bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluating factors associated with the cancellation and delay of elective surgical procedures: a systematic review
Authors: Koushan Mona , Wood Lincoln C , Greatbanks Richard 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundElective surgery cancellation is considered a fundamental problem in health care services—it causes considerable disruption to patient flow, further eroding often already stretched operating capacity, and consequentially reduces both hospital performance and patient satisfaction. This research presents a systematic review (SR) of the reasons for surgery cancellation among different hospitals and countries. By highlighting these causes, we identify how to reduce cancellations, thereby improving the use of surgical capacity and resources and creating a more predicable patient flow.MethodsAn SR was performed on elective surgery cancellation in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis and by assessing the methodological quality of SR with Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews guidelines.ResultsThere are different reasons for surgery cancellation that vary between hospitals. This SR demonstrates that hospital-related causes (e.g. unavailable operation room time, inappropriate scheduling policy and lack of beds) are the primary reason for surgery cancellation, followed by work-up related causes (e.g. medically unfit and changes in the treatment plan) and patient-related causes (e.g. absence of a patient and patient refusal).ConclusionThis review demonstrates that the main causes for surgery cancellation can be controlled by hospital managers, who can aim to improve areas such as patient flow and capacity management. Ultimately, this will improve the quality of healthcare delivered by hospitals.
Inhalation Injury Is Associated With Endotheliopathy and Abnormal Fibrinolytic Phenotypes in Burn Patients: A Cohort Study
Authors: Keyloun John W , Le Tuan D , Brummel-Ziedins Kathleen E , Mclawhorn Melissa M , Bravo Maria C , Orfeo Thomas , Johnson Laura S , Moffatt Lauren T , Pusateri Anthony E , Shupp Jeffrey W ,   SYSCOT Study Group, McLawhorn Melissa M , Moffatt Lauren T , Shupp Jeffrey W , Callcut Rachael A , Cohen Mitchell J , Petzold Linda R , Varner Jeffrey D , Bravo Maria Cristina , Brummel-Ziedins Kathleen E , Freeman Kalev , Mann Kenneth G , Orfeo Thomas , Gautam Aarti , Hammamieh Rasha , Jett Marti , Pusateri Anthony E 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Burn injury is associated with endothelial dysfunction and coagulopathy and concomitant inhalation injury (IHI) increases morbidity and mortality. The aim of this work is to identify associations between IHI, coagulation homeostasis, vascular endothelium, and clinical outcomes in burn patients. One hundred and twelve patients presenting to a regional burn center were included in this retrospective cohort study. Whole blood was collected at set intervals from admission through 24 hours and underwent viscoelastic assay with rapid thromboelastography (rTEG). Syndecan-1 (SDC-1) on admission was quantified by ELISA. Patients were grouped by the presence (n = 28) or absence (n = 84) of concomitant IHI and rTEG parameters, fibrinolytic phenotypes, SDC-1, and clinical outcomes were compared. Of the 112 thermally injured patients, 28 (25%) had IHI. Most patients were male (68.8%) with a median age of 40 (interquartile range, 29–57) years. Patients with IHI had higher overall mortality (42.68% vs 8.3%; P &lt; .0001). rTEG LY30 was lower in patients with IHI at hours 4 and 12 (P &lt; .05). There was a pattern of increased abnormal fibrinolytic phenotypes among IHI patients. There was a greater proportion of IHI patients with endotheliopathy (SDC-1 &gt; 34 ng/ml) (64.7% vs 26.4%; P = .008). There was a pattern of increased mortality among patients with IHI and endotheliopathy (0% vs 72.7%; P = .004). Significant differences between patients with and without IHI were found in measures assessing fibrinolytic potential and endotheliopathy. Mortality was associated with abnormal fibrinolysis, endotheliopathy, and IHI. However, the extent to which IHI-associated dysfunction is independent of TBSA burn size remains to be elucidated.
Smoking History as a Potential Predictor of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Efficacy in Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Wang Xinan , Ricciuti Biagio , Alessi Joao V , Nguyen Tom , Awad Mark M , Lin Xihong , Johnson Bruce E , Christiani David C 
Published: June 2021

