bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The utility of a type 2 diabetes polygenic score in addition to clinical variables for prediction of type 2 diabetes incidence in birth, youth and adult cohorts in an Indigenous study population
Authors: Wedekind Lauren E. , Mahajan Anubha , Hsueh Wen-Chi , Chen Peng , Olaiya Muideen T. , Kobes Sayuko , Sinha Madhumita , Baier Leslie J. , Knowler William C. , McCarthy Mark I. , Hanson Robert L. 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Aims/hypothesis
There is limited information on how polygenic scores (PSs), based on variants from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of type 2 diabetes, add to clinical variables in predicting type 2 diabetes incidence, particularly in non-European-ancestry populations.

Methods
For participants in a longitudinal study in an Indigenous population from the Southwestern USA with high type 2 diabetes prevalence, we analysed ten constructions of PS using publicly available GWAS summary statistics. Type 2 diabetes incidence was examined in three cohorts of individuals without diabetes at baseline. The adult cohort, 2333 participants followed from age ≥20 years, had 640 type 2 diabetes cases. The youth cohort included 2229 participants followed from age 5–19 years (228 cases). The birth cohort included 2894 participants followed from birth (438 cases). We assessed contributions of PSs and clinical variables in predicting type 2 diabetes incidence.

Results
Of the ten PS constructions, a PS using 293 genome-wide significant variants from a large type 2 diabetes GWAS meta-analysis in European-ancestry populations performed best. In the adult cohort, the AUC of the receiver operating characteristic curve for clinical variables for prediction of incident type 2 diabetes was 0.728; with the PS, 0.735. The PS’s HR was 1.27 per SD (p=1.6 × 10−8; 95% CI 1.17, 1.38). In youth, corresponding AUCs were 0.805 and 0.812, with HR 1.49 (p=4.3 × 10−8; 95% CI 1.29, 1.72). In the birth cohort, AUCs were 0.614 and 0.685, with HR 1.48 (p=2.8 × 10−16; 95% CI 1.35, 1.63). To further assess the potential impact of including PS for assessing individual risk, net reclassification improvement (NRI) was calculated: NRI for the PS was 0.270, 0.268 and 0.362 for adult, youth and birth cohorts, respectively. For comparison, NRI for HbA1c was 0.267 and 0.173 for adult and youth cohorts, respectively. In decision curve analyses across all cohorts, the net benefit of including the PS in addition to clinical variables was most pronounced at moderately stringent threshold probability values for instituting a preventive intervention.

Conclusions/interpretation
This study demonstrates that a European-derived PS contributes significantly to prediction of type 2 diabetes incidence in addition to information provided by clinical variables in this Indigenous study population. Discriminatory power of the PS was similar to that of other commonly measured clinical variables (e.g. HbA1c). Including type 2 diabetes PS in addition to clinical variables may be clinically beneficial for identifying individuals at higher risk for the disease, especially at younger ages.

Graphical abstract
Growth rates and age at maturity of Mediterranean loggerhead sea turtles estimated from a single-population foraging ground
Authors: Baldi Giulia , Furii Giovanni , Del Vecchio Massimo , Salvemini Pasquale , Vallini Carola , Angelini Valeria , Pari Sauro , Lombardi Moraes Kamyla , Margaritoulis Dimitris , Çurri Anxhela , Lazar Bojan , Casale Paolo 
Published: March 2023

