bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessing the quality of life of Prostate cancer patients at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Authors: Naab Isaac Zaskpaya , Darfuor-Oduro Sandra 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the commonly diagnosed cancers among men and data shows cases of PCa are increasing in Ghana. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life (QoL) of PCa patients at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana.
Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was employed and 205 patients with PCa were enrolled in the study. Socio-demographic variables (age, sex, marital status, social support, education, cost of treatment), stage of cancer diagnosis and Depression were used to assess QoL. Depression was measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). QoL was measured using the Short Form 8 (S-F 8) standardized QoL tool. Logistic regression models were used to determine factors associated with QoL.
Results: The mean age of the study participants was 65.26±8.93 years. Almost half of the participants were pensioners (46.83%) and had had graduate level education (75.61%). Almost all the study participants (99%) were enrolled in the National Health Insurance scheme (NHIS), however, 46.80% paid for their treatment expense using monies from their personal savings. Most participants (53.96%) had advanced stage PCa. We also found that 53.17% were depressed and 51.0% of participants had low QoL. The study found that age [aOR=0.13 (CI = 0.03-0.51); p-value = 0.004], stage of cancer [aOR= 0.08(CI=0.01-0.79); p-value = 0.030] and source of financing medical expenses [aOR=3.48 (CI = 1.23-9.85); p-value = 0.019] to be associated with QoL of PCa patients. Patient’s age, cost of treatment, depression and stage of cancer are associated with QoL.
Conclusion: A number of factors were associated with quality of life of participants in this study. To mitigate the effects of these factors on quality of life, care for patients must be well-rounded and grounded in the biopsychosocial model of health care.
Clinical trial number: Not applicable
Navigation in brain networks is possible using only local measures
Authors: Hocking Alex , Vogelsang Lena , Jiang Frank , Le Hung , Morgan Kerri , Shelyag Sergiy , Parsons Nicholas , Poudel Govinda , Ugon Julien 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

A major question in neuroscience is how the brain structure facilitates its complex functions via the synchronous activity of separate parts of the brain. Recent research has indicated that the mechanisms underlying this facilitation are based on local interactions between neurons. We investigated whether it is possible in a network structured like the human brain to facilitate communication between functionally connected parts of the brain. We observed that using a combination of local criteria to direct it, a simple greedy algorithm can achieve similar efficiency (within 80\% and 90\% of the shortest paths) to the propagation mechanisms proposed in the literature, without relying on global explanations.
A novel feature extractor based on Constrained Cross Network for Detecting Sleep State
Authors: Tian Chenlei , Song Fei 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

With increasing awareness of healthy living and social pressure, more and more people have begun to pay attention to their sleep state. Therefore, detecting sleep state is important for personal physical and mental health. Usually, when we talk about sleep detection, the main data source is polysomnography (PSG). Sleep detection based on wrist-worn device data is an excellent alternative to PSG data. However, the application of machine learning and deep learning techniques to wrist-worn device data is still in its early stages. Most existing methods that utilize this type of data for detection rely on heuristic algorithms or traditional machine learning, which suffer from low classification efficiency and insufficient accuracy. To further increase the accuracy, this paper improves the weight matrix of Cross Network in Improved Deep&Cross Network and adds it to the traditional feature extractor. First, we verify the theoretical validity of this method. Then, in the experimental phase, the effectiveness of different feature sets and parameter scales of the feature extractor is carried out. The experimental results show that the accuracy increases from 90.0% to 95.7% when using fully connected layers as the classifier. The ablation experiment shows that at a baseline of 90.00%, the accuracy of the feature derivation module has increased by 3.72%, and the accuracy of the feature crossover module has increased by 2.90%. Using the Constrained Cross Network, the average accuracy increases from 4.45% to 5.67%, which can accurately detect sleep state and then be used to evaluate sleep quality.
FIB-4: a screening tool for advanced liver fibrosis in a cohort of subjects participating in a primary care weight-loss program
Authors: Mignot Victoria , Fabre Odile , Legrand Rémy , Bailly Sebastien , Costentin Charlotte 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Systematic screening for liver fibrosis using FIB-4 score is recommended in primary care for patients with chronic liver disease risk factors. This study assesses the prevalence and characteristics of patients at risk for advanced fibrosis in a weight loss program. This multicenter retrospective cohort study includes obese and overweight subjects participating in a weight loss program across 100 French centers. 27 643 participants with baseline FIB-4 available were included, predominantly women (78.3%), median age of 54 years, 70% obese. Baseline FIB-4 values were < 1.3, 1.3–2.67 or > 2.67 in 80.9%, 18.1% and 1% of the participants, respectively. When moving from the lower risk category (< 1.3) to the highest (> 2.67), the rates of metabolic comorbidities such as diabetes rose (from 3.2–13.3%). After 5 [3–7] months, all anthropometric parameters improved. A follow-up FIB-4 value was available in 20,7% participants. Among high-risk, 43% changed classes, 4.6% moving to the lower risk-category. Prevalence of patients at risk for advanced fibrosis according to initial FIB-4 was 19.1%, with higher rates of metabolic comorbidities in higher-risk participants. General practitioners and nutrition professionals play crucial role for implementing the two-step algorithm to screen for advanced fibrosis in patients at risk.
