bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound Characteristics in Complicated Ovarian Cysts
Authors: Achour Radhouane , Rachid Najla , Hamila Tarek , Hmid Rim Ben 
Published: December 2019

Background:
Ultrasonography is the first complementary examination and it is an efficient
method to identify different types of cystic lesions of the ovary as well as their complications.

Objective:
This work aims to study ultrasound characteristics of complicated ovarian cysts and their
contribution to emergency department management.

Methods:
It is a retrospective study of 61 patients who have consulted the emergency department,
during 6 months, from November 2016 to April 2017. We included all patients consulting the
emergency department for symptoms related to an ovarian cyst.

Results:
The average size of the cysts was 5.38± 2.27 cm long axis, ranging from 3 to 12 cm. Their
wall was thin in 59 cases and thick in 4 cases. They were unilocular in 82% and multilocular in
17.5% of cases. The echogenicity of the cysts varied. The contour of the cysts was regular in 54
cases, while irregularity was shown in 9 cases. Intracystic vegetations were illustrated in 4 cases.
The solid component was demonstrated in only 1 cyst. The Douglas effusion was shown in 12.7%
of cases.

:
The comparison of ultrasound findings between outpatient and hospitalized ones shows that there is
no significant relationship between the following ultrasound features of ovarian cysts and hospitalization‘
s indication (p>5%).

Conclusion:
Pelvic ultrasound is of great benefit in the diagnosis of ovarian cysts, however, there is
no significant relationship between the features of ovarian cysts and indication of hospitalization
(p>5%).
Preliminary Anti-Coxsackie Activity of Novel 1-[4-(5,6-dimethyl(H)- 1H(2H)-benzotriazol-1(2)-yl)phenyl]-3-alkyl(aryl)ureas
Authors: Piras Sandra , Corona Paola , Ibba Roberta , Riu Federico , Murineddu Gabriele , Sanna Giuseppina , Madeddu Silvia , Delogu Ilenia , Loddo Roberta , Carta Antonio 
Published: December 2019

Background:
Coxsackievirus infections are associated with cases of aseptic meningitis,
encephalitis, myocarditis, and some chronic disease.

Methods:
A series of benzo[d][1,2,3]triazol-1(2)-yl derivatives (here named benzotriazol-1(2)-yl)
(4a-i, 5a-h, 6a-e, g, i, j and 7a-f, h-j) were designed, synthesized and in vitro evaluated for cytotoxicity
and antiviral activity against two important human enteroviruses (HEVs) members of the
Picornaviridae family [Coxsackievirus B 5 (CVB-5) and Poliovirus 1 (Sb-1)].

Results:
Compounds 4c (CC50 >100 μM; EC50 = 9 μM), 5g (CC50 >100 μM; EC50 = 8 μM), and 6a
(CC50 >100 μM; EC50 = 10 μM) were found active against CVB-5. With the aim of evaluating the
selectivity of action of this class of compounds, a wide spectrum of RNA (positive- and negativesense),
double-stranded (dsRNA) or DNA viruses were also assayed. For none of them, significant
antiviral activity was determined.

Conclusion:
These results point towards a selective activity against CVB-5, an important human
pathogen that causes both acute and chronic diseases in infants, young children, and immunocompromised
patients.
In Silico Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel Series of Benzothiazole- Based Pyrazolidinediones as Potent Hypoglycemic Agents
Authors: Haroun Michelyne 
Published: December 2019

Background:
The discovery of novel ligand binding domain (LBD) of peroxisome proliferator-
activated receptor γ (PPARγ) has recently attracted attention to few research groups in order
to develop more potent and safer antidiabetic agents.

Objective:
This study is focused on docking-based design and synthesis of novel compounds combining
benzothiazole and pyrazolidinedione scaffold as potential antidiabetic agents.

Methods:
Several benzothiazole-pyrazolidinedione hybrids were synthesized and tested for their in
vivo anti-hyperglycemic activity. Interactions profile of title compounds against PPARγ was examined
through molecular modelling approach.

