bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic capability of a linear discriminant function applied to a novel Spectralis OCT glaucoma-detection protocol
Authors: Bambo Maria Pilar , Fuentemilla Enrique , Cameo Beatriz , Fuertes Isabel , Ferrandez Blanca , Güerri Noemi , Polo Vicente , Larrosa Jose M. , Pablo Luis E. , Garcia-Martin Elena 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background Bruch membrane opening–minimum rim width (BMO–MRW) assessment offers a new diagnostic use in glaucoma patients of the Glaucoma Module Premium Edition (GMPE) available for the Spectralis optical coherence tomography (OCT) system. The objective of our research was to evaluate the diagnostic benefits of examining BMO–MRW and peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) readings acquired with Spectralis OCT to distinguish between healthy and mild glaucoma patients, comparing those readings with the standard pRNFL application. Moreover, we investigated whether using a particular combination of BMO–MRW and pRNFL parameters with a linear discriminant function (LDF) could further enhance glaucoma diagnosis.Methods 136 eyes from 136 individuals were incorporated into this observational, prospective cross-sectional study: 68 mild primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients according to the Hodapp-Parrish-Anderson criteria (mean deviation between 0 and -6 dB) and 68 healthy control subjects selected by Propensity Score Matching. MRW and pRNFL thickness around the disc (diameters: 3.5 mm, 4.1 mm, and 4.7 mm) were obtained using the BMO–MRW protocol, and pRNFL thickness at 3.5 mm was obtained with the standard glaucoma application. The group data were contrasted. One sample was chosen at random to develop the LDF (teaching set: 34 healthy subjects and 34 POAG patients) using a combination of MRW and pRNFL parameters (acquired with the BMO–MRW protocol); the other sample provided a test of how the LDF performed on an independent group (validating set: 34 healthy subjects and 34 POAG patients). The receiver operating curves (ROCs) were plotted for every measurement and contrasted with the proposed LDF. The OCT parameters with the best area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were determined.Results Global MRW and pRNFL thicknesses were significantly thinner in the POAG group (p < 0.001). The BMO–MRW parameters showed good diagnostic accuracy; the largest AUCs reached 0.875 for the LDF and 0.879 for global RNFL thickness using the standard glaucoma application. There were no statistical differences between the AUCs calculated.Conclusions BMO–MRW parameters show a strong capability to differentiate between mild glaucoma and control eyes. Our LDF based on the new BMO–MRW OCT protocol did not perform better than isolated parameters.
Low red/far-red ratio as a signal promotes carbon assimilation of soybean seedlings by increasing the photosynthetic capacity
Authors: Yang Feng , Liu Qinlin , Cheng Yajiao , Feng Lingyang , Wu Xiaoling , Fan Yuanfang , Raza Muhammad Ali , Wang Xiaochun , Yong Taiwen , Liu Weiguo , Liu Jiang , Du Junbo , Shu Kai , Yang Wenyu 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background: Shading includes low light intensity and varying quality. However, a low red/far-red (R/Fr) ratio of light is a signal that affects plant growth in intercropping and close- planting systems. Thus, the low R/Fr ratio uncoupling from shading conditions was assessed to identify the effect of light quality on photosynthesis and CO2 assimilation. Soybean plants were grown in a growth chamber with natural solar radiation under four treatments, that is, normal (N, sunlight), N+Fr, Low (L) +Fr, and L light. Results: Low R/Fr ratio significantly increased the total biomass, leaf area, starch and sucrose contents, chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate, and quantum efficiency of the photosystem II compared with normal R/Fr ratio under the same light level (P < 0.05). Proteomic analysis of soybean leaves under different treatments was performed to quantify the changes in photosynthesis and CO2 assimilation in the chloroplast. Among the 7834 proteins quantified, 12 showed a > 1.3-fold change in abundance, of which 1 was related to porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism, 2 were involved in photosystem I (PS I), 4 were associated with PS II, 3 proteins participated in photosynthetic electron transport, and 2 were involved in starch and sucrose metabolism. The dynamic change in these proteins indicates that photosynthesis and CO2 assimilation were maintained in the L treatment by up-regulating the component protein levels compared with those in N treatment. Although low R/Fr ratio increased the photosynthetic CO2 assimilation parameters, the differences in most protein expression levels in N+Fr and L+Fr treatments compared with those in N treatment were insignificant. Similar trends were found in gene expression through quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction excluding the gene expression of sucrose synthase possible because light environment is one of the factors affecting carbon assimilation. Conclusions: Low R/Fr ratio (high Fr light) can increase the photosynthetic CO2 assimilation in the same light intensity by improving the photosynthetic efficiency of the photosystems.