Clinical Application of Deep Learning for Enhanced Multistage Caries Detection in Panoramic Radiographs
Authors: Pornprasertsuk-Damrongsri Suchaya , Vachmanus Sirawich , Papasratorn Dhanaporn , Kitisubkanchana Jira , Chaikantha Sarunya , Arayasantiparb Raweewan , Mongkolwat Pattanasak 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

The detection of dental caries is typically overlooked on panoramic radiographs. This study aims to leverage deep learning to identify multistage caries on panoramic radiographs. The panoramic radiographs were confirmed with the gold standard bitewing radiographs to create a reliable ground truth. The dataset of 500 panoramic radiographs with corresponding bitewing confirmations was labelled by an experienced and calibrated radiologist for 1,792 caries from 14,997 teeth. The annotations were stored using the annotation and image markup standard to ensure consistency and reliability. The deep learning system employed a two-model approach: YOLOv5 for tooth detection and Attention U-Net for segmenting caries. The system achieved impressive results, demonstrating almost perfect agreement with dentists for both caries counts and classifications (enamel, dentine, and pulp). However, some discrepancies exist, particularly in underestimating enamel caries. While the model occasionally overpredicts caries in healthy teeth (false positive), it prioritizes minimizing missed lesions (false negative), achieving a high recall of 0.96. Overall performance surpasses previously reported values, with an F1-score of 0.85 and an accuracy of 0.93 for caries segmentation in posterior teeth. The deep learning approach demonstrates promising potential to aid dentists in caries diagnosis, treatment planning, and dental education.
Development and study of a salt tolerance Gemini cationic viscoelastic surfactant with spacer of neopentyl-glycol applied in seawater-based cleaning fracturing fluid
Authors: Zhang Wenlong , Zhang Qi , Xia Tianbao , Ji Qiuhan , Liu Xingwen , Wang Lan , Wang Longyao 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Herein, a cationic Gemini VES with high salt tolerance, named NEPB was synthesized through one-step reaction to simplify the process, using erucamide propyl dimethylamine and pentaerythritol dibromide dissolved in DMF. The double hydroxyl groups on the spacer imparts NEPB superior salt tolerance to the Gemini VESwith single hydroxyl (JS-(OH)-JS). A series of tests including salinity cloud point, DLS, fluorescent probe was conducted, and it proves that NEPB is less sensitive to salinity in aggregation behavior than JS-(OH)-JS. The apparent viscosity of 3 wt% JS-(OH)-JS solution reaches peak at the NaCl concentration of 1.5 wt%, then it falls down sharply. The apparent viscosity of 3 wt% NEPB solution rises to the peak value at the NaCl concentration of 5 wt%, and it falls down slightly with NaCl concentration increased further, which indicates NEPB meets the wide range of salinity to form WLMs. Through oscillatory measurement, it proves that the NEPB solution with the peak apparent viscosity exhibits superior viscoelasticity to the JS-(OH)-JS solution. And the NEPB VES fracturing fluids prepared by the simulated seawater of the South China Sea exhibits excellent heat and shear resistance, among which the fracturing fluid with NaSal added performs best since the embedding structure of salicylic acid ion. Static proppant carrying test proves the NEPB VESfracturing fluid with NaSal added exhibit superior proppant carrying capacity to others. Ethylene glycol butyl ether exhibits superior gel breaking performance to crude oil as to the viscosity, surface tension and insoluble residue, and the core damage rates caused by the ethylene glycol butyl ether gel breaking fluid are comparably low. The seawater-based VES fracturing fluid system was developed with ethylene glycol butyl ether as gel breaking agent, which is meaningful to the development of low-permeability oil and gas reservoirs offshore.
