bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Biodegradable flexible foam: novel material based on cassava TPS obtained by extrusion
Authors: Alban-Bolaños Pedro , Ayala-Aponte Alfredo Adolfo , Villada-Castillo Héctor Samuel , Rodríguez-Herrera Raúl , Ávalos-Belmonte Felipe , Solanilla-Duque José Fernando 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Thermoplastic foams made from petrochemical polymers are commonly commercialized in the market, which, due to their chemical nature, require hundreds of years to degrade and therefore end up accumulating and polluting the environment. Therefore, the present research sought to develop a biodegradable foam from thermoplastic cassava starch, biodegradable polyester and wheat gluten. Initially, an extreme vertex blend design was run, which comprised 60 to 70% thermoplastic starch (TPS), 30 to 40% biodegradable polyester and 0 to 5% wheat gluten, the foam was obtained by extrusion and evaluated for expansion rate, bulk density, damping index and morphology. A thin layer of rubber latex was applied to the foamed material with the most outstanding properties in order to reduce moisture adsorption, and its biodegradability was also evaluated. The results indicated that with the addition of 70% TPS, 30% polyester and 0% wheat gluten it was possible to obtain by extrusion a flexible thermoplastic foam with high radial expansion rate and low bulk density. Impregnation of the foam with natural rubber latex created an impermeable layer that helped to decrease moisture adsorption; however, there was an increase in compressibility. Also, it was found that this foam met the biodegradability condition, since it presented a percentage of mineralization in relative terms of 97.59% in less than 180 days.
Home- and Community-based Care in the New Generation of Medicaid Administrative Data
Authors: Wang Sijiu , Konetzka R. Tamara 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
This study aimed to assess the quality of Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) data elements within the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System Analytical File (TAF) and to devise strategies for improving its research usability. Analyzing Medicaid TAF data from 2016 to 2018, we conducted a retrospective data quality analysis, focusing specifically on HCBS-related data elements. Through secondary data analysis, we identified significant challenges, including considerable missingness and inconsistencies that hamper the effective use of TAF for research purposes. Despite these issues, we developed three approaches that enabled us to identify 94% of 1915(c) waiver claims as HCBS. Our study also revealed considerable cross-state variations in data quality, prompting specific recommendations for utilizing HCBS data within TAF. Ultimately, the study concludes that while challenges exist, applying our recommended strategies can yield data of acceptable quality for most states, particularly in identifying HCBS usage and classifying them into service categories. Given the growing importance of home-based care, there is a pressing need to prioritize improvements in TAF's HCBS data quality to better inform policy and practice.
RETRACTED: Long-Term Time-Series Analysis of Precipitation in Semi-Arid Agra District: Unveiling Climatic Trends from 1922 to 2022
Authors: Gardner Bob Stanley , Soren David Durjoy Lal , Chauhan Nelia Lois , Biswas Brototi , Gardner Shalomin 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Comparative Analysis of Summer Atmospheric Heat Sources Over the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau from Different Reanalysis Data and Radiosonde Data
Authors: Lei Runzhi , Yu Ye , Li Jianglin 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
The thermal effect of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) affects the regional and global weather and climate. Although some studies have evaluated the vertically integrated atmospheric heat sources (< Q1>) calculated from different reanalysis datasets, an evaluation of the vertical distribution of atmospheric heat sources (Q1) is lacking. In this study, data from 14 radiosonde (TK) sites in the eastern QTP were interpolated to 1o×1o grids using the objective analysis method. The summer Q1 calculated using gridded TK data based on the "inverse algorithm" was compared to those of ERA-Interim, ERA5, JRA55, and CRA40. The applicability of the four reanalysis datasets over QTP was discussed from the perspective of the vertical distribution of Q1. The results show that the vertical profiles of meteorological elements of the four reanalysis datasets correlate well with that of TK, with a correlation coefficient of 0.99. However, the vertical velocities (ω) of the four reanalysis datasets differ greatly, with ω_ERA5 correlating best with ω_TK and having the smallest root mean square error (RMSE). The meridional and zonal mean Q1 and its components (local temperature change, temperature advection, and vertical shear of potential temperature) calculated using ERA5 correlate best with those estimated using TK, and the RMSE is the smallest. The ω and Q1 calculated using high-resolution reanalysis data correlate better with those from TK and have a lower RMSE. Under the same spatial and temporal resolution, ω_ERA5 and Q1_ERA5 correlate best with those of TK, and the RMSEs are the smallest. Among the four reanalysis datasets, ERA5 is more suitable for Q1 analysis in summer on the Eastern QTP.
