bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The inclusion of the gender perspective in oncology research
Authors: Lucas-Domínguez Rut , González-Aragonés María , Sixto-Costoya Andrea , Ruiz-Martínez Emmanuel , Alonso-Arroyo Adolfo , Valderrama-Zurián Juan Carlos
Published: April 2023

The gender perspective is important in the approach to diagnosis and treatment of diseases, especially in the field of oncology. This study aims to analyze the gender approach in scientific articles on oncology, studying the gender composition of authorship of papers and the gender perspective in the research carried out. A bibliographic search of articles and reviews signed by at least one Spanish author and published in the period 2010–2019 was carried out using the Science Citation Index Expanded database in the Oncology category. A total of 7,523 documents were classified according to the gender of the authors, and a randomized sample was used for evaluating gender perspective using an elaborated checklist. This study revealed the lack of parity in the authorship of Spanish oncology publications, with the number of papers without parity being 8 times higher than papers with parity and showing a greater presence of male than female authorship (58% versus 31%). Regarding the introduction of the gender perspective, a negative response of 68% referring to compliance with the total checklist items analyzed was obtained, and only a fifth of the articles presented gender balance in the sample under study. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between gender parity in authorship and gender mainstreaming in published research. In conclusion, there is a great need to advance the inclusion of the gender perspective in cancer research to overcome gender bias and promote better prevention, detection, and intervention of cancer diseases.
Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2T predicts the tumour microenvironment immune characteristics and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma: Bioinformatics-based approach
Authors: LI yujing , Xiang Shuai , Sun Yuxin , Li Xiangjun , Wang Song , Zhang Di , Qiu Zhenkang
Published: April 2023

Background and aims:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a commonly occurring type of malignancy lacking effective prognostic biomarkers. This study aimed to identify the role of ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2T (UBE2T) in HCC and investigate its potential clinical and prognostic significance.
Materials and Methods:
A total of 424 case series and files from TCGA datasets were used in the analysis. UBE2T expression was analysed via the Tumour Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) site. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were selected to run genome ontology (GO) enrichment, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) to examine UBE2T-associated signalling pathways. Analysis of tumour mutational burden (TMB), immune cell differentiation, immune cell correlation, immune checkpoints, drug sensitivity, and immunotherapy was also performed. Immunohistochemistry was utilized to validate the dysregulation of UBE2T in HCC.
Results:
UBE2T expression levels were significantly higher in the tumour group than in the normal group, according to the differential analysis of the TCGA-LIHC data (P<0.001). Based on univariate and multivariate Cox analyses, UBE2T could be employed as an independent prognostic factor to predict the progression of HCC. The results of the immune analysis indicated that immune cells were more active in the UBE2T high expression group and identified the associated immune checkpoint.Drug sensitivity analysis revealed that the UBE2T high expression group was sensitive to cell cycle drugs.
Conclusion:
UBE2T has significant prognostic value in HCC and can be used as a potential tumour biomarker of tumour microenvironment immune characteristics.
Impact of SGLT2-inhibitors on contrast-induced acute kidney injury in Diabetic patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: Insight from SGLT2-I AMI PROTECT Registry
Authors: Paolisso Pasquale , Bergamaschi Luca , Cesaro Arturo , Gallinoro Emanuele , Gragnano Felice , Sardu Celestino , Mileva Niya , Foà Alberto , Armillotta Matteo , Sansonetti Angelo , Amicone Sara , Impellizzeri Andrea , Belmonte Marta , Esposito Giuseppe , Morici Nuccia , Oreglia Jacopo Andrea , Casella Gianni , Mauro Ciro , Vassilev Dobrin , Galiè Nazzareno , Santulli Gaetano , Calabrò Paolo , Barbato Emanuele , Marfella Raffaele , Pizzi Carmine
Published: April 2023

Background. Diabetic patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have an increased risk of contrast-induced-acute kidney injury (CI-AKI). It has been shown that sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2-I) have a nephroprotective effect.
Purpose. To analyze the association between chronic SGLT2-I treatment and the development of CI-AKI in diabetic patients with AMI (both ST- and non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction) treated with PCI, in both patients with and without chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Methods. In this multicenter international registry, consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and AMI undergoing PCI between 2018 and 2021 were enrolled. The study population was stratified by the presence of CKD and anti-diabetic therapy at admission (SGLT2-I versus non-SGLT2-I users). CI-AKI was defined as an absolute (≥0.5 mg/dl) or relative increase (≥25%) in creatinine at 48-72 h after PCI compared to baseline values.
Results. The study population consisted of 646 AMI patients: 111 SGLT2-I users [28 (25.2%) with CKD] and 535 non-SGLT2-I users [221 (41.3%) with CKD]. The median age was 70 [61-79] years, and more than 77% were males. Independently of creatinine at admission, SGLT2-I users exhibited significantly lower creatinine values at 72h after PCI, both in the non-CKD and CKD stratum. After PCI, the overall rate of CI-AKI was 76 (11.8%), significantly lower in SGLT2-I users compared to non-SGLT2-I patients (5.4% vs 13.1%, p=0.022). This finding was confirmed also in patients without CKD (p=0.040). In the CKD cohort, SGLT2-I users maintained significantly lower creatinine values at discharge, albeit without significant differences in CI-AKI rate compared to non-SGLT2-I patients. At multivariate analysis, the use of SGLT2-I was identified as an independent predictor of reduced rate of CI-AKI (OR 0.356; 95%CI 0.134-0.943, p=0.038). Patients with CI-AKI reported a longer hospital stay and higher incidence of adverse cardiovascular events at follow-up (p=0.001), mostly in the CKD cohort.
Conclusion. In T2DM patients with AMI, the use of SGLT2-I was associated with a lower risk of CI-AKI during the index hospitalization, mostly in patients without CKD. Our results provide new insights into the cardio and nephroprotective effects of SGLT2-I in the setting of AMI.
Trial Registration: data are part of the observational Registry: SGLT2-I AMI PROTECT. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT 05261867.
Hitchhiker's Guide to the TFHE Scheme
Authors: Klemsa Jakub
Published: April 2023