AbstractIn sea turtles, somatic growth rates and Age at Sexual Maturity (ASM) are important parameters for investigating population dynamics. Moreover, ASM informs on the time lag needed to observe the effects of past environmental variables, threats and conservation measures acting at nesting beaches on future numbers of clutches or nesting females, that are the most monitored indices. Assessing ASM of mixed populations that share the same foraging areas is difficult, as in the case of the Mediterranean Sea that is frequented by turtles originating from both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Here we investigated growth rates of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) foraging in the Adriatic Sea, known to be frequented only by individuals of Mediterranean origin. Capture–mark–recapture records of 79 turtles provided growth rates ranging from – 1.1 to 9.6 cm yr−1 which were analyzed through Generalized Additive Models. When integrated with previous data on growth rates in the first years of life, results indicate a non-monotonic growth curve, likely due to an ontogenetic shift from oceanic to neritic areas. Using an integration equation, we estimated mean ASM to be 29.5 or 25.0 year based on mean nester size in Greece (83.4 cm curved carapace length, CCL) or across the Mediterranean (79.7 cm CCL), respectively. Growth rates and size-at-age are similar to the Atlantic population, but Mediterranean turtles mature earlier at a smaller size. The heterogenous growth rates and ASM reported so far in the Mediterranean are probably due, at least in part, to different foraging areas.
Efficacy comparison of antibiotic bone cement–coated implants and external fixations for treating infected bone defects
Authors: Wang Linhu , Lu Shuaikun , Luo Wen , Wang Guoliang , Zhu Zhenfeng , Liu Yunyan , Gao Hao , Fu Congxiao , Ren Jun , Zhang Yunfei , Zhang Yong 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy of antibiotic bone cement–coated implants compared with external fixations for treating infected bone defects.

Methods
We retrospectively enrolled 119 patients with infected bone defects in our hospital from January 2010 to June 2021, of which 56 were treated with antibiotic bone cement–coated implants and 63 were with external fixation.

Results
The pre-operative and post-operative haematological indexes were tested to assess the infection control; the post-operative CRP level in the internal fixation group was lower than that in the external fixation group. No statistical significance was found in the rate of infection recurrence, loosening and rupture of the fixation, and amputation between the two groups. Twelve patients in the external fixation group had pin tract infection. In the evaluation of the Paley score scale, bone healing aspect revealed no significant difference between the two groups, while in the limb function aspect, antibiotic cement–coated implant group showed a much better score than the external fixation group (P = 0.002). The anxiety evaluation scale result also showed lower score in the antibiotic cement implant group (P < 0.001).

Conclusions
Compared with external fixation, antibiotic bone cement–coated implant had the same effect on controlling infection and was more effective in recovering limb function and mental health in the first-stage treatment of infected bone defects after debridement.
Humoral response to mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine and booster effect of a third dose in patients with mature T cell and NK-cell neoplasms
Authors: Kobayashi Mirei , Mori Akio , Onozawa Masahiro , Tsukamoto Shihori , Senjo Hajime , Ishio Takashi , Yokoyama Emi , Kanaya Minoru , Izumiyama Koh , Saito Makoto , Muraki Haruna , Morioka Masanobu , Teshima Takanori , Kondo Takeshi 
Published: March 2023

AbstractPatients with lymphoid malignancies have impaired humoral immunity caused by the disease itself and its treatment, placing them at risk for severe coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) and reduced response to vaccination. However, data for COVID-19 vaccine responses in patients with mature T cell and NK-cell neoplasms are very limited. In this study of 19 patients with mature T/NK-cell neoplasms, anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike antibodies were measured at 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months after the second mRNA-based vaccination. At the time of the second and third vaccinations, 31.6% and 15.4% of the patients were receiving active treatment. All patients received the primary vaccine dose and the third vaccination rate was 68.4%. In patients with mature T/NK-cell neoplasms, both seroconversion rate (p < 0.01) and antibody titers (p < 0.01) after the second vaccination were significantly lower than those in healthy controls (HC). In individuals who received the booster dose, patients had significantly lower antibody titers than those in HC (p < 0.01); however, the seroconversion rate in patients was 100%, which was the same as that in HC. The booster vaccine resulted in a significant increase of antibodies in elderly patients who had shown a response that was inferior to that in younger patients after two doses of vaccination. Since higher antibody titers and higher seroconversion rate reduced the incidence of infection and mortality, vaccination more than three times may have the advantage for patients with mature T/NK-cell neoplasms, especially in elderly patients. Clinical trial registration number: UMIN 000,045,267 (August 26th, 2021), 000,048,764 (August 26th, 2022).
Microstructure–properties relationship in ethylene-propylene diene monomer (EPDM)/nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR)/halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) nanocomposites
Authors: Paran Seyed Mohamad Reza , Naderi Ghasem , Mirzaee Moslem , Ghoreishy Mir Hamid Reza , Włoch Marcin , Esmaeili Amin , Abida Otman , Saeb Mohammad Reza 
Published: March 2023

