bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Alien balsams, strawberries and their pollinators in a warmer world
Authors: Najberek Kamil , Kosior Andrzej , Solarz Wojciech 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBackgroundStrawberries are a common crop whose yield success depends on the availability of pollinators. Invasive alien plants, such asImpatiens glanduliferaandI. parviflora, are also attractive for bees and hoverflies, respectively, and occur in close proximity to strawberry cultivation areas. The aim of the study was to test whether alien plants may decrease pollination of strawberry cultivation. However, even if the pollinators are abundant, efficiency of their pollination may decrease as a result of revisits of flowers that were already probed. It is addressed by pollinators by scent marking. Moreover, such revisits can be determined by nectar replenishment, which may occur rapidly in nectar-rich flowers. We studied revisits toI. glanduliferaby bumblebees and defined the factors that influence the probability of revisits (air temperature; pollinator species; family caste and size; flower area; sun radiation; and time of day).ResultsWe found that the two alien species decreased the number of pollinators visiting strawberries. Apoidea, Bombini and Syrphidae significantly decreased onFragaria×ananassawhen alienImpatienswere present. We also revealed the influence of increasing air temperature on bumblebee foraging, which was particularly significant for female workers. At very high temperatures (> 37°C), bumblebee males revisited probed flowers less often than female workers.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that in experimental conditions attractive alien species decrease pollination of strawberries, which may negatively affect production of this crop. Although the results have not been verified in real-life strawberry fields yet, we recommend that alien plant species that share the same pollinators and occur in close proximity of strawberries are controlled. Moreover, we found that revisits of probed flowers may weaken feeding efficiency of bumblebees. If revisits are not induced by nectar replenishment, then global warming may pose a serious threat to the survival of colonies, which may have consequences also for the plants that attract them, e.g., for strawberries.
Postspinal anesthesia shivering in lower abdominal and lower limb surgeries: a randomized controlled comparison between paracetamol and dexamethasone
Authors: Esmat Ibrahim M. , Mohamed Marwa M. , Abdelaal Wail A. , El-Hariri Hazem M. , Ashoor Tarek M. 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Background
Shivering is known to be a frequent complication in patients undergoing surgery under neuraxial anesthesia with incidence of 40–70%. Although many pharmacological agents have been used to treat or prevent postspinal anesthesia shivering (PSAS), the ideal treatment wasn’t found. This study evaluated the efficacy of paracetamol and dexamethasone to prevent PSAS in patients undergoing lower abdominal and lower limb surgeries.

Methods
Three hundred patients scheduled for surgeries under spinal anesthesia (SA) were allocated into three equal groups to receive a single preoperative dose of oral paracetamol 1 g (P group), dexamethasone 8 mg intravenous infusion (IVI) in 100 ml normal saline (D group) or placebo (C group), 2 h preoperatively, in a randomized, double-blind trial. The primary endpoint was the incidence of clinically significant PSAS. Secondary endpoints included shivering score, the change in hemodynamics, adverse events (e.g., nausea, vomiting and pruritis) and patients` satisfaction.

Results
Clinically significant PSAS was recorded as (15%) in P group, (40%) in D group and (77%) in C group (P < 0.001). The mean blood pressure values obtained over a 5-25 min observation period were significantly higher in the D group (P < 0.001). Core temperature 90 min after SA was significantly lower in the 3 groups compared to prespinal values (P < 0.001). Nausea, vomiting and pruritis were significantly higher in the C group (P < 0.001). P and D groups were superior to C group regarding the patients’ satisfaction score (P < 0.001).

Conclusion
Paracetamol and dexamethasone were effective in prevention of PSAS in patients undergoing lower abdominal and lower limb surgeries compared to placebo controls.

Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03679065 / Registered 20 September 2018 - Retrospectively registered, http://www.ClinicalTrial.gov.
Isolated calf deep venous thrombosis: frequency on venous ultrasound and clinical characteristics
Authors: Heller Thomas , Becher Mattes , Kröger Jens-Christian , Beller Ebba , Heller Susanne , Höft Raimund , Weber Marc-André , Meinel Felix G. 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Background
It remains controversial whether to include calf veins in the initial ultrasound evaluation of suspected deep venous thrombosis (DVT). We sought to investigate the frequency and clinical characteristics of isolated calf DVT.

Materials and methods
In this retrospective analysis, we investigated a cohort of 596 patients (median age 69 years, 52.3% women) who had been imaged with complete lower extremity venous duplex ultrasound for suspected acute DVT. Radiology reports were analyzed for the presence and localization of DVT. Clinical information was collected from patients’ electronic charts.

Results
DVT was found in 157 patients (26.3%), of which 74 patients (47.1%) had isolated calf DVT. Isolated calf DVTs were located in the posterior tibial veins (22 patients, 29.7%), peroneal veins (41 patients, 55.4%) and muscle veins (19 patients, 25.7%). There were no differences in age or sex between patients with isolated calf DVT and patients with proximal DVT. Isolated calf DVT was more commonly associated with leg pain (52.7% vs. 33.7%, p = 0.0234) and less commonly associated with subjective leg swelling (35.1% vs. 55.4%, p = 0.0158) and objectively measured difference in leg circumference (23% vs. 39.8%, p = 0.0268). D-Dimers were significantly lower in patients with isolated lower leg DVT (median 2.3 vs. 6.8 mg/L, p < 0.0001) compared to patients with proximal DVT.

Conclusions
Isolated calf DVT represents approximately half of DVT cases and has different clinical characteristics than proximal DVT.
Amino acids predict prognosis in patients with acute dyspnea
Authors: Wiklund Karolin , Gränsbo Klas , Almgren Peter , Peyman Marjaneh , Tegnér Lena , Toni-Bengtsson Maria , Wieloch Mattias , Melander Olle 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Background
To identify amino acids that can predict risk of 90-day mortality in patients with acute dyspnea.

Method
Plasma levels of nine amino acids were analyzed 663 adult patients admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) with acute dyspnea. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the relation between amino acid levels and the risk of 90-day mortality.

Result
Eighty patients (12.1%) died within 90 days of admission. An “Amino Acid Mortality Risk Score” (AMRS), summing absolute plasma levels of glycine, phenylalanine and valine, demonstrated that among the patients belonging to quartile 1 (Q1) of the AMRS, only 4 patients died, compared to 44 patients in quartile 4. Using Q1 of the AMRS as reference, each increment of 1 SD in the AMRS was associated with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.15 for 90-day mortality, and the HR was > 9 times higher in Q4.

Conclusion
Glycine, phenylalanine and valine are associated with a risk of 90-day mortality in patients admitted to the ED for acute dyspnea, suggesting that these amino acids may be useful in risk assessments.
Low methodological quality of systematic reviews on acupuncture: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ho Leonard , Ke Fiona Y. T. , Wong Charlene H. L. , Wu Irene X. Y. , Cheung Andy K. L. , Mao Chen , Chung Vincent C. H. 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Background
While well-conducted systematic reviews (SRs) can provide the best evidence on the potential effectiveness of acupuncture, limitations on the methodological rigour of SRs may impact the trustworthiness of their conclusions. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the methodological quality of a representative sample of SRs on acupuncture effectiveness.

Methods
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, and EMBASE were searched for SRs focusing on the treatment effect of manual acupuncture or electro-acupuncture published during January 2018 and March 2020. Eligible SRs must contain at least one meta-analysis and be published in English language. Two independent reviewers extracted the bibliographical characteristics of the included SRs with a pre-designed questionnaire and appraised the methodological quality of the studies with the validated AMSTAR 2 (A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews 2). The associations between bibliographical characteristics and methodological quality ratings were explored using Kruskal-Wallis rank tests and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients.