Also referred to as the holy grail of cryptography, Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) allows for arbitrary calculations over encrypted data. First proposed as a challenge by Rivest et al. in 1978, the existence of an FHE scheme has only been shown by Gentry in 2009. However, until these days, existing general-purpose FHE schemes suffer from a substantial computational overhead, which has been vastly reduced since the original construction of Gentry, but it still poses an obstacle that prevents a massive practical deployment of FHE. The TFHE scheme by Chillotti et al. represents the state-of-the-art among general-purpose FHE schemes. This paper aims to serve as a thorough guide to the TFHE scheme, with a strong focus on the reliability of computations over encrypted data, and help researchers and developers understand the internal mechanisms of TFHE in detail. In particular, it may serve as a baseline for future improvements and/or modifications of TFHE or related schemes.
Are inner nuclear layer ischemic lesions hidden indicators of retinal vein occlusion risk? A case- control study
Authors: Nourinia Ramin , Mashhadi Mohammad Javad , Abtahi Seyed-Hossein , Nouri Hosein
Published: April 2023

Purpose To investigate the association between retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and evidence of previous, unnoticed inner nuclear layer (INL) infarction in the fellow eye.Methods This prospective case-control study compared the prevalence of INL lesions in the fellow eye of consecutive people with hypertension (PwHTN) with unilateral RVO versus a randomly chosen eye of an age-matched control group of PwHTN without RVO. En face slabs above the outer plexiform layer (OPL) were generated from 6x6 fovea-centered optical coherence tomography scans. Cross-sectional scans and en face slabs were surveyed for evidence of active/resolved ischemic INL lesions.Results 69 PwHTN were included and assigned to two groups, i.e., the RVO group (n = 37; 22 BRVO and 15 CRVO) and the control group (n = 32). There was no inter-group difference regarding age, gender distribution, and background diseases. Resolved INL lesions were more frequent in the RVO group (n = 26) than in the control group (n = 4) (70.3% vs. 12.5%, p < 0.001). BRVO and CRVO cases had similar prevalence of INL lesions in their fellow eyes. Unlike diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and gender, INL lesions were associated with RVO (in the fellow eye) with an odds ratio of 15.7 (95%CI: 4.17–76.73, p < 0.001).Conclusion We identified a substantially higher prevalence of INL lesions in PwTHN with RVO compared to PwHTN without RVO. The atrophic appearance of lesions suggests they may serve as early markers of increased RVO risk in individuals with systemic or cardiovascular predisposing factors.
Trajectories of plant nitrogen availability globally during 1984-2022 uncovered by satellite-derived nitrogen stable isotope ratio
Authors: Yang Jinyan , Zhang Haiyang , Guo Yiqing , Donohue Randall , McVicar Tim , Ferrier Simon , Müller Warren , Lü Xiaotao , Fang Yunting , Wang Xiaoguang , Reich Peter , Han Xingguo , Mokany Karel
Published: April 2023

Nitrogen (N) availability regulates the productivity of terrestrial plants and the ecological services they provide. There is evidence for both increasing and decreasing plant N availability in different biomes, but the data are fragmentary. How plant N availability responds to climate change, N deposition and increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration remains a major uncertainty in the projection of the terrestrial carbon sink. The foliar N stable isotope ratio (δ15N) is an indicator of plant N availability but its usefulness to infer long-term global patterns has been limited by data scarcity. Combining ground-based δ15N and Landsat spectra, we derived annual global maps of Landsat-based foliar δ15N as estimates of plant N availability during 1984-2022. We found significant decreases in plant N availability for 44% and increases in 16% of vegetated Earth’s surface with large spatial heterogeneity. Plant N availability declined in woody-dominated ecosystems but increased in herbaceous-dominated ones. These δ15N trends were consistently and negatively correlated with the trends of Normalised-Difference-Vegetation-Index as they varied across ecosystems, suggesting increasing plant cover could have led to decreasing plant N availability. Our results indicate possible future reductions in plant N availability in many terrestrial ecosystems and provide a useful way to monitor those changes globally.
Influencing factors of COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among adults in Taiwan, China: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Huang Chun-Lian , Chen Jau-Yuan , Chen Xiao-ying , Lin Xiao-Qing , Deng Jing-Shan , Tung Tao-Hsin , Zhu Jian-Sheng
Published: April 2023

