bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Traditional uses and anti-bacterial activity of Opuntia ficus-indica stem and fruit extracts in Kasese District, Western- Uganda
Authors: Sitenda Diana , Anywar Godwin , Kakudidi Esezah K. 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI), also known as prickly pear, has been used in traditional medicine. This is attributed to its medicinal properties that contribute to treatment of conditions including asthma, stomach ulceration, and diabetes. We carried out a cross-sectional study in 2018 in Kasese district, western Uganda, to determine the traditional uses of O. ficus-indica and the anti-bacterial activity of the stem and fruit extracts of the plant. We interviewed participants using questionnaires and obtained data for traditional uses. We also performed the Agar well diffusion test to measure the anti-bacterial activity of the fruit and stem extracts of OFI. Data was analysed using SPSS version 26.0, and a P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant after performing the one-way ANOVA test. Out of the 56 respondents, results showed that all (100%) of the respondents used prickly pear as food, 90% as ornamental, 80% as an anti-ulcer, 60% as an anti-constipation herb, and 20% used the plant to cleanse the body. On the other hand, fruit and stem extracts exhibited anti-bacterial activity as determined by the diameters of inhibition zones: 27mm and 21mm, respectively, compared to ampicillin (28mm), which was our positive control. The fruit extracts showed a higher anti-bacterial activity against E. coli bacteria than the stem extract (p<0.05), hence the rejection of the null hypothesis, which stated that there is no significant variation in the anti-bacterial activity of Opuntia ficus-indicaextracts from the stem and fruit.
The evaluation of production parameters in BVDV endemically infected bovine suckler herds after implementation of a BVDV eradication strategy including vaccination
Authors: Yarnall Matt , de Leemput Ellen Schmitt-van , Cerviño Manuel , Prieto Ruben , Bolon Arnaud 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) impacts health and performance of bovine herds. In the present retrospective study, the impact of BVDV control on production performance of suckler herds was tested, using vaccination of all female cows of the herd on the same day (DV). Performance of cows of two commercial suckler herds was analysed during 12 months before DV (PREVAC, n = 497 cows) and during 9 to 21 months after vaccination (POSTVAC, n = 531 cows). The proportion of calves born compared to the initial number of cows subjected to mating did not differ (PREVAC and POSTVAC, 87% and 84% respectively, P = 0.3584). Neither did the proportion of calves weaned compared to the initial number of cows subjected to mating (P = 0.2928) between PREVAC (71%) and POSTVAC (74%). However, the proportion of calves weaned compared to the number of calves born was higher POSTVAC (87%) when compared to PREVAC (81%), (P = 0.0223). Thus, data demonstrate that a BVDV control programme using vaccination in suckler herds, can improve calf survival.
Comparison of Underwater versus Conventional Endoscopic Mucosal Resection for Nonpedunculated Colorectal Neoplasms: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Le Quang Dinh , Le Nhan Quang , Quach Duc Trong 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Background: Underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (UEMR) has been shown to be a good treatment option for the management of nonpedunculated polyps ≥ 10 mm since its introduction. However, there is a paucity of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Asia. Therefore, the objective of our study was to compare the efficacy and safety of UEMR with those of conventionalendoscopic mucosal resection (CEMR) in the treatment of nonpedunculated colorectal lesions.
Methods: This RCT was conducted at a tertiary hospital from 10/2022 to 07/2024. Patients with nonpedunculated colorectal neoplasms of 10–30mm were randomly assigned to the UEMR or CEMR group. The primary outcome was the curative resection (R0) rate. The secondary outcomes included en bloc resection, procedure time, adverse events and the number of clips used for defect closure.
Results: A total of 260 patients with 260 lesions (130 UEMRs and 130 CEMRs) were recruited. The median age was 58 (27–85) years, the male‒female ratio was 1.74, and the median lesion size was 20 (10–30) mm. Compared with CEMR, UEMR was associated witha significantly greateren bloc resection rate (100% vs 94.6%; p = .014), shorter procedure time (65 vs 185 seconds; p < .001), lower rate of bleeding complications (1.5% vs 10%; p = .003) and fewer clips used (2 vs 3; p < .001). No perforations were observed in either group. The curative resection (R0) rate was greater in the UEMR group, but the difference was not statistically significant (98.4% vs 95.7%; p = 0.273).
Conclusions: Compared with CEMR, UEMR hasa higher en bloc resection rate, shorter procedure time and fewer bleeding complications and clips used in the management of nonpedunculatedcolorectal neoplasms.
A unique spontaneously immortalised cell line from pig with enhanced adipogenic capacity - a foundational tool for cellular agriculture
Authors: Thrower Thomas , Riley Susanna E. , Lee Seungmee , Esteves Cristina L. , Donadeu F. Xavier 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Cultivated meat promises to address some of the pressing challenges associated with large-scale production of animals for food. An important limitation to realising such promise is the lack of readily available cell lines that can be expanded robustly for scale-up culture while maintaining the capacity to differentiate into tissues of interest, namely fat and muscle. Here, we report a porcine mesenchymal stem cell line (FaTTy) which, uniquely, upon spontaneously immortalisation acquired enhanced adipogenic efficiency, close to 100%, that has now been maintained for over 200 population doublings. FaTTy is able to differentiate with high efficiency in both 2D and 3D contexts as well as in the absence of serum, and produces mature adipocytes upon prolonged differentiation. Moreover, FaTTy adipocytes display fatty acid profiles largely similar to native pig fat but with higher monounsaturated-to-saturated ratios. FaTTy displays minor aneuploidy, characterised by lack of Y chromosome, and lacks typical genetic or functional properties of tumorigenic cells. These highly distinctive characteristics, together with its non-genetically modified nature, make FaTTy an extremely attractive, potentially game-changing resource for food manufacturing, and particularly cultivated meat.
Investors Reward Countries for Participating in Climate Agreements
Authors: Saxena Konark , Singh Mandeep 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