Exploring causal correlations between inflammatory cytokines and stroke and its subtypes: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: guo yu , Sun Huaiyu , Shuai Hou , Zhang Wuqiong , Liu Huiqing , Zhu Lixia , Meng Hongmei 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background: The causal relationship between inflammatory factors and stroke subtypes remains unclear. This study aimed to analyze the causal relationship between 41 inflammatory factors and these two factors using Mendelian randomization (MR).
Methods: We performed a two-sample MR analysis to assess the causal effects of 41 inflammatory cytokines on stroke and its subtypes and conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) data. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was adopted as the main MR method, and we performed a series of two-sample Mendelian randomizations and related sensitivity analyses.
Results:The study indicated some suggestive evidences: using the IVW approach, we found that lower possible levels of IL-4 were positively associated with the occurrence of stroke (odds ratio [OR] = 0.93, 95% confidence interval [CI]:0.88-0.99, p = 0.014), higher interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-12p70 levels may be positively correlated with the occurrence of stroke (OR = 1.09, 95% CI:1.01-1.18, p = 0.027; OR = 1.08, 95% CI:1.02-1.15, p = 0.015). For IS, results showed that lower levels of IL-4, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand were positively associated with the occurrence of possible ischemic stroke (IS) (OR = 0.92, 95% CI:0.87-0.98, p = 0.006; OR = 0.95, 95% CI:0.91-1.00, p = 0.031), higher levels of IL-1β, IL-12p70 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) may be positively correlated with the occurrence of IS (OR = 1.09, 95% CI:1.00-1.19, p = 0.042; OR = 1.07, 95% CI:1.01-1.15, p = 0.035; OR = 1.06, 95% CI:1.00-1.12, p = 0.034). We found that lower IL-17 levels may be positively associated with an increased risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) (OR = 0.51, 95% CI:0.28-0.93, p = 0.028). For subtypes of stroke, IS and ICH, higher levels of growth regulated oncogene-α, beta nerve growth factor, IL-18, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and induced protein 10 upregulated the risk factors while lower levels of IL-2ra and IL-17 upregulated the risk factors.
Conclusion: Our findings confirmed that inflammatory factors play a crucial role in the occurrence of stroke and may provide a new direction for stroke treatment.
Multi-classification-assisted diagnosis of multi-scale lung adenocarcinoma pathological maps based on Scalenet101
Authors: Huang Zijie , Li Jianjun , Yang Liyuan , GUO Jing , Yao Zhen 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Among all types of cancers, lung cancer is the deadliest cancer with a high mortality rate. Early diagnosis of lung cancer enables its timely and effective treatment, which can help reduce the risk of death. The aim of this research is to propose a deep learning approach for classifying and detecting lung adenocarcinoma tissues. The method was an improved Scalenet101 based on class activation mapping. (I) Scalenet101 classified lung adenocarcinoma tissue images into cancer, stromal and normal categories with the help of the Sigmoid. Then, the performance of Scalenet101 was validated using the pre-trained downstream techniques such as AlexNet, VGG16, VGG19, and ResNet50. (ii) Multi-scale fusion and weight fitting were performed to obtain multi-classification activation maps, which could improve the interpretability and accuracy in lung cancer evaluation. The performance of this model was tested using benchmark lung adenocarcinoma tissue images from WSSS4LUAD. The results showed that the model achieved an absolute classification accuracy of over 93.86% and an F1 score of over 95.44%.
Distinct changes to pancreatic volume rather than pancreatic autoantibody positivity: Insights into immune checkpoint inhibitors induced diabetes mellitus
Authors: Wei Hung-Hui , Lai Ying-Chieh , Lin Gigin , Lin Cheng-Wei , Chang Ya-Chu , Chang Wen-Cheng , Liou Miaw-Jene , Chen I-Wen 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background:
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are promising treatment options for various cancers. However, their use is associated with immune-related adverse events (irAEs), including ICI-induced diabetes mellitus (ICI-DM). This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of ICI-DM, with a particular focus on alterations to pancreatic volume.
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective review of 2829 patients who received ICI treatment at the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, between January 2014 and December 2021. New-onset diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) was identified in ten patients receiving ICI therapy. Pancreatic volumes were assessed by manual segmentation of computed tomography (CT) images before and after ICI-DM diagnosis.
Results:
Among these ten patients, nivolumab was the most commonly used ICI (50.0%), followed by pembrolizumab (30.0%) and atezolizumab (20.0%). One patient received combination therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab. The median age was 63.01 years (range: 40.1 − 87.8). ICI-DM developed after a median of 13.5 cycles (range: 2 − 42) of ICI treatment or 9.85 months (range:1.5 − 21.3) since ICI initiation. The initial presentation was DKA in 60.0% of patients. All patients had low or undetectable C-peptide levels (range: <0.033 − 0.133 nmol/L) and were negative for most type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM)-related autoantibodies; only one patient tested positive for glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies. CT imaging revealed significant pancreatic atrophy, with a median pancreatic volume decrease of 19.92% (P = 0.038) from baseline and sustained significant decline at last follow-up (median − 37.14%, P = 0.012).
