bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Urinary A- and C-megalin predict progression of diabetic kidney disease: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Iida Tomomichi , Hosojima Michihiro , Kabasawa Hideyuki , Kabasawa Keiko , Goto Sawako , Tanaka Takahiro , Kitamura Nobutaka , Nakada Mitsutaka , Itoh Shino , Ogasawara Shinya , Kaseda Ryohei , Suzuki Yoshiki , Narita Ichiei , Saito Akihiko 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background

Urinary excretion of megalin, a proximal tubular endocytic receptor, may be associated with the development and progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, no studies have assessed whether the levels of the urinary ectodomain (A-megalin) and full-length (C-megalin) forms of megalin can predict DKD progression.
Methods

We evaluated the correlation of urinary A-megalin levels of 34 patients with type 2 diabetes as measured by novel reducing and previous methods. Then, we retrospectively analyzed 188 type 2 diabetes patients not taking sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in order to investigate whether urinary A- and C-megalin might be used as predictors of kidney outcomes. The median observation period was 3.96 years. The associations between the baseline urinary A-megalin measured by the novel method and/or C-megalin levels and the subsequent estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) slope were analyzed using a generalized estimating equation. Patients were categorized into higher or lower groups based on the optimal cutoff values, obtained from a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, of the two forms of urinary megalin.
Results

Urinary A-megalin levels measured by the two methods were strongly correlated. The eGFR slopes of the higher A-megalin and C-megalin groups were −0.904 (95% confidence interval [CI] −1.584, −0.224) and −0.749 (95% CI −1.312, −0.186) ml/min/1.73 m2 per year steeper than those of the lower groups, respectively. Moreover, the eGFR slope was −1.888 (95% CI −2.764, −1.011) ml/min/1.73 m2 per year steeper in the group with both higher A- and higher C-megalin than in the other groups. These results remained significant when adjusted for albuminuria or known tubular injury markers.
Conclusions

Our novel method allows urinary A-megalin measurements to be performed more easily. Baseline urinary megalin levels were associated with the subsequent eGFR slope independently of known biomarkers in type 2 diabetes patients not receiving SGLT2 inhibitors. These two forms of megalin may be distinct urinary biomarkers of the progression of DKD.
Changing Lake Ice Intermittency in the Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Liu Grace , Jeevanjee Nadir , Kalidindi Sirisha , Vecchi Gabriel A 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
As the global climate warms, lakes are expected and have been observed to experience changes in seasonal ice cover. Previous research has observed decreasing freeze durations, but relatively few studies have investigated the impact of climate change on lake ice intermittency - the tendency of lakes to freeze over in some years but not others. Here we conduct an analysis of a lake dataset that includes nineteen intermittent ice-covered lakes in the northern hemisphere. We use logistic and binomial regression to model the relationship between historical climate changes and freeze events, with log CO2 concentration and mean winter temperature as covariates. Across the lakes, we observe a decrease in freeze probability and years with freeze events, with nine out of nineteen lakes showing a significant relationship between freeze years and log CO2 concentration. Additionally, we find that mean winter temperature can be a simple, readily accessible predictor for intermittent lake freeze. We also examine Lake Carnegie in Princeton, NJ as a case study, taking into account both quantitative data and anecdotal evidence, and find that the probability of ice skating has decreased from nearly 1 to 0.2 over the past century. Accordingly, local newspaper archives semantically suggest that local expectations for lake freezing have reversed over the last century as a societal response to climate change.
Association Between Cigarette Smoking and Ovarian Reserve Among Women Seeking Fertility Care
Authors: Oladipupo Islamiat , Ali T'shura , Hein David W , Pagidas Kelly , Bohler Henry , Doll Mark A , Mann Merry Lynn , Gentry Adrienne , Jasmine Chiang L , Pierson Rebecca C , Torres Sashia , Reece Emily , Taylor Kira C 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background
This study examined the association of smoking with ovarian reserve in a cross-sectional study of 207 women enrolled in the Louisville Tobacco Smoke Exposure, Genetic Susceptibility, and Infertility (LOUSSI) Study and assessed effect modification by NAT2 acetylator phenotype.
Methods
Information on current smoking status was collected using a structured questionnaire and confirmed by cotinine assay. Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels were used to assess ovarian reserve. Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) was defined as AMH < 1ng/mL. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the NAT2 gene, which metabolizes toxins found in cigarette smoke, were analyzed to determine NAT2 acetylator status. Linear and logistic regression were used to determine the effects of smoking on ovarian reserve and evaluate effect modification by NAT2. Regression analyses were stratified by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) status and adjusted for age.
Results
Current smoking status, either passive or active, was not significantly associated with DOR. For dose-response assessed using self-report, the odds of DOR increased significantly for every additional cigarette currently smoked (odds ratio, OR:1.08; 95% confidence interval, 95%CI:1.01–1.15); additionally, every 1 pack-year increase in lifetime exposure was associated with an increased odds of DOR among women without PCOS (OR: 1.08 95%CI: 0.99–1.18). These trends appear to be driven by the heavy or long-term smokers. Effect modification by NAT2 genotype was not established.
Conclusion
A history of heavy smoking, but not current smoking status, may indicate increased risk of diminished ovarian reserve.
Relationship Between High Intra-Abdominal Pressure and Compliance of the Pelvic Floor Support System in Women Without Pelvic Organ Prolapse: A Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Liu Xiaode , Rong Qiguo , Wang Jianliu , Xie Bing , Ren Shuang 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background: The objective of this study was to study the relationship between high intra-abdominal pressure and the compliance of the pelvic floor support system in a normal woman without pelvic organ prolapse (POP), using a finite element model of the whole pelvic support system.Methods: A healthy female volunteer (55 years old) was scanned using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during the Valsalva maneuver. According to the pelvic structure contours traced by a gynecologist and anatomic details measured from dynamic MRI, a finite element model of the whole pelvic support system was established, including the uterus, vagina with cavity, cardinal and uterosacral ligaments, levator ani muscle, rectum, bladder, perineal body, pelvis, and obturator internus and coccygeal muscles. This model was imported into ANSYS software, and an implicit iterative method was employed to simulate the biomechanical response with increasing intra-abdominal pressure.Results: Stress and strain distributions of the vaginal wall showed that the posterior wall was more stable than the anterior wall under high intra-abdominal pressure. Displacement at the top of the vagina was larger than that at the bottom, especially in the anterior–posterior direction.Conclusion: These results imply potential injury areas with high intra-abdominal pressure in non-prolapsed women, and provide insight into clinical managements for the prevention and surgical repair plans of POP.
Pertussis outbreak investigation in Likimsa-Bokore kebele, Meda Walebu district, Bale zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia, 2019
Authors: Badeso Mohammed Hasen , Kalili Falaho Sani , Bogale Naod Berhanu 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background

