bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Predictive value of peri-chemotherapy hematological parameters for febrile neutropenia in patients with cancer
Authors: Jia Hongyuan , Liang Long , Chen Xue , Zha Wenzhong , Diao Wei , Zhang Wei 
Published: August 2024

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to compare hematological parameters pre- and early post-chemotherapy, and evaluate their values for predicting febrile neutropenia (FN).MethodsPatients diagnosed with malignant solid tumors receiving chemotherapy were included. Blood cell counts peri-chemotherapy and clinical information were retrieved from the hospital information system. We used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method for variable selection and fitted selected variables to a logistic model. We assessed the performance of the prediction model by the area under the ROC curve.ResultsThe study population consisted of 4,130 patients with common solid tumors receiving a three-week chemotherapy regimen in Sichuan Cancer Hospital from February 2019 to March 2022. In the FN group, change percentage of neutrophil count decreased less (−0.02, CI: −0.88 to 3.48 vs. −0.04, CI: −0.83 to 2.24). Among hematological parameters, lower post-chemotherapy lymphocyte count (OR 0.942, CI: 0.934–0.949), change percentage of platelet (OR 0.965, CI: 0.955–0.975) and higher change percentage of post-chemotherapy neutrophil count (OR 1.015, CI: 1.011–1.018), and pre-chemotherapy NLR (OR 1.002, CI: 1.002–1.002) predicted an increased risk of FN. These factors improved the predicting model based on clinical factors alone. The AUC of the combination model was 0.8275.ConclusionPeri-chemotherapy hematological markers improve the prediction of FN.
Precision lung cancer screening from CT scans using a VGG16-based convolutional neural network
Authors: Xu Hua , Yu Yuanyuan , Chang Jie , Hu Xifeng , Tian Zitong , Li Ouwen 
Published: August 2024

ObjectiveThe research aims to develop an advanced and precise lung cancer screening model based on Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN).MethodsBased on the health medical big data platform of Shandong University, we developed a VGG16-Based CNN lung cancer screening model. This model was trained using the Computed Tomography scans data of patients from Pingyi Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital in Shandong Province, from January to February 2023. Data augmentation techniques, including random resizing, cropping, horizontal flipping, color jitter, random rotation and normalization, were applied to improve model generalization. We used five-fold cross-validation to robustly assess performance. The model was fine-tuned with an SGD optimizer (learning rate 0.001, momentum 0.9, and L2 regularization) and a learning rate scheduler. Dropout layers were added to prevent the model from relying too heavily on specific neurons, enhancing its ability to generalize. Early stopping was implemented when validation loss did not decrease over 10 epochs. In addition, we evaluated the model’s performance with Area Under the Curve (AUC), Classification accuracy, Positive Predictive Value (PPV), and Negative Predictive Value (NPV), Sensitivity, Specificity and F1 score. External validation used an independent dataset from the same hospital, covering January to February 2022.ResultsThe training and validation loss and accuracy over iterations show that both accuracy metrics peak at over 0.9 by iteration 15, prompting early stopping to prevent overfitting. Based on five-fold cross-validation, the ROC curves for the VGG16-Based CNN model, demonstrate an AUC of 0.963 ± 0.004, highlighting its excellent diagnostic capability. Confusion matrices provide average metrics with a classification accuracy of 0.917 ± 0.004, PPV of 0.868 ± 0.015, NPV of 0.931 ± 0.003, Sensitivity of 0.776 ± 0.01, Specificity of 0.962 ± 0.005 and F1 score of 0.819 ± 0.008, respectively. External validation confirmed the model’s robustness across different patient populations and imaging conditions.ConclusionThe VGG16-Based CNN lung screening model constructed in this study can effectively identify lung tumors, demonstrating reliability and effectiveness in real-world medical settings, and providing strong theoretical and empirical support for its use in lung cancer screening.
Healthcare providers’ knowledge, attitude, and practice towards cervical cancer screening in Sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Delie Amare Mebrat , Bogale Eyob Ketema , Anagaw Tadele Fentabel , Tiruneh Misganaw Guadie , Fenta Eneyew Talie , Endeshaw Destaw , Eshetu Habitu Birhan , Adal Ousman , Tareke Abiyu Abadi , Kebede Natnael 
Published: August 2024

