bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinicians’ Perspectives on Antibiotic Use: A Study in a Suburban Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria
Authors: Akhigbe Marvelous E. , Ighodaro Osazuwa , Ghouse Mohamed A. , A Offiong A. , Emekolom Obiajulum N. , Okoro Obianujunwa V. , Saka Sulymon A. 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Background
Antibiotic misuse significantly contributes to the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance. Evaluating clinicians' prescribing practices is crucial for improving antibiotic stewardship and minimizing resistance.
Objective
This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of clinicians concerning antibiotic prescribing and to identify factors influencing their prescribing behaviors at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Nigeria.
Methods
A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted from January to August 2024. A sample of 205 clinicians from five departments was randomly selected. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire designed to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antibiotic prescriptions.
Results
The survey revealed that 158 (77.1%) of the participants had good knowledge of antibiotic prescribing, and 185 (90.2%) and 189 (92.2%) of the clinicians reported adhering to hospital and international guidelines, respectively. Despite this, only 73 (35.6%) had attended recent training on antibiotic use. Influencing factors included poor-quality antibiotics 113 (55.1%) and increased clinical experience 99 (48.3%). Although 99 (48.3%) of the clinicians felt confident in their prescribing abilities, prescription alterations by senior colleagues were noted.
Conclusion
Clinicians at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital generally possess good knowledge and adherence to antibiotic guidelines. However, insufficient training and poor-quality antibiotics are barriers to optimal prescribing practices. Enhancing continuous education and improving drug quality are essential to advancing antibiotic stewardship and combating resistance.
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transport connexin43 via tunneling nanotubes to alleviate isopreterenol-induced myocardial hypertrophy
Authors: Zhang Jianghui , Jiang Hongfeng , Liu Sa , Xian Zhong , Zhao Limin , Li Yue , Lu Wenxiu , Shao Changrong , Chai Sanbao 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Background
Paracrine signaling plays an important role in stem cell therapy. However, it alonecannot fully explain the therapeuticmechanisms of stem cell therapy in treating heart diseases. Recently, tunneling nanotubes (TNTs)—a novel type of long-distance intercellular connectional structure—have been identified between mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and cardiomyocytes (CMs). TNTs mediate the transmission of multiple signaling molecules, enabling cells to exert different biological functions. In the present study, we investigated the role of TNTs in MSC-based therapy for myocardial hypertrophy.
Methods
MSCs and CMs were co-cultured for 24 h with or without isopreterenol (ISO) to induce myocardial hypertrophy. Confocal microscopy was used to quantify and analyze the number, morphology, composition, and cell source of TNTs between MSCs and CMs. The effects of ISO on CMs were assessed by comparing cell area (measured by confocal microscopy) and expression levels of hypertrophy-related genes (using qRT-PCR) under co-culture and trans-well culture conditions. Flow cytometry was employed to assess the transfer of connexin43 (Cx43) from MSCs to CMs; lentivirus-mediated Cx43 overexpression and Cx43 siRNA were used to investigate the effects of Cx43 on ISO-induced myocardial hypertrophy.
Results
ISO stimulation significantly increased the number, length, and thickness of TNTs between MSCs and CMs (number: P<0.05; length and thickness: P<0.01). ISO also increased the proportion of TNTs containing microtubules and those derived from MSCs (P<0.05). Co-culture conditions were more effective than trans-well culture in alleviating ISO-induced myocardial hypertrophy (P<0.05). Furthermore, Cx43 was observed in TNTs, and ISO enhanced the transfer of Cx43-mCherry from MSCs to co-cultured CMs (P<0.05). Overexpression of Cx43 in CMs alleviated myocardial hypertrophy, whereas knocking down of Cx43 in MSCs reduced their ability to alleviate myocardial hypertrophy (P<0.05).