AbstractBackgroundDespite the therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in a subset of patients, consistent and easily obtainable predictors of efficacy remain elusive.MethodsThis study was conducted on 644 advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with ICI monotherapy between April 2013 and September 2020 at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Patient smoking history, clinicopathological characteristics, tumor mutation burden (TMB) by clinical targeted next-generation sequencing, and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) tumor proportion score (TPS) by immunohistochemistry were prospectively collected. The association of smoking history with clinical outcomes of ICI monotherapy in metastatic NSCLC patients was evaluated after adjusting for other potential predictors. All statistical tests were 2-sided.ResultsOf 644 advanced NSCLC patients, 105 (16.3%) were never smokers, 375 (58.2%) were former smokers (median pack-years = 28), and 164 (25.4%) were current smokers (median pack-years = 40). Multivariable logistic and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses suggested that doubling of smoking pack-years is statistically significantly associated with improved clinical outcomes of patients treated with ICI monotherapy (objective response rate odds ratio = 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09 to 1.36, P &lt; .001; progression-free survival hazard ratio = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.88 to 0.95, P &lt; .001; overall survival hazard ratio = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.90 to 0.99, P = .01). Predictive models incorporating pack-years and PD-L1 TPS yielded additional information and achieved similar model performance compared with using TMB and PD-L1 TPS.ConclusionsIncreased smoking exposure had a statistically significant association with improved clinical outcomes in metastatic NSCLC treated with ICI monotherapy independent of PD-L1 TPS. Pack-years may serve as a consistent and readily obtainable surrogate of ICI efficacy when TMB is not available to inform prompt clinical decisions and allow more patients to benefit from ICIs.
Targeting of MNK/eIF4E overcomes chemoresistance in cervical cancer
Authors: Zhu Yuanyuan , Wang Changying , Li Mingqun , Yang Xiaoyu 
Published: June 2021

Abstract

Objectives
Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) is activated in cancers in response to stress. This is regulated by MAP kinase interacting serine/threonine kinase (MNK) in cancerous but not normal cells. Chemoresistance causes treatment failure in advanced cervical cancer. In this study, we addressed chemotherapy effects on eIF4E for cervical cancer and reversal effects by MNK inhibitor cercosporamide for chemo-resistance mitigation.

Methods
Cell assays and mouse tumour models were used to determine the efficacy of cercosporamide. Western blotting was applied to understand the affected cell signaling after cercosporamide treatment.

Key findings
Cercosporamide spared normal cervical epithelial cells. On cervical cancer cell lines, it showed inhibition of cell growth and migration, and induced apoptosis. Cercosporamide was effective on chemoresistant cancer cells and augmented the efficiency of doxorubicin and cisplatin both in vitro and in vivo. Cercosporamide suppressed eIF4E signaling. Of note, chemotherapy increased p-eIF4E. Cercosporamide abolished chemotherapy-induced eIF4E activation. The higher level of p-eIF4E in cancer cells compared with normal cervical epithelial cells explains the preferential toxicity of cercosporamide.

