bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Acupuncture and related therapies for carpal tunnel syndrome
Authors: Bian Zhiyuan , Yu Jie , Tu Mingqi , Liao Binjun , Huang Jingmei , Jiang Yongliang , Fang Jianqiao 
Published: December 2021

Abstract

Background:
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common peripheral nerve compression syndrome of the upper limb. Plenty of studies showed the effects of acupuncture therapy on relieving pain and improving functional status for CTS patients. Diverse types of acupuncture therapies have been used in the treatment for CTS, but their relative treatment effects are poorly understood. This study will evaluate the effects of different acupuncture and related therapies for CTS by conducting a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA).

Methods:
We will search randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture and related therapies for CTS in MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Chinese Biomedical Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database, Wanfang Database, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, ClinicalTrials.gov, Chinese Clinical Trial Register, and OpenGrey from inception to November 2021. Then, we will select eligible studies, extract data, and conduct risk of bias assessment using the Cochrane tool. Pairwise meta-analysis and Bayesian NMA will be performed in Stata 15.1 software and Aggregate Data Drug Information System 1.16.8 software. We will assess the quality of the evidence using the Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis application.

Results:
In this study, the treatment effects and safety of different acupuncture and related therapies for CTS will be evaluated.

Conclusion:
This study will provide evidence for choosing the optimal acupuncture and related therapies in the treatment for CTS.
Efficacy of acupuncture for melasma
Authors: Tang Liheng , Xian Jin , Zhang Ye , Zhang Changyun , Yu Huijuan , Tan Qiwen , Zhang Xin 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackground:Melasma is a common acquired hyperpigmentation of the skin. The clinical manifestations are light brown or dark brown patches symmetrically distributed on the cheeks, forehead, and mandibular with different shades and unclear borders. The treatment of melasma is extremely challenging due to its easy relapse and hard to cure. As a classical method of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture has been used to treat melasma in clinical practice. However, there is no systematic review and meta-analysis of acupuncture on melasma. This study aims to assess the efficacy of acupuncture for melasma.Methods:We will perform a comprehensive retrieval in the following electronic databases: PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan Fang Database, VIP database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System (SinoMed), Chinese Biomedicine (CBM) database, and TCM Literature Analysis from inception to July 1, 2021, to identify any eligible study. We include all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) without any limitation of blinding or publication language, and exclude cohort studies and case reports. The meta-analyses will be conducted by using the Stata16. We will use the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized trials to assess the risk of bias of included studies. The X2andI2tests will be utilized to assess the statistical heterogeneity of evidence. We will conduct a meta-analysis if the studies can be combined. Otherwise, a narrative synthesis will be performed. Article screening and data extraction will be independently evaluated by 2 reviewers trained in methodology according to the established selection criteria. Any disagreements between the 2 reviewers will be resolved by reaching a consensus with the other authors (the third reviewer).Results:This study will systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for melasma.Conclusion:The conclusion of this study will provide evidence to ensure the efficacy of acupuncture for melasma, so as to provide an objective and scientific basis for clinical practice.Ethics and dissemination:No ethical approval will be required because the data used are not linked to individual patient. The results of this review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.Registration number:INPLASY2021110097.
The influence of the -94 Ins/Del ATTG polymorphism of NFkB on the anti-CCP antibody levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Ayón-Pérez Miriam Fabiola , Topete-Córdoba Jonathan Joseph , Agraz-Cibrián Juan Manuel , Ortiz-Martínez Liliana , Durán-Avelar Ma. de Jesús , Vázquez-Reyes Alejandro , Vibanco-Pérez Norberto , Gutiérrez-Franco Jorge , Zambrano-Zaragoza José Francisco 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by an inflammatory process that affects mainly synovial tissue in joints, and by the production of cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP) antibodies. In the inflammatory process the regulation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) transcription factor activation is a key point in the production of inflammatory cytokines. On the other hand, polymorphisms in several genes could contribute to the promotion of the inflammatory process observed in RA, and the association of the rs28362491 polymorphism in the NFkB gene with RA has been studied in different population. Therefore, it could be one of the interest targets to analyze their association with RA in a Mexican population.
This is a case-control study to determine the influence of rs28362491 in the NFkB gene on RA and on clinical features of this disease, such as anti-CCP antibody levels, Disease Activity Score, and Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index.
The genotype of rs28362491 in the NFkB gene was determined in 140 RA patients and 135 healthy controls using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method with the enzyme PflMI. The following clinical variables were also determined: anti-CCP levels, Disease Activity Score, and Spanish version of the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability-Index.
Although no association of the polymorphism as a risk/protection factor with RA was found, the RA patients who carried the Ins/Ins genotype showed higher anti-CCP levels, while those with the Del/Del genotype showed higher Spanish version of the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index levels, compared to the other genotypes.
The NFkB -94 Ins/Del ATTG (rs28362491) polymorphism is, therefore, associated with higher levels of anti-CCP antibodies, though no significant association as a risk or protection factor in RA cases was identified.
Beneficial effects of Aloe ferox on lipid profile, blood pressure, and glycemic control in obese persons
Authors: Gherbon Adriana , Frandes Mirela , Timar Romulus , Nicula Marioara 
Published: December 2021

Abstract

Background:

Aloe ferox is one of the most widely used medicinal plants today, with the most intense detoxifying action of all aloe species, being used in the treatment of various diseases, including obesity. Our study aimed to assess the efficacy of Aloe ferox in obesity treatment.

