bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of preoperative CT angiography examination on the clinical outcome of patients with BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2 undergoing laparoscopic gastrectomy: study protocol for a multicentre randomized controlled trial
Authors: Meng Cheng , Cao Shougen , Liu Xiaodong , Li Leping , He Qingsi , Xia Lijian , Jiang Lixin , Chu Xianqun , Wang Xinjian , Wang Hao , Hui Xizeng , Sun Zuocheng , Huang Shusheng , Duan Quanhong , Yang Daogui , Zhang Huanhu , Tian Yulong , Li Zequn , Zhou Yanbing 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background
Gastric cancer, which is the fifth most common malignancy and the third most common cause of cancer-related death, is particularly predominant in East Asian countries, such as China, Japan and Korea. It is a serious global health issue that causes a heavy financial burden for the government and family. To our knowledge, there are few reports of multicentre randomized controlled trials on the utilization of CT angiography (CTA) for patients who are histologically diagnosed with gastric cancer before surgery. Therefore, we planned this RCT to verify whether the utilization of CTA can change the short- and long-term clinical outcomes.

Method
The GISSG 20–01 study is a multicentre, prospective, open-label clinical study that emphasises the application of CTA for patients who will undergo laparoscopic gastrectomy to prove its clinical findings. A total of 382 patients who meet the inclusion criteria will be recruited for the study and randomly divided into two groups in a 1:1 ratio: the CTA group (n = 191) and the non-CTA group (n = 191). Both groups will undergo upper abdomen enhanced CT, and the CTA group will also receive CT angiography. The primary endpoint of this trial is the volume of blood loss. The second primary endpoints are the number of retrieved lymph nodes, postoperative recovery course, hospitalization costs, length of hospitalization days, postoperative complications, 3-year OS and 3-year DFS.

Discussion
It is anticipated that the results of this trial will provide high-level evidence and have clinical value for the application of CTA in laparoscopic gastrectomy.

Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04636099. Registered November 19, 2020
A uracil auxotroph Toxoplasma gondii exerting immunomodulation to inhibit breast cancer growth and metastasis
Authors: Xu Li-Qing , Yao Li-Jie , Jiang Dan , Zhou Li-Juan , Chen Min , Liao Wen-Zhong , Zou Wei-Hao , Peng Hong-Juan 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundBreast cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death among women, and prognosis is especially poor for patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC); therefore, there is an urgent need for new effective therapies. Recent studies have demonstrated that the uracil auxotrophToxoplasma gondiivaccine displays anti-tumor effects. Here, we examined the immunotherapy effects of an attenuated uracil auxotroph strain ofT. gondiiagainst 4T1 murine breast cancer.MethodsWe constructed a uracil auxotrophT. gondiiRH strain via orotidine 5′-monophosphate decarboxylase gene deletion (RH-Δompdc) with CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The strain’s virulence in theT. gondii-infected mice was determined in vitro and in vivo by parasite replication assay, plaque assay, parasite burden detection in mice peritoneal fluids and survival analysis. The immunomodulation ability of the strain was evaluated by cytokine detection. Its anti-tumor effect was evaluated after its in situ inoculation into 4T1 tumors in a mouse model; the tumor volume was measured, and the 4T1 lung metastasis was detected by hematoxylin and eosin and Ki67 antibody staining, and the cytokine levels were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsThe RH-Δompdcstrain proliferated normally when supplemented with uracil, but it was unable to propagate without the addition of uracil and in vivo, which suggested that it was avirulent to the hosts. This mutant showed vaccine characteristics that could induce intense immune responses both in vitro and in vivo by significantly boosting the expression of inflammatory cytokines. Inoculation of RH-Δompdcin situ into the 4T1 tumor inhibited tumor growth, reduced lung metastasis, promoted the survival of the tumor-bearing mice and increased the secretion of Th1 cytokines, including interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interferon-γ (INF-δ), in both the serum and tumor microenvironment (TME).ConclusionInoculation of the uracil auxotroph RH-Δompdcdirectly into the 4T1 tumor stimulated anti-infection and anti-tumor immunity in mice, and resulted in inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis, promotion of the survival of the tumor-bearing mice and increased secretion of IL-12 and IFN-γ in both the serum and TME. Our findings suggest that the immunomodulation caused by RH-Δompdccould be a potential anti-tumor strategy.Graphical abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis induces apoptosis via ROS and ER stress response through ER–mitochondria crosstalk in SiHa cells
Authors: Gao Fei Fei , Quan Juan-Hua , Lee Min A. , Ye Wei , Yuk Jae-Min , Cha Guang-Ho , Choi In-Wook , Lee Young-Ha 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background
Trichomonas vaginalis causes lesions on the cervicovaginal mucosa in women; however, its pathogenesis remains unclear. We have investigated the involvement of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in the induction of apoptosis by T. vaginalis and its molecular mechanisms in human cervical cancer SiHa cells.