Determinants of Household’s Educational Investment in Somalia: Empirical Analysis of a Multinomial Logistic Regression Model
Authors: Osman Bashir Mohamed , Jirow Mohamed 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

This paper analyzes the determinants of household educational investment in Somalia, using data from the Somali Integrated Household Budget Survey (SIHBS) 2022, carried out by the Somali National Bureau of Statistics. The dataset contains 7,212 households that epitomize varied urban, rural, and nomadic areas, capturing a range of socio-economic and demographic factors. The dependent variable, household educational investment is classified into low, medium, and high categories. Explanatory variables used are those of income of the household, parental education, number of school-going children, location, availability of educational facilities, employment status of the head, gender of the child, and size of the household. Using multinomial logistic regression analysis, it was found that household income and education of parents determine significantly higher probabilities of being in the middle and high categories of educational investments. It also shows that urban location and closeness to schools positively influence investment in education, while household size and rural or nomadic locations present increased difficulties. It further shows that male children receive more educational investment, which points to a gender gap. These results indicate the need for strengthening policies, including those related to income support, access to education, and gender equity, particularly for under-resourced areas. This provides the crucial insights that policymakers need to drive fair educational investments for better long-term educational outcomes in Somalia.
Lactate-Related Gene Signatures as Prognostic Predictors and Comprehensive Analysis of Immune Profiles in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Authors: Liu Changlin , Ni Chuping , Li Chao , Tian Hu , Jian Weiquan , Zhong Yuping , Zhou Yanqing , Lyu Xiaoming , Zhang Yuanbin , Xiang Xiao-Jun , Cheng Chao , Li Xin 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Objectives
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an aggressive malignancy with high rates of morbidity and mortality, largely because of its late diagnosis and metastatic potential. Lactate metabolism and protein lactylation are thought to play roles in NPC pathogenesis by modulating the tumor microenvironment and immune evasion. However, research specifically linking lactate-related mechanisms to NPC remains limited. This study aimed to identify lactate-associated biomarkers in NPC and explore their underlying mechanisms, with a particular focus on immune modulation and tumor progression.
Methods
To achieve these objectives, we utilized a bioinformatics approach in which publicly available gene expression datasets related to NPC were analysed. Differential expression analysis revealed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between NPC and normal tissues. We performed weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify module genes significantly associated with NPC. Overlaps among DEGs, key module genes, and lactate-related genes (LRGs) were analysed to derive lactate-related differentially expressed genes (LR-DEGs). Machine learning algorithms can be used to predict potential biomarkers, and immune infiltration analysis can be used to examine the relationships between identified biomarkers and immune cell types, particularly M0 macrophages and B cells.
Results
A total of 1,058 DEGs were identified between the NPC and normal tissue groups. From this set, 372 key module genes associated with NPC were isolated. By intersecting the DEGs, key module genes, and lactate-related genes (LRGs), 17 lactate-related DEGs (LR-DEGs) were identified. Using three machine learning algorithms, this list was further refined, resulting in three primary lactate-related biomarkers: TPPP3, MUC4, and CLIC6. These biomarkers were significantly enriched in pathways related to "immune cell activation" and the "extracellular matrix environment." Additionally, M0 and B macrophages were found to be closely associated with these biomarkers, suggesting their involvement in shaping the NPC immune microenvironment.
Conclusion
In summary, this study identified TPPP3, MUC4, and CLIC6 as lactate-associated clinical modelling indicators linked to NPC. linked to NPC, providing a foundation for advancing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for this malignancy.
Renoprotective effects of tadalafil on ischemia-reperfusion injury during partial nephrectomy in an animal model
Authors: Ha Yun-Sok , Yoo Eun Sang , Yoon Bo Hyun , Jeon Minji , Kwon Tae Gyun , Kim Bum Soo , Ha Yun-Sok , Chung Jae-Wook 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background:The safe time for partial nephrectomy is reported as 25 min for warm ischemia. However, even in the case of arterial ligation within 25 min, acute renal injury occurs, which causes serious complications in patients with chronic renal disease. Various drugs are being studied, but the effectiveness and safety are insufficient. This study aims to prove that tadalafil has a protective effect on renal function.
Methods: We orally treated tadalafil for 14 days prior to ischemic-reperfusion (IR) injury with partial nephrectomy. 24 hours after IR injury, blood and kidney samples were collected for biochemical and molecular analysis. Serum BUN, serum creatinine and urine KIM-1 were analyzed from blood samples and collected kidney tissue samples were used for qPCR and histology analysis.
Results: We observed that there was no effect on blood urea nitrogen or creatine levels, but it improved damaged kidney tissue by increasing number of glomeruli. Tadalafil protected kidney in the loss of glomerulus from IR injury. As oxidative stress related markers, tadalafil was effective in reducing iNOS, eNOS, and MPO expression. In addition, we confirmed that tadalafil significantly suppressed inflammatory related gene expressions, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, CD4 and CD8.
Conclusions: In conclusion, it was demonstrated that tadalafil inhibits oxidative stress and inflammation and increases renal tissue recovery ability in ischemic-reperfusion damage during partial nephrectomy.