Results:
All tested compounds exhibited anti-hyperglycemic activity similar or superior to the reference
drug Rosiglitazone. Introducing chlorine atom and alkyl group at position-6 and -5 respectively
on benzothiazole core resulted in enhancing the anti-hyperglycemic effect. Docking study
revealed that such groups demonstrated favorable hydrophobic interactions with novel LBD Ω-
pocket of PPARγ protein.

Conclusion:
Among the tested compounds, N-(6-chloro-5-methylbenzo[d]thiazol-2-yl-4-(4((3,5-
dioxopyrazolidin-4-ylidene)methyl)phenoxy)butanamide 5b was found to be the most potent compound
and provided valuable insights to further develop novel hybrids as anti-hyperglycemic
agents.
A Drug Target Interaction Prediction Based on LINE-RF Learning
Authors: Wang Jihong , Shi Yue , Wang Xiaodan , Chang Huiyou 
Published: December 2019

Background:
At present, using computer methods to predict drug-target interactions
(DTIs) is a very important step in the discovery of new drugs and drug relocation
processes. The potential DTIs identified by machine learning methods can provide guidance
in biochemical or clinical experiments.

Objective:
The goal of this article is to combine the latest network representation learning
methods for drug-target prediction research, improve model prediction capabilities, and
promote new drug development.

Methods:
We use large-scale information network embedding (LINE) method to extract
network topology features of drugs, targets, diseases, etc., integrate features obtained
from heterogeneous networks, construct binary classification samples, and use random
forest (RF) method to predict DTIs.

Results:
The experiments in this paper compare the common classifiers of RF, LR, and
SVM, as well as the typical network representation learning methods of LINE,
Node2Vec, and DeepWalk. It can be seen that the combined method LINE-RF achieves
the best results, reaching an AUC of 0.9349 and an AUPR of 0.9016.

Conclusion:
The learning method based on LINE network can effectively learn drugs,
targets, diseases and other hidden features from the network topology. The combination
of features learned through multiple networks can enhance the expression ability. RF is an
effective method of supervised learning. Therefore, the Line-RF combination method is a
widely applicable method.
Actual Use of Multiple Health Monitors Among Older Adults With Diabetes: Pilot Study
Authors: Zheng Yaguang , Weinger Katie , Greenberg Jordan , Burke Lora E , Sereika Susan M , Patience Nicole , Gregas Matt C , Li Zhuoxin , Qi Chenfang , Yamasaki Joy , Munshi Medha N. 
Published: December 2019

Background
Previous studies have reported older adults’ perceptions of using health monitors; however, no studies have examined the actual use of multiple health monitors for lifestyle changes over time among older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Objective
The primary aim of this study was to examine the actual use of multiple health monitors for lifestyle changes over 3 months among older adults with T2D. The secondary aim was to explore changes in caloric intake and physical activity (PA) over 3 months.

Methods
This was a single-group study lasting 3 months. The study sample included participants who were aged ≥65 years with a diagnosis of T2D. Participants were recruited through fliers posted at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. Participants attended five 60-min, biweekly group sessions, which focused on self-monitoring, goal setting, self-regulation to achieve healthy eating and PA habits, and the development of problem-solving skills. Participants were provided with the Lose It! app to record daily food intake and devices such as a Fitbit Alta for monitoring PA, a Bluetooth-enabled blood glucose meter, and a Bluetooth-enabled digital scale. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.

Results
Of the enrolled participants (N=9), the sample was white (8/9, 89%) and female (4/9, 44%), with a mean age of 76.4 years (SD 6.0; range 69-89 years), 15.7 years (SD 2.0) of education, 33.3 kg/m2 (SD 3.1) BMI, and 7.4% (SD 0.8) hemoglobin A1c. Over the 84 days of self-monitoring, the mean percentage of days using the Lose It!, Fitbit Alta, blood glucose meter, and scale were 82.7 (SD 17.6), 85.2 (SD 19.7), 65.3 (SD 30.1), and 53.0 (SD 34.5), respectively. From baseline to completion of the study, the mean daily calorie intake was 1459 (SD 661) at week 1, 1245 (SD 554) at week 11, and 1333 (SD 546) at week 12, whereas the mean daily step counts were 5618 (SD 3654) at week 1, 5792 (SD 3814) at week 11, and 4552 (SD 3616) at week 12. The mean percentage of weight loss from baseline was 4.92% (SD 0.25). The dose of oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin was reduced in 55.6% (5/9) of the participants.