Methods
Apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), ER stress response and Bcl-2 family protein expression were evaluated using immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, 5,5′,6,6′-tetrachloro-1,1′,3,3′-tetraethyl-imidacarbocyanine iodide dye staining and western blotting.

Results
Trichomonas vaginalis induced mitochondrial ROS production, apoptosis, the ER stress response and mitochondrial dysfunction, such as MMP depolarization and an imbalance in Bcl-2 family proteins, in SiHa cells in a parasite burden- and infection time-dependent manner. Pretreatment with N-acetyl cysteine (ROS scavenger) or 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA; ER stress inhibitor) significantly alleviated apoptosis, mitochondrial ROS production, mitochondrial dysfunction and ER stress response in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, T. vaginalis induced the phosphorylation of apoptosis signal regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) and c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) in SiHa cells, whereas 4-PBA or SP600125 (JNK inhibitor) pretreatment significantly attenuated ASK1/JNK phosphorylation, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis and ER stress response in SiHa cells, in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, T. vaginalis excretory/secretory products also induced mitochondrial ROS production, apoptosis and the ER stress response in SiHa cells, in a time-dependent manner.

Conclusions
Trichomonas vaginalis induces apoptosis through mitochondrial ROS and ER stress responses, and also promotes ER stress-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis via the IRE1/ASK1/JNK/Bcl-2 family protein pathways in SiHa cells. These data suggest that T. vaginalis-induced apoptosis is affected by ROS and ER stress response via ER–mitochondria crosstalk.

