bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pre-Service Geography Teachers’ Pedagogical Competence in Their Minor Subjects: Implications for Teacher Education
Authors: Mensah Bismark 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Assessment of pre-service teachers’ pedagogical preparedness to teach their minor subjects has received no attention in the teacher education literature. This study therefore assesses pre-service geography teachers’ pedagogical competence in their minor subjects, which included Political Science, Economics, History, and Economics. Pedagogical competence was conceptualised using three constructs adapted from the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework: Pedagogical Knowledge, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, and Technological Pedagogical Knowledge. Through a survey, a total of 182 pre-service geography teachers participated in the study. The obtained empirical data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation. A one-way MANOVA test was conducted to explore the differences in the pre-service teachers’ pedagogical competence based on minor subject classifications. The results showed that the pre-service geography teachers had relatively higher Pedagogical Knowledge in their minor subject compared with Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Technological Pedagogical Knowledge. There was a significant effect of minor subject classifications on the level of Pedagogical Knowledge, with higher scores reported among the Economics minor group. Implications of the findings for teacher education curriculum frameworks are discussed, among other recommendations.
Development of a MOF-based SPE method combined with GC-MS for simultaneous determination of alachlor, acetochlor and pretilachlor in field soil
Authors: Cai Yjuan , Li Liying , Zhang Jun , Li Zhenjie , Zhang Fengmei , Xu Yanqun , Tai Zhigang 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
In this work, a rapid, highly selective, reusable and effective method was developed for simultaneous determination of alachlor, acetochlor and pretilachlor in field soil by GC-MS coupled with MIL-101 based SPE. Main factors affecting the SPE by using MIL-101 were optimized. Moreover, by comparing with the other commercial materials such as C18, PSA and Florisil, the MIL-101(Cr) exhibited excellent adsorption performance, which aimed at amide herbicides. On the other hand, method validation displayed excellent method performance, achieving good linearities with r2 ≥ 0.9921, limits of detection between 0.25–0.45 µg kg− 1, enrichment factors ≥ 89, matrix effect in the range of ± 20%, recoveries between 86.3% and 102.4%, and RSD lower than 4.38%. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of amide herbicides in soil taken from the wheat, corn and soybean field at different depths, where the concentration of alachlor, acetochlor and pretilachlor were in the range of 0.62–8.04 µg kg− 1. It was demonstrated that the more depth of soil, the lower of three amide herbicides. This finding could be proposed a novel method to detect the amide herbicides in the agriculture and food industry.
Slack resources and individual performance of clinicians: the mediating role of job satisfaction and empirical evidence from public hospitals in Beijing, China
Authors: Lu Wei , Song Xinrui , Zhu Junli , Zhang Yao , Hou Changmin 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Background: The individual performance of clinicians is key to improving the output of the healthcare industry. Clinicians in Chinese public hospitals have an important functional position and face a complex and severe clinical practice environment. This study aims to explore the mechanism of slack resources in improving individual performance of clinicians and the effect of job satisfaction in this process.
Methods: Based on the study framework composed of slack resources, individual performance, and job satisfaction, hypotheses have been put forward, and questionnaires have been distributed to representative clinicians in tertiary public hospitals. Finally, 318 valid data collected from clinicians have been obtained. To verify the four conditions of the mediation hypothesis, multiple linear regression models have been established to explore the relationship between variables.
Results: Clinicians' job satisfaction has played a mediating role in the impact of slack resources and its three dimensions on individual performance. Among them, there has been a complete mediating effect for staff slack, while time and space dimensions have played a partial mediating role in the impact of slack resources on individual performance.
Conclusions: In public hospitals in environments where behavior is subject to significant government interference, it is necessary and feasible to retain appropriate slack resources to improve individual performance. From the perspective of resources management in hospitals, it is necessary for public hospitals to implement a strategy of reserving an appropriate portion of time, staff and space in order to have the conditions to improve clinicians' satisfaction. The existence of slack resources in public hospitals can improve the job satisfaction of clinicians, and then improve the individual performance through the process.
