bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Five Regions, Five Retinopathy Screening Programmes: a Systematic Review of How Portugal Addresses the Challenge
Authors: Pereira Andreia Marisa Penso , Laureano Raul Manuel Silva , Neto Fernando Buarque Lima 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background: The implementation of a population-based screening programme for diabetic retinopathy involves several challenges, often leading to postponements and setbacks at high human and material costs. Thus, it is of the utmost importance to promote the sharing of experiences, successes and difficulties. However, factors such as the existence of regional programmes, specificities of each country's health systems, organizational and even linguistic barriers, make it difficult to create a solid framework that can be used as a basis for future projects. Methods: Web of Science and PubMed platforms were searched using appropriate key words. The review process resulted in 423 articles adherent to the search criteria, 28 of which were accepted and analysed. Web sites of all Portuguese governmental and non-governmental organizations, with a relevant role on the research topic, were inspected and 75 official documents were retrieved and analysed.Results: Since 2001, five regional screening programmes were gradually implemented under the guidelines of Portuguese General Health Department. However, complete population coverage was still not achieved. Among the main difficulties reported are the complex articulation between different levels of care providers, the low number of orthoptic technician in the national health system, the high burden that images grading and treatment of positive cases represents for hospitals ophthalmology services, and low adherence rates. Yet, the comparison between strategies adopted in the different regions allowed the identification of potential solutions: hire orthoptic technician for primary health care units, eliminating the dependence of hospital professionals; use artificial intelligence algorithms for automatic retinographies grading, avoiding ophthalmologists overload; adoption of proximity strategies, as the use of portable retinographers, to promote adherence to screening.Conclusion: Access to diabetic retinopathy screening remains remarkably variable in Portugal and needs urgent attention. However, several characteristics of effective screening programmes were found in Portuguese screening programmes, what seems to point toward promising outcomes, especially if each other highlights are considered. The findings of this research could be very useful for the other countries with similar socio-political characteristics.Registration: PROSPERO registration ID CRD42020200115.
Cell-free DNA comparative analysis of genomic landscape of first-line hormone-receptor positive metastatic breast cancer from US and China
Authors: Liu Xiao-Ran , Andrew Davis , Xie Feng , Gui Xinyu , Chen Yifei , Zhang Qiang , Gerratana Lorenzo , Zhang Youbin , Shah Ami N , Behdad Amir , Wehbe Firas , Huang Yong , Yu Jianjun , Du Pan , Jia Shidong , Li Huiping , Cristofanilli Massimo 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Purpose: Comparison of mutation landscape across ethnics using the identical detecting platform is important. We explored the differential genomic landscape of patients with hormone-receptor positive (HR+), HER2-negative MBC of first line recurrence or Stage IV at diagnosis from the United States (US) and China (CN).Methods: Twenty-seven US patients and 65 CN patients had circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) sequencing from plasma using the harmonized CLIA-certified, 152-gene PredicineCareTM liquid biopsy assay. Clinical outcomes were correlated with ctDNA variants. Progression-free survival (PFS) was performed for patients and compared using log-rank test. Results: All patients from CN cohort received chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy, while 85.2% (23/27) patients of US cohort hormonal plus CDK4/6 inhibitor. Mutations were detected in 23 of 27 (85%) US patients and 54 of 65 (83%) CN patients. Prevalence of AKT1(18.5% vs. 3.1%, P = 0.008) and CDH1 were higher in US cohort (18.5% vs. 1.5%, P = 0.021), and gain of FGFR1 was higher in the CN cohort (7.4% vs. 24.6%, P = 0.048). PTEN deletion (5.7 months vs. 13.2 months, P = 0.03) and ESR1 alterations (9.0 months vs. 13.2 months, P = 0.02) were associated with significantly shorter PFS in CN cohort. However, the similar result was not found in US cohort. Conclusions: Differential prevalence of FGFR1, AKT1, and CDH1 in HR+ MBC were found between US and CN, which indicates a slight difference in a genomic setting. Meanwhile, certain genes such as PTEN and ESR1 shows varied predictive value across US and CN cohort regarding PFS.
