bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Rock Fragment Content in Soils Shift Root Foraging Behavior in Xerophytic Species
Authors: Hu Hui , Bao Weikai , Eissenstat David M. , Huang Long , Li Fanglan 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Aims Root traits associated with resource foraging, including fine-root branching intensity, root hair and mycorrhiza, may change in soils with various physical structure indicated by rock fragment content (RFC), while how these traits covariate at the level of individual root branching order is largely unknown.Methods We subjected two xerophytic species, Artemisia vestita (subshrub) and Bauhinia brachycarpa (shrub), to increasing RFC gradients (0%, 25%, 50% and 75%, v v-1) in an arid environment and measured fine-root traits related to resource foraging.Results Root hair density and mycorrhizal colonization of both species decreased with increasing root order, but increased in 3rd- and 4th-order roots at high RFCs (50% or 75%). The two species tend to produce more root hairs than mycorrhizas under the high RFCs. For both species, root hair density and mycorrhizal colonization intensity were negatively correlated with root length and root diameter. Rockiness reduced root branching intensity in both species comparing with rock-free soil. At the same level of RFC, A. vestita had thicker roots and lower branching intensity than B. brachycarpa, and tended to produce more root hairs.Conclusion Our results suggest the high RFC soil conditions stimulated greater foraging functions in higher root orders. We found evidence for a greater investment in root hairs and mycorrhizal symbioses as opposed to building an extensive root system in rocky soils. The subshrub and shrub species took different approaches to foraging in the rocky soil through distinctive trait syndromes of fine-root components.
Serum Lactate/Albumin as a Predictor of In-Hospital Mortality in ICU Pancreatitis Patients: an Analysis of the MIMIC-III Database
Authors: Bao Peng , Cui Xiaoli , Shen Haoliang , Wang Yiping , Lu Yang 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common serious illness, and is characterized by rapid deterioration and a high mortality rate. Several biomarkers can evaluate and guide the treatment of acute pancreatitis, but there is currently no consensus on which markers are the most effective, simple, and economical for treating early-onset AP. In this study, we used the MIMIC III database to conduct a retrospective study on the relationship between early lactate/albumin (LAC/ALB), in-hospital mortality, and complication rates in patients with acute pancreatitis in the ICU.Methods: Basic data and indicators of laboratory tests, hospital deaths, and hospitalization days of acute pancreatitis patients were extracted from the database, after which the relationship between LAC/ALB and hospital mortality, ICU hospitalization days, and organ failure were evaluated using a t-test, a rank-sum test, a chi-square test or Fisher's exact probability method, and a Cox proportional hazard model.Results: 894 patients met the requirements and were selected from the MIMIC III database. They were subsequently grouped according to the lower limit ratio of the LAC/ALB normal value of 0.7. The group with LAC/ALB>0.7 showed higher hospital mortality rates, and the Lac, Inr, nitrogen, blood sugar, AKI incidence, Tbil, Sapsii score, and Sofa scores were all higher than the group with LAC/ALB<0.7. A multivariate Cox regression analysis model was used to explore the relationship between LAC/ALB levels and inpatient mortality. After including different adjustment variables, we determined that LAC/ALB is a risk factor for in-hospital death. The results of the subgroup analysis of LAC/ALB levels and mortality of hospitalized patients indicate that higher levels of LAC/ALB are risk factors for in-hospital deaths in patients with acute pancreatitis.