Conclusions
The results from the pilot study are encouraging and suggest the need for a larger study to confirm the outcomes. In addition, a study design that includes a control group with educational sessions but without the integration of technology would offer additional insight to understand the value of mobile health in behavior changes and the health outcomes observed during this pilot study.
Predicting Adverse Outcomes for Febrile Patients in the Emergency Department Using Sparse Laboratory Data: Development of a Time Adaptive Model
Authors: Lee Sungjoo , Hong Sungjun , Cha Won Chul , Kim Kyunga 
Published: December 2019

Background
A timely decision in the initial stages for patients with an acute illness is important. However, only a few studies have determined the prognosis of patients based on insufficient laboratory data during the initial stages of treatment.

Objective
This study aimed to develop and validate time adaptive prediction models to predict the severity of illness in the emergency department (ED) using highly sparse laboratory test data (test order status and test results) and a machine learning approach.

Methods
This retrospective study used ED data from a tertiary academic hospital in Seoul, Korea. Two different models were developed based on laboratory test data: order status only (OSO) and order status and results (OSR) models. A binary composite adverse outcome was used, including mortality or hospitalization in the intensive care unit. Both models were evaluated using various performance criteria, including the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and balanced accuracy (BA). Clinical usefulness was examined by determining the positive likelihood ratio (PLR) and negative likelihood ratio (NLR).

Results
Of 9491 eligible patients in the ED (mean age, 55.2 years, SD 17.7 years; 4839/9491, 51.0% women), the model development cohort and validation cohort included 6645 and 2846 patients, respectively. The OSR model generally exhibited better performance (AUC=0.88, BA=0.81) than the OSO model (AUC=0.80, BA=0.74). The OSR model was more informative than the OSO model to predict patients at low or high risk of adverse outcomes (P<.001 for differences in both PLR and NLR).

Conclusions
Early-stage adverse outcomes for febrile patients could be predicted using machine learning models of highly sparse data including test order status and laboratory test results. This prediction tool could help medical professionals who are simultaneously treating the same patient share information, lead dynamic communication, and consequently prevent medical errors.
Resorcinol-Formaldehyde Carbon Gels Adsorption: A Commentary
Authors: Faizal Azrul Nurfaiz Mohd , Zaini Muhammad Abbas Ahmad 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
This work is aimed at highlighting the recent progress of resorcinol-formaldehyde carbon gels adsorption of water pollutants. The synthesis strategies of the carbon gels were discussed to shed some light on the development of mesoporous matrix of carbon gel via the agglomeration of colloidal particles. The surface area of adsorbent can reach as high as 3000 m2/g by CO2 activation, while the surface functionalities are introduced through modification techniques for improving the removal performance. However, most of the recent studies are inclined at batch mode of adsorption with lack of information on the scale-up of the process in continuous mode. Carbon gel is a special class of porous material that can be moulded into desired size, hence a promising adsorbent candidate for monoliths and packings in column adsorption. Therefore, more dedicated works should be established to materialize the applications of carbon gel in column adsorption, particularly at industrial scale.
Assessment Tasks to Measure Systems Thinking and Critical Thinking in Organic Chemistry
Authors: Timofte Roxana S. , Popuș Bianca T. 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Humans of 21st century should possess higher order thinking skills such as critical thinking and systems thinking skills. Development and assessment of students’ critical thinking and systems thinking skills should be a crucial objective for every teacher. However, only relatively recently the scientists proposed models for the development of items to measure systems thinking and critical thinking. Herein are presented theoretical issues regarding systems thinking and critical thinking, as well as examples of items which could be used to assess systems thinking and critical thinking, on the topic of manipulation of functional groups in organic chemistry.
Niedokrwistość aplastyczna związana z zapaleniem wątroby
Authors: Iavorska Iuliia , Nowicki Mateusz , Grzelak Anna , Szmigielska-Kapłon Anna 
Published: December 2019

