bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Loading of erythropoietin on biphasic calcium phosphate bioceramics promotes osteogenesis and angiogenesis by regulating EphB4/EphrinB2 molecules
Authors: Wang Yu , Wang Peng , Wu Qionghui , Qin Zhifan , Xiang Zichao , Chu Yuxian , Li Jihua 
Published: January 2022

AbstractImproving osteogenesis and angiogenesis using different cells and drugs is critical in the field of bone tissue engineering. Recent research has found that erythropoietin (EPO) plays an important role in both osteogenesis and angiogenesis. In this study, we grafted polydopamine and EPO onto the surface of biphasic calcium phosphate. The characterization and release property of the modified bioceramics were assessed. Cell proliferation, expression of osteoblastic and endothelial markers, and EphB4/EphrinB2 molecules were investigated while employing co-cultures of two different cells [rat vein endothelial cells (VECs) and rat bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs)]. The modified bioceramics were finally implanted into the SD rats’ femurs and followed by investigating the bone defect repair efficacy and the expression of EphB4/EphrinB2 molecules in vivo. The results indicated that the modified bioceramics could control the release of EPO continuously. The osteogenesis and angiogenesis were improved along with the increased expression of EphB4/EphrinB2 molecules. The expression of EphB4/EphrinB2 molecules was also significantly increased in vivo and the bone defect was repaired effectively. Overall, our findings demonstrated that EPO loading on biphasic calcium phosphate bioceramics could promote both osteogenesis and angiogenesis. The results suggest that EphB4/EphrinB2 may be crucial in the process.
Using MKT measures for cross-national comparisons of teacher knowledge: case of Slovakia and Norway
Authors: Marcinek Tibor , Jakobsen Arne , Partová Edita 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThe measures of mathematical knowledge for teaching developed at the University of Michigan in the U.S., have been adapted and used in studies measuring teacher knowledge in several countries around the world. In the adaptation, many of these studies relied on comparisons of item parameters and none of them considered a comparison of raw data. In this article, we take advantage of having access to the raw data from the adaptation pilot studies of the same instrument in Norway and Slovakia (149 practicing elementary teachers in Norway, 134 practicing elementary teachers in Slovakia) that allowed us to compare item parameters and teachers’ ability estimates on the same scale. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference in the mean scores between the Norwegian and the Slovak teachers in our samples and the paper provides further insight into the issues of cross-national adaptations of measures of teachers’ knowledge and the limitations of the methods commonly applied in the item adaptation research. We show how item adaptations can be refined by combining robust quantitative methods with qualitative data, how decisions on adaptation of individual items depend on context and purpose of the adaptation, and how comparability and heterogeneity of samples affects interpretation of the results.
Associations Between Mildly Impaired Autistic Boys’ and Girls’ Challenging Behaviour and Parental Anxiety and Depression
Authors: Bitsika Vicki , Sharpley Christopher F. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractTo investigate the contribution made by autistic children’s Challenging Behaviour (CB) to their parents’ anxiety and depression, parents of 32 autistic boys and 32 autistic girls (aged 6 to 18 years) completed standardised instruments on their children’s behaviour and their own anxiety and depression. Significant associations were found between the children’s CB and their parents’ anxiety and depression, but the patterns of those associations differed according to the sex of the child. At the individual CB level, boys’ change of mood, but girls’ social isolation, were most powerfully associated with their parents’ depression. Girls’ impulsive behaviour was most strongly linked with their parents’ anxiety.
Sol–gel glazes - a safe glass and ceramics coloring approach
Authors: Sfez Ruthy , De-Botton Sophie , Avnir David , Wakshlak Racheli 
Published: January 2022

