bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Association between serum vitamin D status and severity of liver cirrhosis: Implications for therapeutic targeting in Nigerian patients
Authors: Adiri Winnifred Njideka , Basil Bruno , Onyia Chinwe Philomena , Asogwa Promise , Ugwuanyi Oluchi Joy , Obienu Olive , Ijoma Uchenna Nkemdilim , Nwokediuko Sylvester Chuks 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Background
Liver cirrhosis is a chronic and progressive liver disease with significant global health implications. Recent evidence suggests an association between serum vitamin D levels and the severity of liver cirrhosis, potentially serving as a therapeutic target. This study aimed at investigating the relationship between serum vitamin D status and the severity of liver cirrhosis in a population of Nigerian patients.
Methods
This analytical, cross-sectional study involved 201 participants, including 103 with liver cirrhosis and 98 age- and sex-matched controls. Serum vitamin D was measured using ELISA, with deficiency defined as < 20 ng/ml. Cirrhosis severity was assessed using Child-Pugh and MELD scores. Spearman's correlation was used to assess the relationship between vitamin D and severity of liver cirrhosis while ordinal regression analysis assessed its performance as an indicator of the disease severity.
Result
Among cirrhotic patients, 36.9% were deficient, 31.1% insufficient, and 32.0% had sufficient vitamin D levels. Serum vitamin D showed strong negative correlations with Child-Pugh and MELD scores (r = -0.696, p < 0.001; r = -0.734, p < 0.001, respectively). Ordinal regression showed that higher vitamin D levels were associated with lower severity scores (Child-Pugh: OR = 0.856, 95% CI: 0.815–0.900, p < 0.001; MELD: OR = 0.875, 95% CI: 0.837–0.915, p < 0.001).
Conclusion
Lower serum vitamin D levels correlated with increased liver cirrhosis severity, suggesting its potential as both a prognostic marker and therapeutic target. Further studies should investigate the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in improving cirrhosis outcomes.
Identification of neurotransmitters as novel biomarkers for the prognosis of colorectal cancer
Authors: Shi Fangfang , Wen Yazhou , Liu Ying , Miao Ji , Li Li 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Backgroud
The biological function of neurotransmitter receptor-related genes (NRGs) has been increasingly appreciated in cancer. However, the relationship between neurotransmitters and colorectal cancer (CRC) was not well understood. The purpose of this study was to develop a neurotransmitter-related signature for risk stratification and prognosis prediction in CRC.
Methods
The RNA-seq data of CRC and clinical information of corresponding samples were obtained from the UCSC-Xena platform. GSE33113 databases are used as a validation cohort. The NRGs were obtained from the literature and Genecards database. Univariate Cox regression and Lasso regression were used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and establish neurotransmitter-related prognosis signatures. A nomogram was constructed, and its performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and decision curve analysis (DCA). A total of 221 neurotransmitter-related DEGs were identified. Univariate Cox regression analysis identified the 10 best prognostic genes as risk signatures, and the Kaplan-Meier curve, ROC curve, and risk plot verified its performance in TCGA and GSE33113 cohorts.
Results
A prognostic nomogram was developed incorporating risk score, age, and TNM stage, with ROC and DCA curves demonstrating its strong prognostic capability. Furthermore, high-risk scores were found to be significantly associated with invasions and stages. The high-risk group exhibited activation of the angiogenesis, apical junction, coagulation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and myogenesis pathways. T In terms of drug sensitivity, TIDE scores were significantly lower in the low-risk group, which was more suitable for immunotherapy. Chemotherapy, antivascular, and targeted therapies may be more appropriate for high-risk patients. Neurotransmitter-based prognostic signatures were found in our investigation, and our 10-gene risk panel is a useful biomarker for predictive risk assessment in CRC patients.
From planning to implementation: a multi-stakeholder partnership for managing plant invasions in tropical island ecosystems
Authors: Rouget Mathieu , Fenouillas Pauline , Cazal Emilie , Caubit Margot , Soleyen Cédric Ajaguin , Balard Eve , Becker-Scarpitta Antoine , Calichiama Laurent , Karczewski Gael , Lavergne Christophe , Lequette Benoit , Marie Léa , Payet Guillaume , Payet Nicolas , Picot Frédéric , Strasberg Dominique , Triolo Julien , Turquet Vincent , Delorme Jean-Philippe 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Effective management of invasive species within protected areas requires innovative solutions. In the Mascarene's archipelago, the national park of Reunion contains the largest area of intact vegetation, which faces alarming threats from invasive alien plant species. In response, the local government initiated an inclusive partnership in 2018 involving decision-makers, managers, and scientists to address the management of invasive alien plant species. An operational framework from planning to implementation has been established encompassing five key steps: (1) conduct a comprehensive site assessment, (2) model future threats, (3) prioritise interventions, (4) implement actions through a multi-stakeholder programme spanning multiple years, and (5) evaluate the effectiveness of implemented interventions. This study provides an in-depth examination of the research-action partnership and the operational framework, illustrating outputs for key priority sites. Our survey covered over 2500 ha, quantifying invasion degree in three vegetation strata at a fine-scale, and revealed significant areas within subalpine vegetation which remain remarkably pristine. By adapting participatory conservation planning approaches, we developed implementation-level outputs at a scale useful for managers which guided interventions on the ground. The partnership exemplifies a transdisciplinary approach with a broad array of stakeholders. Drawing from a checklist of essential components for successful partnerships, we highlight key insights from this initiative, providing valuable lessons for managing invasions in other regions. This framework holds promise for addressing several Global Biodiversity Framework Targets concerning plant invasions in island ecosystems or within landscapes characterised by multi-layered governance.