Objectives The promotion of the COVID-19 vaccine is key to controlling the spread of COVID-19. One of the most significant obstacles in tackling the pandemic is vaccine hesitancy. While many published studies have examined vaccine hesitancy among adults, there is a dearth of such studies exploring vaccine hesitancy among adults in Taiwan, China.Study design and Methods We surveyed 384 adults in Taiwan from July 14 to September 23, 2021. Using a Chi-square test and a binary logistic regression, we examined the prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and the factors influencing this. In addition, we summarized the regional differences in vaccine hesitancy across China that was reported by previous research.Results Overall, 64.3% of participants were hesitant to be vaccinated. Gender and perception of the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine was identified as a risk factor for vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, hesitancy in mainland China was found to be lower than that in Taiwan and Hong Kong.Conclusion The results of this study highlight the attitudes of the adults towards vaccination and the factors that influence it. The results can inform the government’s development of epidemic prevention and control policies that would improve vaccine uptake.
Designing a Web3 Ecosystem to Facilitate a Participatory Economy for the Movie and Series Industry
Authors: NORTA ALEX , Ibrus Indrek , Milligan Alan R.
Published: April 2023

The audiovisual media content (AMC) industry, focused on film and television drama production, is confronted with a broken business model due to the dominance of centralized streaming platforms. The top platforms dominate global distribution but only offer slices of produced and heritage content. In addition, they compete with the AMC industry by producing a majority of content distributed. This leaves fewer gatekeepers deciding on the content to be distributed and less diverse content easily accessible to audiences Consequently, audiences are compelled to engage in pirating movies despite a willingness to pay. Recent blockchain innovations towards the so-called Web3 promise to restore this broken business model by re-establishing direct contact between the producers of films and their audiences. The benefits of networks (peer-to-peer or community based) in combination with Web3 follow the principle of decentralized disintermediation while comprising elements such as FIAT to crypto-payment mechanisms, self-sovereign identity authentication, blockchain oracles, decentralized autonomous organizations (DAO), and so on. A gap exists with regard to methodological designs of Web3 decentralized applications (DApp) and their ecosystems for restoring a viable AMC business model that not only eliminates the need for piracy activities but even the need for platforms. The DApp architecture designs for the film- and media industry ecosystem creation in this paper allow, on the one hand, for a legal compliance check ahead of a costly deployment. On the other hand, the DApp designs of this paper also allow for a tailored blockchain technology stack development. Ultimately, this research is a continuation of an earlier whitepaper to establish a participatory economy in the film industry from peer-to-peer streaming.
RUNX1 promotes alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolytic inhibition in LPS-induced ARDS in rat via NF-κ B pathway
Authors: Li Qing , XIAO Chuan , Li Lu , Liu Ying , Li Wei , He Juan , Gu Jiarun , Shen Feng
Published: April 2023

Background Previous studies have confirmed that acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolytic inhibition. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) is a transcription factor expressed in various organs, including lung tissue, and is involved in multiple pathophysiological processes such as inflammation. We hypothesized that RUNX1 participates in regulating the pathogenesis of ARDS, but whether it is involved in alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolytic inhibition is unclear.Methods In vivo, we observed the expression of RUNX1 in lung tissue in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ARDS rats and down-regulated the RUNX1 gene to confirm its regulatory role in alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolytic inhibition. In vitro, we measured RUNX1 levels in LPS-stimulated alveolar epithelial cell type II (AEC II) and down-and up-regulated RUNX1 gene in AEC II cells using lentiviral infection technology to determine its regulatory role in cells. Finally, we observed the effect of RUNX1 on the NF-κ B pathway and explored the underlying mechanism of RUNX1.Results RUNX1 expression was significantly increased in lung tissue of LPS-induced ARDS rats. Alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolytic inhibition were observed in ARDS rats, as shown by increased expressions of tissue factor (TF) and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) in lung tissue. Meanwhile, the NF-κB signaling pathway was also activated. Conditional knockdown of RUNX1 significantly inhibited the NF-κB signaling pathway and downregulated the expressions of TF and PAI-1 in pulmonary tissue in rat ARDS. In vitro, we found that the expressions of RUNX1 in LPS-induced AEC II were significantly increased, with the NF-κB pathway being activated. Up-regulation of the RUNX1 gene further boosted the LPS-induced expressions of TF and PAI-1, and the LPS-induced NF-κB pathway activation as well. Down-regulation of the RUNX1 gene, however, dramatically suppressed TF and PAI-1 expressions and significantly inhibited NF-κB pathway activation, even when compared to those in cells stimulated by LPS alone.Conclusions RUNX1 regulates alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolysis inhibition in LPS-induced ARDS. The underlying mechanism of RUNX1 may be associated with NF-KB signaling pathway activation. RUNX1 is expected to be a new target for improving alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolytic inhibition in ARDS.
Effect of water-based vs. land-based exercise intervention (postCOVIDkids) on exercise capacity, fatigue and quality of life in children with post COVID-19 condition: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ogonowska-Slodownik Anna , Labecka Marta , Maciejewska-Skrendo Agnieszka , McNamara Renae , Kaczmarczyk Katarzyna , Starczewski Michał , Gajewski Jan , Morgulec-Adamowicz Natalia
Published: April 2023