Comparative Outcomes of Standard Perioperative Eye Drops, Intravitreal Triamcinolone Acetonide-Moxifloxacin, and Intracameral Dexamethasone-Moxifloxacin-Ketorolac in Cataract Surgery
Authors: Kuriakose Robin , Cho Soungmin , Nassiri Saman , Hwang Frank S. 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background: Since the advent of cataract surgery, topical eye drops have been the mainstay of postoperative prophylaxis and treatment. Due to factors such as high expenses and poor patient compliance, there has been a growing interest and acceptance of “dropless” alternatives. The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide-moxifloxacin and intracameral dexamethasone-moxifloxacin-ketorolac to a standard eye drop regimen in controlling postoperative inflammation, corneal edema, and intraocular pressure (IOP) among cataract patients.Methods: A retrospective longitudinal comparative study among 619 consecutive eyes receiving either a standard eye drop regimen, intraoperative triamcinolone acetonide-moxifloxacin or dexamethasone-moxifloxacin-ketorolac was performed between October 2016 and December 2020. Primary endpoints at postoperative day one (POD1), week one (POW1), and month one (POM1) included corneal edema, anterior chamber inflammation (ACI), and IOP.Results: Throughout the postoperative time points, there were no significant differences in corneal edema between intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide-moxifloxacin versus the standard eye drop therapy (OR [95%CI]: 1.09 [0.82, 1.45], P = .54) and intracameral dexamethasone-moxifloxacin-ketorolac versus the standard eye drop treatment (OR [95% CI]: 1.22 [0.89, 1.67], P = .22). The postoperative ACI severity was lower in the dexamethasone-moxifloxacin-ketorolac group compared to the triamcinolone acetonide-moxifloxacin group by 35% on postoperative day 1 (P = .01). The differences at subsequent postoperative time points were not statistically significant (P = .27 and P = 1.00 for POW1 and POM1 respectively). IOP at POM1 follow up visit was statistically significantly higher for the triamcinolone acetonide-moxifloxacin group [mean (±SD): 15.64 (4.26)] compared to the dexamethasone-moxifloxacin-ketorolac [mean (±SD): 14.16 (4.02)] (P < .01). There was no statistical difference in rates of CME (P = .16) and there were no cases of endophthalmitis.Conclusions: Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide-moxifloxacin and intracameral dexamethasone-moxifloxacin-ketorolac demonstrate similar levels of efficacy to a standard eye drop regimen after cataract surgery. This study reinforces them as viable alternatives to traditional postoperative drops.
Genetic Introgression Between Different Groups Reveals the Differential Process of Asian cultivated Rice
Authors: Gong Hao , Han Bin 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Genetic introgression plays an important role in the domestication of crops. The Asian cultivate rice consists of two major subspecies, they are indica and japonica. There are already many reports about existence of genetic introgression between the two subspecies. However, those studies often use few limited markers to characterize the genetic introgression that exists in some specific small populations. In this study we use the genome wide variation data of Asia cultivated rice to investigate their genetic introgression on the whole genome level. We detect a total of 13 significantly high introgression loci between the tropical japonica and indica population. Two different methods are used to identify the genetic introgression regions. For most of the detected introgression regions they generally get consistent results. Some previous known introgression genes are detected in the identified introgression loci, such as heat resistance gene TT1 and GLW7. The biological functions for these genetic introgression regions are annotated by the published QTL mapping results. We find that genetic introgression plays an important role in both the determination of the phenotype and the domestication process of different groups. Our study also provides useful information and resources for the study of rice gene function and domestication process.
Nanocluster Mediated Photothermia Improves Eradication Efficiency and Antibiotic Sensitivity of Helicobacter Pylori
Authors: Meng Fansen , Tao Hongjin , Mi Yan , Yang Tianyu , Wang Xuanping , Go Yuyo , Lin Yunjuan , Wang Gangshi 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication plays a crucial role in gastric cancer prevention, but the antimicrobial resistance of H. pylori is obstructing this elimination process. In this study, we developed nanoclusters (NCs) from Zn0.3Fe2.7O4 nanoparticles using a poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone)-based nanocarrier as an innovative antibiotic-independent H. pylori management. The nanocluster showed minimal toxicity and maximal biocompatibility. With a low concentration (50 µg/mL) of NCs under a short time period (～2 min) of near-infrared (808nm) irradiation, we kept the culture medium temperature to 41 °C for 20 minutes with continuous irradiation. The heated NCs exhibited efficient photothermal effects and resulted in an excellent inhibition of H. pylori growth, adhesion ability and cell vacuolization ability in in vitro investigation. Transmission electron microscopy showed a dramatic morphologic change after NCs photothermia on H. pylori, including cell wall and membrane rupture, as well as ribosome damage. Besides, levofloxacin and clarithromycin resistance were improved after photothermal treatment in H. pylori NCTC 11637 and/or clinical strains, however metronidazole resistance was unchanged. We also discovered a significant decrease in the biofilm formation of H. pylori under the NCs-based photothermal application, while efflux pump function was unchanged. In summary, using this novel NCs-based photothermal approach, we were able to demonstrate in vitro a significant inhibition of both H. pylori growth and molecular toxicity, and its improvement in antibiotic resistance alone with the eradication of H. pylori biofilms previously believed to be resistant to conventional antibiotics.
