bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Maternal Stress Experience in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit after Preterm Delivery
Authors: Pavlyshyn Нalyna , Sarapuk Iryna , Saturska Uliana 
Published: August 2022

Objective Preterm delivery with the admission of a child in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is extremely challenging for parents. Being separated from the baby and seeing her infant feeling pain and being sick together with the complexity of the NICU environment, the mother experiences great anxiety, fear, and stress. The purpose of the study was to assess NICU-related stress and to identify maternal and infant factors associated with increased stress in mothers of preterm infants.
Study Design The maternal stress level was assessed in 122 mothers of preterm infants using the Parental Stressor Scale: NICU (PSS: NICU) in which items were distributed in three subscales as follows: Sights and Sounds of NICU—subscale 1 (S1), Infant Appearance and Behavior—S2, and Parental Role Alteration—S3.
Results Maternal total PSS: NICU score was 3.46 ± 0.71. Parenteral Role Alteration was the most stressful (4.20 ± 0.79) followed by Infant Appearance and Behavior (3.51 ± 0.91) and Sights and Sounds subscale (2.28 ± 0.95); p
(S1–S2) < 0.001, p
(S1–S3) < 0.001, and p
(S2–S3) < 0.001. Total PSS: NICU and Infant Appearance and Behavior scores correlated positively with maternal age (r = 0.189; p = 0.040 and r = 0.204; p = 0.027, respectively) and duration of NICU treatment (r = 0.188; p = 0.044 and r = 0.190; p = 0.042). More visits in NICU by a mother were associated with a lower PSS: NICU score (p = 0.049) and neonatal seizures and invasive ventilation in infants were associated with higher stress scores (p = 0.007 and p = 0.042).
Conclusion Mothers of preterm infants admitted in the NICU experience significant stress which is correlated with maternal age and NICU treatment duration and is associated with frequency of NICU visits, presence of neonatal seizures, and need for ventilator support. Parental role alteration is the greatest stressor followed by Infant Appearance and Behavior and NICU-surrounding stressor factors which show the need for interventions and counseling focused on mothers' role, their involvement in infant's care, and thus, family-centered care implementation.
Key Points
Clinical Complexity Domains, Anticoagulation, and Outcomes in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Report from the GLORIA-AF Registry Phase II and III
Authors: Romiti Giulio Francesco , Proietti Marco , Bonini Niccolò , Ding Wern Yew , Boriani Giuseppe , Huisman Menno V. , Lip Gregory Y. H. ,   on behalf of the GLORIA-AF Investigators
Published: August 2022

Background Clinical complexity is common in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. We assessed the impact of clinical complexity on oral anticoagulant (OAC) treatment patterns and major adverse outcomes in a contemporary cohort of AF patients.Methods The GLORIA-AF Phase II and III Registry enrolled newly diagnosed AF patients with at least one stroke risk factor. Among patients with CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥2, we defined four domains of perceived clinical complexity: frail elderly (age ≥75 years and body mass index <23 kg/m2), chronic kidney disease (CKD, creatinine clearance <60 mL/min), history of bleeding, and those with ≥2 of the above conditions. We evaluated the associations between clinical complexity domains and antithrombotic treatment prescription, risk of OAC discontinuation, and major adverse outcomes.Results Among the 29,625 patients included (mean age 69.6 ± 10.7 years, 44.2% females), 9,504 (32.1%) presented with at least one complexity criterion. Clinical complexity was associated with lower OAC prescription, with stronger associations in frail elderly (odds ratio [OR]: 0.47, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.36–0.62) and those with ≥2 complexity domains (OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.44–0.57). Risk of OAC discontinuation was higher among frail elderly (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.00–1.69), CKD (HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.02–1.20), and those with ≥2 complexity domains (HR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.23–1.57). Clinical complexity was associated with higher risk of the primary outcome of all-cause death, thromboembolism, and major bleeding, with the highest magnitude in those with ≥2 criteria (HR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.43–1.86).Conclusion In AF patients, clinical complexity influences OAC treatment management, and increases the risk of poor clinical outcomes. These patients require additional efforts, such as integrated care approach, to improve their management and prognosis.
Examining differentials in HIV transmission risk behaviour and its associated factors among men in Southern African countries
Authors: Phiri Million , Lemba Musonda , Chomba Chrispin , Kanyamuna Vincent 
Published: August 2022