Polarity symmetry of leaders in moist air
Authors: Huang Shengxin , Chen Weijiang , Fu Zhong , Shi Weidong , Xiang Nianwen , Fu Yufei , Cheng Dengfeng , Zhang Zhiyuan 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
The most important physics underlying lightning is the leader discharge. The presence or absence of space stems/leaders in leader steps is the key to the polarity asymmetry of leaders, which describes the difference in macroscopic behavior between positive and negative leaders and is a long-term consensus among lightning physicists. It is generally believed that negative leader steps are led by space stem, and there is no space stem/leader in positive leader discharges. Here we report the emergence of the space stem and the bidirectional development of the space leader in positive leader steps in moist air, using a high-speed camera with unprecedented spatial-temporal resolution. The lifetime of space stem/leader in positive leader steps is shorter than that in negative leader steps, causing the uncover of space stem/leader in previous studies. The bidirectional development of space leaders in positive leader steps may be an important source for VHF radiations, illuminating insight into the outstanding problem that how positive lightning leaders produce VHF radiation.
Modelling infectious diseases with herd immunity in a randomly mixed population
Authors: Law Kian Boon , Peariasamy Kalaiarasu M. , Ibrahim Hishamshah Mohd. , Abdullah Noor Hisham 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background The conventional susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) model tends to overestimate the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases and ends up with total infections and total immunized population exceeding the threshold required for control and eradication of infectious diseases. The study aims to overcome the limitation by allowing the transmission rate of infectious disease to decline along with the reducing risk of contact infection. Methods Two new SIR models were developed to mimic the declining transmission rate of infectious diseases at different stages of transmission. Model A mimicked the declining transmission rate along with the reducing risk of transmission following infection, while Model B mimicked the declining transmission rate following recovery. Then, the conventional SIR model, Model A and Model B were used to simulate an infectious disease with a basic reproduction number (r0) of 3.0 and a herd immunity threshold (HIT) of 0.667 with and without vaccination. The infectious disease was expected to be controlled or eradicated when the total immunized population either through infection or vaccination reached the level predicted by the HIT. Outcomes of simulations were assessed at the time when the total immunized population reached the level predicted by the HIT, and at the end of simulations. Findings All three models performed likewise at the beginning of the transmission when sizes of infectious and recovered were relatively small as compared with the population size. The infectious disease modelled using the conventional SIR model appeared completely out of control even when the HIT was achieved in all scenarios with and without vaccination. The infectious disease modelled using Model A appeared to be controlled at the level predicted by the HIT in all scenarios with and without vaccination. Model B projected the infectious disease to be controlled at the level predicted by the HIT only at high vaccination rates. At lower vaccination rates or without vaccination, the level at which the infectious disease was controlled cannot be accurately predicted by the HIT. Conclusion Transmission dynamics of infectious diseases with herd immunity can accurately be modelled by allowing the transmission rate of infectious disease to decline along with the combined risk of contact infection. Model B provides a more credible framework for modelling infectious diseases with herd immunity in a randomly mixed population.
