bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of short-chain fatty acids on intestinal function in an enteroid model of hypoxia
Authors: Pearce Sarah C. , Karl J. Philip , Weber Gregory J. 
Published: December 2022

The healthy GI tract is physiologically hypoxic, but this may be perturbed by certain acute and chronic stressors that reduce oxygen availability systemically. Short-chain fatty acids have been shown to have beneficial effects on intestinal barrier function and inflammation. Therefore, our objective was to see whether short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) would improve GI barrier function, reduce production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and increase the expression of genes regulating GI barrier function in enteroids exposed to hypoxia. Human duodenal enteroid monolayers were placed under hypoxia (1.0% O2) for 72 h with either 24, or 48 h pre-treatment with a high acetate ratio of SCFA’s or high butyrate ratio or placed under hypoxia concurrently. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) increased with SCFA pre-treatment, especially 48 h of pre-treatment and this was maintained through the first 48 h of hypoxia while cells saw barrier function dramatically decrease by 72 h of hypoxia exposure. Inflammatory protein secretion largely decreased with exposure to hypoxia, regardless of SCFA pre-treatment. Gene expression of several genes related to barrier function were decreased with exposure to hypoxia, and with concurrent and 24 h SCFA pre-treatment. However, 48 h SCFA pre-treatment with a high butyrate ratio increased expression of several metabolic and differentiation related genes. Overall, pre-treatment or concurrent treatment with SCFA mixtures were not able to overcome the negative impacts of hypoxia on intestinal function and cells ultimately still cannot be sustained under hypoxia for 72 h. However, 48 h pre-treatment maintains TEER for up to 48 h of hypoxia while upregulating several metabolic genes.
Edible marijuana and cycle ergometer exercise
Authors: Ewell Taylor Russell , Bomar Matthew Charles , Abbotts Kieran Shay Struebin , Butterklee Hannah Michelle , Dooley Gregory P. , Bell Christopher 
Published: December 2022

Purpose: There is extensive public and scientific interest in the influence of cannabis and the psychoactive cannabinoid, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), on exercise performance. Unfortunately, recent, up-to-date studies are lacking. The aim of the current study was to address the hypothesis that ingestion of edible marijuana, prior to exercise, would have unfavorable effects on the physiological response to exercise and on exercise performance.Methods: 17 Healthy adult male and female habitual exercisers, who were regular users of cannabis products, were screened for study participation. 10 were enrolled, and data from 9 [8 males, 1 female, aged 25±3 years, with peak oxygen uptake of 56.5±11.7 ml/kg/min (mean ± SD)] were retained. Participation included two exercise sessions, each preceded by self-administration and ingestion of either edible marijuana (containing 10 mg THC) or placebo. Cardio-respiratory responses (via indirect calorimetry) to stationary cycle ergometer exercise (8 min at 50, 100 and 150 W) were recorded before completion of a 20-min Functional Threshold Power test (FTP20) and a sprint test involving maximal effort until volitional fatigue.Results: Edible marijuana increased the concentration of circulating THC and THC metabolites, and evoked sensations of intoxication and altered psychoactive state. Cardio-respiratory responses to staged cycle ergometer exercise were normal and were unaffected by edible marijuana. Compared with placebo, edible marijuana did not influence FTP20 (Placebo 253±75 vs THC: 251±72 W (mean±SD); p &gt; 0.45) or peak power output during the sprint test (Placebo: 710±201 vs. THC: 732±136 W; p = 0.864).Conclusion: 10 mg of THC, when ingested prior to exercise by regular exercisers and habitual users of cannabis, had little effect on the physiological response to standardized cycle ergometer exercise, and was neither ergogenic nor ergolytic.
A robust multiple heartbeats classification with weight-based loss based on convolutional neural network and bidirectional long short-term memory
Authors: Yang Mengting , Liu Weichao , Zhang Henggui 
Published: December 2022