Conclusions:
ICI-DM is often accompanied by pancreatic atrophy and approximately two-thirds of patients initially present with DKA. Although most patients with ICI-DM do not have T1DM-related autoantibodies, awareness of decreased pancreatic volumes with CT imaging is valuable for predicting diabetic emergencies in patients treated with ICIs.
Trial registration:
This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (No.202201766B0).
Detection of retene in Proterozoic strata: a new understanding of its environmental indicator significance
Authors: Wang Jian , Xu Shijing , Wu Nan , Xu Qinghai , Liu Xianfeng 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Retene is generally recognized as a diagenetic product of abietane-structured diterpenoids originating from terrestrial higher plants (such as conifers) that evolved after the Devonian period. In this study, retene was detected in the Proterozoic strata of the Tarim Basin and the Western Hubei area of the lower Yangtze Platform in China. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of 28 Proterozoic (Sinian and Nanhua system) sediment samples collected from China demonstrates that these Proterozoic marine carbonate strata, although absent of input from higher plants, were rich in retene compounds. This finding indicates that diterpenoids, a type of retene precursor, can also be synthesized by Proterozoic algae and bacteria and that terrestrial higher plants are not the only sedimentary provenance of retene. So, retene can no longer serve as a biomarker to distinguish marine and continental sedimentary environments. However, no known retene precursors, such as dehydroabietin, dehydrabietane, simonellite, and tetrahydroretene, were detected in the samples. Therefore, the existence of other unknown types of retene precursors derived from algae or bacteria remains to be investigated.
Investigating the Association between Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Pancreatic Cancer Risk: A Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Huang Yalong , Peng Yiyun , Yang Guoyuan , Wan Haohao , Fan Wanqi , Ma Yuntao 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Objective
Mendelian randomization is a method that utilizes genetic variants that are randomly assigned at conception to investigate causal relationships between an exposure (such as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and an outcome (such as pancreatic cancer). This study employs a Mendelian randomization approach to investigate the potential relationship between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
Methods
The study data were derived from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis dataset, which included 115,078 samples for LDL-C and 218,187 samples for pancreatic cancer. This study utilized several Mendelian randomization (MR) methods, including the inverse variance weighted (IVW), weighted median, weighted mode, and MR-Egger approaches, to examine the potential causal relationship between LDL-C and the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. The odds ratio was used as the measure of association between LDL-C and pancreatic cancer in the MR analyses. MR-PRESSO and leave-one-out sensitivity analyses were conducted to detect horizontal pleiotropy and assess the robustness of the results.
Results
To investigate the causal relationship between LDL-C and pancreatic cancer risk, this study utilized 46 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with LDL-C as instrumental variables, which were extracted from GWAS (R2 < 0.001, P < 5x10− 8). The F-statistics of all included SNPs were above 10, indicating the absence of weak instrument bias and confirming the reliability of the results. The IVW analysis revealed an odds ratio (OR) of 0.66 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.44–0.98; P < 0.05], indicating a potential protective effect of LDL-C against pancreatic cancer. Weighted mode and weighted median analyses also demonstrated similar causal relationships with ORs of 0.49 [95% CI: 0.27–0.91, P < 0.05] and 0.47 [95% CI: 0.26–0.82, P < 0.05], respectively. However, the simple mode regression analysis and MR-Egger intercept test did not yield similar results with P > 0.05, suggesting no statistical significance. The funnel plot and MR-Egger intercept did not indicate horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity (P = 0.31), further supporting the reliability of the study's findings.
Conclusion
The results of this Mendelian randomization study suggest that high levels of LDL-C may have a protective effect against the development of pancreatic cancer. These findings highlight the potential importance of LDL-C levels in pancreatic cancer prevention and may inform future studies and interventions aimed at reducing pancreatic cancer incidence.
Experiences of and recommendations for LGBTQ+-affirming substance use services: A qualitative study with LGBTQ+ people who use opioids and other drugs
Authors: Paschen-Wolff Margaret M. , DeSousa Avery , Paine Emily Allen , Hughes Tonda L. , Campbell Aimee N.C. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other LGBTQ populations (LGBTQ+; e.g., non-binary individuals) have higher rates of substance use (SU) and disorders (SUD) compared to heterosexual and cisgender populations. Such disparities can be attributed to minority stress, including stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings. LGBTQ+-affirming SU treatment and related services remain limited. The purpose of this qualitative study was to characterize LGBTQ + people’s experiences in SU services and recommendations for LGBTQ+- affirming care.
