bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Causes and investigation of stillbirths in Brazil: A multicentre cross‐sectional study in 10 referral maternity hospitals
Authors: Brasileiro Mariana , Metelus Sherly , Griggio Thayna B. , Vieira Matias C. , Dias Marcos A. B. , Leite Débora F. , da Cunha Filho Edson V. , Schreiner Lucas , Ramos José Geraldo L. , Haddad Samira M. , Osanan Gabriel , Mayrink Jussara , de Jesús Guilherme R. , Fernandes Karayna G. , Pasupathy Dharmintra , Cecatti José G. , Souza Renato T. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractObjectiveUnderstanding the local characteristics and statistics related to stillbirths may be the first step in a series of strategies associated with a reduction in stillbirth ratio. The aim of this study was to estimate the fetal mortality ratio and evaluate the investigation processes related to the causes of death, comparing the investigation according to the specific cause of death.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was retrospectively conducted in 10 tertiary obstetric care centers. Medical records of women with stillbirth managed between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2018 were analyzed and classified, according to sociodemographic characteristics, and gestational and childbirth data, culminating in stillbirth. The stillbirth ratio and its causes were presented in proportions for the study period and individually for each health facility.ResultsCases of 3390 stillbirths were analyzed. The stillbirth ratio varied from 10.74/1000 live births (LBs) in 2009 to 9.31/1000 in 2018. “Intrauterine hypoxia and asphyxia” (ICD‐10 P20) and “unspecific causes of death” (ICD‐10 P95) represented 40.8% of the causes of death. Investigation for TORCHS and diabetes occurred in 90.8% and 61.4% of deaths, respectively. Placental and necroscopic tests were performed in 36.6% of the cases.ConclusionThe adoption of a rational and standardized investigation of stillbirth remains an unmet need; the use of additional tests and examinations are lacking, especially when unspecific causes are attributed.
Paramedian access to the pelvis as a strategy in patients with bladder adhesions to the abdominal wall
Authors: Nieto‐Calvache Albaro José , Basanta Nicolas , Hussein Ahmed M. , Rivera‐Torres Luisa Fernanda , Palacios‐Jaraquemada José Miguel 
Published: August 2024

SynopsisIn cases of dense bladder adhesions to the abdominal wall, the paramedian approach to the pelvis is an alternative to reduce the frequency of complications.
Splenic vein rupture in pregnancy: A case report and systematic review of the literature
Authors: Kane Daniel , Keaney John M. , Tunney Elizabeth , Daly Ronan , Doyle Emma , Conneely John B. , McCaul Conan , Geary Michael , Donnelly Jennifer , McCarthy Claire M. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractSplenic vein aneurysm (SVA) rupture is a rare clinical entity, with few case reports detailing its occurrence during pregnancy. We describe a case of a SVA rupture and present a systematic review of the literature in relation to splenic vein rupture, with or without aneurysm. Our case was of a 30‐year‐old woman, Para 4 at 37 weeks' gestation who presented with significant abdominal pain and subsequent maternal collapse. Massive intra‐abdominal hemorrhage was identified, with splenic vessel rupture suspected. A splenectomy and partial pancreatectomy were performed along with massive blood product transfusion. There was both maternal and fetal survival with no long‐term sequelae at follow‐up. Histological examination of the spleen and its vessels noted a SVA rupture. In a subsequent systematic review of the literature, we identified 10 cases of splenic vein rupture with only two previously documented cases of SVA rupture in pregnancy. Maternal and fetal survival has only been reported in two cases of splenic vein rupture, with ours being a third.
ADT‐UNet: An Innovative Algorithm for Glioma Segmentation in MR Images
Authors: Zhipeng Liu , Jiawei Wu , Ye Jing , Bian Xuefeng , Qiwei Wu , Li Rui , Zhu Yinxing 
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACTThe precise delineation of glioma tumors is of paramount importance for surgical and radiotherapy planning. Presently, the primary drawbacks associated with the manual segmentation approach are its laboriousness and inefficiency. In order to tackle these challenges, a deep learning‐based automatic segmentation technique was introduced to enhance the efficiency of the segmentation process. We proposed ADT‐UNet, an innovative algorithm for segmenting glioma tumors in MR images. ADT‐UNet leveraged attention‐dense blocks and Transformer as its foundational elements. It extended the U‐Net framework by incorporating the dense connection structure and attention mechanism. Additionally, a Transformer structure was introduced at the end of the encoder. Furthermore, a novel attention‐guided multi‐scale feature fusion module was integrated into the decoder. To enhance network stability during training, a loss function was devised that combines Dice loss and binary cross‐entropy loss, effectively guiding the network optimization process. On the test set, the DSC was 0.933, the IOU was 0.878, the PPV was 0.942, and the Sen was 0.938. Ablation experiments conclusively demonstrated that the inclusion of all the three proposed modules led to enhanced segmentation accuracy within the model. The most favorable outcomes were observed when all the three modules were employed simultaneously. The proposed methodology exhibited substantial competitiveness across various evaluation indices, with the three additional modules synergistically complementing each other to collectively enhance the segmentation accuracy of the model. Consequently, it is anticipated that this method will serve as a robust tool for assisting clinicians in auxiliary diagnosis and contribute to the advancement of medical intelligence technology.