Pertussis is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. Globally, an estimated 45 million cases and 400,000 deaths occur every year. Meda-Walebu district health office reported the outbreak of pertussis in one of the remote villages/kebele. This study aims to describe an outbreak of pertussis in Likimsa-Bokore village of Meda-Walebu district, Bale Zone, Southeast Ethiopia.
Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2019. We identified the pertussis cases recorded on the line-list from the District Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) database. A suspected case of pertussis was defined as any person with cough illness and with at least one of the following symptoms: paroxysms of coughing, inspiratory whooping, post-tussive vomiting, or apnea. The data were cleaned and then analyzed by Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 23 software. Data were reported stratified by age groups, sex, and geographical locations and described in terms of time, place, and person.
Results

From September 2018 to December 2018, a total of 439 suspected cases of pertussis were reported from Likimsa-Bokore village of Meda-Walebu district. The age of the cases ranged from 2 months to 30 years. The overall attack rate was 55/1000 population with a case fatality rate of 0.7% (3 deaths/439). Children below five years of age and females were the most affected group with an attack rate of 198/1000 and 57/1000 population respectively. Delay to seek medical care by patients or caretakers ranged from 2-9 days with a mean delay of 3 days. Immunization service is not provided regularly, available refrigerators in the health posts were not functional and the cold chain management system was poor.
Conclusion

