bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Research on the Physical Characteristics for Improving the Security Perceptions of Citizens: A Comparative Analysis of Zones Five and Ten of Shiraz, Iran
Authors: SEDAGHAT FARD Mohammad , SOLTANI Ali , AHMADI Habib , PAKSHIR Abdolreza 
Published: March 2019

Crime and the insecurities relating to it within urban neighborhoods are currently amongst the major concerns of urban citizens, and such issues have resulted in significant harm to their social life, to the point that urban neighborhoods are even sometimes considered to be a subcategory of urban abnormality. Such a result has arisen largely due to a lack of security in cities. The qualitative and quantitative aspects associated with the sense of security are crucial to the positive existence of urban neighborhoods, both from physical and social perspectives. A particularly important issue to consider is the safety of women and girls and the elderly in urban areas, especially at night. The goal of this study is to evaluate the role that the physical characteristics of an area playing in improving the security perceptions of urban citizens within that area. The approach of the study, given its descriptive-analytic nature, might be applied to all kinds of applied research. The study’s data collection is of two forms: library documents and survey-based questionnaires. In this research, a questionnaire was developed and distributed among residents of Zones Five and Ten of Shiraz, Iran. After collecting the required data, SPSS is used for the study’s analysis. The study adopts a simple random sampling method, with the statistical population of the study areas being 281,341. In turn, the sample size used via application of the Cochran formula is 384. The results of the T-test and the F-test are used to analyze the differences between the independent and dependent variables. The findings of the research reveal that the average security perception in Zone Ten is 41.51, an amount higher than that in Zone Five, which is 37.41. The observed difference between the averages of the Zones Five and Ten confirms the hypotheses of the research. The analysis shows that such factors of physical characteristics, including parks, buildings, schools, street lighting and roads network patterns, influence the quantity of potential criminals and thus the security perceptions. In general, there is a significant difference among the physical characteristics of the study areas in terms of their security perceptions.
Association study of diabetes mellitus and body constitution of traditional Chinese medicine
Authors: Mohammadturusn Nabijan , Xu Yizhe , Xu Fei , Zhang Yuanhao , Tang Zihui , Liu Wenxian 
Published: March 2019

Objective: We report on the association between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitution and diabetes mellitus (DM) and provide epidemiological evidence for the theory of correlation between constitution and disease.Methods: A total of 3748 participants were used for data analysis, and all study subjects underwent a complete clinical baseline characteristics evaluation to collect related information. DM was determined by an oral glucose tolerance test. Multiple logistic regression (MLR) models were employed to detect the associations.Results: In total, 16.84% of the participants had DM in the total sample. Significant differences were found in age, height, weight, and heart rate, between the DM and non-DM groups. Univariate linear regression analyses indicated that the variables Qi_Deficient and Yang_Deficient were significantly associated with the outcome, and a negative correlation between TCM constitution and DM was found. After adjustment for relevant potential confounding factors, the MLR detected significant associations between both the Qi_Deficient and Yang_Deficient variables and DM ([Formula: see text]-value [Formula: see text] 0.015 for Qi_Deficient and [Formula: see text]-value [Formula: see text] for Yang_Deficient). In Qi_Deficient and Yin_Deficient participants, the odds ratios (ORs) for DM were 0.778 and 0.646, respectively.Conclusion: Qi_Deficient and Yang_Deficient were significantly associated with DM. These findings may provide insights for clinical practice for the prevention and diagnosis of DM.
SATB2-AS1 Suppresses Colorectal Carcinoma Aggressiveness by Inhibiting SATB2-Dependent Snail Transcription and Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: Wang Yi-Qing , Jiang Dong-Mei , Hu Sha-Sha , Zhao Li , Wang Lan , Yang Min-Hui , Ai Mei-Ling , Jiang Hui-Juan , Han Yue , Ding Yan-Qing , Wang Shuang 
Published: March 2019