Methods:
The study sample included 20 Romanian persons with obesity treated with diet and Aloe ferox based supplements, and 20 Romanian matched controls treated with diet and a placebo. The treatment included 2 capsules/day (Aloe ferox 460 mg) for 2 weeks, followed by a 2-week break, repeated 3 times. The blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) and anthropometric parameters, such as body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol, and abdominal circumference, as well as the biochemical parameters, fasting blood glucose (FBG), uric acid, and lipid profile was evaluated at baseline and after 3 months.

Results:
After 3 months of Aloe ferox administration, significant differences between the study group and the control group were observed regarding BMI (P = .03), total cholesterol (P = .032), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) (P = .01) and FBG (P = .018). Also, between the initial clinical, anthropometric, and biological parameters and those after the administration of Aloe ferox in the study group, we obtained significant differences regarding BMI (P = .002), LDLc (P = .039), fasting glycemia (P < .001) and diastolic blood pressure (P = .006).

Conclusions:
The administration of Aloe ferox to obese patients has been shown to achieve a significant reduction in body weight, BMI, LDLc, and FBG. These effects may be due to the laxative and detoxifying action of Aloe ferox components. As it can only be administered for limited periods due to side effects, further experimental and human studies of the efficacy of this plant in the treatment of obesity are needed.
Identifying Uncertainty States during Wayfinding in Indoor Environments: An EEG Classification Study
Authors: Zhu Bingzhao , Cruz-Garza Jesus G. , Shoaran Mahsa , Kalantari Saleh 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe researchers used a machine-learning classification approach to better understand neurological features associated with periods of wayfinding uncertainty. The participants (n=30) were asked to complete wayfinding tasks of varying difficulty in a virtual reality (VR) hospital environment. Time segments when participants experienced navigational uncertainty were first identified using a combination of objective measurements (frequency of inputs into the VR controller) and behavioral annotations from two independent observers. Uncertainty time-segments during navigation were ranked on a scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high). The machine-learning model, a random forest classifier implemented using scikit-learn in Python, was used to evaluate common spatial patterns of EEG spectral power across the theta, alpha, and beta bands associated with the researcher-identified uncertainty states. The overall predictive power of the resulting model was 0.70 in terms of the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristics curve (ROC-AUC). These findings indicate that EEG data can potentially be used as a metric for identifying navigational uncertainty states, which may provide greater rigor and efficiency in studies of human responses to architectural design variables and wayfinding cues.
Establishing Normative Reference Values for the Utah Seated Medicine Ball Throw Protocol in Adolescents
Authors: Biggar Cory , Larson Abigail , DeBeliso Mark 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACTThe seated medicine ball throw (SMBT) is a field test intended to assess upper-body muscular power by measuring the maximal distance an individual can throw a medicine ball from an isolated, seated position (25). The SMBT has been used to assess upper-body power in various populations and to establish concurrent validity for other measures of upper-body power such as the bench press power test and the plyometric push-up. The SMBT is less costly and simpler to incorporate into a field test battery than other upper body power assessments. While the SMBT is a valid, reliable field test for upper-body power, normative reference standards for most populations, including adolescent (12-15 years old) physical education students, do not exist.PurposeThis study reports distances thrown in the SMBT to establish normative reference values in male and female physical education students, ages 12-15 years old.MethodsOne hundred thirteen untrained male and female physical education students aged 12-15 years performed the SMBT field test three times on a single testing day. Participants threw a 2kg medicine ball with a 19.5 cm diameter while seated at a 90° after recording height, body mass, and BMI.ResultsParticipant data was separated by age gender for analysis. Mean and standard deviation for the SMBT for males was 4.3±0.7m and 5.2±0.8 m for ages 12-13 and 14-15, respectively, and for females was 3.4±0.5m and 3.7±0.5m for ages 12-13 and 14-15, respectively. Pearson correlation coefficients for between-trials comparisons for males and females ranged from r=0.85-0.97. Pearson correlation coefficients for average SMBT and age of participants was r=0.93. Normative reference values as percentile ranks for the SMBT scores for age groups 12-13 and 14-15 among males and females, respectively, were also established.ConclusionThe data presented provides an initial set of normative reference standards for coaches and students to determine upper-body muscular power using the SMBT.
Flv3A facilitates O2 photoreduction and affects H2 photoproduction independently of Flv1A in diazotrophic Anabaena filaments
Authors: Santana-Sánchez A. , Nikkanen L. , Toth G. , Ermakova M. , Kosourov S. , Walter J. , He M. , Aro E-M. , Allahverdiyeva Y. 
Published: December 2021