Conclusions
This work demonstrates the ability of cercosporamide to overcome chemoresistance and highlight preferential inhibition of eIF4E via MNK inhibition in cervical cancer.
Photosynthesis and chloroplast redox signaling in the age of global warming: stress tolerance, acclimation, and developmental plasticity
Authors: Lodeyro Anabella F , Krapp Adriana R , Carrillo Néstor 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Contemporary climate change is characterized by the increased intensity and frequency of environmental stress events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves, which have a debilitating impact on photosynthesis and growth, compromising the production of food, feed, and biofuels for an expanding population. The need to increase crop productivity in the context of global warming has fueled attempts to improve several key plant features such as photosynthetic performance, assimilate partitioning, and tolerance to environmental stresses. Chloroplast redox metabolism, including photosynthetic electron transport and CO2 reductive assimilation, are primary targets of most stress conditions, leading to excessive excitation pressure, photodamage, and propagation of reactive oxygen species. Alterations in chloroplast redox poise, in turn, provide signals that exit the plastid and modulate plant responses to the environmental conditions. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in these processes could provide novel tools to increase crop yield in suboptimal environments. We describe herein various interventions into chloroplast redox networks that resulted in increased tolerance to multiple sources of environmental stress. They included manipulation of endogenous components and introduction of electron carriers from other organisms, which affected not only stress endurance but also leaf size and longevity. The resulting scenario indicates that chloroplast redox pathways have an important impact on plant growth, development, and defense that goes beyond their roles in primary metabolism. Manipulation of these processes provides additional strategies for the design of crops with improved performance under destabilized climate conditions as foreseen for the future.
A comparative study of convolutional neural networks for the detection of strong gravitational lensing
Authors: Magro Daniel , Zarb Adami Kristian , DeMarco Andrea , Riggi Simone , Sciacca Eva 
Published: June 2021

ABSTRACT
As we enter the era of large-scale imaging surveys with the upcoming telescopes such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), it is envisaged that the number of known strong gravitational lensing systems will increase dramatically. However, these events are still very rare and require the efficient processing of millions of images. In order to tackle this image processing problem, we present machine learning techniques and apply them to the gravitational lens finding challenge. The convolutional neural networks (CNNs) presented here have been reimplemented within a new, modular, and extendable framework, Lens EXtrActor CaTania University of Malta (LEXACTUM). We report an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9343 and 0.9870, and an execution time of 0.0061 and 0.0594 s per image, for the Space and Ground data sets, respectively, showing that the results obtained by CNNs are very competitive with conventional methods (such as visual inspection and arc finders) for detecting gravitational lenses.
A real-time automated glitch detection pipeline at Ooty Radio Telescope
Authors: Singha Jaikhomba , Basu Avishek , Krishnakumar M A , Joshi Bhal Chandra , Arumugam P 
Published: June 2021

ABSTRACT
Glitches are the observational manifestations of superfluidity inside neutron stars. The aim of this paper is to describe an automated glitch detection pipeline, which can alert the observers on possible real-time detection of rotational glitches in pulsars. Post alert, the pulsars can be monitored at a higher cadence to measure the post-glitch recovery phase. Two algorithms, namely median absolute deviation and polynomial regression, have been explored to detect glitches in real time. The pipeline has been optimized with the help of simulated timing residuals for both the algorithms. Based on the simulations, we conclude that the polynomial regression algorithm is significantly more effective for real time glitch detection. The pipeline has been tested on a few published glitches. This pipeline is presently implemented at the Ooty Radio Telescope. In the era of upcoming large telescopes like SKA, several hundreds of pulsars will be observed regularly and such a tool will be useful for both real-time detection as well as optimal utilization of observation time for such glitching pulsars.
CRISPRpas: programmable regulation of alternative polyadenylation by dCas9
Authors: Shin Jihae , Ding Qingbao , Wang Luyang , Cui Yange , Baljinnyam Erdene , Guvenek Aysegul , Tian Bin 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Most human protein-coding genes produce alternative polyadenylation (APA) isoforms that differ in 3′ UTR size or, when coupled with splicing, have variable coding sequences. APA is an important layer of gene expression program critical for defining cell identity. Here, by using a catalytically dead Cas9 and coupling its target site with polyadenylation site (PAS), we develop a method, named CRISPRpas, to alter APA isoform abundance. CRISPRpas functions by enhancing proximal PAS usage, whose efficiency is influenced by several factors, including targeting strand of DNA, distance between PAS and target sequence and strength of the PAS. For intronic polyadenylation (IPA), splicing features, such as strengths of 5′ splice site and 3′ splice site, also affect CRISPRpas efficiency. We show modulation of APA of multiple endogenous genes, including IPA of PCF11, a master regulator of APA and gene expression. In sum, CRISPRpas offers a programmable tool for APA regulation that impacts gene expression.
Modulation of mRNA Expression of IL-6 and mTORC1 and Efficacy and Feasibility of an Integrated Approach Encompassing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Along with Pregabalin for Management of Neuropathic Pain in Postherpetic Neuralgia: A Pilot Study
Authors: Saxena Ashok Kumar , Bhardwaj Neha , Chilkoti Geetanjali T , Malik Anish , Thakur Gaurav Kumar , Bajaj Megha , Banerjee Anwesha , Banerjee Basu Dev , Singal Archana 
Published: June 2021

