bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis and Management of Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis in Children
Authors: Wu Hao-Hua , Brown Kelsey , Flores Michael , Cazzulino Alejandro , Swarup Ishaan
Published: March 2022

» Spondylolysis is defined as a defect of the pars interarticularis, and spondylolisthesis is defined as a slippage of a vertebra relative to the immediately caudal vertebra.

» Most cases of spondylolysis and low-grade spondylolisthesis can be treated nonoperatively. Depending on a patient’s age, nonoperative treatment may include a thoracolumbosacral orthosis (TLSO), physical therapy, and activity modification. Bracing and physical therapy have been found to be more effective than activity modification alone.

» Patients with dysplastic spondylolisthesis are at higher risk for progression and should be monitored with serial radiographs every 6 to 9 months.

» Operative management is recommended for symptomatic patients with failure of at least 6 months of nonoperative management or patients with high-grade spondylolisthesis.

» Surgical techniques include pars defect repair, reduction, and fusion, which may include posterior-only, anterior-only, or circumferential fusion.
Quality of Life After Definitive Linear Accelerator-Based Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Yamashita Hideomi , Ogita Mami , Sawayanagi Subaru , Nozawa Yuki , Abe Osamu
Published: March 2022

Background
Prostate cancer is the second most common malignancy worldwide, and the majority of patients are diagnosed with localized disease. We examined patients’ quality of life after stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for prostate cancer.
Method
We included patients who were treated between 2016 and 2020. Inclusion criteria were adenocarcinoma of the prostate; class risk of low, intermediate, and high; and a World Health Organization performance status of 0–2. Quality of life was measured using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate (FACT-P).
Results
A total of 439 patients were treated with SBRT, with a median age of 73 years old. The median follow-up period was 34 months. FACT-P Trial Outcome Index (p < 0.0001), FACT-General (p = 0.0003), and FACT-P-Total (p < 0.0001) scores declined at 1 month post-SBRT, then recovered and returned to the same level as before treatment at 3–4 months post-SBRT. The decrease in quality of life in the first month was particularly remarkable in patients who received long-term hormone injections (36%). One month after the end of SBRT, about 22% of patients experienced "quite a bit” or more troubling side effects.
Conclusions
This study showed longitudinal changes in quality of life by FACT-P after SBRT for prostate cancer. Overall, prostate SBRT was well tolerated.
Physical exercise and economic burden associated with anxiety symptoms in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Hu Shucheng , Hu Chunhui , Xu Ping , Lu Chen , Wang Jiaqi , Sun Junyi , Shou Shicong , Deng Jie , Duan Peng
Published: March 2022

Background: COVID-19 with high infectivity and high concealment has been widely spread around the world. This major public health event has caused anxiety among the public, including pregnant women. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of anxiety symptoms in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic and its influencing factors.
Methods: Using an ongoing prospective pregnancy registry, we performed a single center cross-sectional analysis to investigate the overall prevalence of anxiety symptoms among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online questionnaires were used to collect information including sociodemographic data, physical activity and economic situations. The Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) was used to assess anxiety symptoms. The univariate regression analysis was performed to detect factors potentially influencing anxiety symptoms among pregnant women. The multivariate regression analysis was also conducted to analyze the association of physical exercise and economic burden with anxiety symptoms by adjusting for other variables.
Results: A total of 1,517 pregnant women entered the analysis. The study reported that 31.64% of the respondents had anxiety symptoms. Those with bank loans were at higher odds of suffering from anxiety symptoms compared to those without bank loans [(adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.494, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.181~1.889]. Those who took 2,000~5,000 steps/day (aOR 0.825, 95% CI 0.603~0.875) and >5,000 steps/day (aOR 0.924, 95% CI 0.439~0.945) were at lower odds of suffering from anxiety symptoms compared to those who took <500 steps/day. Similarly, the adjusted odds ratios for anxiety symptoms was 0.750 (95% CI 0.663~0.790) and 0.800 (95% CI 0.226~0.889) lower in participants with exercise frequencies of 4-6, and ≥7 times/week, compared to those with a frequency of <2 times/week.
Conclusions: Three in ten pregnant women experienced anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic, and anxiety symptoms showed association with bank loans and physical exercise. To prevent anxiety of pregnant women, the promotion of healthy lifestyles, improvement of mental health services, and expansion of social support should be implemented during epidemics. In parallel, the integration of psycho-educational interventions with mental health services among public health centers is required to minimize anxiety symptoms in pregnancy women.
Recruitment, Recruitment, Recruitment – But Do We Collect and Report All The Information We Should? A Retrospective Review of Ovarian Cancer Trials in A 10-Year Period
Authors: Greene Evelyn R O'Sullivan , Shiely Frances
Published: March 2022

