bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ecotoxic Effects of the Vehicle Solvent Dimethyl Sulfoxide on Aquatic Model Organisms
Authors: Andrade-Vieira Larissa , Bojic Clement , Alvarenga Ingrid , de Carvalho Teotonio , Masfaraud Jean-François , Cotelle Sylvie 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is widely used as a vehicle solvent in ecotoxicity bioassays. However, despite its frequent use, itcould be toxic for organisms at some concentrations. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the effectsof DMSO on the population growth rate of the microalgaeRaphidocelis subcapitata, the mobility of the microcrustacean Daphnia magna,and the reproduction of the rotiferBrachionus calyciflorus. DMSO was applied to the organisms in concentrations ranging from 0.031–4%. For R. subcapitata significant effects in growth inhibitionafter 72 h of exposure was 0.125% DMSO,being the lowest observed effectconcentration (LOEC). The 50% effective concentration (EC50) was2.138 ± 0.372%. In D. magna,significant differences in the mobility after 24 h or 48 h of exposure was 1% DMSO being 1.712± 0.207% and 1.167± 0.220%DMSO the EC50 observed for 24 h and 48 h exposure, respectively. For B. calyciflorus,it was not possible to validate the tests performed, as there were insufficient animals alive in the control conditions at the end of the exposure period. Therefore, we recommended avoiding DMSO as a vehicle in assays using B. calyciflorus,and to use final DMSO concentrationsin experimental solution not exceeding 0.125% forR. subcapitata and 0.5% for D. magna.
AC099850.3 Promotes Cell Proliferation and is One of Five Costimulatory Molecule-Related LncRNAs That Predict Overall Survival of Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Liu Meimei , Fang Qiong , Huang Yanping , Zhou Jin , Wang Qi 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background: Extensive research has revealed that costimulatory molecules play central roles in mounting anti-tumor immune responses and long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) is an important regulatory factor in the development of various cancers. However, their roles in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unexplored. In this study, we aimed to explore costimulatory molecule-related lncRNAs in HCC and construct a prognostic signature to predict prognosis and improve clinical outcomes with HCC patients.Methods: The data we used for bioinformatics analysis were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Costimulatory molecules were obtained from the known literature. The R software, SPSS and GraphPad Prism were used for mapping and statistical analysis.Results: A five costimulatory molecule-related lncRNAs based risk model was initially constructed through lasso and Cox regression analysis. Moreover, multivariate regression suggested that the risk score was a significant prognostic risk factor in HCC. Samples in high- and low-risk groups exhibited significantly different in gene set enrichment analysis and immune infiltration analysis. Importantly, we found that the AC099850.3 were significantly related to cell proliferation in HCC according to the colony formation and CCK8 assays.Conclusion: In summary, we first identified and validated a novel costimulatory molecule-related survival model and we found that AC099850.3 is closely associated with clinical stage and could remarkably facilitate cell proliferation in HCC, making it potential to be a novel therapeutic target.
Effects of The Pandemic On Women’s Reproductive Health Protective Attitudes: A Turkish Sample
Authors: ŞENOL DERYA KAYA , POLAT Filiz 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background: Pandemics restrict access to reproductive healthcare services and worsen the inequalities in the delivery of healthcare services. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s reproductive health protective attitudes. Methods: The study sample included 306 women and data were collected through a web-based, online questionnaire. The data were collected using the Personal Information Form, Determination of Married Women's Reproductive Health Protective Attitudes Scale. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, ANOVA test were used to assess the data.Results: The mean scores for Determination of Married Women's Reproductive Health Protective Attitudes Scale significantly differed in terms of education, employment status, income, health insurance and perceived health status (p<0.05). Sixty-nine-point-three percent of the women had their first pregnancy at the agerange of 21-34 years, 17.6% of the women had four or more pregnancies, 55.6% of the women gave birth 1-3 times, 13.4% of the women gave birth at home and 57.8% of the women did not use an effective contraceptive. Twenty-three-point-two percent of the women experienced a problem with their reproductive organs during the pandemic, 70.6% of them did not present to a health center for their problems and 74.5% of these women did not present to a health center to avoid the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Forty-point-two percent of the women used the methods they already know at home to relieve their problems and 16.0% of the women used them edications previously prescribed by their doctors. Conclusion: The pandemic negatively affects there productive health of women. While health policies are modified to meet increased healthcare demands from COVID-19 patients and to eliminate the threat of the pandemic. The role of midwives and nurses is very important in the maintenance of reproductive health services.