Atmiyata, a community led psychosocial intervention, for common mental disorders: A stepped wedge, cluster randomized controlled trial in rural Gujarat, India
Authors: Pathare Soumitra , Joag Kaustubh , Kalha Jasmine , Pandit Deepa , Krishnamoorthy Sadhvi , Chauhan Ajay , Shields-Zeeman Laura 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
This study evaluates the effectiveness of a volunteer community-led psychosocial intervention on depression and anxiety symptoms among people living in rural Gujarat, India. Stepped-wedge cluster randomized controlled trial design implemented in 645 villages in Mehsana district, Gujarat, India. Primary outcome was improvement in depression and/or anxiety symptoms using GHQ-12 at 3-month follow-up. Data was analyzed using generalized linear mixed effects models.Of the 1191 participants (608- intervention & 583-control) recruited, 1014 (85%) completed 3-month follow-up. After adjusting for baseline covariates, period, and cluster effects, participants in the intervention condition showed significant recovery from symptoms of depression or anxiety (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.2 to 4.6; p < 0.05) at the end of 3-months, with effects sustained at 8-month follow-up (OR 3.0; 95% CI 1.6 to 5.9). The study findings have implications for the broader implementation and scale-up of community-based mental health delivery models in LMICs.Trial registration detailsThe trial was registered prospectively with the Clinical Trial Registry in India (registry number: CTRI/2017/03/008139).
Give women what they want: Contraceptive discontinuation and method preference in urban Ghana
Authors: Compton Sarah , Manu Adom , Maya Ernest , Morhe Emmanuel , Dalton Vanessa 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Background
Unmet need for contraception remains high in Ghana. Reducing the number of women who discontinue their contraceptive use is one way to decrease the number of women with an unmet need. In this study, we investigated factors associated with discontinuation among a cohort of Ghanaian women.
Methods
Women who were beginning a new method of contraception at one of six urban clinics in Accra and Kumasi, Ghana were invited to participate in our study. Participants were interviewed before and after their counseling session, and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-enrollment to determine continuation. During follow-up, participants who were no longer using their method were asked why, if they were using any method of contraception, and if so, which method. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with discontinuation for reason other than pregnancy or desired pregnancy.
Results
Of the 472 women who reported leaving their counseling session with a method, 440 (93.2%) had at least one follow-up contact. Of the 440 women, 110 (25%) discontinued their method at some point over the 12-month period, and 94 (85.5%) did so for reasons other than pregnancy or desired pregnancy. In the multivariate regression analysis, women who reported they were given their method of choice were 14.4% less likely to discontinue due to a non-pregnancy reason (p = 0.024); those who used a long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) method were 16.6% less likely (p < .001); and those who reported they would choose to use that method again, one measure of satisfaction, were 27% less likely (p < .001).
Conclusions
To our knowledge, the current study is the first to explore method preference and its relation to continuation. Women in our study who reported they were given the contraceptive method of their choice were less likely to discontinue using that method for non-pregnancy-related reasons. Further, those who adopted a LARC method and those who reported they would make the same method choice again were less likely to discontinue. Women should be supported in selecting a contraceptive method of their choice. Providers should work with their clients to find a method which meets their preferences.