Pharmacokinetic evaluation of Chalcone derivatives with antimalarial activity in New Zealand White Rabbits
Authors: Sinha Shweta , Prakash Ajay , Medhi Bikash , Sehgal Alka , Batovska Daniela I , Sehgal Rakesh 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Objective: Malaria is a major global health concern with the urgent need for new treatment alternatives due to the alarming increase of drug-resistant Plasmodium strains. Chalcones and its derivatives are important pharmacophores showing antimalarial activity. Substandard pharmacokinetic variables are often responsible for insufficient therapeutic effect. Determination of the pharmacokinetic variables at the preliminary step of drug development for any drug candidates is an essential component of in vivo antimalarial efficacy tests. Therefore, three chalcone derivatives, 1, 2, and 3, having antimalarial potency were studied further for potential therapeutic efficacy. Results: In vivo pharmacokinetic studies of these three derivatives were performed on New Zealand White rabbits. The three derivatives were administered intra-peritoneally or orally at effective dose concentration and blood samples at different time points were collected. The determination of drug concentration was done through reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography. The peak plasma concentration of derivative 1, 2, and 3 were 1.96 ± 0.46 µg/mL, 69.89 ± 5.49 µg/mL, and 3.74 ± 1.64 µg/mL. The results indicate a very low bioavailability of these derivatives. The present study gives a benchmark to advance the investigation of more derivatives in order to revamp the pharmacokinetic variables while maintaining both potency and metabolic constancy.
Complete tumor response in a patient with locally advanced lung large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma treated with Sintilimab plus platinum-based chemotherapy: a case report
Authors: Huang Jinpeng , Wang Feiye , Du Xiaohua , Li Yongfen , Zhuang Yuanyuan , Gan Ziyan , Long Shunqin , Wu Wanyin , Yang Xiaobing 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background

pulmonary large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare subset of lung cancer with a poor prognosis. As LCNEC is an uncommon malignancy, the optimal treatment for LCNEC has not been established.
Case presentation

: we report a case of a 66-year-old man diagnosed with unresectable, locally advanced LCNEC who presented a partial radiographic response to immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy. Salvage surgery was performed after 4 cycles of docetaxel and cisplatin (DP) regimen plus sintilimab, which is a highly selective, fully human antiprogrammed death-ligand 1 monoclonal antibody. Moreover, a pathologic analysis of the resected piece revealed the absence of residual viable tumor cells.
Conclusion

this case suggests that patients with locally advanced LCNEC may benefit from neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy, it is worthy for further study.
A semi coupled shallow water model for vertical velocity distribution in an open channel with submerged flexible vegetation
Authors: Baruah Anupal , Sarma Arup Kumar , Hinge Gilbert 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Flow-vegetation interactions modify the instream roughness and flow characteristics in the river and estuaries. This study proposes a new quasi three-dimensional hydrodynamic framework to compute the vertical velocity profile in an open channel having submerged flexible vegetation. A modified form of two-dimensional depth-averaged shallow water equations coupled with vegetal drag forces is derived and applied in the simulation. The explicit second-order accurate TVD McCormack predictor-corrector finite difference method with operator splitting technique is used to solve the governing equations in MATLAB. The TVD approach is robust and gives accurate results free from numerical oscillations. The bending profile of the flexible stems under various flow events is calculated from the cantilever beam theory. The vertical velocity profile in the vegetation layer and the free water layer is estimated from Reynold's stress equation and Shannon's entropy theory. The present model is used to replicate some popular experimental test cases. Results indicate a conservative and robust model performance under different flow conditions and patch density. Quantitative analysis of the predicted results is carried out using two statistical indices and found satisfactory.
Air Quality Forecasting with Hybrid LSTM and Extended Stationary Wavelet Transform
Authors: Zeng Yongkang , Ma Xiang , Jin Ning , Zhou Xiaokang , Yan Ke 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) technology-enhanced air quality forecasting is one of the most promising directions in the field of smart environment development. Despite recent advances in this area, two difficulties remain unsolved. First, multiple factors influence forecasting results, such as weather conditions, fuel usage and traffic conditions. These factors are usually unavailable in air quality sensor data. Second, traditional predicting models typically use the most recent training data, which neglects the historical data. In this study, we propose a hybrid deep learning model that embraces the merits of the stationary wavelet transform (SWT) and the nested long short term memory networks (NLSTM) to improve the prediction quality in the problem of hour-ahead air quality forecasting. The proposed method decomposes the original PM2.5 data into several more stationary sub-signals with different resolutions using an extended SWT algorithm. A framework that leverages several NLSTM recurrent neural networks is constructed to output forecasting results for different sub-signals, respectively. The final forecasting result is obtained by combining all sub-signal forecasting results using the inverse wavelet transform. Experiments on real-world data show that, accuracy-wise, our proposed method outperforms most of the existing prediction models in the literature. And the resulting forecasting curves of the proposed method are much closer to the real values without any lags, comparing with existing prediction models.