Association Between Antispasmodics and Detection of Lesions By Screening Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
Authors: Iwagami Hiroyoshi , Seta Takeshi , Juri Noriko , Nakano Shogo , Wakita Midori , Umemura Soichiro , Konishi Takafumi , Matsumoto Hisakazu , Nakatani Yasuki , Akamatsu Takuji , Urai Shunji , Uenoyama Yoshito , Yamashita Yukitaka , Nakayama Takeo 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background and Aim: Whether administration of antispasmodics as a component of premedication contributes to detection of lesions by screening esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS) remains unclear. Our primary aim was to investigate this possibility.Methods: The cohort of this retrospective study comprised consecutive cases who had undergone screening EGDS at the Japanese Red Cross Wakayama Medical Center from October 2015 to September 2020. The investigated lesions comprised esophageal squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma, gastric adenoma or adenocarcinoma, and duodenal adenoma or adenocarcinoma.Results: Targeted lesions were detected in 72 of 31484 participants (0.23%), 18260 and 13224 of whom had received and not received pre-procedure antispasmodic agents, respectively. The rates of detection of lesions in these groups were 0.21% (38/18260) and 0.26% (34/13224), respectively (P = 0.40). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed no association between administration of antispasmodics and rates of detection of targeted lesions (P = 0.12). Conclusions: Antispasmodics, which were administered to more than half of the study cohort, did not improve the rate of detection of targeted lesions.
Devising an Innovative, Genotype-free Transformation Protocol for Recalcitrant Indica Rice Genotypes: Samba Mahsuri and Sundarbans’ Salt-tolerant Indica Rice Cultivars White Getu and Hamilton to Establish an Ingenious Platform for CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Genome Editing
Authors: Sony Sonia Khan , Motelb Khaled Fathy Abdel , Kaul Tanushri , Nehra Mamta , Bharti Jyotsna , Thangaraj Arulprakash , Verma Rachana , Kaul Rashmi , Eswaran Murugesh 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
BackgroundPlant genetic transformation involves in vitro callus induction & regeneration strategies that are quintessential for introduction of novel agronomical traits employing CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing. However, lack of effective regeneration and transformation techniques for indica rice cultivars pose as the foremost hurdle towards genetic improvement in rice crop. We devised an astounding road-map to genotype-independent and efficacious in vitro callus induction, transformation and shoot regeneration protocol that emerges as an optimal therapy, universally adaptable to invariably any rice cultivar, in order to establish an ingenious CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing platform in this crop.ResultsWe developed a genotype-independent regeneration and transformation protocol employing mature seed-derived calli for indica rice (one mega variety- Samba Mahsuri and two salt tolerant wild genotypes- White Getu & Hamilton) genotypes to introduce important agronomical traits via CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing system. MS- and N6-salt based media reinforced with 2,4-D (2.5 mg/L); dicamba (1.5 mg/L); TDZ (0.1 mg/L), proline (1000 mg/L), and glutamine (2.5 mg/L) exhibited highest percentage (95-98%) of embryogenic calli initiation and development. Employing this novel protocol, we achieved unparalleled regeneration efficiencies within untransformed calli (90-94%) and transformed calli (81-86%) in these recalcitrant indica genotypes and significantly enhanced number of shoots (18-20) on MS medium containing BAP (1.5 mg/L), NAA (0.5 mg/L), TDZ (1.0 mg/L), zeatin (0.2 mg/L) and proline (500 mg/L). We successfully transformed rice calli with pCAMBIA1300-based marker- free NICTK-1_pCRISPR-Cas9 vector harbouring the cassette of plant codon optimized Cas9 via biolistic approach that exhibited notably enhanced transformation efficiencies (67-69%). The integration of Cas9 gene into rice genome was validated by PCR, Southern blotting and Sanger sequencing analyses. The transgenic lines were phenotypically indistinguishable from the wild type as no significant differences in phenotypic performances were revealed between transgenic and wild type lines. ConclusionWe devised a promising, time-efficient, universally adaptable, optimal hormonal-media therapy for triggering enhanced embryogenic callus formation, regeneration and transformation efficiencies, across recalcitrant indica rice genotypes.