AbstractMajor attention has been given to safety, environmental, and health hazard issues which arise from using toxic inorganic colorants and pigments in ceramic and glass technologies. A safe alternative is presented, wherein organic colorants approved for human use are entrapped within sol–gel aluminosilicate hybrid matrices and used for glazing porcelain ceramic and glass substrates. Among the colorants used are brilliant blue FCF replacing the toxic cobalt blue, curcumin replacing the toxic cadmium sulfide yellow, and a mixture of carmine and allura-red replacing the toxic cadmium selenide red. Additional advantages of the proposed approach are lowering of energy consumption, offering convenient and efficient recyclability of the colored glasses (thus also solving the current requirements for color-classified recycling), offering a huge library of thousands of organic colorants, opening for the artist and product designer a wide range of visual effects, and opening new artistic coloration methods to be explored. Full characterization was carried out including UV-vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence, topographic thickness analysis, wettability, SEM and XRD analyses, and FIB elemental analyses. The glazes are bright, of the order of 250 microns thick, crack free, chemically stable, with good adherence to both ceramic and glassy surfaces, and recyclable to the pure colorless ceramics or glass by heating. The potential for artistic applications, is demonstrated.
Health Impact Assessment: A Missed Opportunity for MCH Professionals in Their Quest to Address the Social Determinants of Health
Authors: Dills James E. , Lawson Taylor M. , Branscomb Jane , Mullenix Amy , Lich Kristen Hassmiller 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Introduction
Public health professionals, especially ones concerned with maternal and child health (MCH), need to engage in cross-sector collaborations to address social determinants of health. Health Impact Assessment (HIA) systematically brings public health perspectives into non-health decision-making contexts that influence social determinants. Alignment of MCH and HIA practice has not previously been documented.

Methods
An exploratory review of HIAs conducted in the United States considered several dimensions of MCH-HIA alignment and produced data to test the hypothesis that HIAs involving MCH stakeholders are more likely to address MCH populations and relevant measures. The review examined three key variables for each HIA: inclusion of MCH-focused stakeholders, level of focus on MCH populations, and presence of MCH-relevant content.

Results
Of the 424 HIAs included in the database of US HIAs, 350 were included in this review. Twenty-four percent (84) included MCH-focused stakeholders, and 42% (148) focused on MCH populations. Ninety percent (317) included metrics or content relevant to at least one Title V National Performance Measure (NPM). HIAs that clearly included MCH stakeholders had seven times the odds of including both a focus on MCH populations and at least one NPM-relevant topic compared to HIAs that did not clearly include MCH stakeholders (OR 6.98; 95% CI 3.99, 12.20).

Discussion
Despite low engagement of MCH stakeholders in HIAs, many still consider MCH populations and measures. Intentional engagement of MCH workforce in HIAs could ensure greater alignment with existing MCH priorities (such as addressing the social determinants of health and equity) in a given jurisdiction.
Genotyping and Drug Resistance Profile of Clinical Isolates of Candida albicans from Vulvovaginal Candidiasis in the Eastern China
Authors: Hong Nan , Lei Yan , Chen Huan , Chen Xiaofei , Tsui Kin Ming , Hu Danyang , Liao Wanqing , Yan Liang , Zhang Hong , Zhao Rongfen , Wu Gang , Yu Nong , Deng Shuwen 
Published: January 2022

AbstractA total of 244 Candida albicans isolates recovered from vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) patients in Suzhou, Eastern China, were investigated. According to CLSI documents M27-A4 and M59-3ed/M60-2ed, the MIC geometric means of nine antifungals in increasing order were micafungin (0.048 mg/L), anidulafungin (0.132 mg/L), caspofungin (0.19 mg/L), itraconazole (0.23 mg/L), posaconazole (0.25 mg/L), voriconazole (0.28 mg/L), 5-flucytosine (0.44 mg/L), amphotericin B (0.49 mg/L) and fluconazole (2.01 mg/L) respectively. Of note, 6.5% (16/244) C. albicans isolates showed resistance mainly to anidulafungin (mono-echinocandin resistance), while voriconazole had the lowest susceptibility rate of 34.8% (85/244), followed by fluconazole 59.4% (145/244), respectively. All isolates were genotyped by allelic combination of 3 microsatellite markers (CEF3, CAIII and LOC4). A total of 129 different allelic genotypes were identified, in which seven different clades were recognized with a discriminatory power of 0.96. Genotypes A-D were present in 35% of the isolates. In conclusion, decrease in antifungal drug susceptibility to C. albicans isolates from VVC is alarming. Our findings revealed the genetic diversity of C. albicans isolates among VVC patients and provided insights into the molecular epidemiology of Candida infections in China.
Screening Ca concentration in staple food crops with energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF)
Authors: Guild Georgia E. , Stangoulis James C. R. 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Background and aims
Calcium deficiency is evident in populations worldwide and combating this could be addressed with the biofortification of staple crops. Consequently, identification of Ca concentration in breeding trials would be essential. Here we report the use of energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) for the rapid screening of Ca concentration in seed samples.