International climate agreements are one of the best-known approaches to coordinating climate actions among governments but face a free-rider problem, where individual governments lack sufficient incentives to reduce emissions. This study examines the role of investors in providing rewards to governments through sovereign bond yields to encourage climate cooperation and reduce emission intensity. Using a difference-in-differences method, this study examines how sovereign bond yields change around the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. The findings show that investors reward governments committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions with a 4 to 5 basis point decrease in sovereign bond yields. This suggests that investors better compensate countries making significant commitments to climate agreements, helping mitigate the free-rider problem and encouraging effective climate action.
Detecting Dengue in Flight: Leveraging Machine Learning to Analyze Mosquito Flight Patterns for Infection Detection
Authors: Javed Nouman , López-Denman Adam J. , Paradkar Prasad N. , Bhatti Asim 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

With the growing global threat of mosquito-borne diseases, there is an urgent need for faster, automated methods to assess disease load of mosquitoes and predict future outbreaks before they occur. Current surveillance practices rely on mosquito traps that require manual collection of samples over days or weeks, followed by labor-intensive lab testing methods like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). These processes are time-consuming and resource-intensive, highlighting the need for innovative solutions that deliver rapid, real-time insights into vector infection status. In this study, we applied various machine learning algorithms to detect dengue-infected and noninfected mosquitoes based on their three-dimensional flight patterns. Our methodology involved using a convolutional neural network (CNN) and cubic spline interpolation to detect and track mosquito flight trajectories, followed by classification using machine learning algorithms, including CNN, XGBoost, AdaBoost, Random Forest, Decision Tree, Naive Bayes, Logistic Regression, Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), and a hybrid CNN + XGBoost model. Depending on sequence size, up to 43,278 three-dimensional flight trajectory sequences were used for dengue-infected and noninfected mosquito groups. Based on the mean values of 5-fold cross-validation, the results showed that XGBoost achieved the highest accuracy of 81.43%, closely followed by AdaBoost with 81.31% and Random Forest with 81.12%. In terms of F1 Score, Random Forest exhibited the best performance at 82.80%, while AdaBoost and XGBoost followed with F1 Scores of 82.44% and 82.22%, respectively. Across some folds, the models achieved outstanding performance. For example, in Fold 1, AdaBoost reached 95.85% accuracy with an F1 Score of 95.93%, while Random Forest achieved a recall of 97.77%. The study also analyzed the impact of flight sequence size on models' performance by varying sequence sizes between 50 and 250. Results indicated a direct relationship between sequence size and model performance, with longer sequences providing more accurate predictions. This study demonstrates the potential of artificial intelligence-driven models to enhance mosquito surveillance by automating the detection of infected mosquitoes. By providing a faster and more efficient method for assessing infection status, this approach can support real-time vector monitoring, improve early detection of disease outbreaks, and ultimately contribute to more effective mosquito control strategies.
Progressive change in dislocation microstructures in shocked calcite with pressure: Characterization of micrometeoroid bombardment on asteroid Ryugu