AbstractStructure–properties relationship in complex rubber nanocomposites is a key for enlarging the performance window. Herein, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are added at variable content to ethylene-propylene diene monomer (EPDM)/nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) rubber blends compatibilized with maleic anhydride grafted HNTs to evaluate cure characteristics, along with microstructure, and mechanical and swelling behavior. The crosslinking rate increased by HNTs loading, but the scorch time decreased. Moreover, a 45% rise in tensile strength was observed for systems containing 10 wt% HNTs. SEM and TEM micrographs revealed a rough fracture surface with proper dispersion of HNT within EPDM/NBR. The modulus of EPDM/NBR/HNTs nanocomposites is theoretically estimated by modified Kolarik model, demonstrating a good agreement with experimental value. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) revealed a higher storage modulus up to 2.27 GPa with the introduction of HNTs into EPDM/NBR compound. Correspondingly, lower solvent uptake (decreased by 38%) is reported. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed higher thermal stability for highly-loaded systems.
Representation of land–atmosphere coupling processes over Africa in coupled model intercomparison project Phase 6
Authors: Mwanthi A. M. , Mutemi J. N. , Dyer E. , James R. , Opijah F. J. , Webb T. , Mutua F. , Washington R. , Senior C. , Segele Z. , Artan G. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractClimate models are useful tools for monthly to decadal prediction of the evolution of climate. This study assesses how CMIP6 models represent soil moisture-latent heat regimes and coupling processes between the land and atmosphere. Metrics considered are terrestrial and atmospheric coupling indices to show the nature and strength of the coupling over Africa, focusing on the March to May (MAM) and June to August (JJA) seasons over East, Central, and West Africa. Characterization of the annual cycle indicates that model biases are highest during the peak of the rainfall season and least during the dry season, while soil moisture biases correspond with rainfall. Models show appreciable sensitivity to regional characteristics; there was model consensus in representing East Africa and the Sahel as regions of limited soil moisture, while major differences were noted in the wet regime over Central Africa. Most CMIP6 models tend to overestimate the strength of the terrestrial and atmospheric coupling pathways over East and Southern Africa. Inter-model differences in coupling indices could be traced to their inter-annual variability rather than the mean biases of the variables considered. These results encourage further advancement of land surface schemes in the next generation of climate models for a better representation of climate over Africa.
Association of blood lipids with onset and prognosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: results from the ALS Swabia registry
Authors: Michels Sebastian , Kurz Deborah , Rosenbohm Angela , Peter Raphael S. , Just Steffen , Bäzner Hansjörg , Börtlein Axel , Dettmers Christian , Gold Hans-Jürgen , Kohler Andreas , Naumann Markus , Ratzka Peter , Ludolph Albert C. , Rothenbacher Dietrich , Nagel Gabriele , Dorst Johannes ,   the ALS Registry Swabia Study Group
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Background
To date, the role of blood lipid levels and their association with the onset and prognosis of ALS is controversial. We explored these associations in a large, population-based case–control study.

Methods
Between October 2010 and June 2014, 336 ALS patients (mean age 65.7 ± 10.7; 57.7% male) and 487 sex- and age-matched controls from the same geographic region were recruited within the ALS registry in Southwest Germany. Triglycerides and cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), total) were measured. The ALS cohort was followed up for vital status. Conditional logistic regression models were applied to calculate odds ratio (OR) for risk of ALS associated with serum lipid concentrations. In ALS patients only, survival models were used to appraise the prognostic value.

Results
High concentration of total cholesterol (OR 1.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–2.49, top vs. bottom quartile), but not HDL, LDL, LDL–HDL ratio, or triglycerides, was positively associated with the risk of ALS. During the median follow-up time of 88.9 months, 291 deaths occurred among 336 ALS patients. In the adjusted survival analysis, higher HDL (HR 1.72, 95% CI 1.19–2.50) and LDL cholesterol levels (HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.11–2.26) were associated with higher mortality in ALS patients. In contrast, higher triglyceride levels were associated with lower mortality (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.48–0.96).