Methods
Grain samples of rice, wheat, pearl millet, bean, maize, and cowpea were provided from biofortification breeding programs and analysed with inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine the reference Ca concentration. A set of samples were used to develop a Ca EDXRF calibration for each crop and another set of samples to validate the method.

Results
The EDXRF results were comparable to the reference ICP-MS analysis with an average difference of < ± 5 mg kg-1 for all crops and RSD for duplicate analysis < 10% for all crops.

Conclusions
EDXRF is suitable for the rapid analysis of Ca in bean, cowpea, wheat, pearl millet, maize and rice samples.
A comparison between measurement properties of four shoulder-related outcome measures in Nepalese patients with shoulder pain
Authors: KC Sudarshan , Sharma Saurab , Ginn Karen , Reed Darren 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Purpose
The Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), Quick-DASH, and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) are frequently used instruments in shoulder functional assessment. They are available in Nepali and all but the PSFS has been validated for shoulder assessment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to validate the Nepali PSFS in shoulder pain patients and to compare validity, reliability, and responsiveness of all four instruments to provide a recommendation for their use.

Method
Patients attending physiotherapy completed the Nepali PSFS at baseline and follow-up (1–3 weeks). It was tested for reliability using internal consistency (Cronbach’s α), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), construct validity by hypothesis testing and responsiveness by anchor-based method using Area Under the Curve (AUC). The instruments were compared based on reported measurement properties and patients’ preference.

Results
156 patients enrolled at baseline and 121 at follow-up. The PSFS showed sufficient reliability (α = 0.70, ICC = 0.82), construct validity (all three hypotheses met) and responsiveness (AUC = 0.83). Measurement property comparison demonstrated adequate reliability and validity, while PSFS was the most responsive instrument. Patients favoured the verbal rating scale of the DASH/Quick-DASH. The DASH had a lower completion rate for ‘culturally sensitive’ and ‘uncommon’ activities.