Abstract

Accumulating evidence suggests that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) plays important regulatory roles in cancer biology. However, the involvement of lncRNA in colorectal carcinoma progression remains largely unknown, especially in colorectal carcinoma metastasis. In this study, we investigated the changes in lncRNA expression in colorectal carcinoma and identified a new lncRNA, the antisense transcript of SATB2 (SATB2-AS1), as a key regulator of colorectal carcinoma progression. SATB2-AS1 was frequently downregulated in colorectal carcinoma cells and tissues, and patients whose tumors expressed SATB2-AS1 at low levels had a shorter overall survival and poorer prognosis. Downregulation of SATB2-AS1 significantly promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and in vivo, demonstrating that it acts as a tumor suppressor in colorectal carcinoma. SATB2-AS1 suppressed colorectal carcinoma progression by serving as a scaffold to recruit p300, whose acetylation of H3K27 and H3K9 at the SATB2 promoter upregulated expression of SATB2, a suppressor of colorectal carcinoma growth and metastasis. SATB2 subsequently recruited HDAC1 to the Snail promoter, repressing Snail transcription and inhibiting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Taken together, these data reveal SATB2-AS1 as a novel regulator of the SATB2-Snail axis whose loss facilitates progression of colorectal carcinoma.

Significance:
These data show that the lncRNA SATB2-AS1 mediates epigenetic regulation of SATB2 and Snail expression to suppress colorectal cancer progression.
See related commentary by Li, p. 3536
Sociodemographic Disparities in Long-Term Mortality Among Stroke Survivors in the United States
Authors: Elfassy Tali , Grasset Leslie , Glymour M. Maria , Swift Samuel , Zhang Lanyu , Howard George , Howard Virginia J. , Flaherty Matthew , Rundek Tatjana , Osypuk Theresa L. , Zeki Al Hazzouri Adina 
Published: March 2019

Background and Purpose—
It is unclear whether disparities in mortality among stroke survivors exist long term. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to describe rates of longer term mortality among stroke survivors (ie, beyond 30 days) and to determine whether socioeconomic disparities exist.

Methods—
This analysis included 1329 black and white participants, aged ≥45 years, enrolled between 2003 and 2007 in the REGARDS study (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) who suffered a first stroke and survived at least 30 days after the event. Long-term mortality among stroke survivors was defined in person-years as time from 30 days after a first stroke to date of death or censoring. Mortality rate ratios (MRRs) were used to compare rates of poststroke mortality by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.

Results—
Among adults who survived ≥30 days poststroke, the age-adjusted rate of mortality was 82.3 per 1000 person-years (95% CI, 75.4–89.2). Long-term mortality among stroke survivors was higher in older individuals (MRR for 75+ versus <65, 3.2; 95% CI, 2.6–4.1) and among men than women (MRR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1–1.6). It was also higher among those with less educational attainment (MRR for less than high-school versus college graduate, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–1.9), lower income (MRR for <$20k versus >50k, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1–1.9), and lower neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES; MRR for low versus high neighborhood SES, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1–1.7). There were no differences in age-adjusted rates of long-term poststroke mortality by race, rurality, or US region.

Conclusions—
Rates of long-term mortality among stroke survivors were higher among individuals with lower SES and among those residing in neighborhoods of lower SES. These results emphasize the need for improvements in long-term care poststroke, especially among individuals of lower SES.
Outcomes Among Patients With Ischemic Stroke Treated With Intravenous tPA (Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator) via Telemedicine
Authors: Wysocki Nicole Anne , Bambhroliya Arvind , Ankrom Christy , Vahidy Farhaan , Astudillo César , Trevino Alyssa , Malazarte Rene , Cossey T.C. , Jagolino-Cole Amanda , Savitz Sean , Wu Tzu-Ching , Sharrief Anjail 
Published: March 2019

Background and Purpose—
Telemedicine is increasingly utilized for intravenous tPA (tissue-type plasminogen activator) delivery. The comparative safety of leaving tPA-treated patients at a presenting (spoke) hospital (drip-and-stay) or transferring patients to a central treating (hub) hospital (drip-and-ship) is not established. We sought to compare outcomes between drip-and-ship and drip-and-stay patients treated with tPA via telemedicine. We hypothesized that there would be no differences in short-term outcomes of in-hospital mortality, length of stay, or discharge disposition or in 90-day outcomes between groups.

