from Waves 2010 (n=2000) and 2015 (n=2000) to examine the long-term effects of MHFP on mothers and children during the period from 2010 to 2022 (0-12 years), and from 2015 to 2022 (0-7 years), respectively. Information on pregnant women and their children will be collected through questionnaires, physical examinations, and linkage to hospital information systems.
Discussion: Our project will present a comprehensive understanding of the causes and health outcomes of MHFP on mothers and their children’s health. Examining the association between MHFP and adverse maternal and offspring outcomes can help inform comprehensive prevention strategies that move beyond targeting any single risk factor. Furthermore, these findings will inform the effective clinical interventions for MHFP before, during, and after pregnancy, and inform the necessary upstream public health and policy interventions.
Study funding/competing interests: This study is funded by grant to XX from China Medical Board Open Competition Program (21-416), and XZ from Jiangsu Maternal and Child Health Program (F201932), Key Medical Program of Jiangsu Health Commission (ZD2021044), Huai’an Science and Technology Program (HAB202043).
Trial registration: Not applicable.
A randomized controlled trial to evaluate the impact of an exercise therapy program based on sports towards people with acquired brain injury: DISCOVER study protocol
Authors: Gutiérrez-Suárez Andrea , Perez-Rodríguez Marta , García-Hernández Juan José , Rodríguez-Romero Beatriz 
Published: February 2023

Abstract

Background People with acquired brain injury (ABI) frequently exhibit physical and psychosocial challenges, regarding the ‘body structure and function’, ‘activity’ and ‘participation’ ICF domains. Multidisciplinary approaches oriented to exercise therapy and social leisure activities seem to be fundamental to elicit neuroplastic adaptations to enhance physical recovery, as well as to improve the cognitive and behavioural sequels after ABI. The DIScover trial has been designed to support the development of fundamental movement and participation skills through a exercise therapy program based on racket sports. This program is a tool with a high social component that allows to integrate different body synergies and complex motor strategies that promote functional performance on both lower and upper limbs. Methods This randomized controlled trial with two parallel groups will aim to design and determine the effectiveness of a racket sports-based exercise therapy program in improving upper limb motor function, functional capacity, mobility, balance and quality of life towards people with ABI. Discussion The current study provides an holistic approach that combines exercise therapy and sport-based functional demands that can be easily integrated into participants’ daily life activities. Results from this trial may guide healthcare professionals working with patients with ABI to better guide this population in reaching optimal levels of health and physical activity levels.Trial registration number:NCT05358470
Ensemble Machine Learning Models for Evaluation of Sperm Quality with Respect to Success Rate of Clinical Pregnancy in IVF, ICSI, and IUI Methods
Authors: Mehrjerd Ameneh , Dehghani Toktam , Eslami Saeid , Jajroudi Mahdiyeh , Rezaei Hassan , Ghaebi Nayyereh Khadem 
Published: February 2023

Abstract

Objective: Evaluation of the effect of sperm quality on the success rate of clinical pregnancy and the possibility of infertility. The primary objective was to determine the success rate of clinical pregnancy (CPR). The secondary objective was to evaluate the clinical pregnancy rate (FHR).
Method: This retrospective study evaluated 1929 couples who were treated with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), in Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) was conducted in two infertility centers; while data from donated eggs or sperm and a surrogate uterus along with data from infertile couples with a combination of male and female factors were excluded. In this study, five ensemble machine-learning models were utilized to predict the success rate of clinical pregnancy.
Results:Among the proposed ensemble models, the Random Forest (RF) model achieved the highest mean accuracy and area under the curve (AUC) and outperformed all other models in three procedures. Our results show that in cycles with 1 to 5 retrieved eggs, sperm motility and the count of sperm had a positive effect on the rate of clinical pregnancy. Furthermore, the results indicated that cut-off values of 54 (p-value=0.02, 95%-CIs (1.05, 2.13)) and 35 (p-value=0.03, 95% 95%-CIs (1.06, 2.86)) for the count parameter in IVF/ICSI, and IUI, respectively. In addition, a significant cut-off points of 30 (p-value < 0.001) was obtained for the morphology parameter in all procedures. Sperm parameters were negatively weighted in the model obtained by the RF. In addition, the acquired data illustrated that in each procedure, the morphology parameter demonstrated a significant difference in clinical pregnancy between successful and unsuccessful groups.
Conclusion: The second course of IVF procedure increased success rates in clinical pregnancy in patients with lower-than-average sperm parameters, while the IUI technique was demonstrated to be more effective in patients with above-average of sperm parameters.
Alveolar Branches of Canalis Sinuosus: A Radiographic and Morphometric Assessment by Cone Beam Computed Tomography
Authors: Uzun Canan , Çitir Mesude 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Background: Evaluation of the alveolar branches of canalis sinuosus (ABCS) to analyze its features and whether it is a variation or an anatomical structure.