Evidence indicates that 1–66% of children continue to experience different symptoms after recovering from COVID-19. We conducted three-group, randomized controlled trial with children aged 10-12 years with post COVID-19 condition. Participants were randomized to AQUA, LAND or CONTROL groups. The AQUA and LAND training sessions were conducted twice a week for eight weeks. The primary outcomes were exercise capacity, measured using the modified Balke treadmill protocol, and fatigue, measured using the Cumulative Fatigue Symptoms Questionnaire (CFSQ). The secondary outcome was health-related quality of life (HRQoL), measured with the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) for children and for parents. Seventy-four of the 86 children completed the intervention and attended the post-intervention assessment. The absolute maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) values increased after both AQUA (p=0.001) and LAND (p=0.004) interventions. No significant differences were found for the degree of total fatigue and individual fatigue symptoms. A significant improvement was found in the PedsQL reported by the parents in the LAND group. In conclusion the applied eight-week water-based and land-based exercise training programs improved exercise capacity in children aged 10-12 years old with post COVID19 condition. The parents of the children in the training groups also noted an improvement in HRQoL.
Chicoric Acid from Health Foods Improves Motor Dysfunction in Zebrafish Parkinson’s Disease Model
Authors: Li Chunyan , Li Mingyue , Zhang Ce , Zhang Huilin , Wang Zhenhua , Wang Tian , Zhang Guirong , Han Bing
Published: April 2023

Chicoric acid (CA) has been used as a nutritional supplement, health food, and medicine because of its antioxidant property. This study aimed to investigate whether CA can improve motor dysfunction in a zebrafish model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). AB-strain zebrafish larvae (24 hours post-fertilization) were incubated with 25 μM 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) with or without CA for 5 days. The levels of malondialdehyde, glutathione, and reactive oxygen species were measured, as were the activities of antioxidant enzymes in brain tissue. Additionally, the expression of molecules from the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway were assayed by western blot. Compared with the control group, zebrafish in the MPTP group had impaired motor function. Treatment with CA improved motor dysfunction and attenuated dopaminergic neuronal injury in the PD zebrafish model. CA treatment also reduced the levels of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species and increased the antioxidant enzymes and glutathione level. Furthermore, CA augmented the expression of Nrf2, heme oxygenase, quinone oxidoreductase 1, and glutamate-cysteine ligase in the brain of the PD zebrafish model. CA from health foods also improved motor dysfunction and attenuated dopaminergic neuronal injury in the MPTP-induced PD zebrafish model. Our findings suggest that the mechanism of action of CA is related to its inhibition of oxidative stress via regulation of the Nrf2 pathway.
Macular vascular density alteration patterns in Pediatric optic neuritis patients with serum MOG antibody positivity detected by optic coherence tomography angiography
Authors: Peng Chunxia , Zuo Huaxin , Li Siyuan , Liu Xi , Tian Li rong , Zhang Ru , Zhang Yan , Li Li , Wei Shi
Published: April 2023

Purpose
Retinal microvascular net played a crucial role in inflammatory injury of pediatric optic neuritis(PON) with serum MOG antibody positivity (MOG+PON). This study compared retinal microvascular density and structural alterations in MOG+PON eyes with pediatric isolated optic neuritis (PION) eyes, and followed up the final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at least 6 months.
Methods
23 children (42 eyes) with PON including 15 MOG+PON cases (28 eyes), 6 PION cases (10 eyes), NMOSD-PON 2 cases (4 eyes), MOG associated diseases (MOGAD) patients without ON affected eyes (MOG+NPON) 6 cases (10 eyes) and age-gender matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent superficial/deep retinal angiography density (SAD/DAD) and retinal structure quantitively evaluation by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) after fully ophthalmological examinations. And their BCVA was followed up until 6 months after ON onsets.
Results
MOG+PON eyes had better final BCVA, which (35.7±10.3%) suffered severity SAD reduction as well as PION eyes(40.1±10.3%) in contrast to that of MOGAD-NPON （48.7±5.2%）and HCs eyes（55.6±8.2） (P=0.000 and 0.000 respectively). However, DAD in MOG+PON eyes (48.5±9.2%) and MOG+NPON eyes (53.1±3.3%) displayed increasing compared with HCs eyes (45.7±9.6%) (p= 0.028, 0.009 respectively). SAD reduction in PON eyes occurred at acute PON, which can be detected reduction at 2 weeks after PON onsets.
Conclusions
MOG+PON eyes had better final BCVA than PION eyes, which displayed retinal superficial microvascular perfusion reduction and deep microvascular perfusion increases. SAD could be sensitive surrogate to PON attacks in MOGAD children.
Narrative nephrology via clinical scenario-based workshop promotes empathy in medical students
Authors: Yang Fuye , Hu Ying , Lin Wanbing
Published: April 2023