Conclusion
The results highlight the importance to distinguish cholesterol from triglycerides when considering the prognostic role of lipid metabolism in ALS. It further strengthens the rationale for a triglyceride-rich diet, while the negative impact of cholesterol must be further explored.
Assessing the influence of cognitive response conflict on balance control: an event-related approach using response-aligned force-plate time series data
Authors: Johannsen Leif , Stephan Denise Nadine , Straub Elisa , Döhring Falko , Kiesel Andrea , Koch Iring , Müller Hermann 
Published: March 2023

AbstractProcess interference or sharing of attentional resources between cognitive tasks and balance control during upright standing has been well documented. Attentional costs increase with greater balancing demands of a balance activity, for example in standing compared to sitting. The traditional approach for analyzing balance control using posturography with a force plate integrates across relative long trial periods of up to several minutes, which blends any balance adjustments and cognitive operations within this period. In the present study, we pursued an event-related approach to assess if single cognitive operations resolving response selection conflict in the Simon task interfere with concurrent balance control in quiet standing. In addition to traditional outcome measures (response latency, error proportions) in the cognitive Simon task, we investigated the effect of spatial congruency on measures of sway control. We expected that conflict resolution in incongruent trials would alter short-term progression of sway control. Our results demonstrated the expected congruency effect on performance in the cognitive Simon task and the mediolateral variability of balance control within 150 ms before the onset of the manual response was reduced to a greater degree in incongruent compared to congruent trials. In addition, mediolateral variability before and after the manual response was generally reduced compared to variability following target presentation, where no effect of congruency was observed. Assuming that response conflict in incongruent conditions requires suppression of the incorrect response tendencies, our results may imply that mechanisms of cognitive conflict resolution may also carry over to intermittent balance control mechanisms in a direction-specific manner.
Prevalence of substance use disorders and associations with mindfulness, impulsive personality traits and psychopathological symptoms in a representative sample of adolescents in Germany
Authors: Arnaud Nicolas , Wartberg Lutz , Simon-Kutscher Kathrin , Thomasius Rainer ,   IMAC-Mind Consortium
Published: March 2023

AbstractAdolescence is a critical phase for the development of substance use disorders (SUDs). For Europe and Germany, there are limited data on problematic substance use from representative youth samples. Trait mindfulness is relevant in buffering against substance use-related problems and associated deficits in self-regulatory control. The objective of this study is to estimate 12-month prevalence rates for SUDs in a representative sample of adolescents in Germany and to examine associations with mindfulness and related factors such as stress, impulsivity, sensation seeking and symptoms of psychopathology. A sample of 4001 adolescents aged 12–18 years from Germany was surveyed based on DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for SUDs. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations with mindfulness-related variables. Criteria of at least one of the assessed SUDs were endorsed by 11.2% of the adolescents. Alcohol use disorders had the highest prevalence rate (10.1%) followed by cannabis use disorders (2.6%). For both substances, the criteria for abuse were met about twice as often as those for dependence. The prevalence of cigarette dependence was 1.7%, while the prevalence for e-cigarette dependence was only 0.1%. Prevalence rates were higher for male youth and increasing with age. SUD prevalence was also related to mindfulness, impulsivity and sensation seeking and externalizing symptoms of psychopathology. The statistically significant associations varied across different SUDs. SUDs appear highly prevalent among German adolescents. The results have public health implications with regard to treatment needs and prevention measures in the youth population in Germany.
Hydrogeological origin of the CO2-rich mineral water of Vilajuïga in the Eastern Pyrenees (NE Catalonia, Spain)
Authors: Mas-Pla Josep , Brusi David , Roqué Carles , Soler David , Menció Anna , Costa Josep M , Zamorano Manuel , Meredith Warren 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThe mineral water of Vilajuïga village in Alt Empordà (NE Catalonia, Spain) owes its uniqueness to an emanation of geogenic CO2 that modifies groundwater hydrochemistry to produce a differentiated HCO3–Na- and CO2-rich groundwater among the usual Ca–HCO3 type found in this region. A hydrogeological conceptual model attributes its occurrence to the intersection of two faults: La Valleta and Garriguella-Roses. The former provides a thrust of metamorphic over igneous rocks, formed during the Paleozoic, over a layer of ampelitic shale that, from a hydrogeological perspective, acts as a confining layer. The Garriguella-Roses normal fault, which originated during the Neogene, permits the degassing of geogenic CO2 that is attributed to volcanic activity occurring in the Neogene. Groundwater mixing from the metamorphic and igneous rock units plus the local occurrence of CO2 creates a HCO3–Na water that still holds free-CO2 in solution. Interaction with the gas phase is restricted at the intersection of the two faults. Radiocarbon dating, after correcting for geogenic dead carbon, estimates an age of 8,000 years BP. The low tritium content (0.7 TU) indicates that Vilajuïga water is a mix of “older” groundwater recharged in the metamorphic rocks of the Albera range and “younger” groundwater from the igneous rocks of the Rodes range, over a recharge area of 45 km2 and a maximum elevation of 600 m. Given its origin as rare groundwater in the southern slope of the Eastern Pyrenees, purposeful monitoring is necessary to evaluate the groundwater vulnerability and anticipate impacts from nearby wells and climate-change effects.
Generalized residuals and outlier detection for ordinal data with challenging data structures
Authors: Iannario Maria , Monti Anna Clara 
Published: March 2023