Influence of source and site effects of 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake on the generation of high PGA in the near-fault zones
Authors: PAVLENKO Olga V. 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Source and site effects of 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake (Japan, Mw~8.3) and their influence on the distribution of peak ground accelerations (PGA) in the near-fault zones are studied. Based on records of KiK-net vertical arrays, models of soil behavior are constructed, i.e. vertical distributions of stresses and strains induced in soil layers by strong motion. The method is used suggested by Pavlenko and Irikura and previously applied for studying soil behavior during 1995 Kobe, 2000 Tottori, and 2011 Tohoku earthquakes. During the Tokachi-oki earthquake, we did not find a widespread nonlinearity of soft soil behavior. Manifestations of soil nonlinearity were observed at sites closest to the source; at remote sites where high PGA were recorded, soil behavior was virtually linear, and shear moduli in soils increased till the moments of the highest intensity of motion, then decreased. The shapes of acceleration time histories at remote sites indicate directivity effects: seismic waves radiated by the crack tip during its propagation along a section of the fault plane came to the stations simultaneously. Soil hardening occurred at these sites that increased amplification and PGA on the surface. Similar effects were observed during 2011 Tohoku earthquake; evidently, they can occur during future strong earthquakes.
Prediction of Inpatient Pressure Ulcers Based on Routine Healthcare Data Using Machine Learning Methodology
Authors: Walther Felix , Heinrich Luise , Schmitt Jochen , Eberlein-Gonska Maria , Roessler Martin 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Despite the relevance of pressure ulcers (PU) in inpatient care, the predictive power and role of care-related risk factors (e.g. surgical anesthesia) remain unclear. We investigated the predictability of PU incidence and its association with multiple care variables. We included all somatic cases between 2014 and 2018 with length of stay ≥2 days in a German university hospital. For regression analyses and prediction we used Bayesian Additive Regression Trees (BART) as nonparametric modeling approach. To assess predictive accuracy, we compared BART and logistic regression (LR) using area under the curve (AUC) and confusion matrices. The analysis of 149,006 cases revealed high predictive variable importance and associations between incident PU and intensive care with ventilation, age, surgical anesthesia (≥1 hour) and number of care-involved wards. Despite high AUCs (LR: 0.89; BART: 0.9), the confusion matrices showed a higher number of false negative (LR: 816; BART: 826) than true positive (LR: 138; BART: 68) predictions. In summary, particularly intensive care with ventilation, age, anesthesia and number of care-involved wards were associated with incident PU. Using surgical anesthesia as a proxy for immobility, our results suggest hourly repositioning. High rates of false negative predictions indicate a general challenge in the predictability of PU.
External validation of the T.O.HO. score as predictor of success after retrograde intrarenal surgery
Authors: Senel Samet , Kasap Yusuf , Kizilkan Yalcin , Tastemur Sedat , Ozden Cuneyt 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background
To assess the effectiveness of T.O.HO. (Tallness, Occupied lesion, Houndsfield unit evaluation) score in predicting the retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) success and to validate this scoring system.
Methods
The age, sex, previous stone surgery, hospitalization, surgery duration, postoperative complication, stone length, stone location, stone density, stone number, lateralization, presence of hydronephrosis, and presence of preoperative stent datas of 518 patients who underwent RIRS in our clinic between January 2013 and January 2021 were retrospectively assessed. The patients were divided into two groups as successful and unsuccessful. The T.O.HO scores of all patients were calculated.