SummaryThe model heterocyst-forming filamentous cyanobacterium, Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 (Anabaena) represents multicellular organisms capable of simultaneously performing oxygenic photosynthesis in vegetative cells and the O2-sensitive N2-fixation inside the heterocysts. The flavodiiron proteins (FDPs) have been shown to participate in photoprotection of photosynthesis by driving excess electrons to O2 (Mehler-like reaction). Here, we addressed the physiological relevance of the vegetative cell-specific Flv1A and Flv3A on the bioenergetic processes occurring in diazotrophic Anabaena under variable CO2. We demonstrate that both Flv1A and Flv3A are required for proper induction of the Mehler-like reaction upon a sudden increase in light intensity, which is likely important for the activation of carbon-concentrating mechanisms (CCM) and CO2 fixation. Under ambient CO2 diazotrophic conditions, Flv3A is capable of mediating moderate O2 photoreduction, independently of Flv1A, but in coordination with Flv2 and Flv4. Strikingly, the lack of Flv3A resulted in strong downregulation of the heterocyst-specific uptake hydrogenase, which led to enhanced H2 photoproduction under both oxic and micro-oxic conditions. These results reveal a novel regulatory network between the Mehler-like reaction and the diazotrophic metabolism, which is of great interest for future biotechnological applications.
Genomic signatures of desert adaptation at gene-rich regions in zebu cattle from the African drylands
Authors: Tijjani Abdulfatai , Salim Bashir , da Silva Marcos Vinicius Barbosa , Eltahir Hamza A. , Musa Taha H. , Marshall Karen , Hanotte Olivier , Musa Hassan H. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractSudan, the largest country in Africa, acts as a corridor between North and sub-Saharan Africa along the river Niles. It comprises warm arid and semi-arid grazing lands, and it is home to the second-largest African population of indigenous livestock. Indigenous Sudanese cattle are mainly indicine/zebu (humped) type. They thrive in the harshest dryland environments characterised by high temperatures, long seasonal dry periods, nutritional shortages, and vector diseases challenges. We investigated genome diversity in six indigenous African zebu breeds sampled in Sudan (Aryashai, Baggara, Butana, Fulani, Gash, and Kenana). We adopted three genomic scan approaches to identify candidate selective sweeps regions (ZHp, FST, XP-EHH). We identified a set of gene-rich selective sweep regions shared across African and Asian zebu or unique to Sudanese zebu. In particular, African and Asian zebu candidate gene-rich regions are detected on chromosomes 2, 5 and 7. They include genes involved in immune response, body size and conformation, and stress response to heat. In addition, a 250 kb selective sweep on chromosome 16 was detected exclusively in five Sudanese zebu populations. This region spans seven genes, including PLCH2, PEX10, PRKCZ and SKI, which are involved in alternative adaptive metabolic strategies of insulin signalling, glucose homeostasis, and fat metabolism. Together, these genes may contribute to the zebu cattle resilience to heat, nutritional and water shortages. Our results highlight the putative importance of selection at gene-rich genome regions, which might be under a common regulatory genetic control, as an evolutionary mechanism for rapid adaptation to the complexity of environmental challenges.
Precise quantification of behavioral individuality from 80 million decisions across 183,000 flies
Authors: de Bivort Benjamin , Buchanan Sean , Skutt-Kakaria Kyobi , Gajda Erika , O’Leary Chelsea , Reimers Pablo , Akhund-Zade Jamilla , Senft Rebecca , Maloney Ryan , Ho Sandra , Werkhoven Zach , Smith Matthew A-Y 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIndividual animals behave differently from each other. This variability is a component of personality and arises even when genetics and environment are held constant. Discovering the biological mechanisms underlying behavioral variability depends on efficiently measuring individual behavioral bias, a requirement that is facilitated by automated, high-throughput experiments. We compiled a large data set of individual locomotor behavior measures, acquired from over 183,000 fruit flies walking in Y-shaped mazes. With this data set we first conducted a “computational ethology natural history” study to quantify the distribution of individual behavioral biases with unprecedented precision and examine correlations between behavioral measures with high power. We discovered a slight, but highly significant, left-bias in spontaneous locomotor decision-making. We then used the data to evaluate standing hypotheses about biological mechanisms affecting behavioral variability, specifically: the neuromodulator serotonin and its precursor transporter, heterogametic sex, and temperature. We found a variety of significant effects associated with each of these mechanisms that were behavior-dependent. This indicates that the relationship between biological mechanisms and behavioral variability may be highly context dependent. Going forward, automation of behavioral experiments will likely be essential in teasing out the complex causality of individuality.
Integration of allocentric and egocentric visual information in a convolutional / multilayer perceptron network model of goal-directed gaze shifts
Authors: Khoozani Parisa Abedi , Bharmauria Vishal , Schütz Adrian , Wildes Richard P. , Crawford J. Douglas 
Published: December 2021