Graphical Abstract
Seasonal epidemiology of gastrointestinal nematodes of cattle in the northern continental climate zone of western Canada as revealed by internal transcribed spacer-2 ribosomal DNA nemabiome barcoding
Authors: Wang Tong , Redman Elizabeth M. , Morosetti Arianna , Chen Rebecca , Kulle Sarah , Morden Natasha , McFarland Christopher , Vineer Hannah Rose , Colwell Douglas D. , Morgan Eric R. , Gilleard John S. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundGastrointestinal nematode (GIN) epidemiology is changing in many regions of the world due to factors such as global warming and emerging anthelmintic resistance. However, the dynamics of these changes in northern continental climate zones are poorly understood due to a lack of empirical data.MethodsWe studied the accumulation on pasture of free-living infective third-stage larvae (L3) of different GIN species from fecal pats deposited by naturally infected grazing cattle. The field study was conducted on three organic farms in Alberta, western Canada. Grass samples adjacent to 24 fecal pats were collected from each of three different pastures on each farm. Internal transcribed spacer-2 nemabiome metabarcoding was used to determine the GIN species composition of the harvested larvae. The rotational grazing patterns of the cattle ensured that each pasture was contaminated only once by fecal pat deposition. This design allowed us to monitor the accumulation of L3 of specific GIN species on pastures under natural climatic conditions without the confounding effects of pasture recontamination or anthelmintic treatments.ResultsIn seven out of the nine pastures, grass L3 counts peaked approximately 9 weeks after fecal deposition and then gradually declined. However, a relatively large number of L3 remained in the fecal pats at the end of the grazing season. Nemabiome metabarcoding revealed thatCooperia oncophoraandOstertagia ostertagiwere the two most abundant species on all of the pastures and that the dynamics of larval accumulation on grass were similar for both species. Daily precipitation and temperature across the whole sampling period were similar for most of the pastures, and multiple linear regression showed that accumulated rainfall 1 week prior to sample collection had a significant impact on the pasture L3 population, but accumulated rainfall 3 weeks prior to sample collection did not.ConclusionsThe results suggest that the pasture L3 population was altered by short-term microclimatic conditions conducive for horizontal migration onto grass. Overall, the results show the importance of the fecal pat as a refuge and reservoir for L3 of cattle GIN on western Canadian pastures, and provide an evidence base for the risk assessment of rotational grazing management in the region.Graphical Abstract
Involvement of lncRNA IL21-AS1 in interleukin-2 and T follicular regulatory cell activation in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Hao He , Nakayamada Shingo , Ohkubo Naoaki , Yamagata Kaoru , Zhang Mingzeng , Shan Yu , Iwata Shigeru , Zhang Tong , Tanaka Yoshiya 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background
The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs62324212, located in IL21 antisense RNA 1 (IL21-AS1), has been identified as a genetic risk variant associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We aimed to probe the characteristics of IL21-AS1 and explore its clinical relevance focusing on T helper subsets and disease activity in patients with SLE.

Methods
rs62324212 genotyping was determined using allelic discrimination by quantitative PCR. Gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and cell surface markers in CD4+ T cells were analyzed using PCR and flow cytometry. The association among IL21-AS1, CD4+ T cell subsets, and SLE disease activity was accessed.

Results
Ensembl Genome Browser analysis revealed that rs62324212 (C>A) was located in the predicting enhancer region of IL21-AS1. IL21-AS1 was expressed in the nucleus of CD4+ T and B cells, but its expression was decreased in patients with SLE. IL21-AS1 expression was positively correlated with mRNA levels of IL-2 but not IL-21, and it was associated with the proportion of activated T follicular regulatory (Tfr) cells. Furthermore, we observed a significant negative correlation between IL21-AS1 expression and disease activity in patients with SLE (n = 53, p < 0.05).

Conclusion
IL21-AS1 has an effect on disease activity through an involvement of IL-2-mediated activation of Tfr cells in SLE. Thus, targeting the IL21-AS1 may provide therapeutic approaches for SLE.
Feature partitioning for robust tree ensembles and their certification in adversarial scenarios
Authors: Calzavara Stefano , Lucchese Claudio , Marcuzzi Federico , Orlando Salvatore 
Published: December 2021

AbstractMachine learning algorithms, however effective, are known to be vulnerable in adversarial scenarios where a malicious user may inject manipulated instances. In this work, we focus on evasion attacks, where a model is trained in a safe environment and exposed to attacks at inference time. The attacker aims at finding a perturbation of an instance that changes the model outcome.We propose a model-agnostic strategy that builds a robust ensemble by training its basic models on feature-based partitions of the given dataset. Our algorithm guarantees that the majority of the models in the ensemble cannot be affected by the attacker. We apply the proposed strategy to decision tree ensembles, and we also propose an approximate certification method for tree ensembles that efficiently provides a lower bound of the accuracy of a forest in the presence of attacks on a given dataset avoiding the costly computation of evasion attacks.Experimental evaluation on publicly available datasets shows that the proposed feature partitioning strategy provides a significant accuracy improvement with respect to competitor algorithms and that the proposed certification method allows ones to accurately estimate the effectiveness of a classifier where the brute-force approach would be unfeasible.
Unsupervised domain adaptation for lip reading based on cross-modal knowledge distillation
Authors: Takashima Yuki , Takashima Ryoichi , Tsunoda Ryota , Aihara Ryo , Takiguchi Tetsuya , Ariki Yasuo , Motoyama Nobuaki 
Published: December 2021