Methods: ABCS was assessed retrospectively from the ramification site to the end of its trajectory by cone beam computed tomography, considering gender, age, and the voxel size of the images. Descriptive analysis, Pearson Chi-square, Fisher’s exact and Mann-Whitney-U tests, and Spearman’s correlation were used in statistics.
Results: 167 ABCS were identified in 82 (72.6%) of 113 individuals and the incidence of ABCS wider than 1mm was 32.7% per individuals. Presence or number of ABCS was independent of age and gender (P˃.05). Ramification site of ABCS from the main canal was 96.4% below the nasal cavity floor and mostly at the level of central incisors (46.1%). A significant correlation was defined between the origin and the end of ABCS trajectory (P<.000). The end of ABCS trajectory as facio-palatal was 44.9% buccal, then 35.9% palatal surface of the bone. Voxel sizes of images was negatively correlated with ABCS presence (P≤.013) and ABCS number per individual (P≤.002).
Conclusions: ABCS is more likely to be an anatomical structure than an anatomical variation, but many are less than 1mm in diameter and the voxel size is important for radiographic observation.
Heavy-ion induced analog SET impact on inter-stage inductor low noise amplifiers at 10 and 30 GHz frequencies
Authors: Periyasamy Rajendiran 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
This research article investigated the analog single transient (Analog SET) impact on inter-stage inductor low-noise amplifiers (LNA) working in the 10 and 30 GHz frequencies. The impact of a single event is analysed in two different cases; (a) the absence of radio-frequency signal input (i.e., DC voltage alone), and (b) the presence of radio-frequency with the DC voltage. Case (a) is analysed in the time-domain, where as the collected charge (QCol) is estimated by the integration of transient current with time appropriate limits, and Case (b) evaluates the LNA output disturbance by spectrogram(mathematical tool) outcome due to radiation hits on the MOSFET (Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor), which is used for formulate the LNA circuit. The article conclusion arrives from estimated collected charge (QCol) on the ion track of the device which is used to formulate the LNA, and their spectrogram results of the disturbed LNA output on the radiation environment. Based on these LNA metrics, the radiation strike disturb the LNA more when working on a low-frequency signal (10 GHz) than the LNA working on a high-frequency signal (30 GHz).
Probiotic potential of Vaginal flora from healthy Indian women against Urinary pathogens
Authors: Nair Veena G , CS Srinandan , Narbhavi Dhiviya , A Anupriya , N Prabhusaran , Nagarajan Saisubramanian 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
The usage of probiotics is becoming more common because of the mounting body of research demonstrating its advantages for human health. Of late probiotics have transitioned to a highly promising prophylactic measure that affords colonization resistance against multitude of pathogens. A crucial defence mechanism in the human body against numerous illnesses, especially urogenital ones, is the vaginal microbiota. The present study focuses on screening and isolation of culturable vaginal commensal microbiota from 54 healthy Indian women, and explore its putative probiotic traits such as coaggregation, antagonistic action against uropathogens, ability to form biofilms, antibiotic sensitivity, adhesion properties, etc. In addition, how oestradiol might affect isolated vaginal probiotics in both planktonic and biofilm states were also explored. The purpose of this work was to build a preliminary probiotics topography, specifically a Lactobacilli cartography, from a healthy Indian women cohort, characterize them at the molecular level, and interpret the key activities which were needed for the design and use probiotics as an antimicrobial sparing therapy to curtail UTI infection on the face of rising antimicrobial resistance. Our long-term goal of this work is to develop feminine hygiene product that is incorporated with probiotics to protect against pathogen colonisation without creating dysbiosis and improve women's quality of life.
Dihydrotestosterone Induces Arterial Stiffening in Female Mice
Authors: Horton Alec C. , Wilkinson Mary M. , Kilanowski-Doroh Isabella , Ogola Benard O. , Lindsey Sarah H. 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Background: Testosterone is the predominant sex hormone in men and is increased in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome. These patients also experience an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases including hypertension and arterial stiffness. Since our previous work shows an important role for the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in arterial stiffness, we hypothesized that other hormones including androgens may impact arterial stiffness in female mice via regulation of GPER.
Methods: The impact of the non-aromatizable androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the glucocorticoid dexamethasone, and the progestin medroxyprogesterone acetate (all 100 nM for 24 h) on GPER and ERα expression was assessed in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). To assess the in vivo impact of the DHT-induced downregulation of GPER, female ovary-intact C57Bl/6 mice were treated with silastic capsules containing DHT for 4 weeks, one with a dosage expected to mimic human male DHT levels and another to double the expected human concentration (n=8-9/group).