Mechanism of magnesium transport in spinel chalcogenides
Authors: Sotoudeh Mohsen , Dillenz Manuel , Groß Axel 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
In the area of sustainable energy storage, batteries based on multivalent ions such as magnesium have been attracting considerable attention due to their potential for high energy densities. Furthermore, they are typically also more abundant than, e.g., lithium. However, as a challenge their low ion mobility in electrode materials remains. This study addresses the ionic conductivity in spinel host materials which represent a promising class of cathode and solid-electrolyte materials in Mg-ion batteries. Based on periodic density functional theory calculations, we identify the critical parameters which determine the mobility and insertion of ions. We will in particular highlight the critical role that trigonal distortions of the spinel structure play for the ion mobility. In detail, we will show that it is the competition between coordination and bond length that governs the Mg site preference in ternary spinel compounds upon trigonal distortions. This can only be understood by also taking covalent interactions into account. Furthermore, our calculations suggest that anionic redox plays a much more important role in sulfide and selenide spinels than in oxide spinels. Based on our theoretical study, we rationalize the impact of the metal distribution in the host material and the ion concentration on the diffusion process. Furthermore, cathode-related challenges for practical devices will be addressed. Our findings shed light on the fundamentional mechanisms underlying ionic conductivity in solid hosts and thus may contribute to improve ion transport in battery electrodes.
Ecosystem Health of the Beiyun River Basin (Beijing, China) as Evaluated by the Analytic Hierarchy Process Method
Authors: Yuan Qianhui , Wu Huihui , Zhao Yunqiang , Zhang Yuhang , Yao Ruihua , Zhao Yue , Yang Wenjie 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Ecosystem services provided by river ecosystems rely on healthy ecosystem structure and ecological processes. The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban is a typical water-deficient area. As an important part of the urban-rural integration construction, evaluating the health status of the Beiyun River Basin and discovering the weak links in the water environment is the basis for improving the health of the basin. In this study, Analytic Hierarchy Process was used to establish an evaluation index system for the Beiyun River Basin from 5 aspects including water quality, biology, habitat, hydrology, and social functions, and to assign weights to the index layer. The evaluation results showed that the health evaluation results of the Beiyun River Basin in 2019 are “sub-healthy”, and the overall health status is gradually worsening from northwest to southeast. In the middle reaches of the region, the evaluation result is "healthy", followed by the upstream, and the downstream is the worst. The results showed that areas with less human interference are in better health. The factors that affect the overall health evaluation status in the basin are the level of nutrition, biodiversity, and vegetation coverage. For the comprehensive management of the Beiyun River, the improvement of water quality and habitat ecological restoration is the key to the health of the upstream ecosystem health status. The improvement of the health status of the downstream should focus on equal emphasis on water quality and quantity, restoration of biodiversity, and improvement of the quality of the riparian ecological environment.
Assessing the Nexus Between Stock Market Performance and Covid-19: Evidence from Global Perspective
Authors: Latif Yousaf , Shunqi Ge , Bashir Shahid , Iqbal wasim , Ali Salman , Ramzan Muhammad 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
This study described an empirical link between COVID-19 fear and stock market volatility. Studying COVID-19 fear with stock market volatility is crucial for planning adequate portfolio diversification in international financial markets. The study used AR (1) – GARCH (1,1) to measure stock market volatility associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings suggest that COVID-19 fear is the ultimate cause driving public attention and is a stock market volatility. The results demonstrate that stock market performance and GDP growth decreased significantly through average increases during the pandemic. Further, a 1% increase in COVID-19 cases the stock return and GDP decrease with a 0.8%, 0.56%, respectively. However, GDP growth demonstrated a slight movement with stock exchange. Moreover, public attention to the attitude of buying or selling was highly dependent on the COVID-19 pandemic reported cases index, death index, and global fear index. Consequently, investment in the gold market, rather than in the stock market, is recommended. The study also suggests policy implications for key stakeholders.