Methods—
We retrospectively identified patients treated with tPA at 17 spoke hospitals between September 2015 and December 2016. Demographic, clinical, and outcome data were obtained from a prospective telemedicine registry. We used negative binomial, multinomial, and logistic regression analyses to evaluate length of stay, discharge disposition, and inpatient mortality, respectively. We compared the proportion of patients with 90-day modified Rankin Scale score <2 by group.

Results—

Among 430 tPA-treated patients, 232 (53.9%) were transferred to the hub after treatment. The median arrival National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was higher for drip-and-ship (10; interquartile range, 5–18) compared with drip-and-stay patients (6; interquartile range, 4–10;
P
<0.001). Unadjusted length of stay was longer in drip-and-stay patients (incidence rate ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.71–0.95). There were no significant differences in adjusted length of stay, hospital mortality, or discharge disposition. Among the 64% of patients with complete 90-day modified Rankin Scale score, the proportion with good outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score <2) did not differ between groups.

Conclusions—
We found no differences in measured outcomes between drip-and-ship and drip-and-stay patients treated in our network, although our study may be underpowered to detect small differences.
The Influence of Lifting Condensation Level on Low-Level Outflow and Rotation in Simulated Supercell Thunderstorms
Authors: Brown Matthew C. , Nowotarski Christopher J. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThis paper reports on results of idealized numerical simulations testing the influence of low-level humidity, and thus lifting condensation level (LCL), on the morphology and evolution of low-level rotation in supercell thunderstorms. Previous studies have shown that the LCL can influence outflow buoyancy, which can in turn affect generation and stretching of near-surface vertical vorticity. A less explored hypothesis is tested: that the LCL affects the relative positioning of near-surface circulation and the overlying mesocyclone, thus influencing the dynamic lifting and intensification of near-surface vertical vorticity. To test this hypothesis, a set of three base-state thermodynamic profiles with varying LCLs are implemented and compared over a variety of low-level wind profiles. The thermodynamic properties of the simulations are sensitive to variations in the LCL, with higher LCLs contributing to more negatively buoyant cold pools. These outflow characteristics allow for a more forward propagation of near-surface circulation relative to the midlevel mesocyclone. When the mid- and low-level mesocyclones become aligned with appreciable near-surface circulation, favorable dynamic updraft forcing is able to stretch and intensify this rotation. The strength of the vertical vorticity generated ultimately depends on other interrelated factors, including the amount of near-surface circulation generated within the cold pool and the buoyancy of storm outflow. However, these simulations suggest that mesocyclone alignment with near-surface circulation is modulated by the ambient LCL, and is a necessary condition for the strengthening of near-surface vertical vorticity. This alignment is also sensitive to the low-level wind profile, meaning that the LCL most favorable for the formation of intense vorticity may change based on ambient low-level shear properties.
Changes in conjunctival epithelial cells after treatment with 0.2% xanthan gum eye drops in mild-moderate dry eye
Authors: Postorino Elisa Imelde , Aragona Pasquale , Rania Laura , Spinella Rosaria , Puzzolo Domenico , Micali Antonio , Mazza Anna Maria Livia , Papa Vincenzo 
Published: March 2019