The suspected pertussis outbreak has occurred in the remote villages of Meda-Walebu district. The absence of regular immunization service, unfunctional cold chain management system and weak surveillance system in early detection and notification might have contributed to the outbreak. Provision of regular immunization service, strengthening cold chain management, and intensified surveillance system is required for early detection, investigation, and response to the outbreak
Mapping borophene onto graphene: Quasi-exact solutions for guiding potentials in tilted Dirac cones
Authors: Ng R. A. , Wild A. , Portnoi M. E. , Hartmann R. R. 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
We show that if the solutions to the (2+1)-dimensional massless Dirac equation for a given 1D potential are known, then they can be used to obtain the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions for the same potential, orientated at an arbitrary angle, in a tilted anisotropic 2D Dirac material. This simple set of transformations enables all the exact and quasi-exact solutions associated with 1D quantum wells in graphene to be applied to the confinement problem in tilted Dirac materials such as borophene. We also show that smooth electron waveguides in tilted Dirac materials can be used to manipulate the degree of valley polarization of quasiparticles travelling along a particular direction of the channel. We examine the particular case of the hyperbolic secant potential to model realistic top-gated structures for valleytronic applications.
WITHDRAWN: Extended Rectangular Fuzzy B-metric Space
Authors: Furqan Salman , Saleem Naeem , Abbas Mujahid 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
In this paper, we introduce an extended rectangular fuzzy b-metric space which generalizes rectangular fuzzy b-metric space and rectangular fuzzy metric space. We show that an extended rectangular fuzzy b-metric space is not Hausdorff. A Banach fixed point theorem is proved as a special case of our main result where a Ciric type contraction was employed. Our main result generalizes some comparable results in rectangular fuzzy b-metric space and rectangular fuzzy metric space. We provide some examples to support the concepts and results presented herein. As an application of our result, we obtain the existence of the solution of the integral equation.
Intrathecal Analgesia Via a Percutaneous Port For the Management of Movement-Evoked Breakthrough Cancer Pain of Refractory Lower Extremity Cancer Pain: A Retrospective Review and Commentary
Authors: Zhou Liang , Guo Zhenggang 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background and Objectives: Intrathecal analgesia (ITA) is a trusty treatment option for refractory and intractable cancer pain. However, there is still no general consensus on the analgesic effect of movement-evoked breakthrough pain (MEBTP) in the ITA setting. This study examined the effect of patient-controlled intrathecal analgesia (PCIA) on analgesic efficacy, emphasizing movement evoked breakthrough pain (MEBTP) in patients with refractory lower extremity cancer pain. Methods: A retrospective chart review included all patients with refractory lower extremity cancer pain who received Intrathecal morphine infusion therapy via percutaneous port (IMITPP) at our hospital between January 2017 and December 2020. Data on the numerical pain rating scales (NRS) scores, opioid doses, and complications were collected from medical records prior to IMITPP and at a one-month postimplant visit.Results: A total of 16 patients were included in the study group. Mean SRPI (spontaneous resting pain intensity) decreased from 8.75 pre- IMITPP to 3.75 post- IMITPP, (P < 0.001); mean MEPI (movement-evoked breakthrough pain intensity) fell from 8.83 pre- IMITPP to 4.25 post- IMITPP (P < 0.001); mean daily morphine equivalent dosing decreased from 360 mg/d to 48mg/d (P< 0.001); mean daily morphine equivalent dosing for MEBTP decreased from 87 mg/d to 6 mg/d (P< 0.001). Both total and breakthrough dosing of conventional opioid medications significantly decreased following the initiation of ITT with PCIA. The mean perceived time to onset with conventional movement evoked breakthrough medications was 38 minutes, and the mean perceived time to onset with PCIA was 8 minutes (P < 0.001). Conclusions: IMITPP was associated with improved pain control in patients with refractory lower extremity cancer pain. Compared with conventional MEBTP medication, appropriate PCIA provided superior analgesia and a much faster onset of action.
The Effectiveness of Mobile-Learning in Teaching Corrective Exercises to Scoliosis Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study
Authors: Samad-Soltani Taha , heshmati Arefeh , Hazrati Hakimeh , Salahzade Zahra Salahzade , hachesu Peyman Rezaei , ekrami Nushin khalili 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background: Mobile-learning (M-learning) has recently provided new opportunities and facilitated patient education due to its attractiveness and ease of access. As a result, the present study aimed to design an application (app) and evaluate the effectiveness of M-learning in teaching CEx to patients suffering from scoliosis.Methods: This quasi-experimental study was fulfilled in two phases, namely, app design and educational intervention among scoliosis patients, and then reflections on the effectiveness of the app and educational intervention implementation concerned. Within the implementation step, the scoliosis patients referred to the rehabilitation center affiliated with Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran, were divided into case and control groups upon imaging and grading their spine curvature. The effectiveness of the educational intervention was also assessed through the rate of recovery in spine curvature and users’ opinions and satisfaction with the app usability via the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ). Results: In this sense, the accuracy index was equal to 100% based on physiotherapists’ approval. The level of satisfaction with the educational intervention in the case group with a mean value of 97% was also higher than that in the controls (88%). Moreover, the values ​​of the Cob angle change in the case group were significantly higher than that in the controls. Based on the analysis of the UEQ outcomes, the highest and the lowest levels of satisfaction among the users were associated with the “perspicuity” and “stimulation” dimensions of the app, respectively.Conclusion: Given that the new models of care are today mostly focused on the role of patients, moving toward patient self-management, the app designed here could be utilized as a model for developing broader similar systems and programs for treatment management, patient monitoring, emergency response, personalized health monitoring, and widespread access to health care information.
Dexmedetomidine Reduces IL-4 and IgE Expression Through Downregulation of TLR4/NF-κB Signaling Pathway to Alleviate Airway Hyperresponsiveness in OVA Mice
Authors: Zhi Juan , Duan Qirui , Wang Qian yu , Du Xiyu , Yang Dong 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Background: Asthma is a disease that affects health worldwide. It is characterised by inflammation and airway hyperreactivity. Because airway hyperreactivity can occur in other diseases, perioperative airway hyperreactivity is more insidious and widespread than in asthma and has serious implications that need to be addressed urgently. The use of dexmedetomidine in acute asthma and lung protection has been reported, but the exact mechanism is unclear. Objective: To investigate the effectiveness and mechanisms associated with dexmedetomidine in airway hyperresponsiveness.Methods: Forty BALB/c female mice were randomly divided into five groups: group K (blank group), group A (asthma group), group HD (asthma + dexmedetomidine treatment group), group TH (asthma + yohimbine group) and group HT (asthma + dexmedetomidine + yohimbine group), and the airway resistance of group K, group A and group HD were analysed by invasive airway resistance assay, ELISA assay, immunohistochemistry and q-PCR, respectively. Airway resistance; IL-4 and IgE levels in serum and BLAF; and IL-4, IL-13, Muc5AC, NFκB, TLR2, TLR4 and TSLP1 protein levels in lung tissues of the 5 groups were analysed by invasive airway resistance assay, ELISA, immunohistochemistry and qPCR. Results: Compared with group A, there were statistical differences in airway resistance (P < 0.05); LIL-4 and IgE (P < 0.05) in serum and BLAF; and Muc5AC, TLR4 and NFκB protein contents (P < 0.05) in lung tissues in the HD group. Conclusion: 1. Dexmedetomidine can attenuate airway hyperresponsiveness in the OVA asthma model; 2. Dexmedetomidine reduced the production of IL-4 and IgE by down-regulating the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby reducing the lung inflammatory response and airway hyperresponsiveness in the OVA-induced asthma model.
Knowledge discovery and dengue forecasting applied in a four-year dataset collected at Natal, RN – Brazil
Authors: Sanchez-Gendriz Ignacio , de Souza Gustavo , de Andrade Ion , Neto Adrião Duarte Doria , Tavares Alessandre , Barros Daniele , de Morais Antonio Freire , Galvão-Lima Leonardo , Valentim Ricardo de Medeiros 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Dengue, a disease recognized as a health problem, causes significant impacts on health and affects millions of people each year worldwide. A suitable method for dengue vector surveillance is to count eggs the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti have laid in spatially distributed ovitraps. In view of this approach, this study uses a database collected in 397 ovitraps distributed across the municipality of Natal, RN – Brazil. The number of eggs in each ovitrap was counted weekly, over four years (2016 - 2019), and simultaneously analyzed with the incidence of dengue. Our results confirm that dengue incidence seems to be related to socioeconomic status in Natal. Using a deep learning model, we then predict the incidence of new dengue cases based on data obtained from the previous week of dengue or the number of eggs present in the ovitraps. The analysis shows that ovitrap data allows earlier detection (four to six weeks) when compared to dengue cases themselves (one week). Furthermore, the results confirm that quantifying Aedes aegypti eggs may be valuable for planning actions and public health interventions.
Distinctive Kinesin-14 Motors Associate with Midzone Microtubules to Construct Mitotic Spindles with Two Convergent Poles in Arabidopsis
Authors: Guo Xiaojiang , Huang Calvin , Lee Yuh-Ru Julie , WANG JIRUI , Liu Bo 
Published: November 2021