Results
A total of 106 SRs were appraised. Only one (0.9%) SR was of high overall methodological quality, zero (0%) was of moderate-quality, six (5.7%) and 99 (93.4%) were of low-quality and critically low-quality respectively. Among appraised SRs, only ten (9.4%) provided an a priori protocol, four (3.8%) conducted a comprehensive literature search, five (4.7%) provided a list of excluded studies, and six (5.7%) performed meta-analysis appropriately. Cochrane SRs, updated SRs, and SRs that did not search non-English databases had relatively higher overall quality.

Conclusions
Methodological quality of SRs on acupuncture is unsatisfactory. Future reviewers should improve critical methodological aspects of publishing protocols, performing comprehensive search, providing a list of excluded studies with justifications for exclusion, and conducting appropriate meta-analyses. These recommendations can be implemented via enhancing the technical competency of reviewers in SR methodology through established education approaches as well as quality gatekeeping by journal editors and reviewers. Finally, for evidence users, skills in SR critical appraisal remain to be essential as relevant evidence may not be available in pre-appraised formats.
Differences in assistive technology installed for people with dementia living at home who have wandering and safety risks
Authors: Curnow Eleanor , Rush Robert , Gorska Sylwia , Forsyth Kirsty 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBackgroundAssistive Technology for people with dementia living at home is not meeting their care needs. Reasons for this may be due to limited understanding of variation in multiple characteristics of people with dementia including their safety and wandering risks, and how these affect their assistive technology requirements. This study therefore aimed to explore the possibility of grouping people with dementia according to data describing multiple person characteristics. Then to investigate the relationships between these groupings and installed Assistive Technology interventions.MethodsPartitioning Around Medoids cluster analysis was used to determine participant groupings based upon secondary data which described the person characteristics of 451 people with dementia with Assistive Technology needs. Relationships between installed Assistive Technology and participant groupings were then examined.ResultsTwo robust clustering solutions were identified within the person characteristics data. Relationships between the clustering solutions and installed Assistive Technology data indicate the utility of this method for exploring the impact of multiple characteristics on Assistive technology installations. Living situation and caregiver support influence installation of assistive technology more strongly than level of risk or cognitive impairment. People with dementia living alone received different AT from those living with others.ConclusionsResults suggest that caregiver support and the living situation of the person with dementia influence the type and frequency of installed Assistive Technology. Reasons for this include the needs of the caregiver themselves, the caregiver view of the participants’ needs, caregiver response to alerts, and the caregiver contribution to the assistive technology assessment and selection process. Selection processes should be refined to account for the needs and views of both caregivers and people with dementia. This will require additional assessor training, and the development of validated assessments for people with dementia who have additional impairments. Policies should support the development of services which provide a wider range of AT to facilitate interventions which are focused on the needs of the person with dementia.
Norovirus GII.2[P16] strain in Shenzhen, China: a retrospective study
Authors: Wang Jing , Jin Miao , Zhang Hailong , Zhu Yanan , Yang Hong , Yao Xiangjie , Chen Long , Meng Jun , Hu Guifang , He Yaqing , Duan Zhaojun 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Background
Norovirus (NoV) is the main cause of non-bacterial acute gastroenteritis (AGE) outbreaks worldwide. From September 2015 through August 2018, 203 NoV outbreaks involving 2500 cases were reported to the Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Methods
Faecal specimens for 203 outbreaks were collected and epidemiological data were obtained through the AGE outbreak surveillance system in Shenzhen. Genotypes were determined by sequencing analysis. To gain a better understanding of the evolutionary characteristics of NoV in Shenzhen, molecular evolution and mutations were evaluated based on time-scale evolutionary phylogeny and amino acid mutations.

