bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A retrospective study of individualized endovascular treatment for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis in patients with ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack
Authors: Mao Lun-Lin , Ma Ai-Jin , Liu Zhi-Qing , Zhang Jin , Xu Yuan-Feng , Chen Wen-Ya , Cao Yong-Jun
Published: November 2022

Background

Endovascular treatment (EVT) is one of the effective treatment procedure for the symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (sICAS).

Aim and methods

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of individualized endovascular treatment for sICAS patients. Clinical and imaging follow-ups were carried out to collect the data of 29 sICAS patients after 6 months of individualized endovascular treatment. Different treatment strategies are selected based on arterial access and lesion morphology of patients. If standard surgical path, narrow artery straight, stenosis length ≤10 mm, then the appropriate specifications of balloon-mounted stent (BMS) treatment. the surgical path is tortuous, the narrow artery is curved, the angle is apparent, the diameter of the near and far ends is significantly different, or the length of the stenosis is >10 mm, self-expanding stent (SES) with appropriate specifications is selected for treatment. If the narrowed artery is hyper flexed and the surgeon deems stenting inappropriate, balloon dilation angioplasty (BDA) treatment is chosen.

Results and conclusion

31 lesions of 29 sICAS patients received endovascular treatment. The median age was 61 years (IQR 54–69 years). The median preoperative stenosis was 90% (IQR 80–95%), and the mean stenosis length was (8.10 ± 3.27) mm. The most commonly used surgical procedure was Balloon-Mounted Stent (BMS) in 19 cases (65.52%), Self-expanding Stent (SES) in seven cases (24.14%), Balloon Dilation Angioplasty (BDA) in three cases (10.34%). (11.86 + 1.46 mm) was greater than that in the BMS group (6.14 + 1.59 mm) (P < 0.001). The median stenosis was 90% (IQR 80–92.5%) in the BMS group, lower than 99% (IQR 95–100%) in the SES group (P < 0.001). The median post-operative residual stenosis was 20% (IQR 15–25%), significantly improved compared with preoperative (P < 0.001). The success rate of the surgical technique was 93.10% (27/29). One patient (3.45%) had IS recurrence within 48 h after surgery, and the restenosis rate within 6 months after surgery was 6.90% (2/29). No patient died or had recurrent IS. Our data demonstrated that individualized endovascular treatment method could be potentially significant and safe for sICAS patients. This study will provide an important reference for the endovascular treatment of sICAD.
Cystatin B deficiency results in sustained histone H3 tail cleavage in postnatal mouse brain mediated by increased chromatin-associated cathepsin L activity
Authors: Daura Eduard , Tegelberg Saara , Hakala Paula , Lehesjoki Anna-Elina , Joensuu Tarja
Published: November 2022

Cystatin B (CSTB) is a cysteine cathepsin inhibitor whose biallelic loss-of-function mutations in human result in defects in brain development and in neurodegeneration. The physiological function of CSTB is largely unknown, and the mechanisms underlying the human brain diseases remain poorly understood. We previously showed that CSTB modulates the proteolysis of the N-terminal tail of histone H3 (H3cs1) during in vitro neurogenesis. Here we investigated the significance of this mechanism in postnatal mouse brain. Spatiotemporal analysis of H3cs1 intensity showed that while H3cs1 in wild-type (wt) mice was found at varying levels during the first postnatal month, it was virtually absent in adult brain. We further showed that the high level of H3cs1 coincides with chromatin association of de novo synthesized cathepsin L suggesting a role for nuclear cathepsin L in brain development and maturation. On the contrary, the brains of Cstb–/– mice showed sustained H3cs1 proteolysis to adulthood with increased chromatin-associated cathepsin L activity, implying that CSTB regulates chromatin-associated cathepsin L activity in the postnatal mouse brain. As H3 tail proteolysis has been linked to cellular senescence in vitro, we explored the presence of several cellular senescence markers in the maturing Cstb–/– cerebellum, where we see increased levels of H3cs1. While several markers showed alterations in Cstb–/– mice, the results remained inconclusive regarding the association of deficient CSTB function with H3cs1-induced senescence. Together, we identify a molecular role for CSTB in brain with implications for brain development and disease.
Dietary protein score and carbohydrate quality index with the risk of chronic kidney disease: Findings from a prospective cohort study
Authors: Teymoori Farshad , Farhadnejad Hossein , Jahromi Mitra Kazemi , Vafa Mohammadreza , Ahmadirad Hamid , Mirmiran Parvin , Azizi Fereidoun
Published: November 2022

Background/Aim

This study aimed to examine the associations between dietary protein score and carbohydrate quality index (CQI) and the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Iranian adults.

Methods

This population-based cohort study was performed within the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study framework on 6,044 subjects aged ≥18 years old, who were followed up for a mean of 7.7 years. Dietary protein score and CQI were determined using a food frequency questionnaire. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min/1.73 m2. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to estimate the risk of CKD across tertiles of protein score and CQI.