AbstractSub-Saharan Africa (SSA), particularly Southern and East Africa, has the highest AIDS deaths and HIV-infected people in the world. Even though considerable effort has been made over the years to study HIV transmission risk behaviours of different population groups in SSA, there is little evidence of studies that have looked at pooled effects of associated HIV risk factors among men, particularly in Southern Africa. Thus, this study sought to fill this gap in knowledge by investigating the variations in HIV risk behaviours among men in the region. The study analysed cross-sectional data based on the most recent country Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) for six countries, namely Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The study employed multivariate logistic regression models on a pooled dataset and individual country data to examine the relative risk of education and other factors on HIV risk behaviour indicators. It considered: (i) condom use during high risk-sex, (ii) multiple sexual partnerships, and (iii) HIV testing among men aged 15–59 years. Findings show that the proportion of men who engaged in HIV transmission risk behaviour was high in Southern Africa. Two-thirds of men reported non-use of a condom during last sex with most recent partners while 22% engaged in multiple sexual partnerships. The percentage of men who used condoms during sex with most recent partners ranged from 18% in Mozambique to 58% in Namibia. Age, residence, marital status and household wealth status were associated with HIV risk factors in the region. The study has established country variations in terms of how individual factors influence HIV transmission risk behaviour among men. Results show that the level of education was associated with increased use of condoms, only in Zambia and Mozambique. Delay in starting a sexual debut was associated with reduced odds of having multiple sexual partnerships in the region. Suggesting the need to strengthen comprehensive sexuality education among young men in school, to promote social behaviour change during adolescence age. The study presents important results to inform direct health policy, programme and government action to address HIV prevalence in the Southern region of Africa.
Predicted effects of simulated ambient warming and moisture on forage nutrient quality and community composition in Mongolian an arid grassland
Authors: Yoshihara Yu , Aoki Ryoga , Kinugasa Toshihiko , Sasaki Takehiro 
Published: August 2022

Sustainable forage and livestock production in grazed grasslands are threatened by global climatic change. In this study, we examined how forage quality at the species and community levels in Mongolian drylands might be affected by warming and additional moisture. Four different treatments, a control, open-top chambers (OTCs) only, OTCs with heaters, and OTCs with additional watering, were set up in the field, and air and soil temperature and soil moisture were monitored. A vegetation survey was conducted and plants were harvested during summer, 1 and 2 years after experimental treatments were established. The harvested plant samples were separated into a dominant species (Stipa) or ‘other species’, and analysed to determine acid detergent fibre (ADF) and in vitro dry-matter digestibility (IVDMD). ADF was measured with the detergent method and the digestibility with the pepsin–cellulase assay. Overall, the warming treatments alone (OTC and OTC with heater) increased ADF 10% and 5% more than did the control at the species and community levels respectively, and decreased digestibility 12% and 11% below the control at the community level. Changes in plant nutritional value may have occurred as a result of changes in plant structure for some or all the plant species monitored, and an indirect effect of the shift in botanical species composition owing to warming. Unlike moist grassland, grass nutrition in arid grasslands was sensitive to treatments associated with the predicted effects of global warming as the results of changes in plant nutrition. It is therefore highly possible that Mongolian livestock production will be negatively affected as a result of ongoing global warming.
Thiomorpholino oligonucleotides as a robust class of next generation platforms for alternate mRNA splicing
Authors: Le Bao T. , Paul Sibasish , Jastrzebska Katarzyna , Langer Heera , Caruthers Marvin H. , Veedu Rakesh N. 
Published: August 2022