Authors: Tomioka Naotaka , Kurosawa Kosuke , Miyake Akira , Igami Yohei , Nagaya Takayoshi , Noguchi Takaaki , Matsumoto Toru , Miyahara Masaaki , Seto Yusuke 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Shock recovery experiments were performed using a two-stage light gas gun to clarify the progressive deformation microstructures of calcite at the submicron scale concerning pressure. Decaying compression pulses were produced using a projectile that was smaller than the natural marble target. In two experiments, natural marble samples were shocked to 13 and 18 GPa at the epicenters of the targets. Calcite grains shocked in the pressure range of 1.1–18 GPa were examined using polarized light microscopy and (scanning) transmission electron microscopy. The density of free dislocations in the grains shocked at 1.1–2.2 GPa [108–9 (cm-2)] is comparable to that of unshocked Carrara calcite grains. Subparallel bands of entangled dislocations less than 1 µm are formed at 4.2 GPa, and strongly entangled dislocations spread throughout the focused ion beam (FIB) sections at 7.3–18 GPa pressures. Dislocations selectively nucleate and entangle near the slip planes at pressures above ~3 GPa, corresponding to the transition from sharp extinction to undulatory extinction, according to the microstructural evolution with shock pressure. Above approximately 6 GPa, the dislocations nucleated homogeneously throughout the calcite crystals. The dislocation microstructure in a calcite grain collected from the asteroid Ryugu particle is similar to that of the experimentally shocked calcite at 4.2 GPa. The estimated pressure of 2–3 GPa, determined through fault mechanics analyses and the presence of dense sulfide minerals in the Ryugu particles, is in line with this pressure.
Ring of Weight Enumerator of Integer
Authors: Azaliyah Syarifatul , Hamid Nur , Alghofari Abdul Rouf , Anam Syaiful 
Published: September 2024

Invariant theory can be combined with coding theory to analyze the polynomial ring over its weight enumerator. For a certain class code, especially for self-dual doubly even code or type II code, the polynomials over its code satisfy the invarian condition. In this paper, we will show that the ring of the weight enumerator over integer of self-dual doubly even code $d_{48}^+$ cannot be ganerated by the weight enumerator of self-dual doubly even code with code length n=8, 16, 24, 32 and 40.
A Mobile Gaming App to Train Teenage Mothers on Appropriate Child Feeding Practices: Development and Validation Study
Authors: Sosanya Mercy Eloho , Samuel Folake Olukemi , Bashir Sadia , Omoera Victoria Osariemen , Freeland-Graves Jeanne H 
Published: September 2024

Background
Undernutrition is an underlying factor in nearly 50% of 1 million estimated annual deaths among Nigerian children aged <5 years. Inappropriate maternal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are basic contributors to child undernutrition. Teenage motherhood exacerbates the problem of inadequate child feeding. One possible intervention method to improve IYCF knowledge and practices of teenage mothers is the use of mobile gaming technologies. Despite extreme poverty in low- and middle-income countries, a ubiquity of mobile phone networks exists.

Objective
This study aims to develop and validate a mobile gaming app, called BabyThrive, to train Nigerian teenage mothers on appropriate IYCF practices.

Methods
To identify gaps in current IYCF practices in northern Nigeria, we conducted an extensive search of the literature and held 2 focus group interviews with 16 teenage mothers with low-income status. An initial app content design was then created, and content validity was established by 10 nutrition experts. Next, we developed an app prototype, which was assessed for quality by 7 nutrition and mobile gaming experts and evaluated for usability by 90 teenage mothers from rural areas in Abuja, the country’s capital. The final app, BabyThrive, is a 2D mobile game that is fully functional offline and available in English as well as Hausa, which is commonly spoken in northern Nigeria. The efficacy of the BabyThrive app was assessed using IYCF knowledge scores obtained from the administration of the validated Teen Moms Child Feeding Questionnaire for Sub-Saharan Africa. Construct validity was established via crossover design by comparing the total IYCF knowledge scores of the teenage mothers obtained after a verbal training program and BabyThrive app use.