StreszczenieW pracy przedstawiono rzadką postać nabytej niedokrwistości aplastycznej (AA), anemię aplastyczną związaną z uszkodzeniem wątroby (hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia – HAAA). Choroba dotyczy młodych mężczyzn bez wcześniejszego wywiadu chorób przewlekłych. Najczęściej stwierdza się zapalenie wątroby przebiegające ze wzrostem enzymów wątrobowych, zazwyczaj również z hiperbilirubinemią. Po około 2-3 miesiącach od objawów zapalenia wątroby u chorych rozwija się niedokrwistość aplastyczna. U większości z tych pacjentów badania wirusologiczne są negatywne. Podejrzewa się zakażenie wirusami zapalenia wątroby trudnymi do identyfikacji, innymi niż wirusy A, B, C czy G. Efekty leczenia immunosupresyjnego oraz transplantacji komórek macierzystych hematopoezy są porównywalne w HAAA, jak w AA bez cech uszkodzenia wątroby.
Status of Some Escaped Ornament Perennials in the Flora of Latvia
Authors: Nāburga Inese , Evarts-Bunders Pēteris 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThis paper introduces eight ornamental perennial garden escapees that were recorded by the authors of this article on Lucavsala Island, Riga (Latvia) in 2016. Our data on Achillea ptarmica cv. ‘Boule de Neige’, Artemisia ludoviciana, Asclepias syriaca, Campanula lactiflora, Heliopsis helianthoides, Lathyrus latifolius, Phlox paniculata and Rudbeckia hirta contribute to the knowledge about the occurrence of these taxa in wild. All these species are also growing in the collection of ornamental perennials in the Botanical Garden of the University of Latvia. A review of these species in Latvian herbarium collections has been conducted. Five species, Heliopsis helianthoides, Artemisia ludoviciana, Campanula lactiflora, Lathyrus latifolius, Phlox paniculata, were observed for the first time outside cultivation forming relatively stable, reproducing populations. Two species, Achillea ptarmica multiplex cultivar and Rudbeckia hirta, were previously observed in seminatural habitats and, thus, considered as casual aliens at the naturalization stage. One of the species, Asclepias syriaca, was considered a new to Latvia casual alien species with high potential of invasiveness.
The prevalence of selected genes involved in biofilm formation in Candida albicans isolated from the oral cavity
Authors: Kaminska Agnieszka , Malm Anna , Szymanska Jolanta 
Published: December 2019

Abstract

Introduction.
C. albicans genome sequencing enables investigation of the role of particular genes in biofilm formation involving the yeast-like fungi.

Aim. The aim of the study was to determine the genotypes of C. albicans isolates on the basis of the presence of the selected genes involved in biofilm formation.

Material and methods. The study material included C. albicans strains isolated from the oral cavity of 654 healthy individuals. The strain biofilm-forming capacity was estimated with the MTT assay and menadione. The presence of HWP1, ALS3, TUP1, NGR1, SAM2 and CYS3 genes was investigated.

Results. In total, 15 gene combinations were found, including nine gene combinations for strains with a confirmed biofilm-forming capacity, 11 – for the strains without this capacity, and five – independent of biofilm-forming capacity. A combination involving all the genes occurred in 72.5% of all biofilm-forming strains and in 53.8% of all strains that do not form biofilm. Moreover, the genetic material of 14.3% of all strains not involved in biofilm formation did not contain any of the studied genes. For one of the biofilm-species, no analyzed genes were found.