Background
Achieving recruitment targets is a challenge to every clinical trial’s success. Evidence suggests that the recruiter has an impact on a patient's decision to participate in a clinical trial but there is no evidence that it improves recruitment rates. The aim of this study was to determine if the person who recruits the participants to the trial impacts recruitment timelines and targets. We chose ovarian cancer clinical trials to test this. A secondary outcome was to identify if trialists published their recruitment strategies.
Methods
We identified a body of ovarian cancer (OC) clinical trials between 2010 and 2021. Searches were conducted in CINAHL, PubMed, Medline (OVID and EBSCO) and separately in the New England Journal of Medicine, American Cancer Society Journals, Lancet Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology and BMC Cancer. We also identified all associated protocols or supplementary material associated with each trial. We reviewed 139 papers, 30 protocols, 105 registry entries and 26 trial websites associated with 88 phase III OC trials.
Results
Of the 88 trials, only 31% (n=28) made reference to the recruiter but this was reported only in the protocol so we have no evidence these named recruiters performed the task. Seventy-nine trials were registered on a clinical trial registry, but only 11 (14%) of these included a protocol. None of the trials reviewed published a recruitment strategy or made reference to an available recruitment strategy for the trial. None of the trials reviewed which closed early, or extended recruitment timelines due to slow accrual, reported measures taken to improve recruitment rates before stoppages or changes took place. There were disparities in the reported target recruitment numbers between the protocol, the publication and the registry.
Conclusions
Trialists need to think carefully about the trial data they collect, the reasons for collection and who the data collection is for. They also need to increase the transparency of their practices. We believe the inclusion of a patient or member of the public at the design phase of the trial would assist this focus.
Lateral Intraventricular Glioblastoma Multiforme – Case Report
Authors: Patel Ashruta , Ayer Robert
Published: March 2022

Background: Although glioblastoma multiforme is the most common malignant primary brain tumor, it rarely presents in the intraventricular region(s) of the brain. Case presentation: We report a unique case of intraventricular glioblastoma multiforme in a 62-year-old Hispanic female, distinguished by her lack of substantial tumor recurrence. Conclusions: Our report suggests the importance of understanding management and treatment of intraventricular glioblastoma multiforme in neurosurgical patients. In addition, our study emphasizes the importance of treating intraventricular glioblastoma multiforme in patients, as survival rates and post-operative quality of life can results in improved function.
Electroacupuncture Promotes Remyelination and Alleviates Cognitive Deficit Via Promoting OPC Differentiation in A Rat Model of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Wang Yingwen , Yang Xiaomin , Cao Yunchuan , Li Xiaoguo , Xu Rui , Yan Jin , Guo Zongduo , Sun Shanquan , Sun Xiaochuan , Wu Yue
Published: March 2022

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a devastating cerebral vascular disease which causes neurological deficits including long-term cognitive deficit. Demyelination of white matter is correlated with cognitive deficit in SAH. Electroacupuncture (EA) is a traditional Chinese medical treatment which protects against cognitive deficit in varies of neurological diseases. However, whether EA exerts protective effect on cognitive function in SAH has not been investigated. The underlying mechanism of remyelination regulated by EA remains unclear.This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of EA on cognitive deficit in a rat model of SAH. SAH was induced in SD rats (n = 70) by endovascular perforation. Rats in EA group received EA treatment (10min per day) under isoflurane anesthesia after SAH. Rats in SAH and sham groups received no treatment. The mortality rate, neurological score, cognitive function, cerebral blood flow (CBF), and remyelination in sham, SAH and EA groups were assessed at 21 d after SAH.EA treatment alleviated cognitive deficits and myelin injury of rats compared with that in SAH group. Moreover, EA treatment enhanced remyelination in white matter and promoted the differentiation of OPCs after SAH. EA treatment inhibited the expression of Id2 and promoted the expression of SOX10 in oligodendrocyte cells. Additionally, the cerebral blood flow (CBF) of rats was increased by EA compared with that in SAH group. EA treatment exerts protective effect against cognitive deficit in the late phase of SAH. The underlying mechanisms involve promoting OPC differentiation and remyelination in white matter via regulating the expression of Id2 and SOX10. The improvement of CBF may also account for the protective effect of EA on cognitive function. EA treatment is a potential therapy for the treatment of cognitive deficit after SAH.
Impact Assessment of New Generation High Speed Agricultural Tractor Aerodynamics on Transportation Fuel Consumption and Related Phenomena
Authors: CANLI Eyub , Kucuksariyildiz Hanifi , Carman Kazim
Published: March 2022

New generation agricultural tractors contribute to transportation by increased travel speeds. There is not any available aerodynamic data on authentic agricultural tractor form. On-road transportation by tractors is between 8 to 30% of their operational time. In this work, two agricultural tractors are modelled via computational fluid dynamics for nine different speeds to determine aerodynamic resistances. Corresponding speeds are 10 to 80 km/h with 10 km/h increments and additionally 5 km/h. Reynolds number changes between 1.6×105 and 2.98×106. The characteristic lengths are taken as the square root of the streamwise projected area of the tractor geometries. Aerodynamic forces exerted on the tractors change between 3 N to 746 N. The calculated drag coefficients are found as independent from Reynolds number and are 0.6 and 0.78 for the two different types of driver compartments. Constant speed travel scenarios are analysed. The approximated aerodynamic related fuel consumptions for one-hour changes between 0.002 to 8.28 lt/s which correspond to 0.001 to 5.76 kg/s carbon emission. A potential improvement in decreasing aerodynamic resistance about 20% is discussed by spatial data. Since the conducted work is being regarded as the first instance in the literature, it is estimated that several consecutive reports will be triggered.
The Benefit of Dexmedetomidine on kidney are associated with the inhibition of oxidative stress during hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy: a randomized trail
Authors: Yao YongHua , Deng Xu , Luo RuiMin , Gu Yu
Published: March 2022