Endoscopic Two-Port Technique for Orbital Tumors, A Combined Transnasal and Sublabial Approach: A Retrospective Case Study
Authors: Matousek Petr , Masárová Michaela , Lubojacký Jakub , Kopecký Adam , Němčanský Jan , Misiorzová Eva , Krejčí Tomáš , Kominek Pavel , Lipina Radim 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background: We investigated the indications for a combined endoscopic transnasal and sublabial transantral approach for the surgical treatment of orbital lesions. Methods: This case study enrolled 10 patients scheduled for endoscopic transnasal surgery for treating orbital lesions from 2009 to 2020. When the tumor was localized to the medial part of the orbit, patients underwent endoscopy with a transnasal mononostril approach. Alternatively, when the tumor was localized to the mediocaudal part of the orbit, and when instrument maneuverability was limited, the transnasal approach was combined with a sublabial transantral approach. This two-port surgery approach was preferred over a trans-septal approach (binostril approach), because the two-port approach could expand the operating field in the medial part of the orbit. Here, we evaluated the indications, complications, and advantages of monoportal and combined two-portal approaches. Results: Among the 10 patients enrolled, 8 (80.0%) underwent surgery with the transnasal mononostril approach, and 2 (20.0%) underwent surgery with the combined transnasal mononostril and sublabial transantral approach. In the two latter cases, visualization of the operation field was excellent, and there was adequate room for manipulating instruments. No dysesthesia in the region of infraorbital nerve was observed postoperatively.Conclusion: The combination mononostril-transantral approach provided the space necessary to maneuver instruments and to visualize the surgical field in treating mediocaudal orbital lesions. This two-portal approach enabled extensive resections of intraconal lesions; thus, it could be considered a suitable alternative to the binostril approach.
Effects of Linear and Non-periodized Combined Training on Health-related Quality of Life of Adults With Obesity: a Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Tozetto Willen Remon , Leonel Larissa dos Santos , Turnes Tiago , Duca Giovani Firpo Del 
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is impaired by obesity and can be improved by combined training, even the effects of training periodization on HRQoL are not clear. The study aimed to compare combined training with the non-periodized and the linear periodization on HRQoL of obese adults. Methods: This is a blinded, controlled clinical trial involving adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²), randomized into control (CG), non-periodized (NG) and linear periodization (PG) group. Three times a week for 16 weeks, NG and PG performed combined training for 60 minutes. The NG performed aerobic exercises between 50-59% of the reserve heart rate (HRres) and strength at 10-12 maximum repetitions (MR). The PG started with 40-49% of HRres and 12-14 MRs and progressively increased the intensity (50-59% and 10-12 MRs; 60-69% and 8-10 MRs) with total volume equalized with NG. HRQoL was investigated through the SF-36 questionnaire, according to its components and domains. In statistics, Generalized Estimation Equations and mean differences (∆) were used. Results: Of the 69 participants (23 in each group), 36 completed the intervention (CG=13, NG=9 and PG=14). A significant difference was observed in time of physical function, with superiority in training groups (CG:∆=1.2 vs NG and PG, respectively: ∆=10.0). The mental component and mental health domain showed a significant difference for NG (∆=30.2 and ∆=23.1, respectively). Conclusion: The combined training was able to bring benefits to the physical functioning of adults with obesity and, specifically, the non-periodized training improved mental health indicators effectively.Clinical Trial Registry: RBR-3c7rt3 Date of Registration: 07/02/2018