bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Removal Study of Crystal Violet and Methylene Blue From Aqueous Solution by Activated Carbon Embedded Zero-Valent Iron: Effect of Reduction Methods
Authors: Wang Yongmei , Chen Tiantian , Zhang Xiaolin , Mwamulima Teza 
Published: December 2021

Zero valent iron (ZVI) particles were embedded into porous materials to avoid aggregation and separation problems in the controlled synthesis process. To investigate the adsorption mechanism of crystal violet and methylene blue, activated carbon (AC) and AC-based ZVI extraction by solid-phase and liquid-phase reduced approaches was conducted. Characterization methods of specific surface area, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and x-ray diffractograms (XRD) were used to elucidate the structure of adsorbents, and the adsorption capacities of crystal violet and methylene blue were obtained under experimental conditions of various pH values (2.0–10.0), adsorption times (0–72 h), and temperatures (30–50°C). The adsorption of crystal violet/methylene blue was controlled by both chemisorption and reduction. The adsorption processes were fitted to a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and that of reduction kinetics was suitable to pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The thermodynamic study revealed that the adsorption of crystal violet and methylene blue was endothermic and spontaneous, and the adsorption isotherms fitted well to the Langmuir model. Different adsorption capacities of crystal violet and methylene blue on various adsorbents were found, indicating that both the properties of adsorbents (pore size, specific surface area, and chemical functional groups) and the structures of adsorbates had significant effect on the removal of dye molecules.
Lipid Alterations in Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Gogulska Zuzanna , Smolenska Zaneta , Turyn Jacek , Mika Adriana , Zdrojewski Zbigniew 
Published: December 2021

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease with an elusive etiology and poor prognosis. Due to its diverse clinical presentation, a personalized approach is obligatory and needs to be based on a comprehensive biomarker panel. Therefore, particular metabolomic studies are necessary. Lipidomics addressed these issues and found disturbances in several crucial metabolic pathways.Aim of Review: The review aims to briefly summarize current knowledge related to lipid alterations in systemic sclerosis, highlight its importance, and encourage further research in this field.Key Scientific Concepts of Review: In this review, we summarized the studies on the lipidomic pattern, fatty acids, lipoproteins, cholesterol, eicosanoids, prostaglandins, leukotrienes, lysophospholipids, and sphingolipids in systemic sclerosis. Researchers demonstrated several alternate aspects of lipid metabolism. As we aimed to present our findings in a comprehensive view, we decided to divide our findings into three major groups: “serum lipoproteins,” “fatty acids and derivatives,” and “cellular membrane components,” as we do believe they play a prominent role in SSc pathology.
Potential Clinical Value of Pretreatment De Ritis Ratio as a Prognostic Biomarker for Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Li Jinze , Cao Dehong , Peng Lei , Meng Chunyang , Xia Zhongyou , Li Yunxiang , Wei Qiang 
Published: December 2021

BackgroundWe performed this study to explore the prognostic value of the pretreatment aspartate transaminase to alanine transaminase (De Ritis) ratio in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).MethodsPubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched to identify all studies. The hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were extracted to evaluate their correlation.ResultsA total of 6,528 patients from 11 studies were included in the pooled analysis. Patients with a higher pretreatment De Ritis ratio had worse OS (HR = 1.41, p &lt; 0.001) and CSS (HR = 1.59, p &lt; 0.001). Subgroup analysis according to ethnicity, disease stage, cutoff value, and sample size revealed that the De Ritis ratio had a significant prognostic value for OS and CSS in all subgroups.ConclusionsThe present study suggests that an elevated pretreatment De Ritis ratio is significantly correlated with worse survival in patients with RCC. The pretreatment De Ritis ratio may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker in patients with RCC, but further studies are warranted to support these results.
Convolutional Neural Network-Based Diagnostic Model for a Solid, Indeterminate Solitary Pulmonary Nodule or Mass on Computed Tomography
Authors: Sun Ke , Chen Shouyu , Zhao Jiabi , Wang Bin , Yang Yang , Wang Yin , Wu Chunyan , Sun Xiwen 
Published: December 2021