Results

The mean (standard deviation) of age and body mass index of participants were 37.9 (12.8) years and 26.8 (4.7) kg/m2, respectively. During the 7.7 ± 2.7 years of follow-up, 1,216 cases (20.1%) of CKD were ascertained. In the final adjusted model, individuals in the highest tertile of protein score had decreased risk of CKD (HR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.74–0.98, Ptrend = 0.033). Also, there is a significant association between total carbohydrate score (HR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.73–0.99, Ptrend = 0.016), the ratio of whole grain/total grains (HR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.70–0.94, Ptrend = 0.004), and glycemic index (HR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.12–1.51, Ptrend < 0.001) and risk of CKD. However, no significant association was found between total protein intakes, plant-to-animal ratio, and solid carbohydrate/total carbohydrate with the risk of CKD.

Conclusion

Our results revealed a diet with a high protein score and high quality of carbohydrates, characterized by higher intakes of plant proteins, low glycaemic index (GI) carbohydrates, whole grain, fibers, and lower intakes of animal proteins, can be related to reduced CKD risk.
Machine learning prediction of dual and dose-response effects of flavone carbon and oxygen glycosides on acrylamide formation
Authors: Wang Laizhao , Zhang Fan , Wang Jun , Wang Qiao , Chen Xinyu , Cheng Jun , Zhang Yu
Published: November 2022

Introduction

The extensive occurrence of acrylamide in heat processing foods has continuously raised a potential health risk for the public in the recent 20 years. Machine learning emerging as a robust computational tool has been highlighted for predicting the generation and control of processing contaminants.

Methods

We used the least squares support vector regression (LS-SVR) as a machine learning approach to investigate the effects of flavone carbon and oxygen glycosides on acrylamide formation under a low moisture condition. Acrylamide was prepared through oven heating via a potato-based model with equimolar doses of asparagine and reducing sugars.

Results

Both inhibition and promotion effects were observed when the addition levels of flavonoids ranged 1–10,000 μmol/L. The formation of acrylamide could be effectively mitigated (37.6%–55.7%) when each kind of flavone carbon or oxygen glycoside (100 μmol/L) was added. The correlations between acrylamide content and trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) within inhibitory range (R2 = 0.85) had an advantage over that within promotion range (R2 = 0.87) through multiple linear regression.

Discussion

Taking ΔTEAC as a variable, a LS-SVR model was optimized as a predictive tool to estimate acrylamide content (R2inhibition = 0.87 and R2promotion = 0.91), which is pertinent for predicting the formation and elimination of acrylamide in the presence of exogenous antioxidants including flavonoids.
The health system and access to treatment in patients with cervical cancer in Mexico
Authors: Arango-Bravo Eder A. , Cetina-Pérez Lucely del Carmen , Galicia-Carmona Tatiana , Castro-Eguiluz Denisse , Gallardo-Rincón Dolores , Cruz-Bautista Ivette , Duenas-Gonzalez Alfonso
Published: November 2022

Cervical cancer (CC) is tightly related to a low Human Development Index. Mexico is an upper-middle-income country with 126 million inhabitants, and its public health system aims to provide universal health coverage. Currently, employment-based social insurance covers approximately 60% of the population, and the scope of the remaining 40% is on course via the “IMSS-Bienestar” Institute. However, the annual government spending on health remains at 3% of the Gross Domestic Product, which is well below the 6% recommended by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. CC is the second in incidence and mortality among women. Regarding primary prevention with the Human Papilloma Virus-vaccine, the current coverage for girls aged 9 to 14 years is only around 7%. Among secondary prevention with screening, the program is yet to cover the total number of women at risk; nevertheless, the age-standardized CC mortality rate has decreased from 12 per 100,000 women in 1979 to 5.7 per 100,000 women in 2020 due in part to increased screening coverage. Still, around two-thirds of patients present with locally advanced disease at diagnosis. Data from our country demonstrate that even socially disadvantaged CC patients achieve “standard” survival outcomes if treatment is granted. Nevertheless, there is a shortage in almost every aspect regarding CC treatment, including oncologists, chemotherapy units, medical physicists, radiation technicians, and both teletherapy and brachytherapy facilities. In conclusion, advances in the public health system in Mexico are urgently required to achieve CC control and reduce the mortality from this neoplasia that mainly targets socially disadvantaged women.
Gastrectomy for cancer beyond life expectancy. A comprehensive analysis of oncological gastric surgery in Germany between 2008 and 2018
Authors: Berlet Maximilian , Weber Marie-Christin , Neumann Philipp-Alexander , Friess Helmut , Reim Daniel
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Major gastric surgery for distal esophageal and gastric cancer has a strong impact on the quality of life, morbidity, and mortality. Especially in elderly patients reaching their life expectancy, the responsible use and extent of gastrectomy are imperative to achieve a balance between harm and benefit. In the present study, the reimbursement database (German Diagnosis Related Groups (G-DRG) database) of the Statistical Office of the Federal Republic of Germany was queried to evaluate the morbidity and mortality of patients aged above or below 75 years following gastrectomy.