Recent advances in drug development have seen numerous successful clinical translations using synthetic antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). However, major obstacles, such as challenging large-scale production, toxicity, localization of oligonucleotides in specific cellular compartments or tissues, and the high cost of treatment, need to be addressed. Thiomorpholino oligonucleotides (TMOs) are a recently developed novel nucleic acid analog that may potentially address these issues. TMOs are composed of a morpholino nucleoside joined by thiophosphoramidate internucleotide linkages. Unlike phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs) that are currently used in various splice-switching ASO drugs, TMOs can be synthesized using solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis methodologies. In this study, we synthesized various TMOs and evaluated their efficacy to induce exon skipping in a Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in vitro model using
H2K mdx
mouse myotubes. Our experiments demonstrated that TMOs can efficiently internalize and induce excellent exon 23 skipping potency compared with a conventional PMO control and other widely used nucleotide analogs, such as 2′-O-methyl and 2′-O-methoxyethyl ASOs. Notably, TMOs performed well at low concentrations (5–20 nM). Therefore, the dosages can be minimized, which may improve the drug safety profile. Based on the present study, we propose that TMOs represent a new, promising class of nucleic acid analogs for future oligonucleotide therapeutic development.
A study of the sign reversal from a transmission peak to an absorption dip in a V-type system using the D1 and D2 lines of 87Rb in the presence of a buffer gas
Authors: Dey Sekhar , Das Chandan , Bhattacharyya Dipankar , Ray Biswajit 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
In this work, we have investigated the transmission peak and absorption dip in the Doppler broadened V-type system using the D1 and D2 lines of  87Rb atoms in the presence of nitrogen buffer gas. The effects of the probe power variations at a fixed pump power on these resonances are examined both experimentally and theoretically. We have explored the fact that the transmission peak essentially turns into an absorption dip when the probe power is stronger than the pump power. Moreover, the theoretical model of a five-level V-type system is found to be sufficient to support the experimental outcomes when the effect of collision due to the presence of buffer gas is included in the theoretical model. We have also shown the variation of the resonance amplitude and population distribution in the upper level (|5〉) with increasing probe power.
A case study on long-term performance optimization of a geothermal heating system
Authors: Jia Guosheng , Duan Kefeng , Xue Yuze , Ma Zhendi , Wang Jiawei , Tong Zixiang 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
The optimal use of geothermal energy necessitates the performance evaluation and economic analysis of the geothermal heating systems. This work presented a field study of the long-term operating performance of a geothermal heating system in Xixian New Area, China. Nine deep coaxial ground heat exchangers (GHEs) with depths of 2,500 m were adopted for space heating to the residential buildings, with a total heating area and heating load of 136,097.71 m2 and 6,082 kW, respectively. The system’s 30-year running performance at various volumetric flow rates and operating modes was simulated. Through response surface analysis and multi-objective optimization, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and payback period were obtained based on the thermal performance analysis. It is concluded that the operating parameters have a significant impact on the system economy. When the daily operating time reduces from 24 hours to 8 hours, the payback period will be lowered from more than 25 years to approximately 11 years. When the volumetric flow rate is 35 m3·h-1, the examined system achieves the lowest LCOE. The minimum values of LCOE are 13.2 $/GJ, 11.6 $/GJ, 9.4 $/GJ, 7.8 $/GJ and 5.6 $/GJ when the system operates 24 hours (continuous operation), 20 hours, 16 hours, 12 hours and 8 hours a day, respectively. With the optimal flow rate, the average heat exchange rate of the single GHE increases from 295 kW to 519 kW after 30 years of operation when the daily operating time is reduced from 20 hours to 8 hours. The proposed method and findings can be used to guide the high-efficiency operation, which is conducive to reducing operating costs of geothermal heating systems.
Study on sustainable defluoridization approaches for rural drinking water treatment in northern China
Authors: Mingru Chen , Xu Guo , Zehan Zhang , Lyu Zhou 
Published: August 2022