PurposeTo establish a non-invasive diagnostic model based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to distinguish benign from malignant lesions manifesting as a solid, indeterminate solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) or mass (SPM) on computed tomography (CT).MethodA total of 459 patients with solid indeterminate SPNs/SPMs on CT were ultimately included in this retrospective study and assigned to the train (n=366), validation (n=46), and test (n=47) sets. Histopathologic analysis was available for each patient. An end-to-end CNN model was proposed to predict the natural history of solid indeterminate SPN/SPMs on CT. Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted to evaluate the predictive performance of the proposed CNN model. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of diagnoses by radiologists alone were compared with those of diagnoses by radiologists by using the CNN model to assess its clinical utility.ResultsFor the CNN model, the AUC was 91% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.83–0.99) in the test set. The diagnostic accuracy of radiologists with the CNN model was significantly higher than that without the model (89 vs. 66%, P&lt;0.01; 87 vs. 61%, P&lt;0.01; 85 vs. 66%, P=0.03, in the train, validation, and test sets, respectively). In addition, while there was a slight increase in sensitivity, the specificity improved significantly by an average of 42% (the corresponding improvements in the three sets ranged from 43, 33, and 42% to 82, 78, and 84%, respectively; P&lt;0.01 for all).ConclusionThe CNN model could be a valuable tool in non-invasively differentiating benign from malignant lesions manifesting as solid, indeterminate SPNs/SPMs on CT.
Impact of Multimorbidity on Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Older Adults: Is There a Sex Difference?
Authors: Lin Huang , Xiao Shujuan , Shi Lei , Zheng Xiao , Xue Yaqing , Yun Qilong , Ouyang Ping , Wang Dong , Zhu Hong , Zhang Chichen 
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Multimorbidity has become a key issue in the health care sector globally, and it can also lead to psychological distress in older adults. This study aimed to assess the impact of multimorbidity on depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms and identify whether there is a sex difference in these associations.Methods: A cross-sectional study using a multistage random sampling method was conducted among 3,266 older adults in China. Multiple linear regression models were used to estimate the independent associations between multimorbidity and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Furthermore, interaction analysis was employed to investigate the interaction effect of multimorbidity and sex on depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms.Results: A total of 3,250 participants aged 60 years and older were included in this study. Our findings suggest that multimorbidity is strongly positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. In addition, the positive relations between multimorbidity and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms are stronger for older female than male adults.Conclusion: Old adults with multimorbidity are more likely have depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. This study offers new insight for the mental health from the perspective of multimorbidity among older people, implies that encouraging the accessibility of treatment for multimorbidity in older people with different sex may be effective in promoting mental health in China.
Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Parenting Stress Across Asian Countries: A Cross-National Study
Authors: Kurata Sawa , Hiraoka Daiki , Ahmad Adlan Aida Syarinaz , Jayanath Subhashini , Hamzah Norhamizan , Ahmad-Fauzi Aishah , Fujisawa Takashi X. , Nishitani Shota , Tomoda Akemi 
Published: December 2021