The functional change of the P2X7R containing the Ala348 to Thr polymorphism is associated to the pathogenesis of gout
Authors: Li Xiang-Pei , Tao Jin-Hui , Ma Yan , Pan Xian-Yang , Dai Xiao-Juan , Li Xiao-Mei , Li Xiao-ling , Wang Yi-Ping , Li Man-Yun , Fang Xuan 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Our previous study has shown that ATP action on P2X7R could be the second signal to induce the onset of gouty arthritis. However, the function changes of SNPs in the P2X7R, which affect the ATP-P2X7R-IL-1β signaling pathway with high uric acid, remained unknown. We aimed to explore the association between the functional change of the P2X7R containing the Ala348 to Thr polymorphism (rs1718119) and the pathogenesis of gout in the human P2X7 gene (P2RX7). First, 270 gout patients and 70 hyperuricemic patients without a history of gout attack within 5 years were recruited in this study. In addition, in functional studies, changes in ATP-induced pore formation were assessed in HEK-293T cells overexpressing different mutants in P2RX7, the effect on P2X7R-NLRP3-IL-1β pathway activation was explored in THP-1 cells overexpressing them. The gout-sensitivity allele at rs1718119 was A. The AA and AG genotypes exhibited a higher risk of gout. Furthermore, Ala348 to Thr increased P2X7-dependent ethidium+ bromide uptake. More importantly, Ala348 to Thr significantly upregulated the IL-1β and NLRP3 levels compared to the wild type. We suggest that genetic variability in the P2X7R containing the Ala348 to Thr polymorphism may be confers a gain-of-function effect with susceptibility to the development of gout.
Beneficial Effects of Time and Calorie Restriction Diets on the Development of Experimental Acute Kidney Injury in Rat: Bax/Bcl-2 and Histopathological Evaluation
Authors: Raji-Amirhasani Alireza , Khaksari Mohammad , Soltani Zahra , Saberi Shadan , Iranpour Maryam , Mahani Fatemeh Darvishzadeh , Hajializadeh Zahra , Sabet Nazanin 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
People's lifestyles and, especially, their eating habits affect their health and the functioning of the organs in their bodies, including the kidneys. One's diet influences the cells' responses to stressful conditions such as acute kidney injury (AKI). This study aims to determine the preconditioning effects of four different diets: calorie restriction (CR) diet, time restriction (TR) eating, intermittent fasting (IF), and high-fat diet (HF) on histopathological indices of the kidney as well as the molecules involved in apoptosis during AKI. Adult male rats underwent CR, TR, IF, and HF diets for eight weeks. Then, AKI was induced, and renal function indices, histopathological indices, and molecules involved in apoptosis were measured. After AKI, urinary albumin excretion, serum urea, creatinine and, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio increased in the kidney, while renal GFR decreased. CR and TR diets improved renal parameters and prevented an increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. The IF diet improved renal parameters but had no effect on the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. On the other hand, the HF diet worsened renal function and increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Histopathological examination also showed improved kidney conditions in the CR and TR groups and more damage in the HF group. This study demonstrated that CR and TR diets have renoprotective effects on AKI and possibly cause the resistance of kidney cells to damage by reducing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and improving apoptotic conditions.
DBCU-Net: Deep Learning Approach for Segmentation of Coronary Angiography Images
Authors: Shen Yuqiang , Chen Zhe , Tong Jijun , Jiang Nan , Ning Yun 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Coronary angiography (CAG) is the “gold standard” for diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD). However, due to the limitation of current imaging methods, the CAG image has low resolution and poor contrast with a lot of artifacts and noise, which makes it difficult for blood vessels segmentation. In this paper, we propose a DBCU-Net for automatic segmentation of CAG images, which is an extension of U-Net, DenseNet with bidirectional convLSTM. The main contribution of our network is that instead of convolution in the feature extraction of U-Net, we incorporate dense connectivity and the bidirectional convLSTM to highlight salient features. We conduct our experiment on our private dataset, and achieve average Accuracy, Precision, Recall and F1-score for coronary artery segmentation of 0.985, 0.913, 0.847 and 0.879 respectively.
Platelet factor 4 induces bone loss by inhibiting the integrin α5-FAK-ERK pathway
Authors: Liu Hao , Zhang Qiwei , Gu Ranli , Li Wei , Liu Yunsong , Zhou Yongsheng 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Background
The effect of platelet factor 4 (PF4) on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) and osteoporosis remains poorly understood. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of PF4-triggered bone destruction of mice and determine the underlying mechanism.
Methods
Firstly, in vitro cell proliferation and cell cycle of BMMSCs were assessed by a CCK8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Osteogenic differentiation was confirmed using staining and quantification of alkaline phosphatase and alizarin red. Next, an osteoporotic mouse model was established by performing bilateral ovariectomy. Furthermore, the Pf4 concentrations were obtained using ELISA. The bone microarchitecture of the femur was evaluated by microCT and histological analyses. Finally, the key regulators on osteogenesis and pathways were investigated by qPCR and WB.