Conclusions
Our results demonstrate that ISO promotes the formation of TNTs, particularly between MSCs and CMs, and induces changes in the morphology of TNTs (thickening and lengthening). Additionally, MSCs transmitted Cx43 to CMs via TNTs, which contributes to the alleviation of ISO-induced myocardial hypertrophy. These results suggest that TNTs represent an important mechanism in MSC-mediated therapy for myocardial hypertrophy.
Time-course RNA sequencing reveals high similarity in mRNAome between hepatic stellate cells activated by agalactosyl IgG and TGF-β1
Authors: Ho Cheng-Hsun , Kao Chieh 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated the clinical relevance of aberrant serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) N-glycomic profiles in liver fibrosis and the pathogenic effects of agalactosyl IgG on activating hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). However, the dynamics of gene expression changes during HSC activation by agalactosyl IgG remain poorly understood. We performed RNA sequencing to analyze the mRNAome of human LX-2 HSCs at multiple time points after treatment with agalactosyl IgG and then compared these results with those obtained after normal IgG and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 treatments. Gene expression changes were significantly pronounced on day 5 and subsided by day 11 after HSC activation. A high degree of similarity in gene expression patterns between HSCs treated with agalactosyl IgG and TGF-β1 was observed, of which 1796 and 1785 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, respectively. Disease ontology analyses revealed that 114 and 115 DEGs in activated HSCs following agalactosyl IgG and TGF-β1 treatments, respectively, were linked to liver cirrhosis, hepatitis, fatty liver disease, hepatitis B, and alcoholic hepatitis, with CCL5 and FAS being the most commonly affected genes. DEGs associated with liver fibrosis or aforementioned liver diseases involved in gene annotation, physiological functions, and signaling pathways regarding secretion of cytokines and chemokines, expression of fibrosis-related growth factors and their receptors, modification of extracellular matrices, and regulation of cell viability in activated HSCs. In conclusion, this study characterized the dynamics of mRNAome and gene networks and identified the liver fibrosis-related DEGs during HSC activation by agalactosyl IgG and TGF-β1.
A Guide for Active Learning in Synergistic Drug Discovery
Authors: Wang Shuhui , Allauzen Alexandre , Nghe Philippe , Opuu Vaitea 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Synergistic drug combination screening is a promising strategy in drug discovery, but it involves navigating a costly and complex search space. While AI, particularly deep learning, has advanced synergy predictions, its effectiveness is limited by the low occurrence of synergistic drug pairs. Active learning, which integrates experimental testing into the learning process, has been proposed to address this challenge. In this work, we explore the key components of active learning to provide recommendations for its implementation. We find that molecular encoding has a limited impact on performance, while the cellular environment features significantly enhance predictions. Additionally, active learning can discover 60% of synergistic drug pairs with only exploring 10% of combinatorial space. The synergy yield ratio is observed to be even higher with smaller batch sizes, where dynamic tuning of the exploration-exploitation strategy can further enhance performance.
Reduction of pain and functional disability over time in patients treated with zavegepant: A Post-hoc analysis of the BHV3500-301 Phase 3 Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Powell Lauren , O'Sullivan Fiona , Jayasinghe Pramoda , Rogula Basia , Dai Feng , Cirillo Jessica , Sweeney Samantha , Abraham Lucy , Ailani Jessica 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Background: Migraine is a disabling disorder that impacts 40 million people in the US. Zavegepant is the first calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist nasal-spray approved for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. This study aimed to evaluate the proportion of patients in various pain and functional disability states over 48-hours, for patients treated with zavegepant 10 mg nasal-spray versus placebo.
Methods: This post-hoc analysis included adult patients with >1-year history of migraine from BHV3500-301 (NCT04571060): a phase 3 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-attack study. Over 48 hours, pain severity and functional disability were captured at various timepoints (pre- and post-dosing). The proportion of patients at each pain severity or functional disability state and the time spent in each category was calculated. These were analyzed for patients with complete timepoint data available and using missing not at random (MNAR) imputation for missing timepoints. Predictors of functional disability were assessed using a mixed-effects logistic regression model.