Material and methods

All patients in Germany undergoing subtotal gastrectomy (ST), total gastrectomy (T), or gastrectomy combined with esophagectomy (TE) for gastric or distal esophageal cancer (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems Version 10 (ICD-10) C15.2, C15.5, and C16.0–C16.9) between 2008 and 2018 were included. Intraoperative and postoperative complications as well as comorbidities, in-hospital mortality, and the extent of surgery were assessed by evaluating ICD-10 and operation and procedure key (Operationen- und Prozedurenschlüssel) codes.

Results

A total of 67,389 patients underwent oncologic gastric resection in Germany between 2008 and 2018. In total, 21,794 patients received ST, 41,825 received T, and 3,466 received TE, respectively. In 304 cases, the combinations of these, in fact, mutually exclusive procedures were encoded. The proportion of patients aged 75 years or older was 51.4% (n = 11,207) for ST, 32.6% (n = 13,617) for T, and 28.1% (n = 973) for TE. The in-hospital mortality of elderly patients was significantly increased in all three groups. (p < 0.0001) General complications such as respiratory failure (p = 0.0054), acute renal failure (p < 0.0001), acute myocardial failure (p < 0.0001), and the need for resuscitation (ST/T: p < 0.0001/TE: p = 0.0218) were significantly increased after any kind of gastrectomy. Roux-en Y was the most commonly applied reconstruction technique in both young and elderly patients. Regarding lymphadenectomy, systematic D2 dissection was performed less frequently in older patients than in the younger collective in the case of ST and T as well as D3 dissection. Peritonectomy and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy were uncommon in elderly patients alongside ST and T compared to younger patients (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

The clinical outcome of major oncological gastric surgery is highly dependent on a patient’s age. The elderly show a tremendously increased likelihood of in-hospital mortality and morbidity.
Side-firing intraoperative ultrasound applied to resection of pituitary macroadenomas and giant adenomas: A single-center retrospective case-control study
Authors: Baker Katherine E. , Robbins Austin C. , Wasson Robert G. , McCandless Martin G. , Lirette Seth T. , Kimball Rebekah J. , Washington Chad W. , Luzardo Gustavo D. , Stringer Scott P. , Zachariah Marcus A.
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Multiple intraoperative navigation and imaging modalities are currently available as an adjunct to endoscopic transsphenoidal resection of pituitary adenomas, including intraoperative CT and MRI, fluorescence guidance, and neuronavigation. However, these imaging techniques have several limitations, including intraoperative tissue shift, lack of availability in some centers, and the increased cost and time associated with their use. The side-firing intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) probe is a relatively new technology in endoscopic endonasal surgery that may help overcome these obstacles.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed on patients admitted for resection of pituitary adenomas by a single surgeon at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The control (non-ultrasound) group consisted of twelve (n=12) patients who received surgery without IOUS guidance, and the IOUS group was composed of fifteen (n=15) patients who underwent IOUS-guided surgery. Outcome measures used to assess the side-firing IOUS were the extent of tumor resection, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay (LOS) in days, operative time, and self-reported surgeon confidence in estimating the extent of resection intraoperatively.

Results

Preoperative data analysis showed no significant differences in patient demographics or presenting symptoms between the two groups. Postoperative data revealed no significant difference in the rate of gross total resection between the groups (p = 0.716). Compared to the non-US group, surgeon confidence was significantly higher (p < 0.001), and operative time was significantly lower for the US group in univariate analysis (p = 0.011). Multivariate analysis accounting for tumor size, surgeon confidence, and operative time confirmed these findings. Interestingly, we noted a trend for a lower incidence of postoperative diabetes insipidus in the US group, although this did not quite reach our threshold for statistical significance.

Conclusion

Incorporating IOUS as an aid for endonasal resection of pituitary adenomas provides real-time image guidance that increases surgeon confidence in intraoperative assessment of the extent of resection and decreases operative time without posing additional risk to the patient. Additionally, we identified a trend for reduced diabetes insipidus with IOUS.
Can urine studies be replaced by serum free light chains measurements to assign responses in multiple myeloma patients?
Authors: Cárdenas Maria Cruz , Iñigo Belén , Ortega Isabel , Palomar Maria Angeles , Menéndez Marina , Plaza Paula , Martínez-Novillo Mercedes , Benavente Celina
Published: November 2022

Serum and urine protein electrophoresis and immunofixation are the preferred techniques for monitoring monoclonal proteins and evaluating treatment response in multiple myeloma (MM) patients with measurable disease. However, urine studies are subjected to limitations that may lead to inaccuracies or prevent guidelines compliance. We retrospectively studied if the substitution of urine studies by measuring serum free light chains (sFLCs) results in a comparable disease monitoring, both in intact immunoglobulin (II) and light chain (LC) MM patients. In our cohort, equal or higher percentages of disease were identified by sFLCs at baseline and maximum response as compared to urine studies. Achieving very good partial response or better (≥VGPR) according to the response criteria proposed by the French group (evaluating sFLCs instead of urine) and the IMWG response criteria were associated to a 62% and 63% reduced risk of progression, respectively. A similar prognostic value for reaching ≥VGPR was also observed among LCMM patients when the French group and the IMWG response criteria were applied. Overall, these results support the replacement of urine studies by the sFLCs assay in IIMM. In LCMM, sFLCs could be used for monitoring and urine studies could be performed only to confirm complete remissions and progressions.
Wind-optimal lateral trajectories for a multirotor aircraft in urban air mobility
Authors: Pradeep Priyank , Chatterji Gano B. , Lauderdale Todd A. , Sheth Kapil , Lai Chok Fung , Erzberger Heinz , Sridhar Banavar
Published: November 2022