Abstract

Objective
This study was designed to explore the efficacy and feasibility of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) along with pregabalin and compare it with pregabalin monotherapy for the management of neuropathic pain in post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) patients and to explore the modulation of messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of interleukin (IL)-6 and mammalian target of rapamycin-1 (mTORC1) genes in these patients.

Design
Randomized controlled pilot study.

Methods
The patients aged &gt;18 years of age with an established diagnosis of PHN with evident allodynia and hyperalgesia who had pain for at least 3 months after healing of rash with pain intensity ≥4/10 on NRS-Pain Scale were enrolled. The trial was registered with the Clinical Trials Registry-India (CTRI/2019/03/018014). A detailed baseline assessment regarding type and duration of pain and disability using pain-relevant self-report questionnaires was done. Two mL venous blood samples were collected for gene expression studies at base line and at end of 12 weeks of treatment. Patients were randomized into one of the two groups. Group PR received pregabalin and Group CP received CBT along with pregabalin. The pain intensity was measured using numeric rating scale (NRS)-Pain scale, neuropathic component of the pain by using Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) and Pain Detect Questionnaire (PDQ), sleep interference by NRS-Sleep, pain-related catastrophic thoughts by using Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), depression and quality of life using Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Short Form-12 (SF-12), respectively. The research funding was supported by the intramural grant from the institution.

Results
A total of 40 patients with 20 in each group were included. Following integrated approach encompassing CBT and Pregabalin, group CP had significant downregulation of mRNA expression of IL-6; however, no such correlation was observed with mTOR expression. A significant decline in the intensity of pain, NPSI scoring for burning, allodynia, and pain-related catastrophizing were observed; also a significant improvement in depressive symptoms and quality of life were observed with the use of CBT.

Conclusions
A significant downregulation of mRNA expression of IL-6 was observed; however, no significant correlation was observed between NRS pain score and ΔCt values of mRNA expression of both mTORC1 gene and IL-6 gene at baseline and at the end of 12th week. In addition, we note a significant decrease in pain intensity, depressive symptoms, and pain-related catastrophizing while improving QOL was observed with the use of CBT as a clinical adjunct along with pregabalin in PHN patients.
Apremilast monotherapy for long-term treatment of active psoriatic arthritis in DMARD-naïve patients
Authors: Wells Alvin F , Edwards Christopher J , Kivitz Alan J , Bird Paul , Guerette Benoit , Delev Nikolay , Paris Maria , Teng Lichen , Aelion Jacob A 
Published: June 2021