Results: There were 1,269 patients included in the MNAR imputation analysis, and between 630-641 in the complete-case analysis. As early as 15-minutes post-dose, a larger proportion of zavegepant patients achieved no/mild pain compared to placebo, despite balanced migraine severity pre-dose. Furthermore, zavegepant patients spent significantly more time (over 2.5 hours) in pain freedom compared to placebo. Similarly, a higher proportion of patients with normal function was observed with zavegepant vs placebo, as early as 30-minutes post-dose. Over 48-hours, patients treated with zavegepant spent an average of ~3-hours longer with normal functioning compared to placebo. Results were similar when analyzing both analytic groups. In a regression model, treatment with zavegepant, lower pain severity, fewer baseline monthly migraine days, and absence of photophobia, phonophobia, and nausea were associated with better functioning (p<0.05) over 48-hours.
Conclusion: Zavegepant was associated with a greater proportion of patients with mild/no pain compared to placebo, as early as 15-mins post-dose. On average, zavegepant treatment was associated with an additional 2.5-hours of time in pain freedom compared to placebo. Similarly, zavegepant was associated with fast and sustained return to function compared to placebo, resulting in more time spent with normal functioning over 48-hours.
The removal of Cr(VI) in groundwater by biochar loaded with nano zero-valent-iron: efficiency, mechanism and influence of original matrix
Authors: Meng Xianrong , Xu Wei , Wang Yan , Wu Mian 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Biochar (BC) loading nano-zero-valent iron (nZVI) is an effective way to reduce the agglomeration of nZVI and enhance the activity of BC. nZVI@xBC composites were synthesized by liquid phase reduction method according to different Fe/C mass ratios. The removal mechanism of Cr(VI) and key influencing factors were explored. Results showed that the removal of Cr(VI) included two mechanisms of adsorption and reduction, and reduction accounted for more than 80% in the removal of Cr (VI). The specific removal efficiency of Cr(VI) by nZVI@2BC was about 6 times that of BC and more than 10 times of nZVI. PH affects the removal efficiency of Cr(VI) by changing surface electronegativity, dispersion and metal ion morphology of material. High removal rate of Cr(VI) (> 90%) was achieved at the range of pH 2~5. The removal process of Cr(VI) conformed to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isothermal adsorption model, indicating that chemical adsorption was dominant and adsorption process was endothermic. The surface functional groups of nZVI@2BC participated in the adsorption removal of Cr(VI) by physical interactions such as complexation and electrostatic adsorption, while the surface metal (nZVI) participated in the reduction removal of Cr(VI) by electron transfer. In addition to HCO3-1, anions and cations and low concentration of humic acid in groundwater had little effect on the removal of Cr(VI) by nZVI@2BC. nZVI@2BC had a strong ability to remove Cr(VI) and was almost unaffected by original matrix in the actual groundwater. nZVI@2BC has a good application prospect in remediation of chromium polluted groundwater.
Fake Tweets Detection and Its Impacts on the 2020 U.S. Election Prediction
Authors: Qorib Miftahul , Kim Junwhan 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

The increased social media usage in modern history instigates data collection from various users with different backgrounds. Mass media has been a rich source of information and might be utilized for countless purposes, from business and personal to political determination. Because more people tend to express their opinions through social media platforms, researchers are excited to collect data and use it as a free survey tool on what the public ponders about a particular issue. Because of the detrimental effect of news on social networks, many irresponsible users generate and promote fake news to influence public belief on a specific issue. The U.S. presidential election has been a significant and popular event, so both parties invest and extend their efforts to pursue and win the general election. Undoubtedly, spreading and promoting fake news through social media is one of the ways negligent individuals or groups sway societies toward their goals. This project examined the impact of removing fake tweets to predict the electoral outcomes during the 2020 general election. Eliminating mock tweets has improved the correctness of model prediction from 74.51 percent to 86.27 percent with the electoral outcomes of the election. Finally, we compared classification model performances with the highest model accuracy of 99.74634 percent, precision of 99.99881 percent, recall of 99.49430 percent, and an F1 score of 99.74592 percent. The study concludes that removing fake tweets improves the correctness of the model with the electoral outcomes of the U.S. election.