AbstractAllocentric (landmark-centered) and egocentric (eye-centered) visual codes are fundamental for spatial cognition, navigation, and goal-directed movement. Neuroimaging and neurophysiology suggest these codes are segregated initially, but then reintegrated in frontal cortex for movement control. We created and validated a theoretical framework for this process using physiologically constrained inputs and outputs. To implement a general framework, we integrated a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) of the visual system with a Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) model of the sensorimotor transformation. The network was trained on a task where a landmark shifted relative to the saccade target. These visual parameters were input to the CNN, the CNN output and initial gaze position to the MLP, and a decoder transformed MLP output into saccade vectors. Decoded saccade output replicated idealized training sets with various allocentric weightings, and actual monkey data where the landmark shift had a partial influence (R2= 0.8). Furthermore, MLP output units accurately simulated prefrontal response field shifts recorded from monkeys during the same paradigm. In summary, our model replicated both the general properties of the visuomotor transformations for gaze and specific experimental results obtained during allocentric-egocentric integration, suggesting it can provide a general framework for understanding these and other complex visuomotor behaviors.
Poor prognosis of stage I lung adenocarcinoma patients determined by elevated expression over pre/minimally invasive status of COL11A1 and THBS2 in the focal adhesion pathway
Authors: Shang Jun , Zhao Yue , Jiang He , Yang Jingcheng , Zhang Naixin , Ren Luyao , Chen Qingwang , Yu Ying , Shi Leming , Chen Haiquan , Zheng Yuanting 
Published: December 2021

ABSTRACTAround 20% of stage I lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients die within five years after surgery, and efforts for developing gene-expression based models for risk-tailored post-surgery treatment are largely unsatisfactory due to overfitting-related lack of validation and extrapolation. Because patients with adenocarcinomas in situ (AIS) and minimally invasive (MIA) LUAD are completely curable by surgical resection, we hypothesize that poor-prognosis stage I patients may exhibit key molecular characteristics deviating from AIS/MIA. We first found focal adhesion (FA) as the only pathway significantly perturbed at both genomic and transcriptomic levels by comparing 98 AIS/MIA and 99 invasive LUAD patients. Then, we identified two FA pathway genes (COL11A1 and THBS2) strongly upregulated from AIS/MIA to stage I while expressed steadily from normal to AIS/MIA. Furthermore, unsupervised clustering separated stage I patients into two molecularly and prognostically distinct subtypes (S1 and S2) based solely on the expression levels of COL11A1 and THBS2 (FA2). Subtype S1 looked like AIS/MIA, whereas S2 exhibited more somatic alterations, elevated expression of COL11A1 and THBS2, and more activated cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF). The prognostic performance of the knowledge-driven and overfitting-resistant FA2 model was validated with 12 external data sets and may help reliably identify high-risk stage I patients for more intensive post-surgery treatment.
The impact of shielding during the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health: Evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Authors: Di Gessa Giorgio , Price Debora 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, older and clinically vulnerable people were instructed to shield or stay at home to save lives. Policies restricting social contact and human interaction pose a risk to mental health, but we know very little about the impact of shielding and stay at home orders on the mental health of older people.AimsUnderstand the extent to which shielding contributes to poorer mental health.MethodExploiting longitudinal data from Wave 9 (2018/19) and two COVID-19 sub-studies (June/July 2020; November/December 2020) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing we use logistic and linear regression models to investigate associations between patterns of shielding during the pandemic and mental health, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, pre-pandemic physical and mental health, and social isolation measures.ResultsBy December 2020, 70% of older people were still shielding or staying at home, with 5% shielding throughout the first 9 months of the pandemic. Respondents who shielded experienced worse mental health. Although prior characteristics and lack of social interactions explain some of this association, even controlling for all covariates, those shielding throughout had higher odds of reporting elevated depressive symptoms (OR=1.87, 95%CI=1.22;2.87) and reported lower quality of life (B=-1.28, 95%CI=-2.04;-0.52) than those who neither shielded nor stayed at home. Shielding was also associated with increased anxiety.ConclusionsShielding itself seems associated with worse mental health among older people, highlighting the need for policymakers to address the mental health needs of those who shielded, both in emerging from the current pandemic and for the future.