Conclusions

1. The absence of correlation between gene combinations HWP1, ALS3, TUP1, NGR1, SAM2 and CYS3 and biofilm-forming capacity of the studied C. albicans strains confirms the multigenetic – and not yet fully known – molecular basis of the formation of this structure. This result corresponds to the data reported by other researchers.
2. Knowledge on the genetic foundations of biofilm formation is still developing and the list of biofilm-related genes has been considerably extended.
3. The absence of correlation between the combinations of investigated genes and the biofilm-forming capacity of the studied C. albicans strains confirms a multigenetic, basis of this structure.
4. The research on genes activated or inhibited during biofilm formation is extremely important, because it would enable the development of effective methods to disturb the biofilm forming process at the molecular level. There is a need for such methods in our clinical practice to prevent biofilm formation in the oral cavity.
Effect of early amniotomy on labor outcome in nulliparous women: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Zandvakili Farnaz , Shahgheibi Sholeh , Farhadifar Fariba , Seyedoshohadaei Fariba , Khalili Ameneh 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Early amniotomy is one of the main interventions to enhance the labor progress and prevent dystocia in pregnant women. However, the efficacy of amniotomy has not been approved via labor-related indices and outcomes and has remained a subject for debate and future research. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of early amniotomy on labor indices and outcomes in nulliparous women. This randomized clinical trial was performed on 151 singleton pregnant women who were referred to Besat Hospital in Sanandaj, Iran, from March 2016 to March 2018. Participants were randomly divided into an early amniotomy (EA) group and a control group. Duration of the first and second phases of labor, corioamionit, dystocia rate, Apgar score at the first and fifth minutes, prolonged labor and post-partum haemorrhage were evaluated and compared between the two groups. Data were recorded in a checklist and analysed using SPSS Version 23. The p value <0.05 was considered significant. Results showed that labor indices such as duration of the first and second phases, Apgar score one and five minutes after delivery and frequency of prolonged labor, foetal distress and postpartum haemorrhage were significantly improved in patients of the early amniotomy group, compared with the control group (p≤0.05). Early amniotomy significantly decreased the total labor duration without significant increase in the rate of maternal and neonatal complications.
The role of tumor-derived exosomes in tumor angiogenesis and tumor progression
Authors: Gluszko Alicja , Mirza Shafaq M. , Piszczatowska Katarzyna , Kantor Ireneusz , Struga Marta , Szczepanski Miroslaw J. 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Exosomes, belonging to the group of extracellular bodies, are released by healthy as well as cancerous cells and serve as a communication pathway. Tumor-derived exosomes (TEX) possess the capacity to reprogram the function of normal cells owing to their genetic and molecular cargo. Such exosomes target endothelial cells (among others) in the tumor microenvironment to promote angiogenesis. Blood supply is essential in solid tumor growth and metastasis. The potential of pro-angiogenic changes is enhanced by an increased amount of circulating tumor-derived exosomes in the body fluids of cancer patients. A vascular network is important, since the proliferation, as well as the metastatic spread of cancer cells depends on an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients, and the removal of waste products. New blood vessels and lymphatic vessels are formed through processes called angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, respectively. Angiogenesis is regulated by both activator and inhibitor molecules. Thousands of patients have received anti-angiogenic therapy to date. Despite their theoretical efficacy, anti-angiogenic treatments have not proved beneficial in terms of long-term survival. Tumor-derived exosomes carrying pro-angiogenic factors might be a target for new anti-cancer therapy.
Hypoglycemic activity of Phaseolus vulgaris (L.) aqueous extract in type 1 diabetic rats
Authors: Halenova Tetiana , Raksha Natalia , Kravchenko Olha , Vovk Tetiana , Yurchenko Alona , Vareniuk Igor , Savchuk Olexii , Ostapchenko Ludmila 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hypoglycemic activity of the aqueous extract from the fruit walls of Phaseolus vulgaris pods and to examine the potential mechanism underlying the improvement of the glycemic level. In the course of the study, diabetes mellitus was induced in rats with a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (45 mg·kg−1 b.w.). Diabetic and control rats were then orally administered with a single-dose or repeated-dose (28 day) of P. vulgaris extract (200 mg·kg−1). Results show that the extract was found to possess significant hypoglycemic activity, and the study of glucose utilization by isolated rat hemidiaphragm suggests that the aqueous extract may enhance the peripheral utilization of glucose. The subsequent experiments have revealed that the P. vulgaris extract could increase glucose transporter 4 (GLUT-4) content in skeletal muscle cells of control and diabetic rats. Our data also indicate that the P. vulgaris extract did not affect the content of the insulin receptor, but significantly reduced the total tyrosine kinase activity in skeletal muscle cells of both experimental groups of rats. The present results clearly indicated that P. vulgaris extract may be beneficial for reducing hyperglycemia through its potency in regulation of glucose utilization via GLUT-4, but the current mechanism remains to be unidentified.