Background: Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) may prolong the survival of patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether dexmedetomidine protects liver and kidney function during HIPEC. Methods: Sixty gastrointestinal cancer patients undergoing HIPEC were divided into two group. Patients in Dex group were received an intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine until operation completed. The indexes about liver and kidney function and oxidative stress like malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured at different points.Results: After HIPEC, these increases of renal damage markers were alleviated by Dex administration (P<0.05). Dex significantly alleviated the increased MDA concentration and decreased SOD activity caused by HIPEC (P<0.05). Dex also provide lower HR, bispectral index (BIS) and visual analogue scale (VAS), and more urine output(P<0.05).Conclusion: Dex alleviated the impairment of renal function induced by HIPEC, which may be related to its better effects of analgesic, sedation and antioxidant.
Implementation of a Free Water Protocol at a Long Term Acute Care Hospital: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Gaidos Stefanie , Hrdlicka Henry Charles , Corbett John
Published: March 2022

This feasibility study aimed to trial a Free Water Protocol (FWP) for patients with thin liquid dysphagia in the Long-Term Acute Care Hospital (LTACH) setting. Patients with dysphagia are often prescribed thickened liquids to avoid or mitigate aspiration. While this clinical intervention can minimize the risk of aspiration pneumonia (PNA), it is generally not well received by patients. As such, the goal of this study was to determine if patients who knowingly aspirate thin liquids can safely tolerate thin liquid water, and if so, to what degree of benefit. The study assessed for adverse events, fluid intake, hydration status, quality of life, and overall swallow function outcomes. These measurements were taken over a 7 day trial period using inventories, lab work, clinical judgment, and observation. Ten participants were enrolled in this study with 9 having sufficient data for analysis (n=9). No adverse events related to the FWP were observed, and patients saw improved total fluid intake (p=0.0073), swallow-related quality of life (p=0.0273), and overall swallow function (p=0.0001). The results in this feasibility study allowed for the hospital wide implementation of the FWP and laid out the groundwork for future studies looking at longitudinal effects of a FWP.
The effects of non-tariff barriers on the agricultural industry: An analysis of Mexico’s place within the APEC
Authors: Torres América Ivonne Ivonne Zamora , Aveces Mirta , Gonzalez Juan
Published: March 2022

Barriers unrelated to agricultural tariffs prevent that companies from emerging economies enter export markets successfully. Additionally, over the last two decades, the technical measures enacted by World Trade Organization-member countries have become stricter. Therefore, this study aims to identify whether the implementation of trade restrictions and other technical measures contributes to an increase in exports. Therefore, this study examines the non-tariff measures implemented by the economies within the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation region (including Mexico, Australia, Chile, China, Korea, the United States, Japan, and Peru) for the period of 2002 to 2018. To this end, we conducted a correspondence analysis via principal components analysis, which allowed us to assess the impact of non-tariff barriers on the export volume of the agricultural industries of the analyzed economies. This study did not find evidence of a significant increase in trade between these economies, which indicates that the implementation of non-tariff barriers for the agricultural industry is, in fact, affecting trade.
Associations between blood lead and urinary cadmium concentrations and all-cause and specific causes of mortality: estimating intervention effects using the parametric g-formula
Authors: Laouali Nasser , Benmarhnia Tarik , Lanphear Bruce P. , Oulhote Youssef
Published: March 2022

Objective
Previous studies in the US reported a high mortality risk associated with higher blood lead levels (BLLs) and urinary cadmium (UCd) levels. The aim of this study was to extend the follow-up of the previous analyses and use the parametric g-formula to estimate the 27-year risk of all-cause and specific causes of mortality.
Methods
We used data on 14,311 adults aged ≥ 20 years enrolled in the NHANES-III between 1988 and 1994 and followed up through Dec 31, 2015. Time and cause of death were determined from the National Death Index records. We used the parametric g-formula with pooled logistic regression models to estimate the relative and absolute risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality under different potential threshold interventions on BPb and UCd concentrations.
Results
Median follow-up was 22.5 years, 5,167 (36%) participants died by the end of the study; 1,550 from cardiovascular disease and 1,135 from cancer. An increase of BLLs and creatinine corrected UCd from the 5th (0.70 µg/dL and 0.04 µg/g for BLLs and UCd ) to the 95th percentile (9.70 µg/dL and 1.63 µg/g for BLLs and UCd) was associated with an increased risk of all-cause by 138% (95% CI, 14 to 196) and a 126% (95% CI, 77 to 383). BLLs and UCd were associated with an increase of 109% (95% CI, 4 to 268) and 37% (95% CI, -0.20 to 239) in the risk of cardiovascular mortality when comparing the 5th to the 95th percentiles of exposure. The corresponding increase in risk for cancer mortality was 287% (95% CI, 12 to 691) and 144% (95% CI, -0.34 to 281) for BLLs and UCd, respectively. We found higher risk differences among men and older participants as compared to their counterparts.
Conclusion
Interventions to reduce historical exposures to lead and cadmium could have prevented several deaths, especially among individuals ≥ 50 years of age as well as in men.
Klotho expression in peripheral blood circulating cells is associated with vascular and systemic inflammation in atherosclerotic vascular disease
Authors: Martín-Núñez Ernesto , Pérez-Castro Atteneri , Ferri Carla , Tagua Victor G. , Hernández-Carballo Carolina , Pérez-Delgado Nayra , Rodríguez-Ramos Sergio , Cerro-López Purificación , López-Castillo Ángel , Delgado-Molinos Alejandro , López-Tarruella Victoria Castro , Arévalo-Gómez Miguel A. , González-Luis Ainhoa , Martín-Olivera Alberto , Morales-Estévez Carmen Chaxiraxi , Mora-Fernández Carmen , Donate-Correa Javier , Navarro-González Juan F.
Published: March 2022