Results
Large proportions of the study participants were married (53/90, 59%) and had no personal income (63/90, 70%). The mean quality rating for the BabyThrive app was 4.3 (SD 0.39) out of 5.0. High levels (>80%) of usability and user satisfaction were documented. Knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding (P<.001) and total knowledge scores (P=.002) were significantly higher in the BabyThrive group than in the verbal training group. The IYCF knowledge scores obtained from both groups showed coherence, with a statistically significant Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.50 (P<.001).

Conclusions
This research developed and validated a novel, offline mobile gaming app. It will be an easy, effective, and acceptable method to disseminate critical knowledge on IYCF practices to teenage mothers in rural Nigeria.
Identifying Potential Factors Associated With Racial Disparities in COVID-19 Outcomes: Retrospective Cohort Study Using Machine Learning on Real-World Data
Authors: Dasa Osama , Bai Chen , Sajdeya Ruba , Kimmel Stephen E , Pepine Carl J , Gurka J Matthew J , Laubenbacher Reinhard , Pearson Thomas A , Mardini Mamoun T 
Published: September 2024

Background
Racial disparities in COVID-19 incidence and outcomes have been widely reported. Non-Hispanic Black patients endured worse outcomes disproportionately compared with non-Hispanic White patients, but the epidemiological basis for these observations was complex and multifaceted.

Objective
This study aimed to elucidate the potential reasons behind the worse outcomes of COVID-19 experienced by non-Hispanic Black patients compared with non-Hispanic White patients and how these variables interact using an explainable machine learning approach.

Methods
In this retrospective cohort study, we examined 28,943 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases from the OneFlorida Research Consortium’s data trust of health care recipients in Florida through April 28, 2021. We assessed the prevalence of pre-existing comorbid conditions, geo-socioeconomic factors, and health outcomes in the structured electronic health records of COVID-19 cases. The primary outcome was a composite of hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, and mortality at index admission. We developed and validated a machine learning model using Extreme Gradient Boosting to evaluate predictors of worse outcomes of COVID-19 and rank them by importance.

Results
Compared to non-Hispanic White patients, non-Hispanic Blacks patients were younger, more likely to be uninsured, had a higher prevalence of emergency department and inpatient visits, and were in regions with higher area deprivation index rankings and pollutant concentrations. Non-Hispanic Black patients had the highest burden of comorbidities and rates of the primary outcome. Age was a key predictor in all models, ranking highest in non-Hispanic White patients. However, for non-Hispanic Black patients, congestive heart failure was a primary predictor. Other variables, such as food environment measures and air pollution indicators, also ranked high. By consolidating comorbidities into the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, this became the top predictor, providing a comprehensive risk measure.

Conclusions
The study reveals that individual and geo-socioeconomic factors significantly influence the outcomes of COVID-19. It also highlights varying risk profiles among different racial groups. While these findings suggest potential disparities, further causal inference and statistical testing are needed to fully substantiate these observations. Recognizing these relationships is vital for creating effective, tailored interventions that reduce disparities and enhance health outcomes across all racial and socioeconomic groups.
Features of the covid-19 epidemic and characteristics of patients during the spread of the delta SARS-COV-2 in Russia
Authors: Fomicheva A. A. , Pimenov N. N. , Komarova S. V. , Urtikov A. V. , Tsapkova N. N. , Proshkina A. A. , De Silva S. H.R. , Vlasenko A. E. , Strelkova D. A. , Nekludova G. V. , Rachina S. A. , Avdeev S. N. , Chulanov V. P. 
Published: September 2024