IntroductionCervical cancer is a prevalent cancer among women in low and middle-income countries, but it can be largely prevented through screening programs and HPV vaccination. This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding cervical cancer screening among healthcare providers in Sub-Saharan African countries.MethodsSystematic review and meta-analysis were conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Relevant databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, AJOL, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases were used to retrieve and search articles. The study included published and unpublished research written in English between January 2013 and May 16, 2024 for studies reporting knowledge, attitude, and practice towards cervical cancer screening among healthcare providers in Sub-Saharan Africa. This review has been registered on PROSPERO. The heterogeneity of the data was evaluated using the I2 statistic. A meta-analysis was conducted using STATA 17 software, with a 95% confidence interval. The researchers also conducted publication bias and sensitivity analysis.ResultsThe review included 30 studies involving 7542 healthcare providers. The pooled magnitude of good knowledge status towards cervical cancer was 67.93% (95% CI: 53.36–82.50) whereas the pooled magnitude of positive attitude towards cervical cancer was 55.26% (95% CI: 34.28– 76.23). The results also showed that about 49.68% (95% CI: 33.18–66.17) of healthcare providers had good knowledge status about cervical cancer screening, 66.63%(95% CI: 50.36– 82.89) had a positive attitude towards it, and only 17.23% (95% CI; 6.08-28.37) had ever screened for cervical cancer.ConclusionThe overall magnitude of knowledge and attitude of healthcare providers in Sub-Saharan Africa towards cervical cancer and its screening was suboptimal. Furthermore, a low percentage of female healthcare providers in the region had undergone screening for cervical cancer. As a result, policymakers and program administrators should focus on improving the knowledge, attitude, and practices of healthcare providers to meet the global health goal of cervical cancer screening and effectively eliminating cervical cancer. Healthcare providers must serve as role models for other women who should also undergo screening.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023495241.
MiR-125a-5p regulates the radiosensitivity of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma via HK2 targeting through the DDR pathway
Authors: Wang Qiwei , Tan Lijun , Lv Yuanhang , Yu Tianjiao , Chang Yuan , Liu Jiangtao , Sun Yanan 
Published: August 2024

ObjectiveTo determine the function of miR-125a-5p in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), its correlation with radiation sensitivity, and the underlying regulatory mechanism.Materials and methodsWe conducted the analysis on the correlation between miR-125a-5p and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) using data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The putative gene targeted by miR-125a-5p has been identified as HK2, while the expression levels of miR-125a-5p and HK2 were measured in laryngeal cancer tissues and cells using RT-PCR. MiR-125a-5p and HK2 were introduced into the lentiviral vector and the vector was used to transfect AMC-HN-8 cells. The roles of miR-125a-5p and HK2 in LSCC and on radiosensitivity were determined by evaluating cell growth, examining colony formation, analyzing flow cytometry, and utilizing the single hit multi-target model. Western blotting was used to measure H2AX and rH2AX levels in the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway. The validation of the interaction between miR-125a-5p and HK2 was conducted through the dual-luciferase assay. To further confirm the association between miR-125a-5p and HK2, as well as its influence on radiosensitivity, rescue experiments were performed.ResultsThe expression of miR-125a-5p is downregulated in LSCC, while upregulating its expression could suppress cell growth, induce apoptosis, and enhance radiosensitivity. Additionally, HK2 exhibited high expression in LSCC and the biological function was opposite to miR-125a-5p. Western blotting analysis revealed that miR-125a-5p increased rH2AX levels and decreased H2AX levels, conversely, HK2 had the opposite effect on miR-125a-5p. These findings suggested that HK2 may serve as the target gene of miR-125a-5p. The double luciferase assay confirmed the binding of HK2 to miR-125a-5p, and rescue trials confirmed the role of miR-125a-5p in regulating the effects and radiation sensitivity of LSCC by targeting HK2 via the DDR pathway.ConclusionBy targeting HK2 and impacting the DDR pathway, miR-125a-5p has been found to inhibit cellular proliferation, enhance apoptosis, and heighten radiosensitivity in LSCC.
Validating a composite endpoint for acceptability evaluation of oral drug formulations in the pediatric population: a randomized, open-label, single dose, cross-over study
Authors: Münch Juliane , Schwarzwälder Anna Lena , Kloft Carolin , Bosse Hans Martin , Wargenau Manfred , Reidemeister Sibylle , Klingmann Ingrid , Klingmann Viviane 
Published: August 2024