Zinc phosphate glass microspheres promoted mineralization and expression of BMP2 in MC3T3‐E1 cells
Authors: Tang Tianyi , Kang Ping , Verisqa Fiona , Nguyen Linh , Knowles Jonathan C. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractDegradable phosphate glasses have shown favorable properties for tissue engineering. By changing the composition of the glasses, the degradation rate, and ion release are controllable. Zinc oxide can function as a glass network modifier and has been shown to play a positive role in bone formation. Also, phosphate glasses can easily be processed into microspheres, which can be used as microcarriers. This study aims to develop zinc phosphate glasses microspheres and explore the optimized size and composition for applications in bone tissue engineering. Zinc–titanium–calcium–sodium phosphate glasses with 0, 1, 3, 5, or 10 mol % zinc oxide were prepared and processed into microspheres. The smaller microspheres ranged in size from 50 to 106 μm, while the larger ones ranged from 106 to 150 μm. The characteristics of glasses were examined. The osteoblastic cell line MC3T3‐E1 was cultured on the surface of microspheres and the cell viability was examined. To evaluate osteogenic differentiation, Alizarin Red S staining, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analysis were performed after 14 days. Different sizes of zinc phosphate glass microspheres were successfully made. The glass microspheres with <10 mol % zinc oxide were able to support the adhesion and proliferation of MC3T3‐E1 cell lines. The relative gene expression of BMP2 was significantly upregulated in the smaller glass microspheres containing 3 mol % zinc oxide (26‐fold, p < .001) and both sizes of microspheres containing 5 mol % zinc oxide (smaller: 27‐fold, p < .001; larger: 35‐fold, p < .001). Additionally, cluster formation was observed in glass microspheres after 14 days, and the mineralization of MC3T3‐E1 cell lines was promoted. Based on these findings, the glass microspheres containing 3–5 mol % of zinc oxide can promote osteogenic differentiation for MC3T3‐E1 cells.
けいれん発作を伴う意識障害の病態把握と診断の一助として脳血流イメージングMRI arterial spin labelingを用いた2症例の検討(Cerebral blood flow measurement by arterial spin labeling MRI for the diagnosis and pathophysiological examination of convulsive seizures with impaired consciousness: A report of two cases)
Authors: 修平 新山 , 有 平松 , 正典 中條 , 敬太 馬場 , 祐輝 久保 , 満仁 佐藤 , 泰之 垣花 
Published: August 2024

要旨近年，造影剤が不要で放射線被ばくもない脳灌流画像を得る方法としてASL（arterial spin labeling）というMRIシーケンスが救急の現場においても用いられるようになっている。今回我々は，けいれん発作を伴う意識障害の病態把握にASLを用いた2症例を経験した。症例1は80歳代の男性で，もともと大酒家であった。意識障害を伴うけいれん発作を認め，入院時には脳梗塞も鑑別に挙がったが，ASLでは頭頂葉から側頭葉および後頭葉にかけて高信号による灌流上昇の所見を認め，アルコール離脱に伴う急性症候性発作と診断した。症例2は70歳代の女性で，意識障害を伴う強直間代性けいれんを認めた。脳波では高振幅徐波が目立つものの，明らかな焦点は特定できなかった。ASLでは左側優位の頭頂葉および後頭葉に灌流上昇の所見があり，意識障害の改善に伴いASL所見も消失していた。脳波でも徐波はみられなくなっていたため，高齢発症の初回けいれん発作と診断した。ASLは，夜間休日実施が困難な脳波検査と異なり，脳の形態と血流分布を1回の検査で同時に評価でき，造影剤や被ばくを伴わずに繰り返して行うことができるという点で，救急領域では利便性の高い有用な検査法である。とくに虚血によるものか判断に迷う場合やけいれん発作において，他のMRIシークエンスや脳波，臨床所見と組み合わせることで，発作焦点の推定や経時的評価に有用と考えられる。
(+)‐Catechin attenuates CCI‐induced neuropathic pain in male rats by promoting the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway to inhibit ROS/TLR4/NF‐κB‐mediated activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome
Authors: Jing Bei , Chen Zhen‐ni , Si Wai‐mei , Zhao Jia‐ji , Zhao Guo‐ping , Zhang Di 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe objective of this study was to investigate the potential mechanisms by which (+)‐catechin alleviates neuropathic pain. Thirty‐two male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into four groups: the sham group, the chronic constriction injury (CCI)group, the CCI+ ibuprofen group, and the CCI+ (+)‐catechin group. CCI surgery induces thermal hyperalgesia in rats and (+)‐catechin ameliorated CCI‐induced thermal hyperalgesia and repaired damaged sciatic nerve in rats. CCI decreased SOD levels in male rat spinal cord dorsal horn and promoted MDA production, induced oxidative stress by increasing NOX4 levels and decreasing antioxidant enzyme HO‐1 levels, and also increased protein levels of TLR4, p‐NF‐κB, NLRP3 inflammasome components, and IL‐1β. In contrast, (+)‐catechin reversed the above results. In i vitro experiments, (+)‐catechin reduced the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in GMI‐R1 cells after LPS stimulation and attenuated the co‐expression of IBA‐1 and NLRP3. It also showed significant inhibition of the NF‐κB and NLRP3 inflammatory pathways and activation of the Nrf2‐mediated antioxidant system. Overall, these findings suggest that (+)‐catechin inhibits the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome through the triggering of the Nrf2‐induced antioxidant system, the inhibition of the TLR4/NF‐κB pathway, and the production of ROS to alleviate CCI‐induced neuropathic pain in male rats.
Stability of flucytosine 100 mg/mL suspension as an alternative to intravenous administration
Authors: Huang Pamela , Corallo Carmela , Chiang Cherie , Leong Yoke Chee , Tong Bianca 
Published: August 2024

AbstractBackgroundFlucytosine is an antifungal agent used in combination with other medicines for the treatment of fungal infections. It was available as intravenous (IV), oral tablet, and capsule formulations up until October 2021, when the IV product, Ancotil, was discontinued with no alternative brands available.AimThis study aimed to formulate a suitable formulation with appropriate stability data for medium to long‐term nasogastric (NG) administration use.MethodFlucytosine 500 mg tablets (Ancotil) were crushed and suspended in (1) Ora‐Plus (OP) + Ora‐Sweet (OS) and (2) Ora‐Blend (OB) to produce 100 mg/mL suspensions (n = 3 for each suspending base) that were stored at 2–8°C in amber glass bottles until assayed. Appearance, odour and pH, and the concentrations of flucytosine in the suspensions were determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography on days 1, 8, and 15. A subjective assessment of the ease of suspension for NG administration via a size 10fr nasogastric tube (NGT) was also tested. Ethics approval was not required for this research article as it was a stability study and did not contain human participants or human data.ResultsOne of the three OB suspension bottles demonstrated significant suspension clumping resulting in all OB suspensions being excluded from further analysis. There was no change in appearance, odour or pH with the OP + OS based flucytosine suspensions and they extruded easily through a size 10fr NGT with minimal force. The three OP + OS bottles of flucytosine suspension were stable (>98% at all timepoints assessed) for 15 days at 2–8°C when stored in amber glass bottles.ConclusionsThe OP + OS suspensions showed chemical stability for up to 15 days when stored under refrigerated conditions and protected from light, making this a suitable multidose enteral alternative to IV flucytosine.