Dual Attention Multiscale Network for Vessel Segmentation in Fundus Photography
Authors: Yin Pengshuai , Fang Yupeng , Wu Qingyao , Wan QiLin 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background: Automatic vessel structure segmentation is an essential step towards an automatic disease diagnosis system. The task is challenging due to the variance shapes and sizes of vessels across populations.Methods: A multiscale network with dual attention is proposed to segment vessels in different sizes. The network injects spatial attention module and channel attention module on feature map which size is 1 8 of the input size. The network also uses multiscale input to receive multi-level information, and the network uses the multiscale output to gain more supervision. Results: The proposed method is tested on two publicly available datasets: DRIVE and CHASEDB1. The accuracy, AUC, sensitivity, specificity on DRIVE dataset is 0.9615, 0.9866, 0.7693, and 0.9851, respectively. On the CHASEDB1 dataset, the metrics are 0.9797, 0.9895, 0.8432, and 0.9863 respectively. The ablative study further shows effectiveness for each part of the network. Conclusions: Multiscale and dual attention mechanism both improves the performance. The proposed architecture is simple and effective. The inference time is 12ms on a GPU and has potential for real-world applications. The code will be made publicly available.
Diversity And Antibiograms of Secondary Bacterial Isolates From Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Wounds
Authors: Yeboaa Comfort , Boamah Vivian Etsiapa , Odoi Hayford , Owusu-Ntim Rhoda , Boakye Yaw Duah , Nuako Godwin Kwakye , Agyare Christian , Badu Kingsley 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background: Leishmaniasis is a vector borne disease caused by an intracellular protozoan parasite. The presence of secondary bacterial infections in cutaneous leishmaniasis wounds exacerbate lesion development and could lead to delay in the healing process. Little is also known about the different bacteria species co-infecting leishmaniasis wounds and their sensitivity patterns in Ghana. This study sought to determine the resistance patterns of bacteria co-infecting cutaneous leishmaniasis wounds from selected communities in the Nkwanta district.Methods: Various bacteria were isolated and characterized from exudates obtained from wound swabs collected with sterile cotton tipped applicators. Confirmation of bacterial identity was done using the analytical profile index and the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed using agar disc diffusion method according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute breakpoint values.Results: A total of 42 secondary bacteria were isolated from the wounds among which S. aureus was the most predominant (31%). Other pathogenic bacteria that colonized the wounds included Bacillus subtilis (23.8%), Pantoea spp(11.9%), Klebsiella pneumoniea (7.1%), Enterobacter cloacae (7.1%), Aeromonas spp (4.8%), Serratia marcescens (4.8%),Serratia liquefacien (2.4%), Serratia plymutheca (2.4%), Providencia rettgeri (2.4%) and Cronobacter spp (2.4%). Majority of the isolates were obtained from Agoufie (21.4%), Baasare (19%), and Gekrong (16.7%). Most of the isolates were resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics and the third generation cephalosporin. Notably, 84.6% of the S. aureus isolates were methicillin and ciprofloxacin resistant whilst 92.3% were resistant to ampicllin. About sixty-nine percent (69.2%) showed intermediate susceptibility to Erythromycin. Additionally, S. plymutheca was resistant to all the test antibiotics. All the K. pneumoniae and E. cloacae isolates showed resistance to ampicillin, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, amikacin, aztreonam and meropenem but only 66.7% of these isolates were resistant to piperacillin. All isolates of Providencia rettgeri, Cronobacter spp, S. marcescen, S. liquefacien were resistant to all the beta-lactam antibiotics.Conclusion: This study suggests colonization of cutaneous leishmaniasis wounds with varied bacterial species that are mostly resistant to beta-lactam group of antibiotics.