Results
The success rate was 72.5%. Compared to the unsuccessful group, stone length and stone density were lower, surgery duration was shorter and there were less lower pole stones in the successful group (p<0.001). No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of the other parameters. The T.O.HO. score was significantly lower in the successful group compared to the unsuccessful group (p<0.001). According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, stone length (OR: 0.905; 95% Cl: 0.866-0.946; p<0.001), lower pole location (OR: 0.546; 95% Cl: 0.013-0.296; p<0.001), stone density (OR: 0.999; 95% Cl: 0.998-1; p=0.044) and the T.O.HO. score (OR: 0.684; 95%Cl: 0.554-0.844; p<0.001) were found as the independent risk factors for RIRS success. ROC curve analysis showed that the T.O.HO. score could predict the RIRS success with 7.5 cut-off point (AUC:0.799, CI: 0.76–0.839; p<0.001).
Conclusion
The T.O.HO. score can predict RIRS success with a high rate of accuracy.
Evolution of the Profile of a Polish Paralympian from Heidelberg to Tokyo Paralympic Games: A Study Protocol for a Prospective Longitudinal Study
Authors: Sobiecka Joanna , Zwierzchowska Anna 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
The observation of sociodemographic characteristics is important for the characterization of Paralympic athletes and the identification of determinants of their athletic performance. The aim of this study is to present the changes that have occurred in the profile of the Polish Paralympian in the period from Heidelberg to Tokyo Paralympic Games based on basic demographic characteristics and selected social and sport-related features. The study included n=646 Polish Paralympic athletes, accounting for 96.6% of the population from the 1972-2021 Games. The research was conducted with the method of direct participant observation using a diagnostic survey. Analysis of the data showed that gender was not a differentiating factor among Polish Paralympic athletes, and the proportion of women was lower than men. Age, on the other hand, was a significant differentiating factor at (p<0.05). Furthermore, a significant differentiation of athletes in terms of the structure of education was observed, with a tendency to a steady increase in its level in subsequent years (chi2 = 68.83; df = 8; p<0.01). However, this did not have a significant effect on their professional fulfillment. The proportion of multiple participants of the Paralympic Games increased significantly (chi2 = 21.43; df = 8; p<0.01), while the proportion of athletes who won a Paralympic medal decreased (also significantly, chi2 = 59.11; df = 8; p<0.01).
An Encoder-Decoder Network For Direct Image Reconstruction On Sinograms of A Long Axial Field of View PET
Authors: Ma Ruiyao , Hu Jiaxi , Sari Hasan , Xu Song , Mingels Clemens , Viscione Marco , Kandarpa Venkata Sai Sundar , Li Weibo , Visvikis Dimitris , Qiu Rui , Rominger Axel , Li Junli , Shi Kuangyu 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Purpose: Deep learning is an emerging reconstruction method for positron emission tomography (PET) that can tackle complex PET corrections in an integrated procedure. This study optimized the direct PET reconstruction from sinogram on a long axial field of view (LAFOV) PET. Methods: This study developed a new deep learning architecture to reduce the biases during direct reconstruction from sinograms to images. This architecture is based on an encoder-decoder network and perceptual loss is adopted with pre-trained convolutional layers. It is trained and tested on data of 80 patients acquired from recent Siemens Biograph Vision Quadra PET/CT. The patients were randomly split into a training dataset of 60 patients, the validation dataset of 10 patients, and the test data set of 10 patients. The 3D sinograms were converted into 2D sinogram slices and were used as input to the network, and the vendor reconstructed images were considered as ground truths. The proposed method was compared with DeepPET, a benchmark deep learning method for PET reconstruction. Results: Compared to the DeepPET, the proposed network significantly reduced the root-mean-squared error (rRMSE) from 0.63 to 0.6 (p<0.01), and the structural similarity index (SSIM) and peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) were improved from 0.93 to 0.95(p<0.01) and from 82.02 to 82.36(p<0.01), respectively. The reconstruction time was approximately 10s per patient, which was shortened by 36 times compared with the reconstruction using the conventional method. The errors of average standardized uptake values (SUV) for lesions between ground truth and the predicted result was reduced from 33.5% to 18.7% (P=0.03), and the error of max SUV was reduced from 32.7% to 21.8% (P=0.02).Conclusion: The results demonstrated the feasibility of using deep learning to reconstruct images with acceptable image quality and short reconstruction time. It showed that the proposed method can improve the quality of deep learning-based reconstructed images without additional CT images for attenuation and scattering corrections. This learning-based approach may provide the potential to accommodate more complex corrections for LAFOV PET.