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. New therapeutic strategies are aimed to modulate the athero-inflammatory process that partially orchestrates underlying vascular damage. Peripheral blood circulating cells (PBCCs) include different immune cells with a central role in the development of the atherogenic inflammatory response. The anti-aging factor α-Klotho (KL) has been related to protective effects against CVD. KL is expressed in monocytes, macrophages and lymphocytes where it exerts anti-inflammatory effects. Our aim is to characterize the relationships between inflammatory markers and KL gene expression in PBCCs or serum levels of soluble KL (sKL) in atherosclerotic vascular disease. For this, we conducted a cross-sectional single center case-control study including 76 CVD patients and a control group of 16 cadaveric organ donors without medical antecedent or study indicating CVD. Vascular artery fragments, whole blood and serum samples were obtained during elective or organ retrieval surgery, respectively. Serum levels of sKL, TNFα and IL10 were measured. Gene expression levels of KL, TNF, IL10, NFKB1, DNMT1, and DNMT3A, and KL promoter methylation percentage in PBCCs were also determined. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses were employed to visualize atherosclerotic lesions and to measure IL10 and TNFα levels in vascular fragments.CVD patients presented higher values for pro-inflammatory markers in the vasculature, PBCCs and systemically compared to controls. In PBCCs, CVD group presented lower expression of KL gene compared to controls (56.4% reduction, P<0.001), which was accompanied by higher methylation of its promoter (34.1±4.1% vs. 14.6±3.4%, P<0.01) and higher gene expression of DNMT1 and DNMT3A (P<0.0001 for both). KL expression correlated inversely with pro-inflammatory markers in PBCCs and vasculature, but directly with anti-inflammatory markers. sKL serum levels presented similar associations with pro- and anti-inflammatory markers in PBCCs. KL expression in PBCCs and serum sKL levels were diminished in patients with macroscopically observable atheromatous plaques.We conclude that KL gene downregulation in PBCCs during atherosclerotic vascular disease, which is mediated by promoter methylation, is associated with the pro-inflammatory status developed in this disorder either in the vasculature or systemically.
Clinicopathologic, Treatment and Prognosis Study of 46 Xp11.2 Renal Cell Carcinomas
Authors: Zhou Jiale , Zhao Ling , Yang Zhaolin , Chen Yonghui , Wu Xiaorong , Xue Wei
Published: March 2022

Purpose: To report the clinicopathological features and mid-to-long term oncologic results of Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) in single large-volume center.Methods: Clinical and follow-up data of 46 patients who were diagnosed as Xp11.2 translocation RCC and undertook surgical intervention was retrospectively reviewed.Result: Forty-six Xp11.2 RCC patients were identified from 4218 renal tumor patients who were undertook surgery in our center from Jan. 2014 to Apr. 2020. The incidence of Xp11.2 RCCs in our center was 1.09%. During a median follow-up period of 30.5 months, 4 patients died of the disease. The total median overall survival and cancer specific survival was 30.0 months and 24.0 months. The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year overall survival was 97.4%, 88.8%, and 88.8% relatively. In multivariable analysis, displaying symptoms when diagnosed (p=0.019), lymph node metastasis (p=0.002) and distal metastasis (p=0.020) were identified as risk factors of poor prognosis.Conclusion: Xp11.2 translocation RCC is a type of renal cell carcinoma with relatively low incidence and various prognosis. Early stage Xp11.2 RCCs have similar prognosis to most typical RCCs but late stage Xp11.2 RCCs can lead to poor oncological outcomes.
Early skin-to-skin contact after caesarean section: A randomized clinical pilot study investigating effects on newborn feeding outcomes, maternal emotional wellbeing and oxytocin levels
Authors: Kollmann M. , Aldrian L. , Mautner E. , Scheuchenegger A. , Herzog S. A. , Urlesberger B. , Lang U. , Aigner R. , Klaritsch P.
Published: March 2022