Background: In a previous study, we demonstrated that the accumulation of parenting stress during prolonged school closures and restrictions on daily activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan indicates the need for mental health intervention for parents at higher risk of parenting stress. However, few studies have focused on parenting stress in other Asian countries, although they have experienced higher numbers of infections. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether parenting stress among caregivers increased across Asia due to school closures and restrictions on activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and to examine whether there were any country-specific, cross-country, or cross-regional risk factors for increased parenting stress.Methods: We conducted an online survey immediately after the number of new cases in India significantly increased (September–November 2020). We measured parenting stress, anxiety, and fear associated with the COVID-19 crisis, as evaluated by the Parenting Stress Index, Short-Form (PSI-SF), and the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), across three Asian countries—India (n = 142), Malaysia (n = 69), and Japan (n = 182)—in addition to the United States (n = 203). We also investigated whether respondents had adverse childhood experiences (ACE) as a risk factor for parenting stress.Results: For all countries, we found significant increases in participants’ current parenting stress levels, compared to what they recalled regarding their lives before COVID-19-related restrictions and school closures were enacted. Textual analysis qualitatively identified common terms related to parenting stress across all countries. We also found a statistical model that indicated ACE in parents was a critical risk factor for higher parenting stress via increasing anxiety and fear related to the pandemic.Conclusion: These results indicate the need to improve the mental health of caregivers who are at risk for higher levels of parenting stress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Asian countries as well as Western countries. These results indicate that there is a need to improve the mental health of caregivers who are at risk for higher levels of parenting stress during the COVID-19 pandemic globally.
Quantifying Training and Game Demands of a National Basketball Association Season
Authors: Russell Jennifer L. , McLean Blake D. , Stolp Sean , Strack Donnie , Coutts Aaron J. 
Published: December 2021

Purpose: There are currently no data describing combined practice and game load demands throughout a National Basketball Association (NBA) season. The primary objective of this study was to integrate external load data garnered from all on-court activity throughout an NBA season, according to different activity and player characteristics.Methods: Data from 14 professional male basketball players (mean ± SD; age, 27.3 ± 4.8 years; height, 201.0 ± 7.2 cm; body mass, 104.9 ± 10.6 kg) playing for the same club during the 2017–2018 NBA season were retrospectively analyzed. Game and training data were integrated to create a consolidated external load measure, which was termed integrated load. Players were categorized by years of NBA experience (1-2y, 3-5y, 6-9y, and 10 + y), position (frontcourt and backcourt), and playing rotation status (starter, rotation, and bench).Results: Total weekly duration was significantly different (p &lt; 0.001) between years of NBA playing experience, with duration highest in 3–5 year players, compared with 6–9 (d = 0.46) and 10+ (d = 0.78) year players. Starters experienced the highest integrated load, compared with bench (d = 0.77) players. There were no significant differences in integrated load or duration between positions.Conclusion: This is the first study to describe the seasonal training loads of NBA players for an entire season and shows that a most training load is accumulated in non-game activities. This study highlights the need for integrated and unobtrusive training load monitoring, with engagement of all stakeholders to develop well-informed individualized training prescription to optimize preparation of NBA players.
Comparison of General-Social Health and Corona-Induced Anxiety Between Active and Inactive Students in the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Ahmadabadi Somayeh 
Published: December 2021