Association between Meningococcal Meningitis and Santa Ana Winds in Children and Adolescents from Tijuana, Mexico, a need for Vaccination.
Authors: Chacon-Cruz Enrique , Lopatynsky-Reyes Erika Zoe , Garcia Esbeydy , Montaño-Duron Jesus Gilberto 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background

Based on several previous studies (regional and national), Tijuana, Baja-California, Mexico (across the border from San Diego, California, USA), has shown the highest rate of Meningococcal Meningitis (MeM) in the country, however, the reason for this has not yet been known. In the “African Meningitis Belt”, the Harmattan seasons are associated with MeM outbreaks. The Santa Ana winds seasons (SAWs) are hot and dry winds (similar to Harmattan seasons) that occur seasonally in southwestern California, USA, and North of Baja-California, Mexico.
Objectives

Our aim was to demonstrate, as a short communication, a potential association of SAWs with MeM in Tijuana, Baja-California, Mexico, which in turn, may partially explain the high rate of this disease in the region.
Methods

Based on own previously published data obtained from thirteen years of active surveillance of MeM, and a 65 years review showing the occurrence of SAWs, we estimated the risk ratio (RR) of total cases number by MeM vs. bacterial non-MeM (bacterial meningitis not caused by Neisseria meningitidis) during seasons with and without SAWs.
Results

We found an association of SAWs seasons with MeM, but not with bacterial non-MeM (RR = 2.06, p = 0.02 (95% CI 1.1 to 3.8), which may partially explain the high endemicity of this deadly disease in this part of the globe.
Conclusion

This study shows a new potential climatic association with MeM, and provides more information that justifies universal meningococcal vaccination in Tijuana, Mexico.
Efficacy And Safety of Jian-Pi Huo-Xue Granule For Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Study Protocol For a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Sun Yuanlong , Chen Gaofeng , Chen Si , Wang Yanjie , Hu Yiyang , Zhao Yu 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease with a prevalence of 25% worldwide, but there is a lack of consensus treatment drugs. Previous studies have shown that Jian-Pi Huo-Xue granule (JPHX) can reduce hepatic steatosis by ultrasound image, but lacks quantitative observation of liver fat content. This study aims to improve the efficacy and safety evaluation of JPHX for NAFLD using magnetic resonance imaging-proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) as the primary outcome. Methods: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. This trial will enroll 84 participants with NAFLD, which will be randomized into JPHX or placebo granule groups in equal proportions, and receive JPHX or placebo granules treatment for 24 weeks. A follow-up will be performed 12 weeks after intervention. The primary outcome is the change of MRI-PDFF from baseline to week 24. Secondary outcomes are the body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), serum hepatic function, serum lipids, blood glucose-related indicators, life quality measuring health surveys, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Syndrome Scale. Outcomes will be monitored at baseline, 12 and 24 weeks after enrolment. Adverse events that occurred in this trial will be managed and recorded in time. Discussion: We design a clinical trial for NAFLD management with JPHX, a TCM formula. The results of this trial will present the efficacy and safety of JPHX, and provide clinical evidence for the treatment of NAFLD. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ID: ChiCTR2100046132. Registered on May 4, 2021.