AbstractObjectivesApremilast monotherapy was evaluated up to 5 years in PALACE 4 (fourth PsA Long-term Assessment of Clinical Efficacy study) DMARD-naïve patients with PsA.MethodsPatients with active PsA were randomized (1:1:1) to placebo, apremilast 30 mg or apremilast 20 mg twice a day. Placebo patients were rerandomized to apremilast at week 16 or 24. Double-blind apremilast continued to week 52, with a 4-year open-label extension (≤260 weeks of exposure). Analyses through week 260 were based on observed data.ResultsA total of 527 patients were treated. Among patients randomized to apremilast 30 mg at baseline, 45.5% completed week 260. At study end, 24.8% reported conventional synthetic DMARD or steroid use for any reason. At week 260, 65.8%/39.0%/20.3% of apremilast 30 mg patients achieved ACR20/ACR50/ACR70 responses, respectively. PsA sign and symptom improvements were sustained up to week 260 with continued treatment, including reductions in swollen (84.8%) and tender (76.4%) joint counts. Among apremilast 30 mg patients with baseline enthesitis or dactylitis, 71.2% achieved a Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score of 0 and 95.1% achieved a dactylitis count of 0. Over 50% of patients achieved a HAQ Disability Index minimal clinically important difference (≥0.35). In patients with ≥3% baseline psoriasis-involved body surface area, 60.3% and 47.6% achieved ≥50% and ≥75% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scores, respectively. Patients continuing apremilast 20 mg also demonstrated consistent, sustained improvements. The most common adverse events were diarrhoea, nausea, headache, upper respiratory tract infection and nasopharyngitis. No new safety concerns were observed long term.ConclusionsApremilast led to sustained PsA efficacy up to 260 weeks and was well tolerated.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov (http://clinicaltrials.gov), NCT01307423.
Gendering and Degendering: The Problem of Men’s Victimization in Intimate Partner Relations in Social and Crisis Workers’ Talk
Authors: Venäläinen Satu 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
The notion of intimate partner violence (IPV) as gender-based has been widely questioned by advocates of antifeminist men’s rights movements, who have claimed that societal disregard for men’s victimization in intimate relations is a central component of discrimination against men in contemporary societies. Similar views have been expressed by researchers as part of a gender-neutral discourse articulated in opposition to feminist, or gender-sensitive, understandings of IPV. To date, the views of helping professionals who work with IPV in terms of men’s victimization have been underexplored. This study traces the discursive process of problem construction concerning gender and IPV in social and crisis workers’ (N=21) talk about men’s victimization through focus group interviews conducted in Finland. The analysis shows that social and crisis workers’ sense-making closely aligns with talk about men’s victimization by men’s rights advocates; they construct and justify men’s victimization in intimate relations as a pressing societal concern in ways that both posit gender-specific normative conceptions as a significant, oppressive context for men victims and simultaneously obscure gendered structural inequalities by advocating gender-neutral understandings and solutions for IPV. The analysis highlights challenges in attending to IPV with a gender-sensitive approach in the context of widespread politicization of men’s victimization.
Integrated metabolomics coupled with pattern recognition and pathway analysis to reveal molecular mechanism of cadmium-induced diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Gong Pin , Wang Mengrao , Yang Wenjuan , Chang Xiangna , Wang Lan , Chen Fuxin 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is becoming a worldwide public health problem and its pathophysiological mechanism is not well understood. Emerging evidences indicated that cadmium (Cd), an industrial material but also an environmental toxin, may be involved in the development and progression of diabetes and diabetes-related kidney disease. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear.
Herein, a DN animal model was constructed by exposing to Cd, the metabolomic profiling of DN mice were obtained by using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS), pattern recognition and pathway analysis were performed to screen potential biomarker. Moreover, western blotting was employed to verify the possible mechanism involved in the occurrence of Cd-induced DN.
A total of 66 metabolites in serum have been screened out and identified as biomarkers, including free fatty acids, phospholipids, sphingomyelins, glycerides, and others. Significant differences were demonstrated between the metabolic profiles, including decreased levels of phospholipid and increased content of triglyceride, diacylglycerols, ceramide, lysophosphatidylcholine in Cd-induced DN mice compared with control. Protein expression level of p38 MAPK and Wnt/β-catenin were significantly increased.
UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based serum metabolomics coupled with pattern recognition methods and pathway analysis provide a powerful approach to identify potential biomarkers and is a new strategy to predict the underlying mechanism of disease caused by environmental toxicant.