Results
Human PF4 widely and moderately lessened the cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation ability of BMMSCs. Furthermore, the level of Pf4 in the serum and BM were generally increased, whereas the bone microarchitecture deteriorated due to OVX surgery. Moreover, in vivo mouse Pf4 supplementation triggered bone deterioration of the femur. Besides, several key regulators of osteogenesis were down-regulated and the integrin α5 (ITGA5)-FAK-ERK pathway was inhibited due to PF4 supplementation.
Conclusions
PF4 may be related to OVX-induced bone loss triggered by the suppression of bone formation in vivo and alleviated BMMSC osteogenic differentiation through inhibiting the ITGA5-FAK-ERK pathway.
A Systematic Review on Machine Learning and Deep Learning Techniques in the Effective Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Arya Akhilesh Deep , Verma Sourabh Singh , Chakarabarti Prasun , Chakrabarti Tulika , Elngar Ahmed A. , Nami Mohammad , Kamali Ali-Mohammad 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a brain-related disease in which the condition of the patient gets worse with time. AD is not a curable disease by any medication, it is impossible to halt the death of brain cells, but with the help of medication, the effects of AD can be delayed. As not all MCI patients will suffer from AD it is required to accurately diagnose whether a Mild Cognitive Impaired (MCI) patient will convert to AD (namely MCI converter MCI-C) or not (namely MCI non-converter MCI-NC), during early diagnosis. There are two modalities positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance image (MRI) used by a physician for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Machine learning and deep learning perform exceptionally well in the field of computer vision where there is a requirement to extract information from high-dimensional data. Researchers use deep learning models in the field of medicine for diagnosis, prognosis, and even to predict the future health of the patient under medication. This research study is a systematic review of publications using machine learning and deep learning methods for early classification of normal cognitive (NC) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This study is an effort to provide the details of the two most commonly used modalities PET and MRI for the identification of AD, and to evaluate the performance of both modalities while working with different classifiers.
Effect of xylazine sedation on testicular blood flow, testicular echotexture, and circulating hormones in Shiba goats
Authors: Samir Haney , Mandour Ahmed S. , Radwan Faten , Swelum Ayman A. , Nagaoka Kentaro , Sasaki Kazuaki , Watanabe Gen 
Published: September 2022

Abstract

Under field conditions, sedation may be required for a full assessment of the reproductive potential of farm animals. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of xylazine sedation on testicular hemodynamics (TBF), echotexture, testicular volume (TV), and circulating hormones in goats. Sixteen male Shiba goats were sedated using the recommended dose of xylazine (0.05 mg/Kg BW). Testicular hemodynamics were evaluated using color pulsed Doppler ultrasonography before and after sedation. Echotexture of the testicular parenchyma and TV were assessed using computerized image analysis. Concentrations of testosterone, estradiol (E2), inhibin, cortisol, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and ‎ luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured using radioimmunoassay. There were no effects of xylazine sedation in TBF, TV, testicular parenchyma parameters, testosterone, inhibin, FSH, and LH (P˃ 0.05). However, after sedation, there was significantly (P˂ 0.05) lower cortisol and E2 concentration (42.88 ± 6.79 ng/ml and 2.47 ± 0.58 pg/ml, respectively) than before sedation (94.89 ± 13.74 ng/ml and 8.65 ± 1.79 pg/ml, respectively). The required time to perform full scanning of the testis was significantly lower (8.50 ± 1.50 min) after xylazine sedation compared to the non-sedated goats (25.75 ± 4.57 min). In conclusion, xylazine sedation may be practically recommended for the evaluation of TBF in goats because it did not significantly alter velocities parameters and Doppler indices of blood flow within the testicular arteries. Most plasma hormones did not significantly change; however, E2 and cortisol were significantly reduced after xylazine administration.