Abdominal visceral to subcutaneous fat distribution in dogs: computed tomography accuracy and factors associated with distribution
Authors: Turner Robert B. S. , Firestone S. M. , Dunshea F. R. , Mansfield C. S. 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Background:
Abdominal fat distribution, particularly visceral fat, is commonly assessed as a marker of obesity-related and metabolic diseases in people. Whilst this relationship may exist, few studies consider the factors that may influence the relative distribution of visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat in dogs. This cross-sectional study evaluated associations between visceral and subcutaneous fat distribution (V/SQ), total abdominal adiposity, body condition score (BCS), age, sex, neuter status, and breed conformation in 205 dogs presenting to a tertiary veterinary hospital. The influence of several disease states on abdominal adiposity and fat distribution was also evaluated. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the reliability of computed tomography (CT) measures of abdominal adiposity and fat distribution.
Results
Total abdominal adiposity increased with age, reaching a plateau around 10 years before gradually decreasing, and was lower in terrier breeds and dogs with neoplasia. The V/SQ fat ratio increased with age and was higher in hounds and terriers, but decreased with increasing BCS, total abdominal adiposity, and thoracic height-width ratio. Additionally, V/SQ was higher in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism. Body condition score was moderately correlated with total abdominal, visceral, and subcutaneous adiposity. Abdominal fat areas measured at L3 overestimated total abdominal and visceral fat percentages but underestimated subcutaneous fat percentages, with increasing bias at higher fat percentages. Linea alba fat measurements were moderately correlated with total abdominal adiposity, but only weakly correlated with abdominal fat distribution.
Conclusions
This study reinforces the association between abdominal adiposity, age, breed category, and potentially certain diseases like neoplasia. Moreover, it highlights the correlation between V/SQ fat distribution, age, and total adiposity, whilst emphasising the preferential distribution of fat to the visceral compartment in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism. The study also identified a novel association between V/SQ fat distribution, specific breed categories and body conformation (i.e. thoracic height-width ratio). Importantly, CT volumetric measures are more reliable in determining abdominal fat distribution than area and linear measures, instilling confidence in the study’s methodology and its implications for future research and clinical practice.
An Improved Method for Strength and Carrier to Noise Ratio Controlling in Repeater GNSS Spoofing
Authors: Li Lixun , Li Du , Gu Wenkun , Zhang Haojie , Wang Yongqing 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) spoofing is an effective method for suppressing the unmanned air vehicle (UAV) threat. However, spoofing the unauthorized UAV is a complex task, it is necessary to maintain the signal strength and carrier to noise ratio (CNR) in the rational range. In this paper, an improved signal strength and CNR controlling method based on ranging radar and (APL) is presented. the range between the spoofing transmitter and UAV is measured by ranging radar, and the gain difference between the spoofing and authentic signal are considered by the APL, the spoofing signal strength and CNR are adaptive adjusted based on the measuring value of ranging radar and searching results of the APL. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the method. Compared with the previous methods, the proposed method not only improves the signal strength stability, but also improves the CNR stability, and the effective range based on the method can cover all areas under arbitrary incident angle of spoofing signal.
Pharyngeal stimulation for adult patients with hiccups during sedated gastroenterological endoscopy: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: ZHAO YUN , GAO YE , LI LIYA , ZHANG XINYING , Xiao ZhaoYang 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Hiccups during a sedated gastroenterological endoscopy not only disrupt the smooth progress of the procedure, but also increase the anesthesia-related risks. The hypothesis that pharyngeal stimulation could arrest hiccups during sedated gastroenterological endoscopy was investigated through a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.