Methods
We conducted demographic surveys (characterized using descriptive statistics) and individual qualitative interviews with N = 23 LGBTQ + people. We employed a flexible coding approach to describe participants’ experiences with stigma, discrimination, and support within SU services; and participant recommendations for how to make such services LGBTQ+-affirming at the patient-, staff-, and organizational-level. We highlighted components of minority stress and mitigators of adverse stress responses throughout our thematic analysis.
Results
Patient-level experiences included bullying, name-calling, sexual harassment, and physical distancing from peers; and support via community-building with LGBTQ + peers. Staff-level experiences included name-calling, denial of services, misgendering, lack of intervention in peer bullying, and assumptions about participants’ sexuality; and support via staff advocacy for LGBTQ + patients, holistic treatment models, and openly LGBTQ + staff. Organizational-level experiences included stigma in binary gendered program structures; and support from programs with gender-affirming groups and housing, and in visual cues (e.g., rainbow flags) of affirming care. Stigma and discrimination led to minority stress processes like identity concealment and stress coping responses like SU relapse; support facilitated SU treatment engagement and retention. Recommendations for LGBTQ+-affirming care included non-discrimination policies, routine pronoun sharing, LGBTQ+-specific programming, hiring LGBTQ + staff, routine staff sensitivity training, and gender-inclusive program structures.
Conclusions
LGBTQ + people experience stigma and discrimination within SU services; supportive and affirming care is vital to reducing treatment barriers and promoting positive health outcomes. The current study offers concrete recommendations for how to deliver LGBTQ+-affirming care, which could reduce SU disparities and drug overdose mortality overall.
ONT read assembly of the Black Rhino genome
Authors: Kraaijeveld Ken , Bossers Koen , Petrusevski Nikola , Pieterman Stef , Sonsbeek Linda G.R. Bruins-van , Wittink Floyd 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Objectives: The black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) is an endangered mammal for which a captive breeding program is part of the conservation effort. Black rhinos in zoo's often suffer from chronic infections and heamochromatosis. Furthermore, breeding is hampered by low male fertility. To aid a research project studying these topics, we sequenced and assembled the genome of a captive male black rhino using ONT sequencing data only.
Data description: This work produced over 100 Gb whole genome sequencing reads from whole blood. These were assembled into a 2.47 Gb draft genome consisting of 834 contigs with an N50 of 29.53 Mb. The genome annotation was lifted over from an available genome annotation for black rhino, which resulted in the retrieval of over 99% of gene features. This new genome assembly will be a valuable resource in for conservation genetic research in this species.
The Causal Effect of COVID-19 on Chronic Mastoiditis: A Bidirectional Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization-Based Study
Authors: Chen Siyuan , Deng Qin , Lv Hao , Wu Xiaomin , Xu Yingying , Xu Yu 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
In the aftermath of COVID-19, individuals are experiencing long-term complications of the disease, making it imperative to study its organismal consequences. Although there have been sporadic studies with conflicting results on the relationship between COVID-19 and chronic mastoiditis (CM), a comprehensive investigation of this relationship is necessary, as CM can result in severe intracranial infections.
Methods
COVID-19 traits of varying severity were selected as exposures while chronic mastoiditis was selected as the outcome. Bidirectional univariable Mendelian randomization analyses were performed after rigorous screening of instrumental variables. Subsequently, mediation analyses were conducted to further investigate the underlying mechanisms.
Results
Univariable MR analysis suggested that there was a significant positive association between the infected COVID-19 and CM risk (OR = 2.574613, 95% CI 1.326495-4.997100, p = 0.005189). By contrast, the causal effect of hospitalized COVID-19 on CM (OR = 1.336397, 95% CI 1.060450–1.684149, p = 0.013995), as well as the causal effect of severe COVID-19 on CM (OR = 1.145725, 95% CI 0.978811–1.341102, p = 0.090380), are insignificant. Moreover, through mediation analysis, we found that “E-selectin levels” was the mediator of the causal effects of infected COVID-19 on CM (Indirect β = 0.673348, 95% CI, 0.081898–1.264798, the mediated proportion of 70.3%, p = 0.049373).
Conclusion
For the first time, we conducted a study to investigate the causal effects between three COVID-19 traits and chronic mastoiditis. Our findings indicate a significant causal effect of COVID-19 infection on CM. By contrast, the causal effects of hospitalized COVID-19 and severe COVID-19 on CM are insignificant. Moreover, we initially identified “E-selectin levels” as the mediator of the causal effect of infected COVID-19 on CM. Our finding enriches the types of COVID-19 sequelae and helps to prevent mastoiditis caused by COVID-19 in the early stage, thereby eliminating the possibility of intracranial infection and other serious complications.