Background: The practice of nephrology demands empathy. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility and effectiveness of providing a narrative training (NT) program for the purpose of promoting empathy.
Methods: The program, including six weekly 1-hour sessions of narrative workshops, was conducted in medical interns in Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. During each session, participants encountered a representative clinical scenario. Participants wrote about their attachment and emotional responses to patients, and their attempts to imagine clinical situations from the perspectives of patients and family members. Participants then shared their pieces in a facilitated discussion. This study employed a pre- and post-intervention design and was also supplemented with a separate control of peers who participated in the traditional teaching activities. Participants were surveyed using modified Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE) before and after the interventions.
Results: Eighteen interns who consented and participated in the program completed all baseline and post-intervention measures. The change in JSPE scores from baseline to post-intervention was significantly higher in NT group than control group (p=0.0014, t=3.868). The subsets of Perspective Taking (p=0.00178, t=2.640) and Compassionate Care (p<0.0001, t=5.395) improved at a statistically significant level, and the Standing in patient’s shoes subset trended toward significant improvement (p=0.2895, t=1.093). The participants in workshops considered beneficial for empathy, professionalism and holistic care, and showed enthusiasm in further narrative training.
Conclusions: Clinical scenario-based narrative training was feasible and well-received by students and improved students’ empathy in this short run. Larger studies are required to validate its long-term effects on behavior changes, organizational practice and benefits to patients.
Causal Effect of Parent-Child Relationship on Oppositional Defiant Disorder Symptoms Based on Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Zhou Haiyan , han fengkai , Chen Ruoxi , Huang Jiajin , Chen Jianhui , Lin Xiuyun
Published: April 2023

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is one of the most common disorders in children and is highly susceptible to further internalizing and externalizing problems. Research has addressed the multilevel family factors associated with the development of ODD, whereas it is necessary to further investigate the causal relationship between these factors and ODD for effective intervention. Due to the close association to ODD, we investigated the causal effect of parent-child relationship (PCR) on ODD symptoms using the machine learning based Causal Forest (CF) model with observed factual data in this study. Based on the PCR improvement in two consecutive years, 423 longitudinal children were divided into improved and control groups. The ODD symptoms in the second year was set as the dependent variable. Additionally, several factors based on the multilevel family model and the baseline ODD in the first year were included as covariates. The CF model showed PCR had a significant causal effect on ODD symptoms in the samples, which means the improvement of PCR could effectively alleviate the ODD symptoms. Furthermore, the causality exhibited heterogeneity. The causal effect was greater in those children with higher baseline ODD, worse family atmosphere, lower emotion regulation abilities in themselves or their parents. Conversely, the parenting style played a positive role on the causality which suggested the importance of parenting training in ODD families. This study would be helpful in forming personalized family-oriented intervention strategies for ODDs.
The Untargeted Metabolomics Reveals Differences in Energy Metabolism in Patients with Different Subtypes of Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Li Jiaxin , Li Xi , Yu Fang , Feng Xianjing , Luo Yunfang , Xie Weijia , Pan Yinghuan , Xia Jian
Published: April 2023

Objective Stroke has the characteristics of high morbidity, high mortality, high disability rate, and high recurrence rate, which brings great burden of disease. Ischemic stroke (IS) is the most common subtype of stroke, accounting for 71% of all stroke types. The risk factors and pathogenesis of IS are complex and varied due to different IS subtypes. The development of metabolomics technology provides new ideas for the study of the biomarkers and potential pathophysiological mechanisms of IS.Methods We included IS patients who visited Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from October 2017 to September 2018 and divided them into two groups based on the TOAST classification: large-artery atherosclerosis (LAA) subtype group (n = 87) and small-vessel occlusion (SVO) subtype group (n = 39). Plasma metabolomics analysis was performed using liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) to identify metabolic profiles in LAA and SVO subtype IS patients and to determine metabolic differences between patients with the two subtypes of IS.Results We identified 26 differential metabolites and 3 differential metabolic pathways between LAA and SVO subtype IS. A multiple prediction model based on the differential metabolites had good predictive ability for IS subtyping (AUC = 0.822, accuracy = 77.8%), with 12,13-DHOME being the most important differential metabolite in the model. The differential metabolic pathways between the two subtypes IS patients were related to the tricarboxylic acid cycle, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, and pyruvate metabolism, mainly focused on energy metabolism.Conclusion The energy metabolism level of SVO subtype IS patients is more active than that of LAA subtype IS patients.
Value of 18 F-FDG PET/CT for early diagnosis and treatment monitoring of relapsing polychondritis
Authors: Liu， Xiaofei , Fan Yishuo , Zhou Xiaohong , Wu wenjie , Bao Pengtao
Published: April 2023