ObjectiveThis study aimed to validate the newly developed composite acceptability endpoint to investigate acceptability of oral pediatric drug formulations that integrates swallowability and palatability assessments.MethodsIn this open-label study acceptability of oral formulations was tested in three age groups (1–&lt;6 months, 6–&lt;12 years, and 12–&lt;18 years) with a 2-way cross-over design in children aged 1–&lt;6 months (syrup and mini-tablets), and with an incomplete block design of four sequences with three out of four formulations (syrup, mini-tablets, oblong tablet, and round tablet) each in children aged 6–&lt;18 years. The primary endpoint was acceptability derived from the composite acceptability endpoint. Secondary endpoints were palatability and acceptability derived from swallowability.ResultsA total of 320 children were stratified into three age groups (80 children aged 1–&lt;6 months, 120 children aged 6–&lt;12 years, and 120 children aged 12–&lt;18 years). All participants completed the study. Age-specific differences were observed in acceptability derived from the composite acceptability endpoint. Mini-tablets had the highest acceptability in participants aged 1–&lt;6 months and 6–&lt;12 years while the oblong tablet was leading in adolescent participants (12–&lt;18 years).ConclusionThis study demonstrated that the composite acceptability endpoint method integrating both swallowability and palatability assessments is a sensitive method to assess acceptability of drug formulations in children of different age.Clinical Trial Registrationhttps://drks.de/search/de, identifier DRKS00027948.
Graduate public health student learning experiences, social connectedness, and mental health during COVID-19: pedagogical implications for public health academic departments
Authors: Agroia Harit , Berkowitz Rachel , Carter Andrew , Gomez Vicky , Allen Monica 
Published: August 2024

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic impacted college student learning both globally and nationally. Current literature points to decreases in social connectedness, adverse mental health outcomes, and decreased overall learning outcomes; however, there are limited findings from higher education institutions within the Bay Area, California. There are also limited studies that examine the COVID-19 impact among public health graduate students, especially to understand how the pandemic renewed their interest in the field. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of COVID-19 on graduate student learning experiences, social connectedness and mental health within the Master of Public Health program at San José State University in San Jose, California.MethodsWe employed a convergent mixed-methods design using a survey that quantitatively assessed student learning experiences through a retrospective pre-and post-design, and a semi-structured interview guide that qualitatively assessed student learning experiences and its relationship with mental health and social connectedness using a phenomenological design. Data were collected between September 2022 and June 2023 and analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.ResultsA total of 22 students completed the survey and four participated in follow-up semi-structured interviews. Of the 22, 12(54%) were among the 18–29-year age group, 9(41%) identified as Asian, 21(95%) identified as female, and 9(41%) identified as a first-generation college student. When comparing survey responses, the median change in learning experiences pre and during-pandemic were statistically significant across several areas such as student ability to stay organized (p &lt; 0.0001), participate actively in class (p &lt; 0.001), retain course material (p &lt; 0.0001), collaborate with peers (p &lt; 0.0001), and maintain a sense of connection with their cohort (p = 0.0001) and broader campus community (p &lt; 0.0001). Semi-structured interviews further revealed the following six themes: (1) Consistent faculty support; (2) Sense of community; (3) Reduced social connectedness; (4) Impact on mental health; (5) Deeper public health understanding; and (6) Facilitators and barriers.ConclusionEducational practitioners are encouraged to offer hybrid academic programs and establish resource infrastructures that provide students with social and mental wellness support when transitioning to different learning modalities.
Procrastination and risky health behaviors: a possible way to nurture health promotion among young adults in Italy
Authors: Licata Francesca , Citrino Emma Antonia , Maruca Riccardo , Di Gennaro Gianfranco , Bianco Aida 
Published: August 2024