Results
A total of nine districts reported NoV outbreaks and the reported NoV outbreaks peaked from November to March. Among the 203 NoV outbreaks, 150 were sequenced successfully. Most of these outbreaks were associated with the NoV GII.2[P16] strain (45.3%, 92/203) and occurred in school settings (91.6%, 186/203). The evolutionary rates of the RdRp region and the VP1 sequence were 2.1 × 10–3 (95% HPD interval, 1.7 × 10–3–2.5 × 10–3) substitutions/site/year and 2.7 × 10–3 (95% HPD interval, 2.4 × 10–3–3.1 × 10–3) substitutions/site/year, respectively. The common ancestors of the GII.2[P16] strain from Shenzhen and GII.4 Sydney 2012[P16] diverged from 2011 to 2012. The common ancestors of the GII.2[P16] strain from Shenzhen and previous GII.2[P16] (2010–2012) diverged from 2003 to 2004. The results of amino acid mutations showed 6 amino acid substitutions (*77E, R750K, P845Q, H1310Y, K1546Q, T1549A) were found only in GII.4 Sydney 2012[P16] and the GII.2[P16] recombinant strain.

Conclusions
This study illustrates the molecular epidemiological patterns in Shenzhen, China, from September 2015 to August 2018 and provides evidence that the epidemic trend of GII.2[P16] recombinant strain had weakened and the non-structural proteins of the recombinant strain might have played a more significant role than VP1.
Hepatitis B virus infection in Nigeria: a systematic review and meta-analysis of data published between 2010 and 2019
Authors: Ajuwon Busayo I. , Yujuico Isabelle , Roper Katrina , Richardson Alice , Sheel Meru , Lidbury Brett A. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBackgroundHepatitis B virus (HBV) is an infectious disease of global significance, causing a significant health burden in Africa due to complications associated with infection, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. In Nigeria, which is considered a high prevalence country, estimates of HBV cases are inconsistent, and therefore additional clarity is required to manage HBV-associated public health challenges.MethodsA systematic review of the literature (via PubMed, Advanced Google Scholar, African Index Medicus) was conducted to retrieve primary studies published between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2019, with a random-effects model based on proportions used to estimate the population-based prevalence of HBV in the Nigerian population.ResultsThe final analyses included 47 studies with 21,702 participants that revealed a pooled prevalence of 9.5%. A prevalence estimate above 8% in a population is classified as high. Sub-group analyses revealed the highest HBV prevalence in rural settings (10.7%). The North West region had the highest prevalence (12.1%) among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones/regions. The estimate of total variation between studies indicated substantial heterogeneity. These variations could be explained by setting and geographical region. The statistical test for Egger’s regression showed no evidence of publication bias (p = 0.879).ConclusionsWe present an up-to-date review on the prevalence of HBV in Nigeria, which will provide critical data to optimise and assess the impact of current prevention and control strategies, including disease surveillance and diagnoses, vaccination policies and management for those infected.
Creating symptom-based criteria for diagnostic testing: a case study based on a multivariate analysis of data collected during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
Authors: French Nigel , Jones Geoff , Heuer Cord , Hope Virginia , Jefferies Sarah , Muellner Petra , McNeill Andrea , Haslett Stephen , Priest Patricia 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Background
Diagnostic testing using PCR is a fundamental component of COVID-19 pandemic control. Criteria for determining who should be tested by PCR vary between countries, and ultimately depend on resource constraints and public health objectives. Decisions are often based on sets of symptoms in individuals presenting to health services, as well as demographic variables, such as age, and travel history. The objective of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of sets of symptoms used for triaging individuals for confirmatory testing, with the aim of optimising public health decision making under different scenarios.

Methods
Data from the first wave of COVID-19 in New Zealand were analysed; comprising 1153 PCR-confirmed and 4750 symptomatic PCR negative individuals. Data were analysed using Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA), automated search algorithms, Bayesian Latent Class Analysis, Decision Tree Analysis and Random Forest (RF) machine learning.