The primary motivation for this paper is to quantify the operational benefits (energy consumption and flight duration) of flying wind-optimal lateral trajectories for short flights (less than 60 miles) anticipated in the urban environment. The optimal control model presented includes a wind model for quantifying the effect of wind on the lateral trajectory. The optimal control problem is numerically solved using the direct collocation method. Energy consumption and flight duration flying wind-optimal lateral trajectories are compared with corresponding values obtained flying great-circle paths between the same origin and destination pairs to determine the operational benefits of wind-optimal routing for short flights. The flight duration results for different scenarios are validated using a simulation tool designed and developed at NASA for exploring advanced air traffic management concepts. This research study suggests that for short flights in an urban environment, operational benefits of the wind-optimal lateral trajectories over the corresponding great-circle trajectories in terms of energy consumption and flight duration per flight are dependent on: i) wind field’s spatial variability, ii) wind magnitude, iii) the direction of route relative to the wind field, and iv) cruise segment length. The operational benefits observed in realistic flyable wind scenarios are less than 2.5%; these could be translated to an equivalent of a maximum of 2 min of cruise flight duration savings in the urban air mobility environment. As expected, headwinds and tailwinds along the flight route most significantly impact energy consumption and flight duration.
Factors influencing the mental health of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Kouther Dania A. , Shakir Murug O. , Alhumaidah Reem A. , Jamaluddin Huda A. , Jaha Afnan Y. , Alshumrani Mesbah J. , Hakami Alqassem Y.
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Caregivers of children with cerebral palsy have a huge burden which might affect their mental health. This study aimed to determine the different factors affecting the mental health of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy and to raise awareness among healthcare providers.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in National Guard Health Affairs-Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, which is a validated questionnaire that assesses: depression, anxiety, and stress. This questionnaire was used to assess the mental health of the caregivers. In addition, factors that reflected the child's health condition, such as visual impairment, number of emergency department visits, and number of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit admissions were also reported to investigate the impact on the caregiver's mental health.

Results

The study sample consisted of 40 caregivers, of which 72.5% were mothers. According to the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 score, 12.5% (n = 5) of the caregivers had moderate depression scores, 10% (n = 4) revealed extremely severe depression, and 10% (n = 4) showed moderate anxiety. Furthermore, 12.5% (n = 5), 15% (n = 6), and 7.5% (n = 3) of the caregivers have scored as moderate, severe, and extremely severe stress levels, respectively. Caregivers’ depression, anxiety, and stress scores were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) associated with the impact of vision of their dependent children, frequent hospital admissions, and frequent emergency department visits. Increased Pediatric Intensive Care Unit admissions in the past year were also significantly associated with higher caregiver anxiety scores.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, the dimension of caregivers’ stress and anxiety and their association with the children's dependency level is not well documented in our region. Caregivers of children with cerebral palsy reported having mental health challenges associated with the children's visual impairment, frequent need for acute medical care, and hospital admissions. Healthcare workers should provide early and proactive planning of medical and social support for children with cerebral palsy and their families using a family-centered approach.
Fast and slow optical rogue waves in the fiber laser
Authors: Kbashi Hani J. , Kolpakov S. A. , Sergeyev Sergey V.
Published: November 2022

We reported an experimental study on fast and slow temporal scaling of rogue waves’ emergence in a long (615 m) ring cavity erbium-doped fiber laser. The criterion for distinguishing between the fast and slow rogue waves is a comparison of the event lifetime with the system’s main characteristic time estimated from the decay of an autocorrelation function (AF). Thus, compared with the AF characteristic time, fast optical rogue wave (FORW) events have lifetime duration shorter than the AF decay time, and they appeared due to the mechanism of the pulse-to-pulse interaction and nonlinear pulse dynamics. In contrast, a slow optical rogue wave (SORW) has lifetime duration much longer than the decay time of the AF, which results from the hopping between different attractors. Switching between regimes can be managed by adjusting the in-cavity birefringence.
Cognitive factors that predict on-sight and red-point performance in sport climbing at youth level
Authors: Vasile Antonia Ioana , Stănescu Monica , Pelin Florin , Bejan Roxana
Published: November 2022

Introduction

The ascent of a route can be defined as being climbed on-sight or red-point. Climbing performance is measured by the grade of the personal best route that the athlete has ever climbed.