AbstractGroundwater for potable uses containing high fluoride is a worldwide threat to human health. Electrocoagulation is a sustainable approach for decentralized treatment. This study aims to analyse the economic and environmental impacts of electrocoagulation applied at different scale in rural area of northern China by life cycle cost (LCC) and life cycle assessment (LCA) methods. Decentralized treatment for defluoridization in rural Fangshan District, Beijing, where the groundwater quality is typical in northern China, is surveyed as a case study. Three scenarios were evaluated. In scenario 1 (S1) all domestic water is electrocoagulated at community scale without dual water supply system. In scenario 2 (S2) only water for potable uses is electrocoagulated at community scale and raw water and treated water are distributed via dual water pipeline systems. In scenario 3 (S3) water for potable uses is electrocoagulated at household scale. Life cycle assessment is performed with openLCA software and Ecoinvent database. S1 has the highest impacts for eutrophication and global warming. S2 has the lowest impact for toxicity but highest impact for ozone layer depletion. S3 has the lowest impact for global warming and acidification but highest impact for human toxicity. S2 is the costliest while S3 is the most economical. In this case, life cycle cost and global warming impact are the most restricted factors so electrocoagulation at household scale is recommended.
Applying paper material to landscape architecture design: a systematic review and a pioneer experiment (1995 – 2020)
Authors: Lin Jiawei , Song Limin , Ren Dingding 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
With the support of new technology, recyclable paper is capable of being both waterproof and fireproof, and it has been used in architectural design to some extent. However, there are limited studies on the use of paper materials in landscape architecture. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential of paper materials practice in landscape architecture design from both functional and aesthetic perspectives. The method includes two parts: 1. a systematic review to investigate paper’s properties and capabilities to demonstrate it is qualified as a landscape construction material; 2. Provide a prototype to illustrate how to use paper materials in a practical landscape design. This paper found that the application of paper materials in landscape architecture has the following benefits: low-cost material, easy assemble and removal, build fast, easy transport, recyclable, unique material aesthetic feeling, low technical requirement, educational. Through a systematic review and case studies, this study explored the practical application value of paper materials in landscape architecture, and provided a feasible idea and direction for the landscape architecture industry to practice the concept of sustainable development.
Synthesis and characterization of green-functionalized graphene nanofluids as an enhanced working fluid in heat transfer applications
Authors: Rahman U.Z.A. , Teng K. H. , Yeap S. P. , Kazi S. N. 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Energy crisis is one of the major concerns that requires significant attention around the world. An access to reliable, sustainable, and affordable energy will not be attractive if the safety of human and environmental is neglected. Hence, the advancement of energy harvesting method is expected not to be just efficient, but also clean, safe, and environmental-friendly. In this research work, synthesis, and characterization of a green-based functionalized graphene nanofluids is presented. Clove extract was prepared and functionalized on the graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) using apple cider vinegar, followed by dispersion in distilled water to produce clove with apple cider vinegar functionalized graphene (clove+ACV GNP) nanofluids at 0.1 wt.% concentration. Characterization of the clove+ACV GNP nanofluids was carried out using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to examine the successfulness of the synthesis and functionalization, while the thermal conductivity was determined using KD2 Pro Thermal Properties Analyzer. The covalent bonds shown in the FTIR spectrum, and the morphological structure from the SEM images have indicated that the synthesis and functionalization of clove+ACV GNP have been successfully carried out. As for the thermal conductivity, 0.1 wt.% of clove+ACV GNP nanofluids have shown up to 24.4% enhancement when compared with distilled water, 3.9% enhancement when compared to clove-functionalized GNP at the same concentration, and up to 6.8% when compared with conventional GNP nanofluids. These findings have given a preliminary insight that this safe, non-toxic- clove+ACV functionalized graphene nanofluids is a promising alternative to the conventional, toxic- nanofluids as an enhanced and effective working fluid in heat transfer applications.
Comparing Anxiety and Depression in Information Technology Workers with Others in Employment: A UK Biobank Cohort Study
Authors: Lalloo Drushca , Lewsey Jim , Katikireddi Srinivasa Vittal , Macdonald Ewan B , Campbell Desmond , Demou Evangelia 
Published: August 2022