Results
Clinical criteria used to guide who should be tested by PCR were based on a set of mostly respiratory symptoms: a new or worsening cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, coryza, anosmia, with or without fever. This set has relatively high sensitivity (> 90%) but low specificity (< 10%), using PCR as a quasi-gold standard. In contrast, a group of mostly non-respiratory symptoms, including weakness, muscle pain, joint pain, headache, anosmia and ageusia, explained more variance in the MCA and were associated with higher specificity, at the cost of reduced sensitivity. Using RF models, the incorporation of 15 common symptoms, age, sex and prioritised ethnicity provided algorithms that were both sensitive and specific (> 85% for both) for predicting PCR outcomes.

Conclusions
If predominantly respiratory symptoms are used for test-triaging, a large proportion of the individuals being tested may not have COVID-19. This could overwhelm testing capacity and hinder attempts to trace and eliminate infection. Specificity can be increased using alternative rules based on sets of symptoms informed by multivariate analysis and automated search algorithms, albeit at the cost of sensitivity. Both sensitivity and specificity can be improved through machine learning algorithms, incorporating symptom and demographic data, and hence may provide an alternative approach to test-triaging that can be optimised according to prevailing conditions.
Pulmonary lesions: correlative study of dynamic triple-phase enhanced CT perfusion imaging with tumor angiogenesis and vascular endothelial growth factor expression
Authors: Zou Mingyue , Zhao Zhenhua , Zhang Bingqian , Mao Haijia , Huang Yanan , Wang Cheng 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Background
To investigate value of the quantitative perfusion parameters of dynamic triple-phase enhanced CT in differential diagnosis of pulmonary lesions, and explore the correlation between perfusion parameters of lung cancer with microvessel density (MVD) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

Methods
73 consecutive patients with lung lesions who successfully underwent pre-operative CT perfusion examination with dynamic triple-phase enhanced CT and received a final diagnosis by postoperative pathology or a clinical follow-up. The cases were divided into malignant and benign groups according to the pathological results. CT perfusion parameters, such as Median, Mean, Standard deviation (Std), Q10, Q25, Q50, Q75, Q90 of pulmonary artery perfusion (PAP), bronchial artery perfusion (BAP), perfusion index (PI) and arterial enhancement fraction (AEF) were obtained by performing computed tomography perfusion imaging (CTPI). Computed tomography perfusion (CTP) parameters were compared between malignant and benign lesions. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the diagnostic efficiency of CTP parameters in diagnosing malignant lesions. The correlations between CTP parameters with MVD and VEGF were analysed in 36 lung cancer patients who had extra sections be used for immunohistochemistry staining of CD34 and VEGF.

Results
BAP (Mean, Std, Q90) and PI Std of benign lesions were higher than malignant lesions (p < 0.05), and PAP (Q10, Q25), PI (Median, Mean, Q10, Q25, Q50) of malignant lesions were higher than the benign (p < 0.05). The area under the ROC curve of PI Mean, PI Q10 and PI Std was 0.722 (95% CI = [0.595–0.845]), 0.728 (95% CI = [0.612–0.844]) and 0.717 (95% CI = [0.598–0.835]) respectively. Partial perfusion parameters of BAP and AEF Q10 were positively correlated with MVD (p value range is < 0.001–0.037, ρ value range is 0.483–0.683), and partial perfusion parameters of PI were negatively correlated with MVD (p value range is 0.001–0.041,ρvalue range is − 0.523–− 0.343). Partial perfusion parameters of BAP and AEF Q10 were positively correlated with VEGF (p value range is 0.001–0.016, ρvalue range is 0.398–0.570), meanwhile some perfusion parameters of PAP and PI were negatively correlated with VEGF (p value range is 0.001–0.040, ρ value range is − 0.657–0.343).

Conclusions
Quantitative parameters of dynamic triple-phase enhanced CT can provide diagnostic basis for the differentiation of lung lesions, and there were connection with tumor angiogenesis and vascular endothelial growth factor expression.