Methodology

The study examined 17 youth climbers (10 male and 7 female). The inclusion criteria were age (less than 20 years), a minimum of three sessions per week, a minimum 7a climbing grade and participation in national or international competitions. We used the Cognitrom battery and applied tests measuring spatial orientation and reactivity.

Results

Climbing experience explained 42.7% of the variance of on-sight performance, and 49.5% of the variance of red-point performance. Image generation has a negative on both on-sight and red-point performance, lowering the prediction with 0.5% for on-sight climbing and with 1.5% for red-point climbing.

Discussion

Experience can predict climbing performance with a better prediction for red-point performance than on-sight with almost 7%. A high level of image generation ability can lead to viewing more approaches for passing the crux, but in a moment of physical and mental breakdown, can lead to failure. Red-pointing is less demanding than on-sight from physiological and psychologycal points of view. On-sight climbing requires greater levels of cognitive skills, such as route intepretation strategies, spatial orientation, motric memory, problem-solving skills, but also greater levels of psychological skills such as stress management, risk management, coping anxiety.
Art in an age of artificial intelligence
Authors: Chatterjee Anjan
Published: November 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) will affect almost every aspect of our lives and replace many of our jobs. On one view, machines are well suited to take over automated tasks and humans would remain important to creative endeavors. In this essay, I examine this view critically and consider the possibility that AI will play a significant role in a quintessential creative activity, the appreciation and production of visual art. This possibility is likely even though attributes typically important to viewers–the agency of the artist, the uniqueness of the art and its purpose might not be relevant to AI art. Additionally, despite the fact that art at its most powerful communicates abstract ideas and nuanced emotions, I argue that AI need not understand ideas or experience emotions to produce meaningful and evocative art. AI is and will increasingly be a powerful tool for artists. The continuing development of aesthetically sensitive machines will challenge our notions of beauty, creativity, and the nature of art.
Preservice teachers’ teaching internship affects professional identity: Self-efficacy and learning engagement as mediators
Authors: Cai Zhiling , Zhu Jinxing , Tian Saiqi
Published: November 2022

Preservice teachers’ professional identity is a critical factor in their motivation, effectiveness, and retention. Teaching internship can promote the transformation of professional identity and self-efficacy of preservice teachers. The internship environment also enhances students’ increasing level of learning engagement. Although much research has shown strong relationship between preservice teachers’ teaching internship and professional identity, less is known about how self-efficacy and learning engagement mediated those variables. The purpose of this study is to investigate the roles that self-efficacy and learning engagement play in the relationship between preservice teachers’ professional identities and their teaching internship experiences. The study involved 309 preservice teachers in total, and the variables were measured using questionnaires. For the data analysis, we used structural equation modeling. The study’s findings are as follows. (a) Teaching internship, professional identity, self-efficacy, and learning engagement were all significantly correlated with one another. (b) Both self-efficacy and learning engagement partially mediated the relationship between teaching internship and professional identity in a parallel manner. (c) Self-efficacy and learning engagement also sequentially mediated the relationship between teaching internship and professional identity.
Responsible gambling through a motivational telephone intervention to high-risk gamblers – An evaluation of user satisfaction and subjective intervention effects
Authors: Håkansson Anders , Franklin Katja , Dahlström Maria , Lyckberg Axel
Published: November 2022

Background and aims

Problem gambling causes major social and psychiatric consequences, and there is need to develop feasible harm-reducing or therapeutic interventions. It has been suggested that gambling operators with responsible gambling intentions can intervene in order to identify and help reduce the harm in problem gamblers. However, user satisfaction, and the risk of negative reactions and gamblers’ transfer to other operators, rarely have been explored scientifically.

Methods

This is a retrospective survey study of gamblers reached by a motivational, telephone intervention by the Swedish state-owned gambling operator (Svenska Spel), addressing gamblers with indicators of high-risk gambling practices (n = 197). Surveys were answered approximately 10 days after the intervention.

Results

Thirty-seven percent perceived their gambling to have decreased due to the intervention, whereas 7% perceived their gambling instead had increased. A large majority (80%) reported a subjective favorable experience from the intervention. Forty percent reported gambling on other operators than Svenska Spel after the intervention, but only 7% gambled on a new operator following the intervention.

Conclusion

Survey data in gamblers reached with a motivational telephone intervention present mainly promising findings, and should be replicated in future studies in larger samples. The main findings display an overwhelmingly favorable subjective experience, and a limited risk of gamblers migrating to other operators.
Therapeutic targets and signaling mechanisms of dasatinib activity against radiation skin ulcer
Authors: Su Wenxing , Chen Xuelian , Zhang Wen , Li Dazhuang , Chen Xiaoming , Yu Daojiang
Published: November 2022

Objective

To reveal the potential targets and signaling pathways of dasatinib in the treatment of radiation ulcers through network pharmacology and molecular docking technology.

Methods

Pathological targets of radiation ulcers were screened using GeneCards database. At the same time, the pharmacological targets of dasatinib were obtained through SwissTargetPrediction (STP), Binding DB and Drugbank databases. Subsequently, the potential targets of dasatinib for anti-radiation ulcers were obtained after intersection by Venn diagram. Next, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed through the STRING database and core targets were screened. Finally, the identified core targets were subjected to GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, co-expression network analysis, and molecular docking technology to verify the reliability of the core targets.