Purpose: To study the effects of xanthan gum eye drops on the ocular surface and conjunctival cytology of patients with mild-moderate dry eye. Methods: This prospective, double-masked, controlled trial included 30 patients (age > 60 and Ocular Surface Disease Index score >12 and <33), divided into two groups of 15 subjects and treated with 0.2% xanthan gum eye drops (group 1) or 0.5% carboxymethylcellulose (group 2) qid. After a run-in period with saline qid, patients were evaluated by Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire, clinical assessment, and impression cytology at baseline (T0) and after 1 month (T1). For impression cytology, cellularity, cell-to-cell contacts, nucleus/cytoplasm ratio, chromatin aspect, goblet cells distribution, keratinization, and the presence of inflammatory cells were considered. Parameters were scored from 0 (no alterations) to 3 (evident alterations). For statistical analysis, Student’s t-test, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and Mann–Whitney U-test were used. Results: Clinically, after 1 month of treatment, group 1 showed an improvement of corneal stain (T0 = 1.1 ± 1.4; T1 = 0.5 ± 0.7; p = 0.03) and a reduction of Schirmer I test (T0 = 9.8 ± 6.1; T1 = 5.9 ± 4.1; p = 0.001). In group 2, no differences were found between T0 and T1 for all the clinical tests. For impression cytology, in group 1 cellularity (T0 = 0.6 ± 0.5; T1 = 0.3 ± 0.5; p = 0.05), chromatin aspect (T0 = 1.2 ± 0.4; T1 = 0.8 ± 0.5; p = 0.01), keratinization (T0 = 1 ± 0.7; T1 = 0.5 ± 0.5; p = 0.03), and total score (T0 = 5.8 ± 1.3; T1 = 3.6 ± 1.7; p = 0.003) were significantly ameliorated, while in group 2 only total score improved significantly (T0 = 5 ± 1.4; T1 = 4.3 ± 1.5; p = 0.01). The comparison between groups showed significant amelioration for keratinization in group 1 at T1 (p = 0.02). Conclusion: The treatment with xanthan gum, a molecule with anti-oxidant and mucoadhesive properties, ameliorated conjunctival epithelium of mild-moderate dry eye patients better than carboxymethylcellulose.
The metabolomic scent of cancer disease progression in soft tissue sarcoma: A case report
Authors: Miolo Gianmaria , Basile Debora , Carretta Andrea , Santeufemia Davide Adriano , Steffan Agostino , Corona Giuseppe 
Published: March 2019

Background: The purpose of this case report is to describe the potential that metabolomics breath analysis may have in cancer disease monitoring. The advances in mass spectrometry instrumentation allow the accurate real-time analysis of volatile metabolites exhaled in the breath. The application of such non-invasive devices may provide innovative and complementary monitoring of the physio-pathological conditions of cancer patients. Case presentation: A 59-year-old Caucasian woman with spindle cell malignant mesenchymal sarcoma of the presacral region started a first-line therapy with non-pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and ifosfamide associated with pelvic radiant treatment. After two cycles of chemotherapy plus radiotherapy, a significant pulmonary disease progression was reported. Thus, a second-line therapy with trabectedin was administered. However, after only two cycles of treatment a re-staging computed tomography scan reported further cancer disease progression of the target pulmonary lesions as well as occurrence of new satellite bilateral nodules. Real-time analysis of breath exhaled volatile organic compounds, performed by select ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) during the follow-up of the patient, showed a specific metabolic pattern not observed in the breath of other soft tissue sarcoma patients who achieved clinical benefit from the treatments. Conclusions: This case report revealed the importance of the non-invasive real-time volatile organic compounds breath analysis to distinguish individual specific chemo-resistance phenotypes among soft tissue sarcoma patients. Such observation seems to suggest that breath metabolomics may be particularly useful for monitoring cancer disease progression in soft tissue sarcoma patients where only cost-effective diagnostic tools, such as positron emission tomography and computed tomography, are available.
Performance of a MethyLight assay for methylated SFRP2 DNA detection in colorectal cancer tissue and serum
Authors: Li Hui , Wang Zhenzhen , Zhao Guodong , Ma Yong , Chen Ying , Xue Qi , Zheng Minxue , Fei Sujuan 
Published: March 2019