Unidirectional Motion of C60-based Nanovehicles Using Hybrid Substrates with Temperature Gradient
Authors: Kianezhad Mohammad , Youzi Mehrdad , Vaezi Mehran , Pishkenari Hossein Nejat 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
The synthesis of nanocar structures proposes the idea of transporting payloads on the surface. To eliminate the concern of diffusive surface motion of nanocars, in this study, we evaluate the motion of C60 and C60-based nanovehicles on graphene, and hexagonal boron-nitride (BN) surfaces using molecular dynamics simulations and potential energy analysis. Utilizing the graphene-hBN hybrid substrate, it has been indicated that C60 is more stable on boron-nitride impurity regions in the graphene substrate and an energy barrier restricts the motion to the boron-nitride impurity. Increasing the temperature causes the molecule to overcome the energy barrier frequently. A nanoroad of boron-nitride with graphene sideways is designed to confine the surface motion of C60 and nanovehicles at 300 K. As expected, the motion of all surface molecules is limited to the boron-nitride nanoroads. Although the motion is restricted to the boron-nitride nanoroad, the diffusive motion is still noticeable in lateral directions. To obtain the unidirectional motion for C60 and nanocars on the surface, a temperature gradient is applied to the surface. The unidirectional transport to the regions with a lower temperature of the nanoroad occurs in a short period of time, due to the lower energies of molecules on the colder parts.
Development and Validation of a Dynamic Risk Prediction System for Constipation in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Niu Tongyang , Zhou Xiaomeng , Li Xin , Liu Tingting , Liu Qi , Li Rui , Liu Yaling , Dong Hui 
Published: September 2022

Abstract

Although constipation is a common non-motor symptom in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), it is poorly valued. Moreover, there is a bidirectional effect between constipation and neuropsychiatric and sleep disturbances. Thus, these symptoms are better treated simultaneously. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and validate a model for predicting the risk of constipation in ALS patients, to help clinicians identify and treat constipation early. Data of 118 ALS admissions from an observational prospective cohort, were analyzed. Demographic data as well as related scale scores were obtained. The LASSO regression model was used to select factors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed age, family history of constipation, total ALSFRS-R score, site of onset, total PSQI score, and depressed, were identified as significant predictors of the risk of constipation in ALS patients. The prediction model was validated to have good accuracy (Hosmer–Lemeshow test: χ2 = 11.11, P > 0.05) and discrimination (AUC = 0.856, 95% CI: 0.784–0.928). DCA and CIC showed that the nomogram model had excellent clinical performance. In brief, a web-based ALS constipation risk calculator with good predictive performance was constructed to identify patients at high risk of constipation and to allow early intervention in a clinical context.
The role of main pancreatic duct stent in the local excision of pancreatic head benign tumors -- A Cohort Study
Authors: Yu Xinzhe , Wang Wei , Yu Song , Yang Chuanxin , Huang Xinyu , Yuan Zhou 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Purpose: This study intends to explore the role of preoperative main pancreatic duct stent placement in reducing intra-operative main pancreatic duct damaging rate and the incidence of postoperative pancreatic leakage.
Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed for all patients with pancreatic head benign tumors who were treated with local excision. The patients were divided into two groups (Standard VS Stent) depending on whether received main pancreatic duct stent placement prior to surgery or not.
Results: A total of 33 patients were finally included in the analytical pool. Compared with Standard group, patients in the Stent group had shorter distance between tumor and MPD (p=0.01) and presented with larger tumors (p<0.01). The rates of POPF (Grade B&C) were 39.1% (9/23) and 20% (2/10) in the Standard and Stent group respectively (p<0.01). Major postoperative complications occurred more frequently in the Standard group than in the Stent group (14 versus 2 respectively; p<0.01). There was no significant difference for the mortality, in-hospital stay and medical cost between the two groups (p>0.05).
Conclusion: MPD stent placement prior to surgery can facilitate the surgery, minimize MPD injury and decreasing occurrence of postoperative fistula.