BackgroundThe study’s main objectives were to evaluate the distribution of levels of procrastination and its relationship with sleep quality, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and skipping breakfast, as a proxy measure of an unhealthy dietary pattern, among Italian university students.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at the “Magna Græcia” University of Catanzaro in the Southern part of Italy, using stratified random sampling techniques. Eligible students were sent an anonymous online survey aimed at assessing sociodemographic characteristics, procrastination levels using the Pure Procrastination Scale, sleep quality using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, smoking status, alcohol consumption using WHO’s Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Tool, and breakfast habits.ResultsThe study included 518 participants with a mean age of 23 year. More than half of the sample was enrolled in medicine or life science majors and the procrastination mean score was 15 (±5.9 SD). Being procrastinators was significantly more frequently among students who were poor sleepers, hazardous alcohol consumers and breakfast skippers. When analyzing the clustering of risky behaviors, it was found that as the number of risky behaviors increased, the procrastination score exhibited an exponential increase.ConclusionThe study findings showed that university students who engage in procrastination tend to adopt risky health behaviors. The data gathered could be useful to derive targeted interventions aimed at groups more exposed to harmful health behaviors and to encourage institutional policies to promote healthy lifestyles within universities. Universities can act as hubs for cultivating a culture of well-being and promoting a healthy environment.
Participatory mapping of transboundary pollution: the case of Imperial Beach, California
Authors: Maione Carol , Fernandez Gabriela , Vito Domenico 
Published: August 2024

IntroductionTransboundary pollution is a major global challenge and monitoring beach litter along international borders can reveal some of the pathways by which litter enters water bodies, and hence advance the implementation of measures to prevent pollution emissions into international waters.MethodsIn this paper, participatory mapping was used to detect beach litter in Imperial Beach, California, along the U.S.-Mexico international border. This study implemented a 3-step protocol including an introductory awareness workshop, a macro-debris survey to categorize and remove beach litter, and a qualitative assessment of pollution drivers.ResultsResults show that plastic litter is the most dominant across all transects (304 debris, 52.6% of all litter observations), with an average density of 76 pieces/transect, with plastic being the most common material. Participants identified some of the major causes of pollution with paucity of waste management facilities, tourism activities near/on the beach, and inflow of pollution across the border.DiscussionThe paper highlights the role of citizen science in monitoring pollution along large and border regions. Implications of this study include methodological and practical contributions to the study of marine pollution to supplement the current paucity of information on pollution movement and distribution.
Utilisation and consequences of CRP point-of-care-testing in primary care practices: a real-world multicentre observational study with 1740 patient cases in Germany
Authors: Markwart Robby , Lehmann Lena-Sophie , Krause Markus , Jung Paul , Rost Liliana , Doepfmer Susanne , Kuempel Lisa , Kuschick Doreen , Toutaoui Kahina J , Heintze Christoph , Bleidorn Jutta , Wolf Florian 
Published: August 2024

BackgroundC-reactive protein point-of-care tests (CRP-POCTs) can support GPs' clinical decision making but they are not widely used in German general practices.AimTo investigate the utilisation of semi-quantitative CRP-POCTs in routine primary care.Design & settingProspective observational study in 49 general practices in Germany (from November 2022–April 2023).MethodGPs were provided with CRP-POCTs and collected data for each CRP-POCT use, with standardised data-collection sheets.ResultsData from 1740 CRP-POCT uses were recorded. GPs employed CRP-POCTs mainly for patients with respiratory tract infections (RTIs; 71.2% of all cases) and to a lesser extent for gastrointestinal infections (GIs; 10.4%). In RTIs, CRP-POCTs were frequently used to distinguish between bacterial and viral aetiology (60.8%) and to guide decisions on antibiotic prescribing (62.8%). In GIs, CRP-POCTs were mainly used to rule out severe disease progressions (53.2%) and for decisions on further diagnostic procedures (45.6%). In RTIs, CRP-POCTs influenced antibiotic prescribing in 77.5% of the cases (32.3% in favour versus 45.2% waiver). In GIs, CRP levels mainly affected decisions on further diagnostic procedures. GPs reported that CRP-POCTs were helpful in 88.6% of all cases.ConclusionWhen available, German GPs predominantly use semi-quantitative CRP-POCTs to guide decisions on antibiotic prescribing in patients with RTIs. CRP-POCT use improves clinical decision making and increases the GP’s clinical confidence.
Estratificação de risco com participação popular e acolhimento humanizado à demanda espontânea em saúde bucal
Authors: Carvalho Thaissa Faria , Savassi Leonardo Cançado Monteiro , Bezerra Olívia Maria de Paula Alves , Figueiredo Adriana Maria de 
Published: August 2024