Diagnostic potential of ultrasound in carpal tunnel syndrome with different etiologies: correlation of sonographic median nerve measures with electrodiagnostic severity.
Authors: Elnady Basant , Rageh Elsayed M , Ekhouly Tohamy H. , Fathy Sabry M. , Alshaar Mohamed , Fouda El Saeed , Attar Mohammed , Abdelaal Ahmed M. , Tantawi Ahmed El , Algethami Mohammed M , Bong David Andrew 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Abstract
Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the commonest entrapment neuropathy. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy and validity of high resolution musculoskeletal ultrasound (US) in the diagnosis of CTS in the Saudi population.
Methods: Sixty patients were diagnosed clinically to have CTS involving 89 wrists that were confirmed by neurophysiologic studies. Each affected wrist was characterized as idiopathic or associated with either diabetes mellitus or hypothyroidism and were assigned a severity grade based on results of neurophysiologic studies. Seventy-six healthy wrists from fifty age, sex and BMI matched healthy subjects were included in the control group . High resolution ultrasound (US) was performed to assess median nerve cross sectional area distal (CSAd) at the entry to the carpal tunnel and proximally (CSAp) at the level of pronator quadratus muscle with a further calculation of their difference (ΔCSA) and their mean average or CSAd+CSAp/2 (CSApd) .
Results: There was a significant difference between both groups regarding mean ±SD of CSAd, CSAp, ∆CSA, and CSApd (p = 0.0001). A positive significant correlation was also found between the CSAd, ∆ CSA and the CSApd measurements with neurophysiologic severity grade of CTS (P=0.001). A ∆CSA threshold of 2.5 mm 2 showed the highest sensitivity and specificity to diagnose CTS in Saudis.
Conclusion
High resolution ultrasound is a valid and accurate diagnostic modality in carpal tunnel syndrome and correlated to CTS severity. A ∆CSA greater than 2.5 mm 2 is considered a valid diagnostic value for CTS in our Saudi population. CTS in our patients with diabetes tend to have greater median nerve US measurement values.
Does long-term recreational gymnastics prevent injurious falls in older women? A prospective 20-year follow-up
Authors: Uusi-Rasi Kirsti , Karinkanta Saija , Kannus Pekka , Tokola Kari , Sievänen Harri 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background: Exercise interventions focused on balance and strength training have been shown to be effective for falls prevention. The aim of this 20-year register-based follow-up was to examine whether long-term participation in recreational female gymnastics is associated with a lower risk of medically-attended injurious falls.Methods : Health care register data of 187 women (103 recreational gymnasts and 84 sedentary controls) from the original cohort of 243 women were assessed. The mean age (sd) at baseline was 62.8 (5.4) years and the mean follow-up time was 19.4 (2.7) years (range from 5.6 to 21.0 years). Injurious falls were scrutinized from medical records. An injurious fall was defined as an event in which falling was mentioned as a reason for making contact with the health-care professionals. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) for injurious falls, and Cox-regression models for calculating hazard ratios (HR) for injured fallers with the control group as reference.Results Recreational gymnasts had about 30% less injurious falls compared to controls, the mean IRR (95% CI) being 0.71 (0.51 to 0.96). Regarding injured fallers, the HR was 0.73 (0.52 to 1.02) favoring the recreational gymnasts. There were no statistically significant between-group differences for fractures.Conclusion s: Long-term recreational gymnastics appears to reduce the risk of injurious falls in old age.