A Novel Framework for Efficient Multiple Signature on Certificate with Database Security
Authors: Tanwar Sarvesh , Badotra Sumit , Rana Ajay 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
PKI gives undeniable degree of safety by transferring the key pair framework among the clients. By constructing, a PKI we combine digital identities with the digital signatures, which give an end-to-end trust model. Basically, PKI is an attempt, which can simulate the real-world human analyzation of identity and reliability in a computerized fashion. In any case, the existing applications are centered on a tight trust model which makes them inadequate as an overall device for trust examination. After years of research, development and deployment, PKI still facing strong technical and organizational challenges such as attacks against Certificate Authorities (CA). CAs are the primitive component of PKIs which plays powerful role in the PKI model. CA must be diligent, creditable and legitimate. In any case, a technocrat who picks up control on a CA can use CA's certificate to issue bogus certificate and impersonate any site, such as - DigiNotar, GobalSign, Comodo and DigiCert Malaysia. In this paper we proposed an approach to reduce the damage of compromised CA/CA’s key by imposing Multiple Signatures (MS) after verifying/authenticating user’s information. One single compromised CA is not able to issue a certificate to any domain as multiple signatures are required. Private key and other perceptive information are stored in the form of object/blob. Without knowing the structure of class no one can access the object and object output stream. Proposed MS achieve better performance over existing MS schemes and control fraudulent certificate issuance with more database security. The proposed scheme also avoids MITM attack against CA who is issuing certificate to whom which is using the following parameters such as identity of Sender, Receiver, Timestamp and Aadhar number.
The Value of CT-based Radiomics Nomogram in Differential Diagnosis of Different Histological Types of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Huang hao , Xu fang yi , Chen Qing Qing , Hu hong jie , Qi Fangyu , Zhao Jiaojiao 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Purpose: To establish and verify a nomogram based on computed tomography (CT) radiomics analysis to predict the histological types of gastric cancer preoperatively for patients with surgical indications.Methods: A sum of 143 patients with gastric cancer in Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital from January 2019 to December 2020 (differentiated type: 46 cases; undifferentiated type: 97 cases) were included into this retrospective study, and were randomly divided into training (n=99) and test cohort (n=44). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO) was used for feature selection while the multivariate Logistic regression method was used for radiomics model and nomogram building. The area under curve(AUC) was used for performance evaluation in this study.Results: The radiomics model got AUCs of 0.755 (95%CI, 0.650-0.859) and 0.71 (95%CI,0.543-0.875) for histological prediction in the training and test cohorts, respectively. The radiomics nomogram based on radiomics features and Carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) achieved an AUC of 0.777 (95%CI:0.679-0.875) in the training cohort with 0.726 (95%CI:0.559-0.893) in the test cohort. The calibration curve of the radiomics nomogram also showed good results. The decision curve analysis(DCA) shows that the radiomics nomogram is clinically practical.Conclusion: The radiomics nomogram established and verified in this study showed good performance for the preoperative histological prediction of gastric cancer, which might contribute to the formulation of a better clinical treatment plan.
EDUCAÇÃO DOMICILIAR: DIREITO FUNDAMENTAL, LIMITES E POSSIBILIDADES JURÍDICAS
Authors: Cimadon Aristides , Lückmann Luiz Carlos 
Published: December 2021

O presente estudo tem por objetivo discorrer sobre as possibilidades jurídicas e os limites para legalizar a Educação Domiciliar no Brasil. Traz uma breve reflexão sobre o momento regulatório da educação brasileira e distingue os conceitos de educação, ensino, aprendizagem, instrução e escola. Em seguida passa a conceituar Educação Domiciliar como uma possibilidade de aprender sem seguir rigidamente os programas escolares, por meio de um percurso mais personalizado. É um tema controverso. Apesar da proibição regulatória, há inúmeras famílias, no Brasil, que optaram pela escolarização em casa. Todavia, ações judiciais têm condenado os pais que praticam a Homeschooling à litigância de “abandono intelectual”. Discutem-se os limites legais a partir dos ditames das leis brasileiras, além dos Tratados e Convenções internacionais. Apresenta-se a possibilidade da regulação e normatização dessa modalidade de ed