Background: Early bonding by skin-to-skin contact (SSC) is considered to be beneficial following vaginal delivery. Aim: We aimed to examine the impact of intraoperative bonding during caesarean section on maternal oxytocin levels, newborn feeding outcomes and maternal emotional wellbeing.Methods: We performed a prospective, randomized-controlled pilot study, which took place at a single academic tertiary hospital between September 2013 and January 2014. Pregnant women were recruited and randomly assigned to intraoperative (“early”) SCC (n=17) versus postoperative (“late”) SCC (n=18). We investigated maternal oxytocin levels, breastfeeding and newborn feeding outcomes as well as maternal emotional wellbeing.Findings: We found, that maternal oxytocin levels were comparable between the ‘Early SSC Group’ and the ‘Late SSC Group’ at each time point. Newborn drinking volume did not differ significantly on the second (p=0.213) and fourth (p=0.986) day after birth and the necessity of formula supplementation was similar in both groups (p=0.1). There were no significant differences in depressive symptoms and bonding behavior between the ‘Early SSC Group’ and the ‘Late SSC Group’. Discussion: Our study did not reveal significant differences regarding the investigated parameters. However, this needs to be further evaluated in a larger prospective randomized trial.Conclusion: Maternal oxytocin levels, breastfeeding and newborn feeding outcomes, and maternal emotional wellbeing seem to be unvaried by early SSC after caesarean section. TRIAL REGISTRATIONClinicalTrials.gov (10/07/2013; NCT01894880)review board approved the protocol (25-425 ex 12/13)
Disinsertion- Distal Myektomi and Tucking of Inferior Oblique Combined with Superior Oblique Full Tendon Advancement in Superior Oblique Palsy.
Authors: KAYA Burçin , BEĞENDİ Diğdem , AKDERE Burçin , DURANOĞLU Yaşar
Published: March 2022

PURPOSE: To evaluate the first results of disinsertion-distal myektomi and tucking of inferior oblique muscle combined with full tendon advancement of superior oblique muscle in the patients with Knapp II or III superior oblique palsy.METHODS: Disinsertion-distal myectomy and tucking of inferior oblique muscle combined Superior oblique muscle full tendon advancement surgery were performed under general anesthesia on 16 eyes of 13 patients with Knapp Class II or III superior oblique muscle palsy who were involved in the study. Before and after surgery, the degree of vertical deviation in the primary position, abnormal head position, the presence of diplopia, the amount of inferior oblique muscle hyperfunction and superior oblique muscle hypofunction, and the degree of torsion were examined, and the differences were compared. RESULTS: In the preoperative period, twelve of the cases had abnormal head position and two had diplopia. The difference between the preoperative and postoperative period, the amount of the inferior oblique muscle hyperfunction and the superior oblique muscle hypofunction, the degree of vertical deviation in the primary position, and the amount of torsion were found statistically significant (p <0.01).CONCLUSION: According to the first results, disinsertion-resection and tucking of inferior oblique muscle combined superior oblique muscle full tendon advancement surgery was an effective procedure in the patient with congenital and acquired Knapp Class II or III superior oblique muscle palsy.
Superoxide Dismutase 2 As A Predictor In Patients With Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure
Authors: Liu Huihui , Lyu Hui , Jiang Xuemei , Wang Li , Li Haiming , Wei Xuefei , Li Linlin , Zhu Jinyu , Fan Yuchen , Wang Kai
Published: March 2022

The prognosis of hepatitis B virus-associated acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) is critical in clinical management. We aimed to assess the prognostic efficacy of superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) for 90-day mortality in HBV-ACLF patients. The expression patterns of SOD2 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were examined in a derivation set (n = 82) by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The results were further validated in a validation set (n = 35). The expression levels of SOD2 were significantly decreased in the derivation set compared to those with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) or the healthy controls (HCs) (P < 0.001). In HBV-ACLF patients, SOD2 levels were negatively correlated with serum total bilirubin (TBIL) (rs = -0.43, P < 0.001) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores (rs = -0.22, P = 0.047), but positively correlated with alkaline phosphatase (AKP) (rs = 0.23, P = 0.034). SOD2 was identified as an independent risk factor for 90-day mortality in HBV-ACLF patients (hazard ratio: 0.124, 95% confidence interval: 0.059-0.261, P < 0.001). SOD2 yielded a larger area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) than the MELD score in predicting 90-day mortality (0.914 versus 0.712, P < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a favorable overall survival (OS) for the SOD2 high expression group compared with the SOD2 low expression group in both the derivation and validation sets (P < 0.001). SOD2 has promising potential as a predictor of 90-day mortality in patients with HBV-ACLF.
The Value Of Metal Clips In Transcatheter Arterial Embolization For Acute Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding
Authors: Zhu Yinong , Yang Wenjuan , Zhang Yuyan , Ye Liansong , Hu Bing
Published: March 2022