Pelvic and Bladder Catecholamine-Producing Tumors: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Petramala Luigi , Bisogni Valeria , Olmati Federica , Concistrè Antonio , Celi Monia , Saracino Vincenza , Iannucci Gino , Toma Giorgio De , Tarallo Maria Rita , Ciardi Antonio , Letizia Claudio 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background Although PGLs may arise at any site where physiologic paraganglionic tissue exists, pelvic origins are not frequent (about 2%), and the most common localization is the retroperitoneal space, whereas bladder PGLs account for less than 0.06% of all bladder neoplasms and less than 1% of all PGLs. Starting from the description of two interesting our cases, we wondered to review the literature on pelvic and bladder paragangliomas (PGLs) with the aim of illustrating clinical characteristics and current management, and enlightening the needed of a prompt diagnosis to avoid the onset of several complications.Methods We herein performed a brief review of the literature about pelvic PGLs in the PubMed library, conducted according to the PRISMA statement, including studies published from 1954 to 2019. We also discuss clinical presentation, morphologic appearance, and management of two cases of pelvic PGL, both of them characterized by a history of paroxysmal high blood pressure episodes uncontrolled by antihypertensive therapy associated with disabling symptoms, misdiagnosed for many years.Results Overall, we evaluated 108 case reports. The majority were females, presenting typical signs and symptoms, such as arterial hypertension (54.2%), hematuria (35.1%), and headache (33.6%). After treatment, the clinical and biochemical remission was showed in only 55% of analyzed cases.Conclusions For their singular localization, pelvic and bladder PGLs often might be misdiagnosed. The resulting delay in the proper treatment could be responsible for the relative low percentage of complete clinical and biochemical remission.
Identification of proteins in promastigote and amastigote-like stages of Leishmania tropica by a quantitative proteomic approach
Authors: Ashrafmansouri Marzieh , Amiri-Dashatan Nasrin , Ahmadi Nayebali 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background Leishmania parasites differentiate into the infective metacyclic form in the sand-fly and following is transformed to the amastigote in the host cells. The aims of this study were to identified differentially regulated proteins in the metacyclic and amastigote-like stages of L. tropica, and investigate their potential role in differentiation and pathogenesis molecular mechanisms.Methods The samples were cultured and identified by using PCR-RFLP technique. We employed We employed Sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra mass spectrometry (SWATH-MS) to identify differentially regulated proteins between the metacyclic and amastigote-like stages of L. tropica.Results A total 176 and 155 distinct proteins were identified in metacyclic and axenic amastigote, respectively. Of these, 65 proteins were altered at least 2 folds. Proteins that were up- or down-regulated included energy production, lipid and amino acid metabolism, heat shock proteins, mRNA processing proteins, glycolytic and translational activity proteins. Several enriched GO terms were identified via biological process analyses, which “metabolic process” (GO: 0044281, P-Value: 6.52e-5), and “translation” (GO: 0006412, p-value: 5.01e-14) were disclosed as top category in up and down-regulated proteins, respectively. Also, the KEGG analysis indicated “metabolic pathways” and “ribosome” term as the top pathways in up and down-regulated proteins, respectively.Conclusions This study provides the first quantitative analysis of protein expression during differentiation from metacyclic to amastigote-like of L. tropica. In conclusion, anabolic pathways were down-regulated, whereas catabolic pathways were up-regulated during L. tropica differentiation in order to parasite survival in host macrophages, in which these changes can be used as novel potential targets for the infection management.
Health inequalities in Latin America and the Caribbean: a sample of 182 596 workers from 15 countries.