Bioerosion and encrustation in Late Triassic reef corals from Iran
Authors: Burger Michelle , Dimitrijević Danijela , Kiessling Wolfgang 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Hard substrate communities can impact coral reef growth by adding or removing calcium carbonate when they act as encrusters or bioeroders, respectively. Although such sclerobiont communities are known across the Phanerozoic, the Triassic saw a substantial increase in reef macrobioerosion. This study provides the first quantitative assessment of sclerobionts in a Late Triassic (Norian) reef coral community from the Nayband Formation in central Iran and establishes some post-Paleozoic trends in reef bioerosion. Sclerobionts were common on the dominant coral Pamiroseris rectilamellosa and covered between 0 and 26.4% of total coral surface area among the 145 colonies investigated. Encrustation was significantly more prevalent (1.78% of total area) than bioerosion (0.36% of total area). The underside of corals was 3.5 times more affected by sclerobionts than the surfaces. This suggests that the sclerobionts preferentially colonized dead parts of corals. The main encrusting taxa were polychaeta worms (76.2%), followed by bivalves (11.9%). The main bioeroders were of Polychaeta (51.4%), Porifera (22.2%), and Bivalvia (20.7%). The lack of a correlation between encrustation and bioerosion intensity suggests that the amount of sclerobionts is not simply a function of exposure time before final burial. Our review of the published literature suggests a declining trend in the relative importance of bivalves, polychaetas and cirripeds in reefs, whereas sponges increased in importance from the Triassic until today.
Twin Pregnancy and Postpartum Haemorrhage: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Abdulsalam Fatma A. M. , Bourdakos Natalie E. , Burns James W. F. , Zervides Zoe Y. , Yap Nathanael Q. E. , Adra Maamoun , Nakanishi Hayato , Than Christian A. , Chervenak Francis A. , Arulkumaran Sir Sabaratnam 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Background
Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) continues to stand as the primary cause of maternal morbidity and mortality post-delivery, with twin pregnancies carrying a heightened risk of PPH compared to singleton deliveries.
Objectives
To investigate the incidence of primary PPH among twin pregnancies whilst evaluating the possible association between maternal and peripartum characteristics, considering the lack of a strong guideline on the risk stratification of PPH in such cases.
Methods
A literature search was conducted using data from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science. The search aimed to identify studies concerning mothers with twin pregnancies and postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) from the inception of each respective database to June 8th, 2023. Pooled means and proportions were analyzed using the generic inverse variance method. This review was registered prospectively with PROSPERO (CRD42023427192)
Results
A total of 21 studies involving 23,330 twin pregnant patients were included. Incidence of PPH for vaginal delivery and Caesarean delivery (CS) was found to be 10.9% (95% CI: -0.017, 0.235, I2 = 96%) and 27.0% (95% CI: 0.180, 0.359, I2 = 99%) respectively. In vitro fertilization (IVF) was the most common conception method at 62.0% (95% CI: 0.448, 0.792, I2 = 100%) with 81.1% (95% CI: 0.708, 0.915, I2 = 100%) of twins being dichorionic diamniotic.
Conclusion
This meta-analysis demonstrated more than one in ten vaginal deliveries and over one in four cesarean sections result in PPH for twin pregnancies. IVF is the predominant method of conception in this patient group and seems to contribute to subsequent PPH risk in specific mothers. While preliminary, these findings underscore the necessity for further well-designed and high-quality studies to validate these results.