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare autoimmune disease. Few studies have reported the value of18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission-computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) for diagnosis, guiding biopsy and treatment monitoring of RP.18F-FDG-PET/CT in assessing RP presenting fever of unknown origin (FUO) is not yet reported. To evaluate of18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission-computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) for early diagnosis, guiding biopsy and treatment monitoring of relapsing polychondritis (RP), especially for the patient of RP presenting FUO. Consistent with 32 cases had been underwent18F-FDG-PET/CT scanning, which showed multiple moderately18F-FDG uptake in the involvement of multiple organs, including the nose, throat, trachea, bronchi, cost cartilage and joint cartilages (SUVmax distribution was 1.93–13.03; mean, 5.02). 50% (16/32) patients were used for PET/CT re-examination after treatment, which revealed that 93.8% (15/16) of patients with RP had decreased obviously for18F-FDG uptake, with 37.6% (6/16) in decreased substantially and 56.2% (9/16) for disappeared, respectively. The time to diagnosis in these cases was 4.2 months, obviously shorter than the average diagnosis time (20months), showing earlier than conventional method. In addition, biopsies were performed in 56.3% (18/32) of all patients; 94.4% (17/18) cases were positive, which showed useful for targeting biopsy sites. 62.5% (20/32) of all patients presenting FUO had been early diagnosed using18F-FDG-PET/CT. Treatment monitoring of RP, especially for the patient presenting FUO. It is of great value for monitoring the activity of inflammatory, and guiding the selection of a biopsy site.
Revisiting Financial Opening and Financial Development: A Regulation Heterogeneity Perspective
Authors: Zhu Chaowei , Zhang Fan , Zhang Yuling
Published: April 2023

The current literature on the effect of financial opening and financial development provides conflicting results. Based on the performances of financial markets in different regulatory settings, we argue that the quality of regulation plays a vital role in determining the effect of financial openings. We apply the dynamic panel threshold model to the data of 114 economies ranging from 2008 to 2019 to estimate the existence of financial regulation threshold and the impact of financial opening on the depth and efficiency of financial development. Results demonstrate that financial opening in less-regulated markets accelerates credit market expansion while does not promote financial efficiency. Although the expansion effect is less remarkable in well-regulated markets, the overall efficiency is increased. This threshold effect indicates the importance of regulatory capacity-building as a precondition for effective financial opening. Our conclusions provide policy implications for emerging markets in accelerating proactive financial opening.
Subject classification codes: G21; F36; C23
Robotic-Assisted Surgery for Gynecological Indications in Children: A Multicenter Experience
Authors: Esposito Ciro , Blanc Thomas , Mento Claudia Di , Lepore Benedetta , Ballouhey Quentin , Fourcade Laurent , Chiodi Annalisa , Esposito Giorgia , Escolino Maria
Published: April 2023

Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) is increasingly adopted in the pediatric population. This retrospective multicenter study aimed to report application of RAS for pediatric gynecological indications.
The medical records of all children and adolescents with gynecological pathology, operated in 3 different institutions over a 3-year period, were retrospectively collected. Robot docking time, total operative time, length of stay (LOS), requirement time of pain medication, complication rate, conversion rate, and pathology results were analyzed.
Sixteen girls, with median age of 11.7 years (range 0.6-17.9) and median weight of 47.2 kg (range 9-73), received the following RAS procedures: ovarian cystectomy for serous cystoadenoma (n=2), salpingo-oophorectomy for immature teratoma (n=6), bilateral gonadectomy for ovotestis (n=2) and Turner syndrome SRY+ (n=1), salpingectomy for fallopian tube lesion (n=1), Gartner cyst excision (n=1), paravaginal ganglioneuroma resection (n=1), fistula closure in urogenital sinus (n=1) and vaginoplasty using ileal flap in cloaca malformation (n=1). Median operative time was 131.3 minutes (range 65-360), and median docking time was 13.9 min (range 7-20). Conversion to open or laparoscopy was not necessary in any case. Median LOS was 2.3 days (range 1-7), and median analgesic requirement was 1.5 days (range 1-4). One patient needed redo-surgery for recurrent Gartner cyst.
This preliminary experience showed that RAS is safe and feasible for surgical management of pediatric gynecological pathology, although no conclusive data are available to confirm its superiority over traditional laparoscopy. Randomized, prospective, comparative studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results and identify the gold standard approach in such patients.
Case report of 2,4,D poisoning in st. Pauls hospital millennium medical college
Authors: Teshome Tsion , Waganew Woldesenbet , Getnet Bekele , Bahta Benyam
Published: April 2023