Authors: Silva-Peñaherrera Michael S , Lopez-Ruiz María , Merino-Salazar Pamela , Gómez-García Antonio Ramón , Benavides Fernando G. 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background: Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is the world’s most inequitable region. The full scale of social inequalities in health has been hidden by the lack of reliable data. This study aimed to measure and compare health inequalities in the working population within and between 15 countries of LAC. Methods: A sample of 182 596 workers over 17 years old was drawn from the most recent national surveys of working conditions or health in 15 LAC countries. Poor self-perceived health (P-SPH) was used as a health indicator, and age, education level, and occupational category as inequality stratifiers. We calculated four measures: absolute and relative population-attributable risks, the Kuznets and weighted Keppel indexes. Results: P-SPH prevalence ranged from 9% in men from Uruguay to 50% in women from Nicaragua. It was higher in women than in men in most countries. A clear gradient was shown, in which young people in non-manual skilled jobs and high education had the lowest prevalence. Nearly 42% of cases that reported P-SPH among men and 36% among women could be avoided if all the groups received a higher level of education. Also, approximately 35% of P-SPH reported by men and 30% by women could be avoided if they all shared the working and employment conditions of non-manual skilled jobs. Conclusions: We found that land borders generate more occupational health inequality than any other variable, with urgent intervention needed in countries where prevalence of poor self-perceived health is high. Monitoring of occupational health inequity is essential to inform public policies.
"For better for worse is not easy’’, Challenges and Needs of Family Caregivers of Dementia Patients Seeking Care in Kumasi: A qualitative study
Authors: Gyimah Akwasi Adjei , Appiah-Brempong Emmanuel , Okyere Paul , Peprah Prince , Agyemang-Duah Williams , Gyamfi Naomi , Anokye Reindolf , Adade Richard , Ampratwum Joseph 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background: The challenges and needs of family caregivers of dementia patients usually go unnoticed which could worsen the condition of both the caregivers and recipients in Ghana. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the challenges and needs of family caregivers of dementia patients who seek care at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. Methods: With no predetermined sample size, 18 participants took part in the study. The study employed a phenomenological and an in-depth interview guide. The data were analysed using interpretive phenomenological framework. Results: Three main challenges of family caregivers were identified: economic challenges ( inability to buy drugs, limited income, high healthcare use charges, inability to work and lack of financial support), social challenges (lack of social participation, mockery and societal victimisation), and psychological challenges (stress, emotional trauma and inability to sleep). Three main needs of family caregivers were reported: physical needs (personal assistance, transportation assistance, physical attachment from spouse and inability to eat), societal needs (social gathering involvement and societal concerns) and psychological needs (free time to relax and faith assurance). Conclusion: The authors argue that there should be a rethinking of how caregiving is constructed in Ghana. We further add that the health and well-being of caregivers should be a paramount aspect of patient well-being in Ghana in line with the Ghana Mental Health Act. It is therefore essential for clinician to institute caregivers needs in their medical plan for mental patient’s recovery process.
Analysis of the potential correlation between gastric cancer and gastrointestinal microbiota via in-silico data mining
Authors: Ding Xuelu , Zhu Yukun , She Zhaoyuan , Liu Xuewen , Zhang Cancan , Ma Xuying , Wang Feng , Wang Fei , Geng Xin 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background Emerging evidence shows the gastrointestinal microbiome might play an important role in the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer. While Helicobactor pylori has been reported to be a specific risk factor of gastric cancer, it is still controversial whether significant difference of non- H. pylori microbiota exists between gastric cancer patients and healthy control.Results In this study, we employed multiple bioinformatic databases to excavate the potential correlation between gastrointestinal microbiome and gastric cancer. The databases involved in this investigation include HMDB, STITCH, OMIM, GWAS Catalog, WebGestalt, Toppgene, GeneMANIA. In addition, the network diagrams were built by use of Cytoscape software. Notably, our results showed that 33 common genes participate in both gastrointestinal microbiome and gastric cancer. The further analysis of these common genes suggested that there was a wide array of interactions and pathways in which the correlation between gastrointestinal microbiome and gastric cancer is involved.Conclusions Our present study gives a bioinformatic insight into possible pathways in which the gastrointestinal microbiome play roles in gastric cancer. Future efforts are necessary to be paid to elicit the exact mechanisms as well as potential therapeutic targets of gastric cancer.