Characterization and application of Bacillus velezensisD6 co‐producing α‐amylase and protease
Authors: Wang Zong‐Min , Wang Shuang , Bai Hua , Zhu Lan‐Lan , Yan Hong‐Bo , Peng Lin , Wang Yan‐Bo , Li He , Song Yue‐Dong , Liu Ji‐Zhou 
Published: August 2024

AbstractBACKGROUNDResearch on the co‐production of multiple enzymes by Bacillus velezensis as a novel species is still a topic that needs to be studied. This study aimed to investigate the fermentation characteristics of B. velezensis D6 co‐producing α‐amylase and protease and to explore their enzymatic properties and applications in fermentation.RESULTSThe maximum co‐production of α‐amylase and protease reached 13.13 ± 0.72 and 2106.63 ± 64.42 U mL−1, respectively, under the optimal fermented conditions (nutrients: 20.0 g L−1 urea, 20.0 g L−1 glucose, 0.7 g L−1 MnCl2; incubation conditions: initial pH 7.0, temperature 41 °C, 8% inoculation size and 30% working volume). Moreover, the genetic co‐expression of α‐amylase and protease increased from 0 to 24 h and then decreased after 36 h at the transcriptional level, which coincided with the growth trend of B. velezensis D6. The optimal reaction temperature of α‐amylase was 55–60 °C, while that of protease was 35–40 °C. The activities of α‐amylase and protease were retained by over 80% after thermal treatment (90 °C, 1 h), which indicated that two enzymes co‐produced by B. velezensis D6 demonstrated excellent thermal stability. Moreover, the two enzymes were stable over a wide pH range (pH 4.0–8.0 for α‐amylase; pH 4.0–9.0 for protease). Finally, the degrees of hydrolysis of corn, rice, sorghum and soybeans by α‐amylase from B. velezensis D6 reached 44.95 ± 2.95%, 57.16 ± 2.75%, 52.53 ± 4.01% and 20.53 ± 2.42%, respectively, suggesting an excellent hydrolysis effect on starchy raw materials. The hydrolysis degrees of mackerel heads and soybeans by protease were 43.93 ± 2.19% and 26.38 ± 1.72%, respectively, which suggested that the protease from B. velezensis D6 preferentially hydrolyzed animal‐based protein.CONCLUSIONThis is a systematic study on the co‐production of α‐amylase and protease by B. velezensis D6, which is crucial in widening the understanding of this species co‐producing multi‐enzymes and in exploring its potential application. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Relevance of ineffective esophageal motility to striated esophageal muscle contraction: Studies with high‐resolution manometry
Authors: Hung Jui‐Sheng , Lei Wei‐Yi , Wong Ming‐Wun , Yi Chih‐Hsun , Liu Tso‐Tsai , Chen Chien‐Lin 
Published: August 2024

AbstractStriated esophageal muscle contraction (SEC) is important for pharyngeal swallowing and deglutition augmentation against aspiration. Its clinical relevance is unclear in patients with ineffective esophageal motility (IEM). In this study, we aimed to characterize and compare SEC in consecutive patients with and without IEM. All eligible patients were evaluated for SEC, primary and secondary peristalsis using high‐resolution manometry (HRM) with one mid‐esophageal injection port. Primary peristalsis was assessed with 10 5‐mL liquid swallows and multiple rapid swallows (MRS), while secondary peristalsis was performed with rapid air injections of 20 mL. All peristatic parameters of HRM were measured, and SEC and its contractile integral (SECI) were evaluated. One hundred and forty patients (59.3% women, mean age 46.1 ± 13.1 years) were included. There was no difference in SECI between patients with and without IEM (p = 0.91). SECI was also similar between patients with and without secondary peristalsis for IEM (p = 0.63) or normal motility (p = 0.80). No difference in SECI was seen between patients with and without MRS for IEM (p = 0.55) or normal motility (p = 0.88). SECI was significantly higher in male patients than female patients in IEM patients (p = 0.01). SECI significantly correlated with age in patients with normal motility (r = −0.31, p = 0.01). Aging may have a negative impact on SEC in patients with normal motility, while gender difference in SECI occurs in IEM patients. Neither secondary peristalsis nor MRS influences SECI.
Biologically driven isotope fractionation in ultrastructurally different shell portions of freshwater pearl mussels (Margaritifera margaritifera): Implications for stream water δ18O reconstructions
Authors: Gey Christoph J. , Pfister Laurent , Türk Guilhem , Thielen Frankie , Leonard Loic , Schmitt Katharina E. , Schöne Bernd R. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractOxygen isotopes in stream water can serve as natural tracers of watershed dynamics. Freshwater pearl mussels provide δ18Owater estimates that overcome temporal and spatial limitations of instrumental records. The reliability of shell‐based δ18Owater reconstructions depends on understanding which shell layer biomineralizes closer to oxygen isotopic equilibrium with ambient water. To determine this, both the (outer) prismatic and (inner) nacreous sublayers of the outer shell layer were sampled. Over 2500 isotope values were obtained from shells collected from the Our River (Luxembourg) and from mussels cultured in tanks at constant temperature and monitored δ18Owater. Calculated δ18Owater from the prismatic portion was in excellent agreement with monitored δ18Owater, while δ18Oshell of the nacreous portion was systematically offset by +0.43‰, overestimating δ18Owater by +0.53‰. Although shell portions were formed simultaneously from the same extrapallial fluid, they underwent different fractionation mechanisms, presumably due to differences in carbonic anhydrase activity catalyzing mineralization processes.