Results

A total of 76 potential targets for anti-radiation ulcer with dasatinib were obtained, and 6 core targets were screened, including EGFR, ERBB2, FYN, JAK2, KIT, and SRC. These genes were mainly enriched in Adherens junction, EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance, Focal adhesion, Bladder cancer and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Molecular docking results showed that dasatinib binds well to the core target.

Conclusion

Dasatinib may play a role in the treatment of radiation ulcers by regulating EGFR, ERBB2, FYN, JAK2, KIT, and SRC. These core targets may provide new insights for follow-up studies of radiation ulcers.
Effects of sanitation and hygiene perceptions on international travelers' health, travel plans and trip experiences in India
Authors: Chandra Rishita , Supehia Sakshi , Nath Bhola , Chhetri Charu , Kumari Ranjeeta , Joshi Kumari Damayanti , Sharma Roshan , Chaudary Jatin , Joshi Kishor , Bhatta Ramesh , Bhatt Chhavi R.
Published: November 2022

Background

International travelers often experience travelers' diarrhea. However, there is paucity of data on whether self-reported gastrointestinal symptoms influence travelers' perceptions of adequacy of sanitation and hygiene services encountered during travel, and to what degree their travel plans, and overall trip experience are impacted.

Methods

A cross-sectional face-to-face survey was conducted amongst international travelers in India. Data collected included socio-demographics, travel characteristics, self-reported occurrence and frequency/severity of gastrointestinal symptoms, perceptions of sanitation and hygiene encountered, and adverse effects of symptoms on travel plans and trip experiences. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were performed to describe differences and associations between categorical variables.

Results

Of the 300 international travelers surveyed, 46.3% experienced diarrhea. At least two thirds of travelers perceived the quality of sanitation (67.0%) and hygiene (70.0%) encountered to be inadequate. Perceptions of inadequate sanitation (adjusted OR = 3.0; 95% CI 1.7–5.5) and poor hygiene (adjusted OR = 7.7; 95% CI 4.1–15.5) were higher among travelers who experienced diarrhea. Additionally, both higher likelihood of travel plans being affected (adjusted OR = 10.7; 95% CI 5.1–23.6) and adverse impacts on overall trip experience (adjusted OR = 2.8; 95% CI 1.4–5.8) were reported among those who experienced diarrhea.

Conclusions

More than two thirds of travelers surveyed in India experienced inadequate sanitation and hygiene services, with perceptions influenced by occurrence and frequency of diarrhea. Self-reported diarrhea was also associated with adverse effects on travel plans and overall trip experience. While these results may seem intuitive, they have important implications and suggest that improving sanitation and hygiene standards in India could potentially enhance tourism.
Trend of metabolic risk factors among the population aged 25–64 years for non-communicable diseases over time in Vietnam: A time series analysis using national STEPs survey data
Authors: Vu Lan Thi Hoang , Bui Quyen Thi Tu , Khuong Long Quynh , Tran Bao Quoc , Lai Truong Duc , Hoang Minh Van
Published: November 2022

Introduction

The study aims to examine the trends of 4 metabolic NCDs risk factors including raised blood pressure, increased blood glucose, elevated blood lipids and overweight/obesity over the last 10 years in Vietnam as well as examine these trends among different sub-population by geographical area, gender, and age groups.

Methods

The study combined the national representative data from three rounds of STEPs survey in Vietnam conducted in 2010, 2015, and 2020 on people aged 25–64 years. The overall prevalence of each metabolic factor together with 95% CI for each time point as well as the stratified prevalence by rural/urban, male/female, and 4 separated age groups were calculated and considered the sampling weight. Cochran–Armitage test for trend was used to test for the differences in the prevalence over time.

Results

The prevalence of hypertension, overweight/obesity, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia among the population aged 25–64 years old was 28.3, 20.57, 6.96, and 15.63%, respectively in the year 2020. All NCD metabolic risk factors examined in this analysis show significantly increasing trends over time. For most age groups, the increasing burden of NCD metabolic risk factors was more significant during the period 2015–2020 compared to the period 2010–2015. Male population and population aged 55–64 experienced the most dramatic changes in the burden of all NCD metabolic risk factors.

Conclusion

To reverse the increasing trend of NCD metabolic factors in Vietnam, intervention, and policy need to apply a comprehensive life course approach.
Factors related to self-rated health of older adults in rural China: A study based on decision tree and logistic regression model
Authors: Zhang Min , Rong Jian , Liu Song , Zhang Beibei , Zhao Yaodong , Wang Haibo , Ding Hong
Published: November 2022

Objective

This study aimed to explore the related factors of self-rated health (SRH) by using decision tree and logistic regression models among older adults in rural China.