Background: General health includes physical and mental health and their interactions, and physical activity can improve people's mental and social health. The present study has compared general-social health and COVID-19-induced anxiety between active and inactive students during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A causal-comparative research design was used in this study. The statistical population consisted of all students of the Farhangian University of Mashhad (2,500 students) in 2020, out of whom 752 students were randomly selected (323 men and 429 women). Subjects were assessed for general health, social health, and COVID-19-induced anxiety. Data normality was investigated by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and data were analyzed statistically using independent t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient test.Results: The results of the present study showed that there was a significant difference between general health and COVID-19-induced anxiety of active and inactive students (p = 0.001), but no significant difference was observed between these two groups in social health (p ≥ 0.05). Results obtained regarding the correlation indicated that there was a significant correlation between general and social health in both active and inactive students (p = 0.001). However, there was no significant correlation between COVID-19-induced anxiety and general-social health (p ≥ 0.05).Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, it can be said that an active lifestyle and physical activity are important factors to improve general health and reduce anxiety, especially in specific conditions of the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, it is recommended that students have a regular exercise program to reduce their anxiety and increase the level of their physical health.
Cerebrovascular Reserve Capacity as a Predictor of Postoperative Delirium: A Pilot Study
Authors: Bydén Moa , Segernäs Anna , Thulesius Hans , Vanky Farkas , Ahlgren Eva , Skoog Johan , Zachrisson Helene 
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Postoperative delirium is a common complication after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Compromised regulation of the cerebral circulation may be a predisposing factor for delirium. However, the potential relationship between cerebrovascular reserve capacity and delirium is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate if impaired cerebrovascular reserve capacity was associated with postoperative delirium.Methods: Forty-two patients scheduled for cardiac surgery with CPB were recruited consecutively. All patients underwent preoperative transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound with calculation of breath-hold index (BHI). BHI &lt; 0.69 indicated impaired cerebrovascular reserve capacity. In addition, patients were examined with preoperative neuropsychological tests such as MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination) and AQT (A Quick Test of cognitive speed). Postoperative delirium was assessed using Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (Nu-DESC) in which a score of ≥2 was considered as delirium.Results: Six patients (14%) scored high for postoperative delirium and all demonstrated impaired preoperative cerebrovascular reserve capacity. Median (25th−75th percentile) BHI in patients with postoperative delirium was significantly lower compared to the non-delirium group [0.26 (−0.08–0.44) vs. 0.83 (0.57–1.08), p = 0.002]. Preoperative MMSE score was lower in patients who developed postoperative delirium (median, 25th−75th percentile; 26.5, 24–28 vs. 28.5, 27–29, p = 0.024). Similarly, patients with postoperative delirium also displayed a slower performance during the preoperative cognitive speed test AQT color and form (mean ± SD; 85.8 s ± 19.3 vs. 69.6 s ± 15.8, p = 0.043).Conclusion: The present findings suggest that an extended preoperative ultrasound protocol with TCD evaluation of cerebrovascular reserve capacity and neuropsychological tests may be valuable in identifying patients with increased risk of developing delirium after cardiac surgery.
Efficacy and Benefit of Postoperative Chemotherapy in Micropapillray or Solid Predominant Pattern in Stage IB Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Xu Congcong , Zhu Kanghao , Chen Dong , Ruan Yuhang , Jin Zixian , Qiu Hongbin , Chen Baofu , Shen Jianfei 
Published: December 2021

Background: The benefit of postoperative chemotherapy remains controversial for patients with either a micropapillary or solid pattern in stage IB non-small cell lung cancer. This study is designed to explore the significance of postoperative chemotherapy in patients with either a micropapillary or solid pattern in stage IB lung adenocarcinoma.Method: To conduct the meta-analysis, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Medline were used to collect literature on long-term follow-up studies published before March, 2021, involving postoperative chemotherapy for patients with both a micropapillary or solid pattern in stage IB lung adenocarcinoma as compared to non-postoperative chemotherapy. Survival data was extracted from the literature, including the overall survival and disease-free survival. Based on overall survival and disease-free survival, hazard ratios and their 95% of confidence intervals were applied to assess the prognostic effect of postoperative chemotherapy. Review Manager software was used to merge the effect size for the meta-analysis.Result: In total, 6 papers with 956 patients were included. In terms of the prognosis of patients suffering from lung cancer when receiving postoperative chemotherapy, this study comprehensively reviews and evaluates the available evidence of micropapillary or solid patterns. After excluding the heterogeneity between the studies, we found that the pooled results from 6 studies report that postoperative chemotherapy was associated with a better overall survival rate when compared with non-postoperative chemotherapy (hazard ratio = 0.58, 95% confidence interval, 0.44–0.77; P = 0.0002). Postoperative chemotherapy also significantly improved the disease-free survival in patients with either a micropapillary or a solid pattern in stage IB lung adenocarcinoma (postoperative chemotherapy vs. non-postoperative chemotherapy, hazard ratio = 0.51, 95% confidence interval, 0.40–0.64; P &lt; 0.001). However, a subgroup analysis showed that compared with non-postoperative chemotherapy, tumor size was unrelated to the prognosis of patients in stage IB undergoing postoperative chemotherapy (hazard ratio = 0.98, 95% confidence interval, 0.94–1.02; P = 0.27).Conclusion: Postoperative chemotherapy results in a better long-term survival rate for patients with either a solid or a micropapillary pattern in stage IB lung adenocarcinoma. Multi-center, prospective, clinical trials are needed to validate our findings.
Pretreatment C-Reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio is Associated With Poor Survival in Patients With 2018 FIGO Stage IB-IIA HPV-Positive Cervical Cancer
Authors: Jiang Yinan , Gu Haifeng , Zheng Xiaojing , Pan Baoyue , Liu Pingping , Zheng Min 
Published: December 2021