AbstractMotivated by the analysis of rating data concerningperceived health status, a crucial variable in biomedical, economic and life insurance models, the paper deals with diagnostic procedures for identifying anomalous and/or influential observations in ordinal response models with challenging data structures. Deviations due to some respondents’ atypical behavior, outlying covariates and gross errors may affect the reliability of likelihood based inference, especially when non robust link functions are adopted. The present paper investigates and exploits the properties of the generalized residuals. They appear in the estimating equations of the regression coefficients and hold the remarkable characteristic of interacting with the covariates in the same fashion as the linear regression residuals. Identification of statistical units incoherent with the model can be achieved by the analysis of the residuals produced by maximum likelihood or robustM-estimation, while the inspection of the weights generated byM-estimation allows to identify influential data. Simple guidelines are proposed to this end, which disclose information on the data structure. The purpose is twofold: recognizing statistical units that deserve specific attention for their peculiar features, and being aware of the sensitivity of the fitted model to small changes in the sample. In the analysis of the self-perceived health status, extreme design points associated with incoherent responses produce highly influential observations. The diagnostic procedures identify the outliers and assess their influence.
Dissolved organic matter transformations in a freshwater rivermouth
Authors: Pearce Nolan J. T. , Larson James H. , Evans Mary Anne , Bailey Sean W. , Frost Paul C. , James William F. , Xenopoulos Marguerite A. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractRiver-to-lake transitional areas are biogeochemically active ecosystems that can alter the amount and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) as it moves through the aquatic continuum. However, few studies have directly measured carbon processing and assessed the carbon budget of freshwater rivermouths. We compiled measurements of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and DOM in several water column (light and dark) and sediment incubation experiments conducted in the mouth of the Fox river (Fox rivermouth) upstream from Green Bay, Lake Michigan. Despite variation in the direction of DOC fluxes from sediments, we found that the Fox rivermouth was a net sink of DOC where water column DOC mineralization outweighed the release of DOC from sediments at the rivermouth scale. Although we found DOM composition also changed during our experiments, alterations in DOM optical properties were largely independent of the direction of sediment DOC fluxes. We found a consistent decrease in humic-like and fulvic-like terrestrial DOM and a consistent increase in the overall microbial composition of rivermouth DOM during our incubations. Moreover, greater ambient total dissolved phosphorus concentrations were positively associated with the consumption of terrestrial humic-like, microbial protein-like, and more recently derived DOM but had no effect on bulk DOC in the water column. Unexplained variation indicates that other environmental controls and water column processes affect the processing of DOM in this rivermouth. Nonetheless, the Fox rivermouth appears capable of substantial DOM transformation with implications for the composition of DOM entering Lake Michigan.