Snapshot Polarized Light Scattering Spectrometric Fiberscopy for Early Cancer Detection
Authors: Tuniyazi Abudusalamu , Mu Tingkui , Jiang Xiaosa , Lang Xuechan , Li Qiuxia , Yu Haodong , Han Feng , Ban Jiang , Qin Bin 
Published: August 2024

AbstractPolarized light scattering spectroscopy (PLSS) is a promising nondestructive method for early cancer detection through capturing single scattered light from the epithelium. A novel fiber‐based snapshot PLSS endoscopy capable of collecting single scattered light through a single optical path is introduced. In the endoscope, a simple combination of a fixed multiorder retarder followed by a fixed linear polarizer is proposed at the distal location of multimode fiber for encoding the scattered spectra for the first time. The encoded spectrum is recorded by a fiber spectrometer and subsequently decoded using a compressed sensing (CS) algorithm. The resulting Stokes spectrum S1 is used to iteratively invert the size of the epithelial nucleus for early cancer detection. As an alternative, the normalized spectrum S1 is directly weighted for early cancer identification, offering an innovative non‐iterative method for rapid diagnosis. A proof‐of‐concept prototype of the fiber‐based snapshot PLSS endoscope is built and its effectiveness is validated through experiments on both tissue physical models and ex vivo gastrointestinal samples.
Optimal control of variably distributed‐order time‐fractional diffusion equation: Analysis and computation
Authors: Zheng Xiangcheng , Liu Huan , Wang Hong , Guo Xu 
Published: August 2024

AbstractFractional diffusion equations exhibit competitive capabilities in modeling many challenging phenomena such as the anomalously diffusive transport and memory effects. We prove the well‐posedness and regularity of an optimal control of a variably distributed‐order fractional diffusion equation with pointwise constraints, where the distributed‐order operator accounts for, for example, the effect of uncertainties. We accordingly develop and analyze a fully‐discretized finite element approximation to the optimal control without any artificial regularity assumption of the true solution. Numerical experiments are also performed to substantiate the theoretical findings.
Comprehensive fertility preservation can be offered in a timely manner around gonadotoxic therapy in children and adolescents
Authors: McElhinney Kathryn L. , McLean Samantha K. , Zarnegar‐Lumley Sara , Laronda Monica M. , Rowell Erin E. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractBackgroundTreatment for certain childhood cancers and nonmalignant conditions can lead to future infertility and gonadal failure. The risk of treatment delay must be considered when offering fertility preservation (FP) options. We examined the timeline from FP referral to return to treatment (RTT) in pediatric patients who underwent FP due to iatrogenic risk for infertility.MethodsA retrospective review was performed of patients with FP consultation due to an increased risk of iatrogenic infertility at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago from 2018 to 2022. Data on diagnosis, age, treatment characteristics, and procedure were collected.ResultsA total of 337 patients (n = 149 with ovaries, n = 188 with testes) had an FP consultation. Of patients with ovaries, 106 (71.1%) underwent ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC), 10 (6.7%) completed ovarian stimulation/egg retrieval (OSER), and 33 (22.1%) declined FP. Of the patients with testes, 98 (52.1%) underwent testicular tissue cryopreservation (TTC), 48 (25.5%) completed sperm banking (SB), and 42 (22.3%) declined FP. Median time from referral to FP consultation was short (ovaries: 2 days, range: 0–6; testes: 1 day, range: 0–5). OSER had a significantly longer RTT versus OTC and no FP (52.5 vs.19.5 vs. 12 days, p = .01). SB had a significantly quicker RTT compared to TTC or no FP (9.0 vs. 21.0 vs. 13.5 days; p = .008). For patients who underwent OTC/TTC and those who declined FP, there was no significant difference in time from consultation to treatment.ConclusionsIt is feasible to promptly offer and complete FP with minimal delay to disease‐directed treatment.