Background: Colorectal cancer is one of the five most common cancers in China, and its incidence is steadily increasing. An accurate and non-invasive screening method is needed to increase the population uptake of colorectal cancer screening. Secreted frizzled-related protein 2 ( SFRP2) has been found to be hypermethylated in most colorectal cancer patients, and it may fulfill the role of a non-invasive biomarker for colorectal cancer screening. Methods: Methylation status of SFRP2 was examined in 17 cancer tissues and paired adjacent paracancer tissues by a new SFRP2 MethyLight assay, which was also used to test the serum of 62 patients with colorectal cancer and 55 normal individuals. Results: The limit of detection of the SFRP2 MethyLight assay was about 200 pg per reaction. The SFRP2 methylation level was higher in 94.1% colorectal cancer tissues than in paired adjacent paracancer tissues ( P<0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of SFRP2 for detecting colorectal cancer in serum were 69.4% (95% confidence interval (CI) 56.2, 80.1%) and 87.3% (95% CI 74.9, 94.3%), respectively. Conclusion: SFRP2 methylation in serum has the potential to be a non-invasive biomarker for colorectal cancer screening.
Serum carcinoembryonic antigen to predict recurrence in the follow-up of patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Ramphal Winesh , Boeding Jeske R.E. , van Iwaarden Maartje , Schreinemakers Jennifer M.J. , Rutten Harm J.T. , Crolla Rogier M.P.H. , Gobardhan Paul D. 
Published: March 2019

Introduction: Serum carcinoembryonic (CEA) antigen is used as a diagnostic screening tool during follow-up in colorectal cancer patients. However, it remains unclear whether preoperative serum CEA is a reliable marker in the follow-up to predict recurrence. The aim of the study is to determine the value of elevated pre- and postoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels (CEA > 5 µg/L) as an independent prognostic factor for locoregional and distant recurrence in patients who underwent curative surgery for colorectal cancer. Methods: This single center retrospective observational cohort study includes patients who underwent curative surgery for colorectal cancer between 2005 and 2015 and had pre- and postoperative serum CEA measurements. Five-year disease-free survival and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to adjust for confounding factors. Results: Preoperative serum CEA level was measured in 2093 patients with colorectal cancer. No significant association was found between an elevated preoperative serum CEA and locoregional recurrence (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.29 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.91, 1.84; P=0.26)). However, a significant association was found between an elevated preoperative serum CEA and systemic recurrence (adjusted HR 1.58 (95% CI 1.25, 2.00; P<0.01)]. The five-year disease-free survival was lower in patients with elevated preoperative serum CEA levels ( P<0.01). Postoperative serum CEA level was the most sensitive for hepatic metastases during follow-up (73.3%). Conclusions: The preoperative serum CEA level is an independent prognostic factor for systemic metastasis after curative surgery for colorectal cancer in patients with stage I–III disease. The level is the most sensitive for hepatic metastasis compared to metastasis to other anatomic sites.
MicroRNA-373 promotes the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting LATS2 and OXR1
Authors: Wang Li , Wang Lifeng , Chang Weidong , Li Yongfang , Wang Linsong 
Published: March 2019

Introduction: MicroRNA373 was highly expressed in many tumors including esophageal cancer. However, its molecular mechanism is still unclear, especially epigenetic modification, in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: In this study, we investigated serum levels of the miR-371-373 cluster in ESCC patients before and after surgical removal, and further focused on the expression level of miR-373-3p in tumor tissues of ESCC patients and its target genes. In addition, the epigenetic alterations of miR-373-3p promoter was analyzed. Results: The expression levels of miR-371-5p and miR-373-3p were significantly increased in preoperative serum of ESCC patients compared with that of healthy volunteers ( P<0.01); however, they dropped significantly after surgical removal ( P<0.01). Compared with adjacent normal tissues, miR-373-3p also showed significant up-regulation in cancer tissues ( P<0.05). The methylation levels of miR-373-3p promoter were 42.86% in ESCC cancer tissue and 66.67% in adjacent normal tissues. The low methylation of the miR-373-3p promoter may promote the expression of miR-373-3p. Large tumor suppressor 2 ( LATS2) and oxidation resistance 1( OXR1) are predicted to be targets of miR-373-3p by the bioinformatics method. They are the genes in the Hippo and the p53 signaling pathway, respectively. Their respective upstream genes, neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and Jun Kinase, and the downstream genes, transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) and caspase 9, were also detected. The expression of all these genes were significantly decreased in ESCC cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Conclusions: This study shows that DNA epigenetic modification in the miR-373-3p promoter region and the Hippo and p53 signaling pathways play important roles during the miR-373-3p mediating ESCC development process.