AbstractObjectivesDespite reported psychological hazards of information technology (IT) work, studies of diagnosed mental health conditions in IT workers are lacking. We investigated self-reported mental health outcomes and incident anxiety/depression in IT workers compared to others in employment in a large population-based cohort.MethodsWe evaluated self-reported mental health outcomes in the UK Biobank cohort and incident diagnosed anxiety/depression through health record linkage. We used logistic regression and Cox models to compare the risks of prevalent and incident anxiety/depression among IT workers with all other employed participants. Furthermore, we compared outcomes within IT worker subgroups, and between these subgroups and other similar occupations within their major Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) group.ResultsOf 112 399 participants analyzed, 4093 (3.6%) were IT workers. At baseline, IT workers had a reduced odds (OR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.52–0.85) of anxiety/depression symptoms and were less likely (OR = 0.87, 95%CI: 0.83–0.91) to have ever attended their GP for anxiety/depression, compared to all other employed participants, after adjustment for confounders. The IT technician subgroup were more likely (OR = 1.22, 95%CI: 1.07–1.40) to have previously seen their GP or a psychiatrist (OR = 1.31, 95%CI: 1.06–1.62) for anxiety/depression than their SOC counterparts. IT workers had lower incident anxiety/depression (HR = 0.84, 95%CI 0.77–0.93) compared to all other employed participants, after adjustment for confounders.ConclusionsOur findings from this, the first longitudinal study of IT worker mental health, set the benchmark in our understanding of the mental health of this growing workforce and identification of high-risk groups. This will have important implications for targeting mental health workplace interventions.
SEMgraph: an R package for causal network inference of high-throughput data with structural equation models
Authors: Grassi Mario , Palluzzi Fernando , Tarantino Barbara 
Published: August 2022

AbstractMotivationWith the advent of high-throughput sequencing in molecular biology and medicine, the need for scalable statistical solutions for modeling complex biological systems has become of critical importance. The increasing number of platforms and possible experimental scenarios raised the problem of integrating large amounts of new heterogeneous data and current knowledge, to test novel hypotheses and improve our comprehension of physiological processes and diseases.ResultsCombining network analysis and causal inference within the framework of structural equation modeling (SEM), we developed the R package SEMgraph. It provides a fully automated toolkit, managing complex biological systems as multivariate networks, ensuring robustness and reproducibility through data-driven evaluation of model architecture and perturbation, which is readily interpretable in terms of causal effects among system components.Availability and implementationSEMgraph package is available at https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/SEMgraph.Supplementary informationSupplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Aclust2.0: a revamped unsupervised R tool for Infinium methylation beadchips data analyses
Authors: Oluwayiose Oladele A , Wu Haotian , Gao Feng , Baccarelli Andrea A , Sofer Tamar , Pilsner J Richard 
Published: August 2022

Abstract

Motivation
A wide range of computational packages has been developed for regional DNA methylation analyses of Illumina’s Infinium array data. Aclust, one of the first unsupervised algorithms, was originally designed to analyze regional methylation of Infinium’s 27K and 450K arrays by clustering neighboring methylation sites prior to downstream analyses. However, Aclust relied on outdated packages that rendered it largely non-operational especially with the newer Infinium EPIC and mouse arrays.

Results
We have created Aclust2.0, a streamlined pipeline that involves five steps for the analyses of human (450K and EPIC) and mouse array data. Aclust2.0 provides a user-friendly pipeline and versatile for regional DNA methylation analyses for molecular epidemiological and mouse studies.

Availability and implementation
Aclust2.0 is freely available on Github (https://github.com/OluwayioseOA/Alcust2.0.git).