METHODS: 80patients, aged 18 to 70 (ASA I–II), scheduled for elective sedated gastroenterologicalendoscopy and experiencing hiccups persisting for more than 1 minute after endoscope insertion, were randomly allocated into 2 groups: the pharyngeal stimulation group (P group), and the observation group (O group, serving as the control group for the P Group).
(1) P group: Pharyngeal stimulation was performed at T0;
(2) O group: Patients were observed for 30 seconds at T0 (no treatment).
Pharyngeal stimulation, does not always result in immediate cessation of hiccups and may necessitate 30 seconds for stimulation. Therefore, patients in the P group underwent simulation at T0, and the effectiveness rates of the P group and O group were compared at T1.
RESULTS: At T1, hiccups were terminated in 36 patients in the P group (n = 40) (effectiveness rate: 90%) and in 8 patients in the O group (n = 40) (effective rate: 20%), with a calculated odds ratio (OR) of 24.75 (6.66,91.93).
CONCLUSIONS: Pharyngeal stimulation could effectively treat hiccups during the sedated gastroenterological endoscopy.
The study protocol received approval from the Institutional Review Board of The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University (SHDMU-2021-029) and registered at clinicaltrials.gov (ChiCTR2100044907,date of registration: March 29, 2021).First patient was recruited on April 2, 2021.
Picoway-induced Black Spot on the OLED Screen
Authors: Zheng Qiaoyuan , Hu Jintian , Su Xueshang , Zhuang Jun , Wang Shiwei , Li Xiaoning 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Backround:
Organic light-emitting diodes(OLED) is a material widely used in mobile phone’s screen. Picosecond laser is a kind of short pulse width laser that can be used to treat dermatological diseases. Recently, we recorded a incident when operating a picoway machine, that the laser accidently irradiated a mobile phone screen nearby and induced unexpectedly damage.
Methods/Results:
In order to prevent similar accidents, we conducted repeated experiments with Xiaomi 12, 1064 nanometer light and 532 nanometer light. The same damage occured again when the laser irradiated the screen.
Conclusion
Picosecond laser can deal damage to mobile phone’s OLED screen and cause unnecessary property loss.
Bioinspired Fe 3 O 4 @Ag@ Indocyanine Green / Adenosine triphosphate nanoenzyme in Synergistic Antibacterial Performance
Authors: Hu Dongmei , Wu Qing , Yang Yujun , Wang Yan , Li Yanhao , Chen Haixiang , Tang Liang , Mao Xiang , Wang Zhenyu 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Metal-based nanoenzymes with excellent biocompatibility and stable chemical properties are an effective antimicrobial agent against bacterial resistance due to their radical-mediated catalysis. In this work, due to the pH of most bacterial infection sites being close to neutral, targeting the problem of Fe3O4@Ag difficulty in maintaining the catalytic activity of nanoenzymes in neutral environments, we prepare a novel multifunctional Fe3O4@Ag@ Indocyanine Green / Adenosine triphosphate peroxidase nanoenzymes for synergistic antibacterial activity. ICG (Indocyanine Green) and ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) are adsorbed on the surface of Fe3O4@Ag through electrostatic adsorption to form its structure. The cell viability remained above 90%, indicating its good biocompatibility. By complexing ATP with nanoenzymes to participate in single electron transfer and binding with Fe (II), ATP promotes the sudden release of ·OH from the system, successfully transferring Fe3O4@Ag the peroxidase activity of nanoenzymes extends to neutral pH. By utilizing ICG as a photosensitizer and a sonosensitizer, under the combined treatment of near-infrared light and ultrasound, the photodynamic therapy (PDT) / photothermal therapy (PTT) / sonodynamic therapy (SDT) functions can be achieved, achieving multifunctional synergistic antibacterial effects. In a neutral environment, its bactericidal efficiency against Gram negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) is 99.9% and 99.7%, respectively, providing a new multi-mode synergistic antibacterial strategy for bacterial infections.