O acolhimento humanizado propicia resolutividade e integralidade no cuidado com a população. O acesso aos serviços pela população é um grande desafio na Estratégia da Saúde da Família, especialmente em razão das medidas restritivas aos processos de trabalho em Saúde Bucal, necessárias devido à pandemia de COVID-19. A estratificação de risco pode garantir o atendimento resolutivo aos usuários. O objetivo deste artigo é relatar a experiência da estratificação de risco da demanda espontânea com acolhimento humanizado na Atenção Primária à Saúde em uma Unidade Básica de Saúde em Contagem, Minas Gerais. Para o acolhimento e organização da demanda espontânea foram propostas a escuta qualificada e humanizada e a estratificação do risco, utilizando uma planilha para organização da demanda e um quadro simplificado com os principais agravos cotidianos de saúde bucal. A equipe de Saúde Bucal organiza diariamente a demanda espontânea e a estratificação aplicada é discutida e pactuada com os usuários, trazendo horizontalidade, autonomia, coletividade, valorização dos usuários e comprometimento com o cuidado. A estratificação de risco, associada ao acolhimento humanizado da demanda espontânea, valoriza o cuidado por meio desta porta de entrada no serviço. Esta estratégia empodera o usuário, tornando-o parte efetiva na ação desenvolvida. Essa iniciativa favorece a integração da equipe de Saúde Bucal com a comunidade e com os demais membros da equipe de saúde.
PRACTICAL METHODS OF WOODY VEGETATION ACCOUNTING FOR CALCULATIONS OF THE SLOPES STABILITY
Authors: Зубаиров Руслан Радикович , Рыжков Игорь Борисович , Мустафин Радик Флюсович , Рахматуллин Загир Забирович 
Published: August 2024

Предлагается практический метод оценки устойчивости склонов с учетом древесно-кустарниковой растительности, растущей на этом склоне. Ранее проводившиеся исследования (анализ работ в сфере лесоводства и корневедения) показали, что корневая система деревьев распространяется преимущественно в горизонтальном (радиальном) направлении. Корни соседних деревьев переплетаются, срастаются, образуя у поверхности земли слой повышенной прочности (грунтово-корневой слой). Этот слой обычно имеет толщину 2…2,5 м. Он покрывает склон (в общем случае от гребня до подошвы) и служит фактором, препятствующим обрушению этого склона. При оползне этот слой должен быть перерезан в зоне гребня и зоне подошвы склона. «Удерживающая способность» грунтово-корневого слоя зависит от густоты и возраста древесно-кустарниковой растительности на рассматриваемом склоне. Это должно быть оценено расчетом по предлагаемой методике. Дополнительная информация, необходимая для таких расчетов, получается в процессе инженерных изысканий путем оценок густоты надземной части растительности. Такие оценки основаны на определении среднего диаметра стволов деревьев и среднего расстояния между соседними деревьями, что не требует применения специального оборудования или дорогостоящих измерительных операций.
A practical method is proposed for assessing the stability of slopes taking into account trees and shrubs growing on this slope. Previous studies (analysis of works in the field of forestry and root management) showed that the root system of trees spreads mainly in the horizontal (radial) direction. The roots of neighboring trees intertwine, grow together, forming a layer of increased strength at the surface of the earth (“soil-root layer”). This layer usually has a thickness of 2 ... 2.5 m. It covers the slope (generally from the crest to the bottom) and serves as a factor preventing the collapse of this slope. In the event of a landslide, this layer should be cut in the area of the ridge and the area of the bottom of the slope. The "holding capacity" of the soil-root layer depends on the density and age of the trees and shrubs on the slope in question. This should be estimated by calculating the proposed methodology. Additional information required for such calculations is obtained in the process of engineering surveys by assessing the density of the above-ground part of vegetation. These estimates are based on the determination of the average diameter of tree trunks and the average distance between adjacent trees, which does not require the use of special equipment or expensive measuring operations.