Aim: To study the manifestations of the COVID-19 epidemic and the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of adult patients with a new coronavirus infection during the dominance of the Delta SARS-COV-2 in the Russian Federation.Materials and Methods: Study included patients aged ≥18 years with a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, detected in the period from 09/01/2021 to 11/30/2021 (n= 2 619 298) in 85 Russian regions.Results: There were 2 periods of rise and decline in the COVID-19 incidence and mortality during the spread of the Delta SARS-CoV-2 in Russia: June-September and OctoberDecember 2021 (Wald – Wolfowitz criterion, p<0,05). The median age of patients was 49 [36–63] years, 61,1% were women. Most of patients were 30–39 years old (21,0%), the lowest proportion was among 18–29 years old (12.1%) (p<0,05). Proportion of patients with mild disease was 75,4%, moderate – 18,8%, severe – 3,3%, extremely severe – 2,5% (p<0.05). Hospitalization rate was 23,7%, proportion of patients treated in the intensive care unit was 12.9%, and rate of invasive mechanical ventilation was 9,8%. The median period from the onset of symptoms to the diagnosis was 3 [1-6] days, the duration of the disease and hospitalization was 13,0 [10–16] and 12,0 [9–17] days, respectively. The median age of the deceased patients was 73 [65–82] years, of which 59,1% were women, 61,5% were persons ≥70 years old. The presence of one or more comorbidities was found in 73,9% of deceased patients (OR=17,1; 95% CI: 16,8–17,3).Conclusion: during the period of the spread of the Delta SARS-COV-2 variant in Russia, the number of patients with severe and extremely severe disease among adult patients without taking into account the vaccine history was 5,8%. Old age and the presence of concomitant diseases were key risk factors for adverse outcomes of COVID-19.
Nonsurgical orthodontic treatment using bone-anchored maxillary protraction in a patient with unilateral cleft lip and palate
Authors: Azami Niloufar , Farha Philip , Uribe Flavio 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACT
Class III malocclusion due to a retrognathic maxilla is common in patients with cleft lip and palate. Skeletally anchored maxillary protraction using screw-anchored mini-plates combined with intraoral elastics has shown promising results in achieving orthopedic changes and maintaining the outcome until the completion of the growth. This case report presents the course of treatment in a patient with unilateral cleft lip and palate and multiple congenitally missing teeth treated with bone-anchored maxillary protraction until the end of growth. Four mini-plates (Bollard plates) were used during comprehensive fixed orthodontic treatment to protract the dentition and close the space where teeth were missing, extrude the canine, and force eruption of the second premolar using extension arms and cantilevers. A 2-year follow-up at age 17 showed stable occlusion and maintenance of soft tissue results. Bone-anchored maxillary protraction treatment in a patient with cleft lip and palate demonstrates proper orthopedic results and could be a viable alternative to orthognathic surgery.
An in vitro study of a combined patient-specific device for safe and accurate insertion of infrazygomatic crest miniscrews
Authors: Du Bingran , Wang Xiaoyi , Wang Jun , Ji Mohan , Yi Qin , Jiang Jiang , Tan Jinchuan , Li Jianyi 
Published: September 2024

ABSTRACT

Objectives
To develop and assess the efficacy of a novel combined patient-specific device (CPSD) for the accurate and safe insertion of infrazygomatic crest miniscrews in orthodontic procedures.

Materials and Methods
Twenty-eight miniscrews were placed in the infrazygomatic crest region of 28 cadaver maxillae using the direct manual method (n = 14) or the CPSD (n = 14) based on preset trajectories. The CPSD, designed based on the integration model, included a positioning guide, an insertion guide, and a depth-limiting groove. Deviations in the insertion site, tip location, insertion angle, and biting depth between the preset and real insertion trajectories were calculated to evaluate the accuracy of miniscrew insertion. Classification frequencies of root proximity, sinus penetration depth, and biting depth of the miniscrew after insertion were also calculated to evaluate the safety of miniscrew insertion.

Results
Regarding evaluation of accuracy, significant differences were observed in the deviation values of the insertion site, tip location, insertion angle, and biting depth between the CPSD and freehand groups (P = .001, P &lt; .001, P &lt; .001, P = .039, respectively). Regarding evaluation of safety, a significant difference was observed in the classification frequencies of root proximity between the two groups (P = .016).

Conclusions
Compared with manual insertion, CPSD could be a preferred method for safe and accurate insertion of infrazygomatic crest miniscrews for orthodontists.