Conclusion
The Nepali PSFS is a reliable, valid, and responsive instrument in shoulder functional assessment. The combined use of the Quick-DASH or SPADI with the PSFS is recommended for a comprehensive assessment of Nepali shoulder pain patients in clinical and research settings. They are shorter, more appropriate to the Nepali context and provide balanced self-evaluation.
Discourse prominence effects on interpretation of reflexive pronoun “ziji” in children with ASD
Authors: Wuyun Gaowa , Zhang Long , Wang Kai , Wu Yanhong 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThe core of language disorders in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the loss of social function in language communication.Futher, the correct use and processing of personal pronouns is the basis of language social function. Therefore, clarifying the mechanism of processing the pronoun reference in children with ASD is a major focus in autism research. Currently, the main contradictory focus of the anaphora processing ability in children with ASD is use of semantic pragmatic information in the process of pronoun processing. Therefore, this study will focus on the effect of semantic cues on pronoun processing in children with autism spectrum disorder. This study uses the Chinese reflexive pronoun "ziji" (eg., himself/herself) as the media, because the Chinese reflexive pronoun "ziji (oneself)" is relatively flexible, which is not only restricted by the rule of syntactic rules, but also influenced by the semantic information of the antecedent. This study investigated the processing mechanism of Chinese reflexive pronoun "ziji (oneself)" in children with autism spectrum disorder by manipulating the position of strong semantic cues. The results showed that participants from both the experimental group (children with ASD) and the two control groups (children with typical development and children with intellectual disabilities) were able to process strong semantic cues. When the second person pronoun "you" or the s participant’s name appears in the remote subject position, children from both the experimental group and the two control groups could use semantic information to make long distance anaphora of the reflexive pronoun "ziji (oneself)". Conversely, when the second person pronoun "you" appeared in the close subject position, the children with autism spectrum disorder and the two control groups would both make close anaphora with the reflexive pronoun “ziji (oneself)”. This study found that children with autism spectrum disorder can process semantic information normally during pronoun anaphora when the semantic cues are sufficiently prominence. The results of this study provide a more comprehensive understanding of the language processing mechanism of individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
Implementing a Project-Based Learning Module in Urban and Indigenous Areas to Promote Young Children’s Scientific Practices
Authors: Hsin Ching-Ting , Wu Hsin-Kai 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThis study examined the impact of a project-based learning module on young children’s scientific practices in urban and Indigenous areas. The module was developed by drawing upon early science standards and research on scientific practices and project-based teaching approaches. Ninety-eight children from northern Taiwan participated. Their average age was 5 years and 7 months, ranging from 4 years and 6 months to 6 years and 5 months. A performance assessment of scientific practices was administered before and after the module. Results of paired samplettests showed that children improved in overall practices and every sub-practice after taking the module. Both city and Indigenous children performed significantly better on the post-test, as did both the 4- and 5-year-old groups. ANCOVA results indicated no significant difference between urban and Indigenous children in the post-test scores of overall and most sub-practices; the only exception was that urban children had significantly better improvement on doing an experiment. Similar ANCOVA results were found for the 4- and 5-year-old groups; the 4-year-old group had significantly better improvement only on measuring. Results suggest that the module promoted scientific practices of children of different ages and ethnic backgrounds. This study sheds light on evidence-based early science curricula, early scientific practices, and the achievement of educational equity.
Representing preorders with injective monotones
Authors: Hack Pedro , Braun Daniel A. , Gottwald Sebastian 
Published: January 2022

AbstractWe introduce a new class of real-valued monotones in preordered spaces, injective monotones. We show that the class of preorders for which they exist lies in between the class of preorders with strict monotones and preorders with countable multi-utilities, improving upon the known classification of preordered spaces through real-valued monotones. We extend several well-known results for strict monotones (Richter–Peleg functions) to injective monotones, we provide a construction of injective monotones from countable multi-utilities, and relate injective monotones to classic results concerning Debreu denseness and order separability. Along the way, we connect our results to Shannon entropy and the uncertainty preorder, obtaining new insights into how they are related. In particular, we show how injective monotones can be used to generalize some appealing properties of Jaynes’ maximum entropy principle, which is considered a basis for statistical inference and serves as a justification for many regularization techniques that appear throughout machine learning and decision theory.
Land sharing between cultivated and wild plants: urban gardens as hotspots for plant diversity in cities
Authors: Seitz Birgit , Buchholz Sascha , Kowarik Ingo , Herrmann Johann , Neuerburg Leonie , Wendler Julian , Winker Leonie , Egerer Monika 
Published: January 2022