Abstract
Microtubule (MT) motors in the Kinesin-14 subfamily proliferated in photosynthetic organisms and they often incorporated sequences bearing novel structural features. To gain insights into the functions of diversified Kinesin-14 motors from an evolutionary perspective, we performed phylogenetic analyses across different eukaryotic kingdoms. Compared to fungi that have a single class of Kinesin-14, the early divergent protist Giardia possesses two classes and the motile green alga Chlamydomonas produces four classes (Kinesin-14A to Kinesin-14D). The fifth class Kinesin-14E first appeared among immotile green algae and the sixth Kinesin-14F emerged in mosses, concomitantly with the display of 3D growth. The conservation of Kinesin-14D from green algae prompted us to investigate its function in Arabidopsis in which three such motors functioned in cell cycle-dependent manners. They localized on selective spindle MTs and/or sometimes kinetochore-like structures, and later all became conspicuous on MT bundles in the spindle midzone following sister chromatid segregation. Genetic dissection of Kinesin-14D1 showed that its loss led to hypersensitivity to low doses of the MT-depolymerizing herbicide oryzalin. Kinesin-14D1 association with the midzone MTs in both prophase and mitotic spindles. The oryzalin treatment left behind discrete kinetochore fibers attached to randomly positioned chromosomes in the mitotic kinesin-14d1 cells but prevented the pole convergence of bipolar mitotic spindles. This function of Kinesin-14D1 in the spindle midzone is likely dependent on an MT-binding domain at the C-terminus to the catalytic motor domain. Therefore, our results revealed a novel Kinesin-14D-dependent mechanism that regulates the formation of bipolar spindle apparatus with converged acentrosomal poles.