Objective: Acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (ANVUGIB) is a common clinical emergency. Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) is usually used to locate the bleeding site and provide interventional embolization. During TAE, there is a low positive rate of angiography, and localization of the culprit vessel is difficult. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the role of preplaced metal clips in TAE for ANVUGIB patients.Materials and Methods: Patients with ANVUGIB in whom bleeding sites were identified endoscopically and treated with TAE from January 1st, 2005 to July 1st, 2021 were retrospectively included. According to the presence or absence of preplaced metal clips, they were divided into two groups. The main outcome measurements included the clinical success rate and rebleeding rate. Secondary outcome measurements included the mortality rate and the need for surgery. Predictors of the clinical success rate were assessed with univariate analysis and multivariate analysis.Results: A total of 102 patients were included in this study, and all of them had undergone arterial embolization. There were 73 cases in the group with metal clips and 29 cases in the group without metal clips with consistent baseline information. The group with metal clips had a higher clinical success rate (82.2% vs. 45.0%, P<0.001), lower rebleeding rate (8.2% vs 27.6%, P=0.039) and additional surgery rate (11.0% vs 20.7%, P<0.001) than the group without metal clips. In univariate analysis, ROCKALL score and preplaced metal clip marking were shown to affect clinical success rate. In multivariate analysis, metal clip marking was found to facilitate clinical success (OR=3.750, 95CI=1.456-9.659, P=0.004).Conclusion: In ANVUGIB patients, preplaced metal clips could improve the clinical success rate of TAE and reduce the mortality rate and the risk of rebleeding.
Cerebral Cortex Structure Changes And Their Correlation With Cognitive Function In Lung Cancer Patients
Authors: Wu Chuan , Liu Yuan , Gao Mingquan , Luo Liping , Lai Xin , Fang Zengyi , Wu Zifei , Che Yurou , Yang Man , Li Kezhen , Dong Li , Wang Weidong
Published: March 2022

To assess differences in cerebral cortex structure changes between lung cancer and healthy controls, and to analyze their correlation with cognitive function. 33 patients diagonosed with primary lung cancer have been enrolled in a prospective study. Before starting treatment and 2-4 months after recieving treatment, the patients underwent assessment of cognitive function, and activities of daily living, as well as a T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The patients were compaired with 33 sex, age and education-matched healthy controls. Neuropsychological assessment, MoCA and Tail Making Test (TMT), shows that 78.8% of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients had mild to moderate cognitive impairment. patients' visual space and executive ability deteriorated after treatment (t=2.66, d=0.66, P=0.02). At baseline, some cerebral cortex of frontal, temporal and parietal lobes were atrophied, especially anterior central gyrus, rostral middle frontal cortex, superior temporal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus and temporal pole. After treatment, the rostral middle frontal cortex of the right brain was further atrophied (P＜0.005). There was a positively correlation between atrophied cortical thickness in newly diagnosed lung cancer patients and the score of part A of TMT. Temporal pole volume was positively correlated with naming (r=0.39, P=0.03) and language (r=0.43, P=0.02), while middle temporal gyrus was positively correlated with attention (r=0.39, P=0.03) and orientation (r=0.39, P=0.04). In summary, this study suggests that cancer itself and treatment lead to cognitive impairment, as well as cortical thickness and volume reduction, and cerebral cortex structure changes are correlated with cognitive function. Confirming the existence of cancer-related cognitive impairment and cancer-related brain injury.
Breaking Symmetry of Single-Atom Catalysts Enables Extremely Low Energy Barrier and High Stability for Large-Current-Density Water Splitting
Authors: Mu Xueqin , Gu Xiangyao , Dai Shipeng , Chen Jiabing , Chen Qu , Yu Min , Chen Changyun , Chen Wenxing , Liu Suli , Mu Shichun
Published: March 2022

The instability and low large-current-density efficiency for a single atomic metal species system have aroused widespread concern. Herein, the Ru single-atom system constructed on iron–cobalt layered double hydroxide (Rux SACs@FeCo-LDH) exhibits extremely low oxygen evolution reaction (OER) overpotentials of 194 and 246 mV at current densities of 10 and 1000 mA cm− 2, respectively, and high stability beyond 1000 h at 1000 mA cm− 2, far surpassing commercial RuO2. Moreover, its mass activity is ∼2 and 6 times higher than that of Ru and FeCo-LDH, respectively. Extraordinarily, it only needs 1.52 V to achieve 1000 mA cm− 2 current densities for water-splitting, and is almost unchanged after 1000 h, as the highest performance reported so far. Experimental and theoretical calculation results evidence that, partial substitution of oxophilic-Ru atoms to FeCo-LDH triggers the reconstruction at symmetry breaking interfaces, promoting O-O coupling at Ru-O active sites for OER, beneficial for suppressing multiple heteroatomic interface instability under large-current-density water-splitting. Our strategy opens up opportunities for lifting single-atom stability in industrial-scale hydrogen production from water-splitting.
Rim plate in the treatment of hyperextension tibial plateau fracture: surgical technique and a series of cases
Authors: Li Ting , Sun Zhijian , Liu Yabo , Mao Yujiang , Li Weihua , Guo Qi , Li Shaoliang , Li Changrun
Published: March 2022