Methods

Convenience sampling was employed with 1,223 enrolled respondents who met the inclusion criteria from 10 randomly selected villages in M County in China. The content of the questionnaire covered demographic characteristics, physical and mental health, sleep status, and risk of falling. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Morse Falls Risk Scale (MFS) were used to evaluate sleep status and risk of falling, respectively. The decision tree and logistic regression models were employed to analyze the related factors of SRH.

Results

Notably, 817 (68.7%) subjects had good SRH. The logistic regression model showed that living standard, alcohol consumption, sleep quality, labor, hospitalization, discomfort, the number of chronic diseases, and mental health were associated with SRH (P-value < 0.05), while the decision tree model showed that the number of chronic diseases, sleep quality, mental health, hospitalization, gender, and drinking were associated with SRH. The sensitivity and specificity of the logistic regression model were 67.7 and 75.5%, respectively, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.789 (0.763, 0.816); the sensitivity and specificity of the decision tree model were 71.5, and 61.4% respectively, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.733 (0.703, 0.763).

Conclusion

Decision tree and logistic regression models complement each other and can describe the factors related to the SRH of the elderly in rural China from different aspects. Our findings indicated that mental health, hospitalization, drinking, and sleep quality were the important associated factors.
Clear, easy, plain, and simple as keywords for text simplification
Authors: Vecchiato Sara
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we distinguish between four interconnected notions that recur in the literature on text simplification:clarity, easiness, plainness, andsimplicity. Whileplain languageandeasy languagehave both been the subject of standardization efforts, there are few attempts to definetext clarityandtext simplicity. Indeed, in the definition ofplain language, clarityhas been favored at the expense ofsimplicitybut is employed as a self-evident notion. Meanwhile,text simplicitysuffers from a negative connotation and is more likely to be defined by its antonym,text complexity. In our analysis, we examine the current definitions ofplain languageandeasy languageand discuss common definitions oftext clarityandtext complexity. We propose a model oftext simplificationthat can clarify the transition from specialized texts to plain language texts, and easy language texts. It is our contention that text simplification should be placed in a more general framework ofdiscursive ergonomics.
Use of AI to assess COVID-19 variant impacts on hospitalization, ICU, and death
Authors: Hilal Waleed , Chislett Michael G. , Snider Brett , McBean Edward A. , Yawney John , Gadsden S. Andrew
Published: November 2022

The rapid spread of COVID-19 and its variants have devastated communities worldwide, and as the highly transmissible Omicron variant becomes the dominant strain of the virus in late 2021, the need to characterize and understand the difference between the new variant and its predecessors has been an increasing priority for public health authorities. Artificial Intelligence has played a significant role in the analysis of various facets of COVID-19 since the early stages of the pandemic. This study proposes the use of AI, specifically an XGBoost model, to quantify the impact of various medical risk factors (or “population features”) on the possibility of a patient outcome resulting in hospitalization, ICU admission, or death. The results are compared between the Delta and Omicron COVID-19 variants. Results indicated that older age and an unvaccinated patient status most consistently correspond as the most significant population features contributing to all three scenarios (hospitalization, ICU, death). The top 15 features for each variant-outcome scenario were determined, which most frequently included diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and complications of pneumonia as highly significant population features contributing to serious illness outcomes. The Delta/Hospitalization model returned the highest performance metric scores for the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC), F1, and Recall, while Omicron/ICU and Omicron/Hospitalization had the highest accuracy and precision values, respectively. The recall was found to be above 0.60 in most cases (with only two exceptions), indicating that the total number of false positives was generally minimized (accounting for more of the people who would theoretically require medical care).
Soil greenhouse gas emissions from different land utilization types in Western Kenya
Authors: Kibet Esphorn , Musafiri Collins M. , Kiboi Milka , Macharia Joseph , Ng’etich Onesmus K. , Kosgei David K. , Mulianga Betty , Okoti Michael , Zeila Abdirahman , Ngetich Felix Kipchirchir
Published: November 2022

Introduction

There is a vast data gap for the national and regional greenhouse gas (GHG) budget from different smallholder land utilization types in Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) at large. Quantifying soil GHG, i.e., methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from smallholder land utilization types, is essential in filling the data gap.

Methods

We quantified soil GHG emissions from different land utilization types in Western Kenya. We conducted a 26-soil GHG sampling campaign from the different land utilization types. The five land utilization types include 1) agroforestry M (agroforestry Markhamia lutea and sorghum), 2) sole sorghum (sorghum monocrop), 3) agroforestry L (Sorghum and Leucaena leucocephala), 4) sole maize (maize monocrop), and 5) grazing land.