Background: Analysis of electrocardiogram (ECG) provides a straightforward and non-invasive approach for cardiologists to diagnose and classify the nature and severity of variant cardiac diseases including cardiac arrhythmia. However, the interpretation and analysis of ECG are highly working-load demanding, and the subjective may lead to false diagnoses and heartbeats classification. In recent years, many deep learning works showed an excellent role in accurate heartbeats classification. However, the imbalance of heartbeat classes is universal in most of the available ECG databases since abnormal heartbeats are always relatively rare in real life scenarios. In addition, many existing approaches achieved prominent results by removing noise and extracting features in data preprocessing, which relies heavily on powerful computers. It is a pressing need to develop efficient and automatic light weighted algorithms for accurate heartbeats classification that can be used in portable ECG sensors.Objective: This study aims at developing a robust and efficient deep learning method, which can be embedded into wearable or portable ECG monitors for classifying heartbeats.Methods: We proposed a novel and light weighted deep learning architecture with weight-based loss based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) and bidirectional long short-term memory (Bi-LSTM) that can automatically identify five types of ECG heartbeats according to the AAMI EC57 standard. It was also true that the raw ECG signals were simply segmented without noise removal and other feature extraction processing. Moreover, to tackle the challenge of classification bias due to imbalanced ECG datasets for different types of arrhythmias, we introduced a weight-based loss function to reduce the influence of over-weighted categories in the ECG dataset. For avoiding the influence of the division of validation dataset, k-fold method was adopted to improve the reliability of the model.Results: The proposed algorithm is trained and tested on MIT-BIH Arrhythmia Database, and achieves an average of 99.33% accuracy, 93.67% sensitivity, 99.18% specificity, 89.85% positive prediction, and 91.65% F1 score.
Impacts of huanglongbing on fruit yield and quality and on flushing dynamics of Sicilian lemon trees
Authors: Cifuentes-Arenas Juan Camilo , de Oliveira Hermes Teixeira , Raiol-Júnior Laudecir Lemos , de Carvalho Everton Vieira , Kharfan Daniela , Creste André Luís , Gastaminza Gerardo , Salas Hernán , Bassanezi Renato Beozzo , Ayres Antônio Juliano , Lopes Silvio Aparecido 
Published: December 2022

IntroductionThe severe Asian form of huanglongbing (HLB), a vascular disease associated with the phloem-limited bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’, is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) Diaphorina citri. Disease impacts are known for sweet oranges and acid limes but not lemons.MethodsIn a five-year study (2017–2021) we compared yield and fruit quality between naturally-infected and healthy 5-yr-old trees of Sicilian lemon ‘Femminello’, and shoot phenology on both lemon and ‘Valencia’ orange, both grafted onto ‘Swingle’ citrumelo, grown in southeastern São Paulo State, Brazil. HLB severity (percentage of tree canopy area with HLB symptoms) was assessed every 3–4 months, fruit yield and quality in May (2017 to 2019) or June/July (2020-2021), and vegetative and reproductive shoots fortnightly on 50-cm-long branches. The development of ACP on one-year-old seedlings of five lemon varieties, ‘Tahiti’ acid lime, ‘Valencia’ orange, and orange jasmine was evaluated.ResultsSymptoms increased from 11% in 2017 to 64% in 2021, and a monomolecular model estimated 10 years for symptoms to occupy &gt;90% of the tree canopy. On average, production of trees with symptom on 20%, 50% or 80% of the canopy respectively dropped by 18%, 38%, and 53% compared to healthy trees. Fruits of symptomatic branches of lemons were 4.22% lighter and the number of dropped fruits did not correlate with symptom severity. Flushing on symptomatic branches started earlier by 15 to 55 days as compared to the healthy branches of lemon and orange. On diseased trees, vegetative and reproductive shoots respectively increased by 24.5% and 17.5% on lemon and by 67.2% and 70.6% on sweet orange, but fruit set was reduced by 12.9% and 19.7% on lemon and orange trees, respectively. ACP reproduced similarly on all tested plants.DiscussionThe fast symptom progress, significant yield reduction, and earlier flushing on diseased trees, providing conditions highly favorable for the pathogen to spread, reinforce the need of prompt diseased tree removal and frequent ACP preventive control to manage HLB in lemons as in any other citrus crop.
Interrater reliability and experiences of Assessment, Intervention, and Moving-on 3 Assessment Model in a multidisciplinary Norwegian sample
Authors: Jensen Monica , Askeland Ingunn Rangul , Bjørknes Ragnhild 
Published: December 2022

BackgroundAssessing minors with harmful sexual behavior (HSB) is a complex and sensitive task. The AIM3 Assessment Model was developed to assist practitioners with information collection and HSB evaluations.ObjectiveIn this study, we explore the interrater reliability and the practitioners’ experience with the AIM3.Participants and settingThe multidisciplinary sample (n = 56) was recruited in Norway. The participants’ mean age is 43.2 years (SD 9.5). The sample is 79% female and 21% male. Mean years of experience is 17.6 years (SD 9.5).MethodsThe participants used the Norwegian version of the AIM3 to score three case vignettes. A survey containing questions about competence and experience was filled out. We used the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to estimate interrater reliability as well as descriptive statistics to show experience.ResultsThe estimated ICC for overall AIM3 factors is 0.547 (95% CI = 0.471, 0.634); for domain scores, the estimated ICC is 0.697 (95% CI = 0.548, 0.852). Both are in the moderate range. The majority of the participants reported that they will probably use the AIM3 in the future and that their experience with the AIM3 was highly useful with, for example, empirically informed decision-making and for intervention and safety planning.ConclusionThe moderate ICC results and the sample’s generally positive experience with the AIM3 may indicate further usefulness in a Norwegian multidisciplinary setting. We provide recommendations on how the AIM3 and similar HSB assessments can be further evaluated and developed.
ResNet for recognition of Qi-deficiency constitution and balanced constitution based on voice
Authors: Lai Tong , Guan Yutong , Men Shaoyang , Shang Hongcai , Zhang Honglai 
Published: December 2022