Ada-WHIPS: Explaining AdaBoost Classification with Applications in the Health Sciences
Authors: Hatwell Julian , Gaber Mohamed Medhat , Azad R.M. Atif 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Background Computer Aided Diagnostics (CAD) can support medical practitioners to make critical decisions about their patients' disease conditions. Practitioners require access to the chain of reasoning behind CAD to build trust in the CAD advice and to supplement their own expertise. Yet, CAD systems might be based on black box machine learning (ML) models and high dimensional data sources (electronic health records, MRI scans, cardiotocograms, etc). These foundations make interpretation and explanation of the CAD advice very challenging. This challenge is recognised throughout the machine learning research community. eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) is emerging as one of the most important research areas of recent years, because it addresses the interpretability and trust concerns of medical practitioners and other critical decision makers. Method In this work, we focus on AdaBoost, a black box model that has been widely adopted in the CAD literature. We address the challenge -- to explain AdaBoost classification -- with a novel algorithm that extracts simple, logical rules from AdaBoost models. Our algorithm, \textit{Adaptive-Weighted High Importance Path Snippets} (Ada-WHIPS), makes use of AdaBoost's adaptive classifier weights; using a novel formulation, Ada-WHIPS uniquely redistributes the weights among individual decision nodes at the internals of the AdaBoost model. Then, a simple heuristic search of the weighted nodes finds a single rule that dominated the model's decision. We compare the explanations generated by our novel approach with the state of the art in an experimental study. We evaluate the derived explanations with simple statistical tests of well-known quality measures, precision and coverage, and a novel measure \textit{stability} that is better suited to the XAI setting. Results In this paper, our experimental results demonstrate the benefits of using our novel algorithm for explaining AdaBoost classification. The simple rule-based explanations have better generalisation (mean coverage 15\%-68\%) while remaining competitive for specificity (mean precision 80\%-99\%). A very small trade-off in specificity is shown to guard against over-fitting. Conclusions This research demonstrates that interpretable, classification rule-based explanations can be generated for computer aided diagnostic tools based on AdaBoost, and that a tightly coupled, AdaBoost-specific approach can outperform model-agnostic methods.
Categorising UK Biobank Self-Reported Medication Data using Text Matching
Authors: Appleby Philip Duncan , Buchan Natalie S , Doney Alexander SF , Jefferson Emily R 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Introduction There are multiple potential sources of information about medications taken by participants in large population and patient cohorts such as the UK Biobank (UKBB) study, including from self-reported information and from linkage to electronic health records. At the time of writing, only self-reported medication data from UKBB participants have been released, in the form of medication codes that are assigned at the time of assessment centre interviews. Prescribing data is due to be released by UKBB in the near future. UKBB self-reported medication codes and descriptions do not have any published structure, which means that grouping medications into broader categories to contribute to clinical phenotyping is not possible. The motivation for the software project described here was to develop an automated means of classifying UKBB self-reported medications, for clinical phenotyping purposes.Methods We describe software tools, developed to match UKBB medication descriptions with terms from drug classification systems. The WHO’s Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification System and the British National Formulary (BNF) were selected as classification systems and were matched separately against UKBB medication coded descriptions. Manual matches can be added, for the cases where matching either fails or results in ambiguity. Manual matched codes would need to be added from the target classification system.Results Of the 3,646 medications reported as having been used by UKBB participants, 2,935 (80.5%) were matched with ATC system codes and 3,338 (91.6%) were matched with BNF codes. In general, medications remaining unmatched after manually matching those considered important according to clinician opinion, were either over the counter medicines with general descriptions or had very low participant report counts. A case study was conducted in which genetic associations between individual medications as phenotypes versus a Blood Pressure Genetic Risk Score were found less significant than those found once the medications had been automatically grouped. Conclusion Use of the matching software has been proven to assist in building medication-based phenotype proxies and to increase association significance over single UKBB medication codes. The matching software developed is available for general use and should also be applicable to other classification problems where descriptive text can be matched. https://github.com/PhilAppleby/ukbb-srmed/