Results and discussion

The soil GHG fluxes varied across the land utilization types for all three GHGs (p ≤ 0.0001). We observed the lowest CH4 uptake under grazing land (−0.35 kg CH4–C ha−1) and the highest under sole maize (−1.05 kg CH4–C ha−1). We recorded the lowest soil CO2 emissions under sole maize at 6,509.86 kg CO2–Cha−1 and the highest under grazing land at 14,400.75 kg CO2–Cha−1. The results showed the lowest soil N2O fluxes under grazing land at 0.69 kg N2O–N ha−1 and the highest under agroforestry L at 2.48 kg N2O–N ha−1. The main drivers of soil GHG fluxes were soil bulk density, soil organic carbon, soil moisture, clay content, and root production. The yield-scale N2O fluxes ranged from 0.35 g N2O–N kg−1 under sole maize to 4.90 g N2O–N kg−1 grain yields under agroforestry L. Nevertheless, our findings on the influence of land utilization types on soil GHG fluxes and yield-scaled N2O emissions are within previous studies in SSA, including Kenya, thus fundamental in filling the national and regional data of emissions budget. The findings are pivotal to policymakers in developing low-carbon development across land utilization types for smallholders farming systems.
Possible seismo-ionospheric anomalies associated with the 2016 Mw 6.5 Indonesia earthquake from GPS TEC and Swarm satellites
Authors: Khan Abdul Qadeer , Ghaffar Bushra , Shah Munawar , Ullah Irfan , Oliveira‐Júnior José Francisco , Eldin Sayed M.
Published: November 2022

Ionospheric anomalies through satellites can provide useful information about forthcoming earthquakes (EQs) over the epicentral regions. In this paper, we investigated seismo-ionospheric anomalies associated with the Mw 6.5 Sumatra earthquake that occurred in Indonesia on 06 December 2016 at 22:03 UT. We analyzed the total electron content (TEC) from Global Positioning System (GPS) signals received at the nearby stations around the epicenter. Furthermore, we also studied the TEC in local daytime and nighttime from Swarm satellites to confirm the EQ-induced ionospheric perturbations. The TEC showed significant perturbation within 5–10 days before the main shock in the form of positive anomalies beyond the upper bound. Similarly, Swarm satellites also validated the anomalies observed in the GPS TEC from nearby operating stations within 5–10 days over the epicentral region. The geomagnetic indices were quiet for the observed TEC anomalies within 5–10 days before the main shock, having Dst ≤ −40 nt and Kp ≤ 3. This study reveals the legitimate anomalies mainly associated with the EQ and suggests using the TEC from GPS and other satellites to look for possible future precursors with a more equipped satellite cluster.
Potential of enhancing anti-obesogenic agriceuticals by applying sustainable fertilizers during plant cultivation
Authors: Guardiola-Márquez Carlos Esteban , Jacobo-Velázquez Daniel A.
Published: November 2022

Overweight and obesity are two of the world's biggest health problems. They are associated with excessive fat accumulation resulting from an imbalance between energy consumed and energy expended. Conventional therapies for obesity commonly include synthetic drugs and surgical procedures that can lead to serious side effects. Therefore, developing effective, safe, and readily available new treatments to prevent and treat obesity is highly relevant. Many plant extracts have shown anti-obesogenic potential. These plant extracts are composed of different agriceuticals such as fibers, phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, alkaloids, lignans, and proteins that can manage obesity by suppressing appetite, inhibiting digestive enzymes, reducing adipogenesis and lipogenesis, promoting lipolysis and thermogenesis, modulating gut microbiota and suppressing obesity-induced inflammation. These anti-obesogenic agriceuticals can be enhanced in plants during their cultivation by applying sustainable fertilization strategies, improving their capacity to fight the obesity pandemic. Biofertilization and nanofertilization are considered efficient, eco-friendly, and cost-effective strategies to enhance plant growth and development and increase the content of nutrients and bioactive compounds, representing an alternative to overproducing the anti-obesogenic agriceuticals of interest. However, further research is required to study the impact of anti-obesogenic plant species grown using these agricultural practices. This review presents the current scenario of overweight and obesity; recent research work describing different plant species with significant effects against obesity; and several reports exhibiting the potential of the biofertilization and nanofertilization practices to enhance the concentrations of bioactive molecules of anti-obesogenic plant species.
How does the digital transformation of agriculture affect the implementation of Integrated Pest Management?
Authors: Iost Filho Fernando Henrique , Pazini Juliano de Bastos , Alves Tavvs Micael , Koch Robert Lee , Yamamoto Pedro Takao
Published: November 2022

Integrated pest management (IPM) has greatly influenced farming in the past decades. Even though it has been effective, its adoption has not been as large as anticipated. Operational issues regarding crop monitoring are among the reasons for the lack of adoption of the IPM philosophy because control decisions cannot be made unless the crop is effectively and constantly monitored. In this way, recent technologies can provide unique information about plants affected by insects. Such information can be very precise and timely, especially with the use of real-time data to allow decision-making for pest control that can prevent local infestation of insects from spreading to the whole field. Some of the digital tools that are commercially available for growers include drones, automated traps, and satellites. In the future, a variety of other technologies, such as autonomous robots, could be widely available. While the traditional IPM approach is generally carried out with control solutions being delivered throughout the whole field, new approaches involving digital technologies will need to consider adaptations in the concepts of economic thresholds, sampling, population forecast, injury identification, and ultimately the localized use of control tactics. Therefore, in this paper, we reviewed how the traditional IPM concepts could be adapted, considering this ongoing digital transformation in agriculture.