Objectives: The present study aimed to identify the predictive value of inflammatory indexes stratified according to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection status in women with FIGO 2018 stage IB∼IIA cervical cancer. We also explored the influences of HPV infection status on the survival of cervical cancer patients.Methods: We collected data for 583 women with stage IB∼IIA cervical cancer in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between 2009 and 2017. The t-test, chi-squared (χ2) test and Fisher’s exact test were applied to compare the differences of inflammatory indexes and clinicopathological features between HPV-positive and HPV-negative groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify clinicopathological factors that were associated with the prognosis of cervical cancer patients.Results: There were no differences in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between HPV-positive and HPV-negative groups. In HPV-positive group, the maximum tumor size, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the body mass index (BMI) correlated significantly with C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR). The maximum tumor size and the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) correlated significantly with the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). The maximum tumor size, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and PLR correlated significantly with PNI. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the depth of tumor invasion (HR: 3.651, 95% CI: 1.464–9.103, p = 0.005; HR: 2.478, 95% CI: 1.218–5.043, p = 0.012) and CAR (HR: 5.201, 95% CI: 2.080–13.004, p &lt; 0.0001; HR: 2.769, 95% CI: 1.406–5.455, p = 0.003) were independent predictors of poor OS and PFS. PNI was an independent protective factor of OS (HR: 0.341, 95% CI: 0.156–0.745, p = 0.007). PLR was an independent factor of PFS (HR: 1.991, 95% CI: 1.018–3.894, p = 0.044). In HPV-negative group, BMI correlated significantly with CAR. Only depth of invasion (HR: 9.192, 95% CI: 1.016–83.173, p = 0.048) was the independent predictor of poor OS, and no inflammation indexes were independent predictors of prognosis.Conclusion: In patients with HPV-positive cervical cancer, depth of invasion, PNI and CAR are independent factors of OS, and depth of invasion, PLR and CAR are independent factors for PFS. For patients with HPV-negative disease, no inflammation indexes had predictive value for prognosis. The predictive value of inflammation indexes on prognosis is more significant in patients with HPV-positive cervical cancer. Stratification of HPV infection status promotes a more precise clinical application of inflammation indexes, thus improving their accuracy and feasibility.
Fostering Learner Autonomy through Cooperative and Collaborative Learning
Authors: Chowdhury Takad Ahmed 
Published: December 2021

Both cooperative and collaborative learning are learner-centered teaching approaches in English Language Teaching (ELT) to support active learning, shared learning, inductive learning, and autonomous learning. However, definitional and conceptual clarity of these two concepts did not receive as much attention as they deserve. As a result, these two terms are often confused, conflated or used interchangeably. This review paper critiqued the two terms by revealing their components, identifying their commonalities as well as variances, and explicating their theoretical bases and exploring their role in fostering learner autonomy. Searching and reviewing published literature were used to achieve the objectives of the study. The study perceived that cooperative learning is the educational technique that uses small groups of students guided by the teacher to benefit their individual and each other’s learning whereas collaborative learning is a philosophy of interaction of a learning group where people take responsibility for their own learning while recognizing their peers’ abilities and contributions. Both the approaches foster autonomous learning behavior where cooperative learning is considered the foundation stage for collaborative learning. This article will benefit current and future ELT practitioners and researchers of this emerging field of pedagogy by providing a clearer analyses of the terms and role in fostering learner autonomy.