AbstractPlant communities in urban gardens consist of cultivated species, including ornamentals and food crops, and wild growing species. Yet it remains unclear what significance urban gardens have for the plant diversity in cities and how the diversity of cultivated and wild plants depends on the level of urbanization. We sampled plants growing within 18 community gardens in Berlin, Germany to investigate the species diversity of cultivated and wild plants. We tested species diversity in relation to local and landscape-scale imperviousness as a measure of urbanity, and we investigated the relationship between cultivated and wild plant species within the gardens. We found that numbers of wild and cultivated plant species in gardens are high – especially of wild plant species – independent of landscape-scale imperviousness. This suggests that all community gardens, regardless of their urban contexts, can be important habitats for plant diversity along with their role in urban food provision. However, the number of all species was negatively predicted by local garden scale imperviousness, suggesting an opportunity to reduce imperviousness and create more habitats for plants at the garden scale. Finally, we found a positive relationship between the number of cultivated and wild growing species, which emphasizes that community gardens present a unique urban ecosystem where land sharing between cultivated and wild flora can transpire. As the urban agriculture movement is flourishing worldwide with gardens continuously and spontaneously arising and dissipating due to urban densification, such botanical investigations can support the argument that gardens are places for the reconciliation of plant conservation and food production.
Competitive interactions shape plant responses to nitrogen fertilization and drought: evidence from a microcosm experiment with Lilium bulbiferum L. and Secale cereale L.
Authors: Lütke Schwienhorst Julia , Pyrlik Corinna , Tomberge Anna , Fichtner Andreas , Walmsley David , von Oheimb Goddert , Härdtle Werner 
Published: January 2022

AbstractMany recent studies have analysed plant species responses to environmental change, but interactive effects of global change drivers and how they are modulated by biotic interactions are still poorly understood. In a mesocosm experiment, we studied the interactive effects of nitrogen (N) fertilization and drought events on plant growth and how these effects are shaped by competitive interactions, using a segetal plant community typical of the lowlands of central Europe (composed of Lilium bulbiferum (segetal species) and Secale cereale (crop species)). We expected that N fertilization increases the drought sensitivity of Lilium (negative interaction effect), and that these effects are shaped by interspecific competition with Secale. Secale and Lilium showed opposing responses to N fertilization (second year of the experiment): Whilst Secale aboveground and belowground biomass almost doubled with N fertilization, Lilium aboveground and belowground biomass showed no response or decreased, respectively, providing Secale with a competitive advantage. Lilium aboveground tissue dieback (as a proxy for growth vigour) was 22% in N and 35% in drought treatments (control: 6%), but reached 91% when combining these treatments. Increasing Lilium tissue dieback was strongly related to decreasing belowground (root) biomass, caused by both negative direct effects of combined treatments (N fertilization + drought), and negative indirect effects acting via treatment-induced increase in Secale biomass. Our results demonstrate that competitive interactions can shape the effects of global change drivers on plant growth. This knowledge in turn could be important for plant species conservation, particularly in the face of ongoing shifts in environmental conditions.
Effects of air pollution on daily hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain: a region with moderate air quality
Authors: Rodríguez Diana , Cobo-Cuenca Ana Isabel , Quiles Rafael 
Published: January 2022

AbstractAdverse impacts of air pollution on human health have been well documented in Spain; however, very few have been conducted in the Spanish region of Castilla-La Mancha (CLM). CLM is an extensive region with a low population density, little industrial production, and moderate air pollution level. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the risk of hospital admission for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and exposure to PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 in CLM during 2006–2015. Daily air pollution concentration, temperature, and relative humidity were monitored from the air quality monitoring stations in CLM. A time-series analysis with generalized linear model was used to examine the effects of air pollution on hospital admissions by controlling for long-term trend and other potential confounders. The effect modifications by sex and age (15–64; ≥ 65 years) were examined. Lagging exposure concept was used to analyze a possible latency period in cumulative exposure-pollution analyses. Relative risks (RR) of CVD admissions at the same day (lag 0) and to 7 days after exposure (lag 7) were calculated. Relative risks of CVD admissions (for an increase of 10 µg m−3 in concentration of air pollutant) were calculated. The elderly group (≥ 65 years) were the most susceptible group to the effect of air pollution, whereas the estimated effect by sex was significantly different depending on the age group. The potential utility of these results may help for syndromic surveillance during future similar air pollutant concentrations, where an increase in the use of health services among the vulnerable groups could be unexpected by the emergency department.