AbstractWe present an unsupervised domain adaptation (UDA) method for a lip-reading model that is an image-based speech recognition model. Most of conventional UDA methods cannot be applied when the adaptation data consists of an unknown class, such as out-of-vocabulary words. In this paper, we propose a cross-modal knowledge distillation (KD)-based domain adaptation method, where we use the intermediate layer output in the audio-based speech recognition model as a teacher for the unlabeled adaptation data. Because the audio signal contains more information for recognizing speech than lip images, the knowledge of the audio-based model can be used as a powerful teacher in cases where the unlabeled adaptation data consists of audio-visual parallel data. In addition, because the proposed intermediate-layer-based KD can express the teacher as the sub-class (sub-word)-level representation, this method allows us to use the data of unknown classes for the adaptation. Through experiments on an image-based word recognition task, we demonstrate that the proposed approach can not only improve the UDA performance but can also use the unknown-class adaptation data.
Optimum energy harvesting model for bidirectional cognitive radio networks
Authors: Hasan Mohammad Kamrul , Chowdhury Md. Monwar J. , Ahmed Shakil , Sabuj Saifur R. , Nibhen Jamel , Bakar Khairul A. A. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractWireless devices’ energy efficiency and spectrum shortage problem has become a key concern worldwide as the number of wireless devices increases at an unparalleled speed. Wireless energy harvesting technique from traditional radio frequency signals is suitable for extending mobile devices’ battery life. This paper investigates a cognitive radio network model where primary users have their specific licensed band, and secondary users equipped with necessary hardware required for energy harvesting can use the licensed band of the primary user by smart sensing capability. Analytical expressions for considered network metrics, namely data rate, outage probability, and energy efficiency, are derived for uplink and downlink scenarios. In addition, optimal transmission power and energy harvesting power are derived for maximum energy efficiency in downlink and uplink scenarios. Numerical results show that outage probability improves high transmission power in the downlink scenario and high harvested power in the uplink scenario. Finally, the result shows that energy efficiency improves using optimum transmission power and energy harvesting power for downlink and uplink scenarios.
Protocol for a meta-narrative review on research paradigms addressing the urban built environment and human health
Authors: Kim Jinhee , Harris-Roxas Ben , de Leeuw Evelyne , Lilley David , Crimeen Alana , Sainsbury Peter 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background
Urban health is a field of research and practice that has attracted the interest of various disciplines. While it is encouraged for diverse disciplines to contribute to a multidisciplinary field of study such as urban health, this often results in tensions, conflicts or competition between the different traditions that stem from different epistemological backgrounds.
This meta-narrative review aims to identify and describe the multiple paradigms and articulate the underlying epistemological, ontological, methodological, and aetiological differences in their approaches. Articulating the paradigms not only contributes to the advancement of research, but also provides a framework for understanding the different policy beliefs and ideas policy actors hold and apply in the policy process.

Methods
We apply the meta-narrative method to systematic literature review which includes the following six iterative phases. The planning phase includes the finalisation of the review protocol and assembly of review team. The search phase includes a comprehensive literature search in key databases and a double-sided systematic snowballing method. We will search multidisciplinary databases including Web of Science, Scopus and ProQuest, and topic-specific databases including Urban Studies Abstracts (EBSCO), MEDLINE, and EMBASE from their inception onwards. Bibliometric analyses of this literature will be used to triangulate the mapping of the paradigms. The mapping phase includes identifying the dominant paradigms and landmark publications through agreement with the review team. In the appraisal phase, the literature will be assessed by their respective quality standards, followed by data extraction to identify the individual narratives in the conceptual, theoretical, methodological, and instrumental dimensions of each paradigm. The synthesis phase will review the data to compare and contrast and identify the overarching meta-narratives. The recommendation phase will include dissemination of the findings from the review.