Results: GPER mRNA was only decreased by DHT (P=0.001), while ERα expression was significantly suppressed by all hormones (P<0.0001). While blood pressure was not different between groups (P= 0.59), there was a dose-dependent increase in body weight (control 22±2 g, single dose 24±2 g, double dose 26±2 g; P=0.0002). Intracarotid stiffness measured via pulse wave velocity showed a more than two-fold increase in both DHT-treated groups (control 1.9±0.3 m/s, single dose 4.3±0.8 m/s, double dose 4.8±1.0 m/s). Histological analysis of aortic sections using Masson’s trichrome showed a significant decrease in collagen between the control group (24 ± 5%) and the double dose group (17 ± 3%, P=0.007), despite no changes in aortic wall thickness or smooth muscle content. Lastly, ddPCR showed that in vivo DHT treatment decreased aortic expression of both GPER (control 20±5, single dose 10.5 ± 5.6, double dose 10±4 copies/ng; P=0.001) and ERα (control 54±2, single dose 24±13, and double dose 23 ± 12 copies/ng; P=0.003).
Conclusions: These findings indicate that testosterone promotes arterial stiffening and cardiovascular damage in female mice and is associated with decreased estrogen receptor expression. These data are important not only for polycystic ovarian syndrome patients but also women using testosterone for fitness, gender transitioning, or reduced libido.
ControlPULP: A RISC-V On-Chip Parallel Power Controller for Many-Core HPC Processors with FPGA-Based Hardware-In-The-Loop Power and Thermal Emulation
Authors: Ottaviano Alessandro , Balas Robert , Bambini Giovanni , Vecchio Antonio del , Ciani Maicol , Rossi Davide , Benini Luca , Bartolini Andrea 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
High-Performance Computing (HPC) processors are nowadays integrated Cyber-Physical Systems demanding complex and high-bandwidth closed-loop power and thermal control strategies. To efficiently satisfy real-time multi-input multi-output (MIMO) optimal power requirements, high-end processors integrate an on-die power controller system (PCS).
While traditional PCSs are based on a simple microcontroller (MCU)-class core, more scalable and flexible PCS architectures are required to support advanced MIMO control algorithms for managing the ever-increasing number of cores, power states, and process, voltage, and temperature variability.
This paper presents ControlPULP, an open-source, HW/SW RISC-V parallel PCS platform consisting of a single-core MCU with fast interrupt handling coupled with a scalable multi-core programmable cluster accelerator and a specialized DMA engine for the parallel acceleration of real-time power management policies. ControlPULP relies on FreeRTOS to schedule a reactive power control firmware (PCF) application layer.
We demonstrate ControlPULP in a power management use-case targeting a next-generation 72-core HPC processor.We first show that the multi-core cluster accelerates the PCF, achieving 4.9x speedup compared to single-core execution, enabling more advanced power management algorithms within the control hyper-period at a shallow area overhead, about 0.1\% the area of a modern HPC CPU die. We then assess the PCS and PCF by designing an FPGA-based, closed-loop emulation framework that leverages the heterogeneous SoCs paradigm, achieving DVFS tracking with a mean deviation within 3\% the plant's thermal design power (TDP) against a software-equivalent model-in-the-loop approach. Finally, we show that the proposed PCF compares favorably with an industry-grade control algorithm under computational-intensive workloads.
How much do simple random processes explain species-area relationships? A global synthesis and a new metric
Authors: Silva Marco Aurélio Ferreira , Mendes Clarice Braúna , Prevedello Jayme Augusto 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Context
The species-area relationship (SAR) is one of the main patterns in Ecology, but its underlying causes are still under debate. The random placement hypothesis (RPH) is the simplest one to explain the SAR: larger areas are more likely to contain more individuals and, as a consequence, more species. However, it is still unclear the degree to which the RPH is supported for different taxa and regions globally.
Objectives
We performed the first global synthesis on the RPH to investigate which variables mediate variation in the degree of support of this hypothesis across taxa and regions.
Methods
We conducted a review of the global SAR literature and created a new integrative metric to estimate the degree of support of the RPH. This metric takes into account the coefficient of determination, the intercept, and the slope of the relationship between observed (empirical) and predicted (according to the RPH) species richness. We analyzed the relationship between this metric and different geographic and ecological factors.
Results
We found a total of 52 independent tests of the RPH. About 42% of these tests confirmed the RPH. Using the new metric, we found that the degree of support of the RPH was significantly higher for plants than animals, and increased consistently with latitude.
Conclusions
Simple probabilistic processes are important to determine SARs, especially for sessile organisms and at higher latitudes. Further tests of the RPH, especially using the new metric introduced here, will be vital to understand the processes underlying the SAR and to advance Landscape Ecology.