BackgroundAccording to traditional Chinese medicine theory, a Qi-deficiency constitution is characterized by a lower voice frequency, shortness of breath, reluctance to speak, an introverted personality, emotional instability, and timidity. People with Qi-deficiency constitution are prone to repeated colds and have a higher probability of chronic diseases and depression. However, a person with a Balanced constitution is relatively healthy in all physical and psychological aspects. At present, the determination of whether one has a Qi-deficiency constitution or a Balanced constitution are mostly based on a scale, which is easily affected by subjective factors. As an objective method of diagnosis, the human voice is worthy of research. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to improve the objectivity of determining Qi-deficiency constitution and Balanced constitution through one’s voice and to explore the feasibility of deep learning in TCM constitution recognition.MethodsThe voices of 48 subjects were collected, and the constitution classification results were obtained from the classification and determination of TCM constitutions. Then, the constitution was classified according to the ResNet residual neural network model.ResultsA total of 720 voice data points were collected from 48 subjects. The classification accuracy rate of the Qi-deficiency constitution and Balanced constitution was 81.5% according to ResNet. The loss values of the model training and test sets gradually decreased to 0, while the ACC values of the training and test sets tended to increase, and the ACC values of the training set approached 1. The ROC curve shows an AUC value of 0.85.ConclusionThe Qi-deficiency constitution and Balanced constitution determination method based on the ResNet residual neural network model proposed in this study can improve the efficiency of constitution recognition and provide decision support for clinical practice.
The war next-door—A pilot study on Romanian adolescents’ psychological reactions to potentially traumatic experiences generated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Authors: Maftei Alexandra , Dănilă Oana , Măirean Cornelia 
Published: December 2022

IntroductionRomania shares the longest UE border with Ukraine, and since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, many have been involved in helping the refugees. Consequently, children and adolescents might be directly and indirectly exposed to war-related trauma. In the present exploratory research, we investigated Romanian adolescents’ potential risk and protective factors related to the psychological outcomes of war exposure. Our cross-sectional study was conducted shortly after February 24th (i.e., the first invasion day).MethodsThe sample included 90 Romanian adolescents aged 11 to 15 (M = 12.90, SD = 1.17), residents in Iași, Romania (i.e., 205,7 km from the Ukrainian border). Participants completed self-reported measures of peritraumatic dissociative experiences, knowledge about the conflict in Ukraine, personal, school, and family implications in volunteering/helping behavior, discussions about the conflict, threat perception (self and perceived parental threat), anxiety, social media engagement, resilience, and moral elevation.ResultsThe main findings suggested that participants involved in helping behaviors toward Ukrainian refugees present higher peritraumatic dissociative experiences, anxiety symptoms, and higher moral elevation than boys and participants not involved in these behaviors. Moreover, anxiety symptoms were positively associated with threat perception, peritraumatic dissociation, and social media engagement and negatively related to resilience.DiscussionsFinally, we discuss the implications of our findings concerning their practical utility in managing peritraumatic exposure to war by using interventions designed to increase adolescents’ resilience during difficult times.
Adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the functional assessment of chronic illness therapy spiritual well-being scale among Chinese childhood cancer patients in China
Authors: Liu Qi , Ho Ka-Yan , Lam Katherine-Ka-Wai , Lam Winsome , Cheng Eileen-Hui-Lin , Ching Shirley-Siu-Yin , Belay Getaneh Mulualem , Wong Frances-Kam-Yuet 
Published: December 2022