Discussion
The meta-narrative review will reveal the how the different paradigms conceptualise, frame and prioritise urban health issues, their preferred methodologies to study the phenomenon, and the nature of the solutions to improve human health. This review will assist researchers and practitioners in understanding and interpreting evidence produced by other traditions that study urban health. Through this, urban health researchers and practitioners will be able to seek coherence in understanding, explaining, and exploring the urban health phenomenon.

Systematic review registration
Open Science Framework (https://osf/io/tn8vk)
Correlates of interpersonal emotion regulation problems in Loss of Control eating (LOC) in youth: study protocol of the combined online and App based questionnaire, laboratory and randomized controlled online intervention i-BEAT trial
Authors: Munsch Simone , Forrer Felicitas , Naas Adrian , Mueller Verena , Rubo Marius , Hannoun Fouad , Mugellini Elena 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) represents a common eating disorder associated with marked health impairments. A subclinical variant, loss of control eating (LOC) is prevalent in youth. LOC is associated with similar mental distress as full-blown BED, increases the risk to develop a BED and promotes continuous weight gain. The etiology of LOC is not yet fully understood and specialized treatment for youth is scarce.

Methods
The i-BEAT study includes a cross-sectional and longitudinal online questionnaire study (N = 600), an App based daily-life approach and a laboratory virtual reality study in N = 60 youths (14–24 years) with and without LOC as well as a controlled randomized online treatment trial to investigate the feasibility, acceptance and efficacy of a CBT and an interpersonal emotion regulation module for youth (N = 120). The primary outcomes include self-reported as well as measured (heart rate variability, gaze behavior, reaction times in stop signal task) associations between emotion regulation problems (such as dealing with RS), psychological impairment and binge eating in a healthy control group and youth with LOC. Secondary outcomes encompass general eating disorder pathology, social anxiety, body mass index, hyperscanning behavior and therapists’ rating of patients’ condition pre and post treatment. Epigenetic correlates of RS are assessed in healthy controls and youth with LOC and explored before and after treatment.

Discussion
The expected findings will specify the role of interpersonal emotion regulation problems such as coping with the experience of social exclusion and rejection sensitivity (RS) in LOC and clarify, whether including a training to cope with RS adds to the efficacy of a cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT).
Trial registration: German Clinical Trial Register: DRKS00023706. Registered 27 November 2020, https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00023706
Comparison of different machine learning approaches for tropospheric profiling based on COSMIC-2 data
Authors: Lasota Elżbieta 
Published: December 2021

AbstractPrecise and reliable information on the tropospheric temperature and water vapor profiles play a key role in weather and climate studies. Among the sensors supporting the observations of the troposphere, one can distinguish the Global Navigation Satellite System Radio Occultation (RO) technique, which provides accurate and high-quality meteorological profiles. However, external knowledge about temperature is essential to estimate other physical atmospheric parameters. To overcome this constraint, I trained and evaluated four different machine learning models comprising Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Random Forest regression algorithms, where no auxiliary meteorological data is needed. To develop the models, I employed 150,000 globally distributed (45°S–45°N) RO profiles between October 2019 and December 2020. Input vectors consisted of bending angle or refractivity profiles from the Formosa Satellite-7/Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate-2 mission together with the month, hour, and latitude of the RO event. While temperature, pressure, and water vapor profiles derived from the modern ERA5 reanalysis and interpolated to the RO location served as the models’ targets. Evaluation on the testing data set revealed a good agreement between all model outputs and ERA5 targets, where slightly better statistics were noted for ANN and refractivity inputs. Vertically averaged root mean square error (RMSE) did not exceed 1.7 K for the temperature and reached around 1.4 hPa and 0.45 hPa for the total and water vapor pressures. Additional validation with 477 co-located radiosonde observations and the operational one-dimensional variational product showed slightly larger discrepancies with the mean RMSE of around 1.9 K, 1.9 hPa, and 0.5 hPa for the temperature, pressure, and water vapor, respectively.Graphical Abstract