The Role of Healthcare Providers in Shared Decision Making for Cervical Cancer Prevention in Ghana: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Bonnah Juliet , Awuah Baffour , Williams Michelle S. 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer is currently the second leading cause of cancer death among women in Ghana. Several studies have identified healthcare providers as key stakeholders in cervical cancer prevention. There is limited data on the role healthcare providers in Ghana play in shared decision making for cervical cancer prevention. The purpose of this study was to investigate healthcare providers’ perceptions about women’s cervical cancer prevention behaviors and their practices for recommending cervical cancer prevention services to their patients.
Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with healthcare providers (n=27) working at healthcare institutions in Ghana. Qualitative analysis was done using in-vivo coding and thematic content analysis. The PEN-3 model, and the SHARE approach were used as the theoretical framework for the study.
Results: Healthcare providers were the main source of cervical cancer information for their patients. However, several providers acknowledged that they have inadequate knowledge about cervical cancer. Several providers stated that they seek their patients’ opinion about cervical cancer when recommending cervical cancer prevention services to them. Most of the providers recommend cervical cancer prevention services when patients have suggestive symptoms. They address their patients’ concerns and fears about cervical cancer by educating and reassuring them. The cost of preventive services, lack of knowledge, cultural and religious beliefs, were identified as major factors that influence their patients’ health seeking behavior for cervical cancer prevention services.
Conclusion: In Ghana, healthcare providers play a significant role in cervical cancer prevention. Therefore, there is a need for training programs to empower providers in shared decision making, and in recommending cervical cancer prevention services to patients.
Using Real Options Approach to Risk and Uncertainty in Wind Power Plant Valuation
Authors: Biyikli Duygu , Sesli Faik Ahmet , Kasap Pelin 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Since the future cannot be predicted clearly, each parameter value in investment is variable within probabilities. Costs, expenses, inflation rate, unit prices, government support, and incentives or income amount contain risks and uncertainties for every investment. While these risks and uncertainties decrease the investment value in traditional valuation, they increase the value in real options. Investors may also want to defer, expand, or abandon the investment according to market conditions. These flexibility factors offered by real options for large-budget investments such as Wind Power Plants (WPPs) also add extra value to the investment. This study aimed to investigate how the flexibility situations predicted for this WPP with positive Net Present Value (NPV) affect the investment. In particular, the defer option was applied in two different ways. First, the return scarcity parameter was used to calculate the opportunity cost lost to competitors due to differences. Secondly, this loss was applied as a numerical change to cash flows. In the application where the return scarcity parameter was used, the results obtained with the Black-Scholes and Binomial methods were quite different from each other. In the second application, the loss percentage applied to cash flows, although higher than the return scarcity parameter, returned more positive results. The fact that the return scarcity parameter gave very low results, especially with the Black-Scholes method, was also an important result for the literature on the use of the defer option. In addition, the demonstration of the extra value that real options bring to investments was another important result for the increase in the installation of renewable energy plants and the use of clean energy in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
To tell or not to tell? Abortion disclosure and social support among women who received abortion care in Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Ushie Boniface Ayanbekongshie , Okunlola David Aduragbemi , Roemer Matthea , Akiode Akinsewa , Taiwo Anne , Idoko Ochanya , Ajah Emmanuel 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Objective
In restricted and stigmatized contexts, women having trusted individuals to share their experiences and seek support can make a difference when seeking abortion care. This study examines how women in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria, disclose their abortion care needs within their social support networks and the nature of the support they receive. related to their abortion.
Methods
The data reported in this study came from a component of a larger study to map abortion service points and assess abortion safety was conducted in Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria. The study was conducted among women who received induced abortion care in the past five years. The sample was 200 women who responded to questions about their abortion disclosure practices, reasons for disclosure, abortion experiences that necessitated them seeking support, the support received, and abortion methods used. We used descriptive statistics to present the distribution of respondents’ disclosure, reasons for disclosure, and the support received. We assessed the relationship between disclosure, support received, and abortion method using cross-tabulations.
Results
Most respondents (79.5%) disclosed their abortions to someone, predominantly to their spouse or partner (66.7%). Various forms of support were reported, including emotional support, practical assistance in accessing abortion services, and advice on methods and providers. For all support, most respondents (average = 65%) receive it before the actual abortion, helping with decision-making and sources of abortion care. We found disparities in the level of support received based on age groups, with adolescent girls and young women (15–24 years old) receiving the least high-level support. Conversely, non-disclosure was based on the belief that abortion is a personal and women’s right or choice and to avoid breach of privacy and stigma.
Conclusions
Women and girls disclose their abortions selectively and aim to leverage disclosure for information and support in abortion decision-making and care-seeking. Efforts to destigmatize abortion and support women's autonomy in reproductive decision-making are essential, including advocating policies that protect women's right to privacy and confidentiality regarding their reproductive choices, as well as initiatives to engage men in supportive roles and challenge harmful cultural norms.