Background 2,4-Dichlorphenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) a chlorphenoxy group pesticide, is a selective herbicide widely used to kill broad-leaved plants in wheat cultivation.
This toxin is extremely lethal, with a fatality rate that approaches 100%. This poison's severe pulmonary, renal, neurological, gastrointestinal, and myotoxic effects result in fast demise and multi-organ failure. Poisoned patients should be given the option of urine alkalization with high-flow urine output and hemodialysis in addition to supportive care
The aim of this report is to explicitly the case's diagnosis, differential, treatment, and related challenges in relation to the available literature.
Case report: we report a case of 20 years old male patient who presented to the ED after he ingested an unspecified amount of 2,4-D herbicide & lost consciousness for about 16 hours’ duration. Associated with this was frequent vomiting of unspecified amounts of ingested matter.
Conclusion: There is a significant lack of knowledge gap among farmers about pesticide use. poisoned patients should be given the option of urine alkalization with high-flow urine output and hemodialysis in addition to supportive care as much as possible.
Development of Health Economy in the Island of Sri Lanka
Authors: Manik Jayasundera Adhiga
Published: April 2023

The Ayurveda universities are producing hundreds of native doctors annually. They can practise in different places and branches. Some of them join the Government Ayurveda hospitals, some practise privately and some are based in hotel and tourism industry. The Ayurveda medication has a long history on the island of Sri Lanka, which can be broadly traced in various sources. According to historical events, the advanced health economy was initially spawned through the introduction of Buddhism since the 6th century before Christ (544 BC). Till then, the locals were medically treating each other with the knowledge acquired by experience. Nevertheless, after 544 BC, another phenomenon occurred: there emerged many Kings as native doctors as well. Among such people, we could usually observe those elites who received education in Guru Gedera (school). They were additionally qualified as building engineers, irrigational engineers, artisans and native doctors. The native doctors were called «Vedana» and they were specialized in various fields viz: gynaecologists, veterinary surgeons, general physicians, etc. King Pandukabhaya, King Buddhadasa and King Parakramabahu I are some of famous native doctors in the ancient past. Their work and treatment methods are well-known and worth reviewing in our article. Besides, its contrast is shown to modern treatment techniques and what differences between them consist in. In particular, we see a difference of treatment and prevention approaches. Previously, natural substances were used as healing items; no drugs were engaged at all. From the British colonisation moment, European techniques were brought to improve the Sri Lankan medicine. Also, not only the past health economy evolution is discussed in the article. It is the specialized modern institutions that are focused on. Especially, what are the most relevant hospitals in Sri Lanka, how they are subdivided, what diseases they recover from, how medical aid is provided to specific age or occupation categories. The issue of state and private medical institutions is described as well: what advantages and disadvantages exist for them. Finally, the conclusion is made whether the Sri Lankan health economy system is reliable and resilient in the modern world.
Obtaining Consumer Information for the Purchase of Over-The-Counter Medicines and Food Supplements from Hungarian-Speaking Adult Consumers in Slovakia
Authors: Szigeti Szilard , Jozsa Laszlo
Published: April 2023

The present study focuses on the role of online (Internet) ordering, information seeking, and the importance of the information provided by health professionals connected with the purchase of over-the-counter medicines and food supplements. Our primary survey was conducted in April-May 2022 and received 216 answers from Hungarian-speaking consumers in Slovakia that could be analysed. The data collected through the questionnaire was examined using statistical analysis and calculations. The data were organised in a single Excel file to facilitate our analysis and were processed using IBM SPSS Statistics 23 software for statistical tests – descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation analysis, Khi-square tests (variables were in nominal and ordinal measurement level). Results were considered significant at a p-value<0.05 and a p-value<0.001. Results and discussion: As to obtaining information, its receiving in person at the pharmacy is essential for consumers. When buying OTC medicines and dietary supplements, personal contact with a person working in a pharmacy is important. Consumers who want to receive information about the use of OTC medicines/supplements regard it essential to receive this information in person at the pharmacy. However, consumers who desire to purchase over-the-counter medicine/dietary supplements outside the pharmacy do not consider it important to obtain this information in person at the pharmacy. There is no association between monthly net income and highest educational attainment and the use of over-the-counter medicine based on information obtained from an advertising campaign. The results show no relationship between the education, income, age group of Hungarian-speaking consumers in Slovakia and the use of OTC medicines based on information from advertising campaigns. Only one relationship was found between the age group of the Hungarian-speaking Slovakian consumer and the use of non-prescription medicines based on information from advertising campaigns. Conclusions: The results pointed out that although online OTC medicine purchases have gained ground, personal professional advice is important for the group of customers who buy products in person at the pharmacy. It is advisable for companies producing OTC preparations to focus both on consumers who prefer online ordering and those who prefer personal shopping. What is much more important is that the pharmacy staff is still an essential source of information, and they also help with self-diagnosis. From the sales perspective, it is important to maintain online trade as consumers demand it.
Low spring temperature may negatively influence olive yield
Authors: Dias Camila Schwartz , Sibillotte Mercedes Arias- , Tiscornia Guadalupe , Severino Vivian , Pasa Mateus , Herter Flávio Gilberto , Farias Paulo Mello- , Innamorato Paula Conde-
Published: April 2023