Background: “Bare aera” at the anterior plateau was existed with anteromedial and/or anterolateral proximal tibial locking plates fixation in the treatment of hyperextension tibial plateau fractures (HTPF). The aim of this study was to introduce the rim plate fixation technique and evaluate its clinical effect.Methods: HTPF patients treated with rim plate combined with proximal tibial locking plate in our hospital between April 2015 and December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were followed up for a minimum of one year. Open reduction and internal fixation through anteromedial/posteromedial and/or anterolateral approaches was performed for all patients. Surgical strategies of rim plate fixation were introduced. And Radiographic and Clinical outcomes were assessed.Results: A total of 13 patients were enrolled. The average follow-up time was 4.3 years. Satisfactory reduction was achieved and radiographically maintained in all patients. And Satisfactory clinical functions were observed in all patients with a mean HSS knee score of 96.2±2.0 (range: 90-98). No wound complications and implant breakage were observed in this series.Conclusion: The combined use of rim plate and proximal tibial plate resulted in an effective fixation configuration that led to satisfactory clinical outcomes.
Sufficient conditions for an eigenmanifold to be of the extended Rosenberg type
Authors: Santina Cosimo Della , Wotte Yannik , Sachtler Arne , Albu-Scäffer Alin
Published: March 2022

Research in nonlinear modal analysis deals with the extension of linear modes to nonlinear mechanical systems. eigenmanifolds are a recent addition to this field. Pursuing a geometrical viewpoint, they generalize modes to nonlinear mechanical systems with non-constant inertia tensors (e.g., robots, biomechanical models). This work aims at shading light on the connection between this new definition and the well-known extended Rosenberg modes. A key feature of extended Rosenberg modes is that all the associated modal oscillations must intersect at the same point. This appears to be a robust property of oscillations arising when the inertia tensor is constant (Euclidean case).

Nevertheless, this symmetry is soon broken when the tensor is configuration-dependent. This paper provides sufficient conditions for this property to be conserved in the non-Euclidean domain, establishing a bridge between the Rosenberg theory and eigenmanifolds. The condition appears to be tight since violating it meant to lose the symmetry in all the tested cases.
Initial Nutritional Status of Patients with Mitochondrial Disease: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Shin Geum-ji , Na Ji-Hoon , Lee Hyunjoo , Lee Young-Mock
Published: March 2022

BACKGROUND:Mitochondrial disease (MD) is a rare condition characterized by the dysfunction of mitochondrial DNA. Patients with MD are vulnerable to malnutrition due to adenosine triphosphate dysfunction, which disrupts gastrointestinal system function. Nutritional screening and assessment of these patients are important because malnutrition increases mortality and disease-related complications. This study aimed to investigate the nutritional status at the time of diagnosis and the need for targeted nutritional therapy in patients with MD according to subgroups.METHODS:We enrolled 91 patients diagnosed with clinical MD who were considered at high risk of malnutrition based on the Gangnam Severance Hospital’s criteria. We divided them into three subgroups (Leigh syndrome; mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes [MELAS]; non-specific MD) and compared the nutritional status of the subgroups based on nutrition-related indices.RESULTS:Most of the patients with MD were classified as having a high risk of malnutrition. Lactic acidosis and vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency were the most common in patients with MELAS and non-specific MD. Among the subgroups, patients with obesity were more likely to have Leigh syndrome than the other two subtypes, whereas those who were underweight were more likely to have MELAS or non-specific MD than Leigh syndrome. Gastroesophageal reflux disease was the most common in the non-specific MD group.CONCLUSIONS: The nutritional status of patients with MD was poor at the time of diagnosis. As the nutritional status of patients belonging to different subgroups varied, each patient required individualized nutritional therapy.
Evidence Of The Drying Technique’s Impact On The Biomass Quality Of Tetraselmis Subcordiformis (Chlorophyceae)
Authors: Jabri Hareb Al , Cherif Maroua , Siddiqui Simil Amir , Bounnit Touria , Saadaoui Imen
Published: March 2022

Rapid drying, cost-effective and safe, will increase the viability of using microalgae for several bio-industrial applications. In this study, five different drying techniques of microalgal biomass were investigated. These include freeze-drying, oven drying, air drying, sun drying, and microwave drying. Morphology, metabolite content, FAME profiling, chlorophyll content, total organic carbon, and total nitrogen were analyzed. Results showed that the freeze-drying technique preserves the highest amounts of chlorophyll, proteins, and lipids. Oven drying underperformed as it retained the lowest amount of chlorophyll, protein, and lipid content. More importantly, FAME profiling results showed that air drying was the best technique in maintaining the highest amount of Polyunsaturated fatty acids and more specifically docosahexaenoic acid. Furthermore, this process requires the least capital and energy needs. The findings from this study confirmed that the drying technique affects the microalga biomass quality.
Perioperative Oral Nutritional Support For Patients Diagnosed With Primary Colon Adenocarcinoma Undergoing Radical Surgical Procedures -Peri-Nutri Trial: Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Authors: Aro Raila , Ohtonen Pasi , Rautio Tero , Saarnio Juha , Mäkäräinen Elisa , Häivälä Reetta , Mäkinen Markus J. , Tuomisto Anne , Schwab Ursula , Meriläinen Sanna
Published: March 2022