BackgroundSpiritual well-being is a strength for childhood cancer patients to cope with cancer. The availability of a valid and reliable instrument for assessing spiritual well-being is crucial. This study translated and adapted the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Spiritual Well-being scale (FACIT-Sp) for Chinese childhood cancer patients and examined the psychometric properties and factor structure in this population.MethodsThis was a methodological study. The FACIT-Sp was translated into Chinese. Adaptation was based on our qualitative study. For psychometric evaluation, a convenience sample of 412 were recruited based on the suggested sample size for the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Childhood cancer patients were included if they aged 8–17 years, with parental consent to participate, able to communicate that they were being treated for cancer, and able to communicate and read Chinese. Participants answered the Chinese version of the adapted FACIT-Sp, the Center for Epidemiology Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC), and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 3.0 Cancer Module (PedsQL). Content validity, convergent validity, internal consistency and test–retest reliability were examined. Both EFA and CFA assessed the structural validity of the adapted FACIT-Sp.ResultsThe content validity index values for items ranged 0.8–1.0 and that for the scale was 0.84, indicating appropriate content validity. The scale had good internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.815. The FACIT-Sp scores positively correlated with the CES-DC scores, and negatively correlated with PedsQL scores, suggesting that the Chinese version of the adapted FACIT-Sp had reasonable convergent validity. EFA yielded a four-factor (meaning, peace, faith, and connection with others) model. The CFA results revealed that the four-factor model achieved a better fit than the original three-factor model (Chi-Square Mean/Degree of Freedom = 2.240 vs. 3.557, Comparative Fit Index = 0.953 vs. 0.916, Goodness of Fit Index = 0.909 vs. 0.884, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation = 0.078 vs. 0.112).ConclusionThe Chinese version of the adapted FACIT-Sp is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing spiritual well-being among Chinese childhood cancer patients. This instrument can be applied in clinical settings for routine assessment.
The impact of flipped teaching on EFL students’ academic resilience, self-directed learning, and learners’ autonomy
Authors: Izadpanah Siros 
Published: December 2022

IntroductionThis study attempted to investigate the impact of flipped teaching (FT) on EFL (English Foreign Language) students’ academic resilience (AR), self-directed learning (SDL), and learners’ autonomy (LA).MethodTo do this, the researcher selected 354 participants by the two-stage cluster sampling method. This research was quasi-experimental based on the pretest, and post-test, with experimental and control groups. Three questionnaires were administered to collect data. The questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS 24 software and inferred analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).ResultsThe covariance study showed that FT significantly affected AR, SDL, and LA in learning with the help of the pre-test covariate variable (p&lt;00.5). Also, the mean scores of students in the pre-test and post-test in the experimental group were significantly different. The mean scores of EFL students’ AR, SDL, and LA were higher through FT. It is suggested that school principals provide the ground for teachers’ participation in workshops on new teaching strategies so that teachers can benefit from new teaching approaches, including FT in the classroom.DiscussionThe study results showed that the mean AR of students in the experimental group’s post-test compared to the pre-test in both groups has significantly increased. The research findings indicate a positive effect of the flipped class on the levels of SDL. Based on the results, the flipped lesson class approach significantly affected the LA of English language learners as a foreign language. The findings of this study confirm previous relevant studies on the impact of flipped course classes on the LA of English language learners as a foreign language.
Connecting the past and the future: Academic geographical (im)mobility of Chinese women academics throughout doctoral education
Authors: Bao Li 
Published: December 2022

IntroductionAcademic geographical mobility is considered to be critical to academic excellence, but it is a gendered terrain. This study seeks to examine the career progression of Chinese women academics, as shaped by gender norms, regarding academic geographical (im)mobility throughout their doctoral education, in retrospect.MethodsTo address this issue, driven by the Butlerian theoretical concept of “a stylized repetition of acts,” the present study analyzed the qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with seven Chinese women academics to investigate their academic geographical mobility decisions throughout their doctoral education based on contested discourses of traditional Chinese culture and the advantages of academic geographical mobility for their career advancement.Results and discussionThis study determined that, shaped by gender norms, stylized geographical academic (im)mobility for these Chinese female doctoral students operate in the condition of gender- norms maintenance to make them recognizable and understandable in social and institutional culture. However, it may have a negative impact on their future academic career progression.
Mapping white matter structural and network alterations in betel quid-dependent chewers using high angular resolution diffusion imaging
Authors: Huang Weiyuan , Liu Tao , Chen Huijuan , Fu Qingqing , Fu Lili , Xu Xiaolin , Liu Liting , Guo Yihao , Balasubramanian Priya S. , Chen Feng 
Published: December 2022

BackgroundTo evaluate brain white matter diffusion characteristics and anatomical network alterations in betel quid dependence (BQD) chewers using high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI).MethodsThe current study recruited 53 BQD chewers and 37 healthy controls (HC) in two groups. We explored regional diffusion metrics alternations in the BQD group compared with the HC group using automated fiber quantification (AFQ). We further employed the white matter (WM) anatomical network of HARDI to explore connectivity alterations in BQD chewers using graph theory.ResultsBQD chewers presented significantly lower FA values in the left and right cingulum cingulate, the left and right thalamic radiation, and the right uncinate. The BQD has a significantly higher RD value in the right uncinate fasciculus than the HC group. At the global WM anatomical network level, global network efficiency (p = 0.008) was poorer and Lp (p = 0.016) was greater in the BQD group. At the nodal WM anatomical network level, nodal efficiency (p &lt; 0.05) was lower in the BQD group.ConclusionOur findings provide novel morphometric evidence that brain structural changes in BQD are characterized by white matter diffusivity and anatomical network connectivity among regions of the brain, potentially leading to the enhanced reward system and impaired inhibitory control.