The olive tree (Olea europaea L.), a species adapted to the Mediterranean climate, has expanded into new climatic regions. Uruguay has a humid temperate climate and highly irregular climatic conditions among years. Environmental factors can be an obstacle to full production, as they affect pollination and fruit set. In this research, the phenology of five olive cultivars (Arbequina, Arbosana, Manzanilla, Picual and Koroneiki) widely cultivated in Uruguay was studied, using the BBCH phenological scale. The pollen grains of five cultivars were submitted to in vitro germination and incubated at temperatures of 0°, 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, 30° and 40°C for 24 hours, and pollen grains germination and pollen tube length were evaluated. These temperatures were analyzed for the occurrence probability. They were based on the historical series analysis of hourly average temperature data, from September 26 to November 15 (flowering period), for the years of 1998 to 2019. Phenology results show that flowering can occur from day 268 to day 320 of the year, with cultivar 'Manzanilla' being the earliest and 'Arbosana' the latest. It was observed that the temperature of 10°C has no effect on pollen grain germination and on pollen tube growth. Moreover, the temperatures of 15 to 20°C are not very effective and the optimal temperature occurs between 25 and 30°C. In Uruguay, during flowering, temperatures between 10 and 20°C are more likely to occur. These results indicate possible causes that affect fruit set and productivity of olive trees in the field
Vinasse for sugarcane crop nutrition: accumulation and efficiency in the use of nutrients
Authors: Pino Amabelia del , Casanova Omar , Hernández Jorge , Takata Virginia , Panissa Germán
Published: April 2023

The use of agro-industrial by-products such as biofertilizers hinders polluting discharges and allows savings commercial fertilizers. The application of vinasse (a by-product of ethanol manufacture) in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) production was evaluated in two soils of Uruguay (L1 and LB2). In a first ratoon crop, 150 and 300 m3 ha-1 of vinasse were applied (V150 and V300) and compared with the application of fertilizer (F) and a Control (C) with no application. Then, production and the plant’s N, P, K, Ca and Mg contents were determined. Vinasse and fertilizer applications increased sugarcane growth, as compared to C. However, there were no differences between vinasse dosses. The L1 fertilization treatment produced higher stem yield than vinasse application, whereas LB2 caused no differences. The application of vinasse at LB2 and L1 increased K uptake, exceeding the control, by 151 and 133 kg ha-1 of K, respectively, indicating that it could substitute fertilizer, while supplemental nitrogen fertilization would be required for maximum yield. The low use-efficiency of potassium (K) in vinasse treatments suggests that there was excessive consumption. Although vinasse increased soil exchangeable K, its residual effect would be insufficient for the second ratoon harvest, requiring annual applications
Bu Sabura Ã© un DisgraÃ§a
Authors: Tavares Norberto
Published: April 2023

Audio example of traditional coladeira. Features Cape Verdean

American musician Norberto Tavares playing his coladeira â€œBu Sabura

Ã© un DisgraÃ§a.â€ Field recording by the author, Feb. 19, 1990.
Magariro (Tradition)
Authors: Mapfumo Thomas
Published: April 2023

â€œMagariro,â€ [DVD track 3], is an mbira-centered song created by the band, and featuring Thomasâ€™s lyrics asking a man what he is leaving to his children now that he has lost his culture: â€œYou said appeasing the spirits was for rural folk.
Recording in the lost valley
Authors: Tracey Hugh
Published: April 2023

Collecting the music of the Valley Tonga Tribe in the Gwembe district, of the Zambesi Valley, 21st to 30th June, 1957.
RECENTES AVANÇOS NA ADIÇÃO ELETROFÍLICA DE ORGANOCALCOGÊNIOS A ALQUENOS
Authors: Gomes Luana , Nascimento Vanessa
Published: April 2023

RECENT ADVANCES IN THE ELECTROPHILIC ADDITION OF CHALCOGEN ATOMS TO ALKENES. Organochalcogen compounds (containing S, Se and Te) are interesting from biological point of view, but also in their use as intermediates in obtaining complex molecules or even for exploring their properties. In this way, chalcogen electrophiles are very powerful reactants and can be added to alkenes to form a three-membered intermediate called chalcogeniranium ion. This specie reacts with different nucleophiles to undergo a series of molecules containing chalcogens with interesting properties. The addition of electrophiles from chalcogens to alkenes is one of the oldest reactions in the field of the chemistry of these compounds and because of this many modifications have already been explored. Among them, methodologies that make use of transition metals to the most recent ones exploring aspects of Green Chemistry. This review starts with an overview of the background involved in electrophilic addition reactions of organochalcogenic compounds in alkenes and then, describes the recent methodologies leading to the synthesis of useful molecules and hoping that it will be beneficial to provoke further research and reflection in this field.