Background: Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in Finland and worldwide. Cancer-related malnutrition is a well-known risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality after surgery, and it is associated with complications and longer hospitalizations. There are no established recommendations on how to improve the nutritional status of colon cancer patients´ during the perioperative phase. Administration of simple oral nutritional supplements has been suggested to reduce complication rates, but evidence to support this practice is scarce.Methods and analysis: The Peri-Nutri trial is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, controlled trial. Its primary endpoint is to evaluate whether perioperative oral nutritional support (ONS) decreases the number of complications during the 30-day follow-up after surgery. Secondary endpoints are to study the effect of ONS on quality of life after surgery, length of stay in institutional care, 90-day mortality rate, five-year disease-free survival and overall survival. The patients with a Nutritional risk screening 2002 (NRS-2002) questionnaire result between 2 and 5 (≥3 are classified at risk of malnutrition) will be randomized (1:1 ratio) into either the intervention or control group. The intervention group will receive preoperative ONS two weeks before the operation, and nutritional support will continue 10 days after the operation. The control group will not receive ONS. A total of 318 patients will be randomized into two groups. Ethics/dissemination: The study has been conducted according to the SPIRIT statement. All participants will be signed a written consent form, and the study has been approved by the The Ethics Committee at the Oulu University Hospital. The findings will be presented at international or national conferences and will be published in clinical journals. Trial registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03863236, Registered 25 February 2019, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03863236
Clinical Characteristics of Anisomyopia in Identical Twins and Management: A Case Report
Authors: Sivaraman Viswanathan , Balaji Janarthanam Jothi
Published: March 2022

Anisomyopia (anisometropic myopia) is defined as an inter-ocular difference greater than one dioptre between eyes among myopic individuals. The co-occurrence of anisomyopia in siblings is extremely rare. A pair of 9-year-old identical twin sisters reported to a tertiary eye care centre for myopia management. In this case report, we evaluated the clinical findings and the structural features of anisomyopia including retinal imaging. The siblings were corrected for anisomyopia with full and optimal correction and closely monitored for progression pattern. Since the annual progression was higher than − 0.75 D, a low dose atropine 0.01% was prescribed. This report also warrants a need for prescribing guidelines for anisomyopic subjects in different age groups.
Internet of Things based Framework for Smart Healthcare Using Hybrid Machine Learning
Authors: Okemiri Henry , Uzoma Alo , Christopher Nnamene
Published: March 2022

The world has been facing the challenge of increased cardiovascular death rate for decades now. The utilization of machine learning techniques coupled with the power of Internet of Things can be an effective solution to this real world problem. This research presents Internet of Things based framework for smart healthcare using hybrid machine learning for monitoring heart disease, a system specifically designed for wearable devices that facilitates heart diseases monitoring. The system uses wearable sensors to collect observable vital signs which is contextualized with data from clinical database for a high efficiency in analysis and prediction. Internet of Things and Machine Learning have gained wide applicability in the healthcare sector. The problem of inaccurate Electrocardiogram interpretation and high dependency on individual interpretation, coupled with delayed analysis and diagnosis of patients and lack of accurate prognosis are what this research solves. Machine learning was used accurate analysis and predictions of diseases while the internet of things components was communicating the server for smartness. The framework consists of some components like data collection using wearable sensors, data analysis center, which uses hybridized machine learning algorithms, to quickly identify potential cardiovascular cases from real-time symptom data. This facilitates real-time communication between doctor and patient through wearable technologies. With this, real-time analysis and monitoring of cardiovascular disease would be possible. This system instead of transferring the raw data collected from patients directly to the health care professionals, sends those data to a python platform for analysis on the local device by feeding the hybrid of collected data to Random Forest, Naïve Bayes and Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithms to analyze and monitor features extracted from clinical databases and wearable sensors and then classify a patient as “Negative” or “Positive” for heart disease. In this research, Object Oriented Methodology and Analysis was used with arduino and python programming languages. The results of our experiment showed that the system was successful in both analysis and classification of a patient’s heart disease with an accuracy of 87.6% for the hybrid machine learning. Random Forest model has a precision and recall that exceeded 100%, 75% precision and 65% recall for Naïve Bayes model and 77% precision and 56% recall for support vector machine. We used UCI clinical dataset of 1025 samples of patients with 25% for test data and 75% for the data training.
Gender, Numbers and Beyond: The Case of Criminology Program in DOrSU, City Of Mati, Philippines
Authors: Villegas Jhonnel P. , Biol Ruel C. , Dacullo Jason E. , Simbahon Juby S.
Published: March 2022

Access to and success in higher education is shaped by various factors, including, but are not limited to, gender, gendered identities, and gender-related subjectivities. While there has been rich literature in gender-higher education nexus, the utilization of gender analysis in specific gender-stereotyped degree programs such as Criminology, although widely offered in the entire country, remains understudied. Recognizing the impressive progress of enterprising and mainstreaming GAD norms in the Philippines compared to its peers in Asia, there remains a need to understand how gender sets in motion beyond rhetoric and how it entangles everyday practices. This study attempts to interrogate the Criminology program’s temporal development and social determinants from the lenses of gender through trend analysis and in-depth interview methods.We found that Criminology in DOrSU is significantly male-dominated since the program commenced operations in 2009. Although unsurprising, it is worth noting that females record a higher survival rate than males. The latent gender issues and coping strategies contributing to the program’s notable trendwere also uncovered, providing a more comprehensive understanding of females and other non-masculine genders’ narrowed access to the program. To tighten the existing gender gap in Criminology, we recommend a policy reform that encourages gender-inclusive opportunities.