Outcomes of Total versus Partial Colectomy in Fulminant Clostridium Difficile Colitis. A Propensity Matched Analysis.
Authors: Ahmed Nasim , Kuo YenHong 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
BackgroundThe Total Abdominal Colectomy (TAC) is the recommended procedure for Fulminant Clostridium Difficile Colitis (FCDC), however, occasionally, FCDC is also treated with partial colectomies. The purpose of the study was to identify the outcomes of partial colectomy in FCDC cases.MethodThe National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was accessed and eligible patients from 2012 through 2016 were reviewed. Patients 18 years and older who were diagnosed with FCDC and who underwent colectomies were included in the study. Patients’ demography, clinical characteristics, comorbidities, mortality, morbidities, length of hospital stay and discharge disposition were compared between the group who underwent partial colectomy and the group who underwent TAC. Univariate analysis followed by propensity matching were performed. A p value of <0.05 is considered as statistically significant. ResultsOut of 491 patients who qualified for the study, 93 (18.94%) patients underwent partial colectomy. The pair matched analysis showed no significant difference in patients’ characteristics and comorbidities in the two groups. There was no significant difference found in mortality between the two groups (30.1% vs. 30.15, P>0.99). There were no differences found in the median [95% CI] hospital length of stay [LOS] (23 days [19-31] vs. 21 [17-25], P=0.30), post-operative complications (P>0.05), and discharged disposition to home (43.1% vs. 33.8%) or transfer to rehab (21.55 vs. 12.3%, P=0.357) between the TAC and partial colectomy groups.Conclusion The overall 30 days mortality remains very high in FCDC. Partial colectomy did not increase risk of mortality or morbidities and LOS.
Efıcacy of Mıcropulse Laser In The Treatment of Dıabetıc Macular Edema
Authors: Bıçak Faruk , Kayıkçıoğu Özcan Rasim , Altınışık Muhammed , Doğruya Suzan , Kurt Emin 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Purpose: In this study, we aimed to evaluate and compare the visual acuity, macular volume, central macular thickness, change in number of intravitreal ranibizumab injections with micropulse laser applications after loading dose of antiVEGF to DME patients.Study Design: Retrospective study Methods: This study was carried out on 97 patients (45 ranibizumab and 52 micropuls grid laser + ranibizumab) with diabetic macular edema patients who were followed in the Retina Unit. At the control visit after three loading ranibizumab injections administered once a month, micropuls grid laser was applied to one group and ranibizumab injection was continued PRN to both groups for an average of 9.27 ± 2.42 months and central macular thickness, macular volume and visual acuity were recorded. Results: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of gender, smoking and systemic diseases, initial central macular thickness, macular volume and visual acuity measurements (p> 0.05). Central macular thickness, macular volume and visual acuity values measured at the last follow-up of the patients were not significantly different between the groups (p> 0.05). The mean post-treatment injection requirement was 4.19 ± 1.01 for the ranibizumab with micropuls laser group and 5.53 ± 1.14 for the ranibizumab group. In the group treated with micropuls laser, statistically less number of intravitreal ranibizumab injections were needed (p <0.001). Conclusion: Micropulse laser treatment after initial loading doses reduces the need for antiVEGF injections. Studies with the participation of more patients may help in the selection of treatment methods by comparing micropulse laser combined with different injection protocols.