Semaglutide treatment of hypothalamic obesity – a real-life data study
Authors: Svendstrup Mathilde , Rasmussen Aase Krogh , Kistorp Caroline , Klose Marianne , Andreassen Mikkel 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Purpose Patients with tumors involving the hypothalamic region are at high risk of developing morbid obesity due to disturbances in the appetite regulative nuclei in hypothalamus. We evaluated the effect of Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogue treatment in patients with hypothalamic obesity.Methods We recorded weight changes from real-time data before and after treatment with the GLP-1 analogue semaglutide in patients hypothalamic obesity from our outpatient clinic at the Department of Endocrinology at Rigshospitalet, from September 2020 to November 2023.Results A total of 26 patients were included in this study (15 females, median age at initiation of semaglutide was 52 (18–65) years). Body weight at initial diagnosis was median 80 kg (range 50–140) while body weight at initiation of semaglutide was median 116 kg (range 76–175). All but one patient lost weight during semaglutide treatment with a mean weight loss of 12.5 kg (95% CI 8.4–16.5 kg, p = < 0.001) after one year (median 11.4 months) with an average dosage of semaglutide of 1.6 mg (range 0.5–2.5). There was no significant difference in weight loss between patients previously treated with liraglutide and patients naïve to GLP-1 analogues (p = 0.35). Fifteen patients (58%) lost more than 10% and 2 patients (8%) lost more than 20% of initial body weight, respectively.Conclusion Treatment with semaglutide shows promising results in reducing body weight in patients with acquired hypothalamic obesity. Whether the weight reduction remains stable after long time follow-up needs further investigation.
Modelling the proportions with excessive endpoints based on a generalized Lindley binomial model
Authors: Deng Dianliang , Zhang Xiaoqing 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

This paper presents the generalized Lindley binomial (GLB) distribution, a novel probability distribution designed for the analysis of proportional data with excessive endpoints. The study delves into the probabilistic characteristics of the GLB distribution, including the probability mass function and the rth factorial moment function. Estimation of the distribution parameters in the GLB model, both with and without covariates, is addressed using the Fisher scoring algorithm and the EM algorithm. Furthermore, the paper explores techniques for model diagnosis and evaluates the goodness of fit for the proposed GLB model. To illustrate the performance of the derived EM algorithms in parameter estimation, a limited simulation study is conducted for both cases, with and without covariates, in the GLB model. The practical application of the proposed Lindley binomial regression model is demonstrated using the whitefly dataset.
Microbiological Characterization of Neuropathic Diabetic Foot Infection: a Retrospective Study at a Portuguese Tertiary Hospital
Authors: Gonçalves Juliana , Guimarães André Rodrigues , Ferreira Helena Urbano , Ribeiro Sara , Moreno Telma , Borges-Canha Marta , Meira Inês , Menino João , Silva Fábia , Pedro Jorge , Silva Nélia , Simão Ricardo São , Santos Lurdes , Queirós Joana , Diabético Consulta de Grupo Pé 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Diabetic foot infection imposes a significant burden and is the major cause of nontraumatic limb amputation. Adequate patient management with effective antibiotic therapy is crucial. This retrospective cohort study aimed to characterize the microbiology and resistance patterns of moderate to severe neuropathic diabetic foot infection in patients hospitalized at a tertiary referral hospital between January 2020 and June 2023. Deep tissue specimens from ulcers were collected for culture. Sixty inpatients were included (62% male, mean age 59.1 ± 11.5 years). Osteomyelitis was present in 90% of the patients. Among 102 microorganisms (average of 1.91 ± 1.25 pathogens per patient), 60.8% were gram-positive bacteria, 31.4% were gram-negative, 3.92% were anaerobic bacteria, and 3.92% were fungi. Staphylococcus aureus (19%) and Enterococcus faecium (17%) were the most common. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8%) and bacteria of the Enterobacterales family (24%) accounted for all the isolated gram-negative bacteria. Sixteen percent of Staphylococcus aureus and 67% of coagulase-negative Staphylococci were resistant to methicillin. Resistance to ampicillin was found in 11% of Enterococci. All Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were sensitive to piperacillin-tazobactam, ceftazidime, or cefepime. Among the Enterobacterales, resistance rates were 35% for piperacillin-tazobactam, 35% for ceftazidime, 17% for cefepime, and 13% for carbapenems. Although the prevalence of methicillin-resistant staphylococci was lower than that in other studies, carbapenem resistance among gram-negative bacteria warrants attention. This study highlights the importance of understanding local epidemiology for effective diabetic foot infection management and resistance mitigation.
Assessment of diversity, population structure and gene flow in indigenous and exotic accessions of Adzuki bean (Vigna angularis Willd.)
Authors: Bhardwaj Neelam , Nareshkumar Varadharajan , Bhardwaj Anjali , Patyal Surbhi , Singh Mohar 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Adzuki beans are recognized for their high carbohydrate content and protein composition, featuring a well-balanced amino acid profile, particularly abundant in lysine. This compensates for the typically deficient protein levels found in commonly consumed cereals. Morphological diversity analysis categorized 96 adzuki accessions into three distinct clusters, with the greatest intra-cluster distance observed between cluster I and cluster II. Principal Component Analysis indicated that PC1 accounted for 55.90% of the total variation, primarily attributed to traits such as primary branches per plant, plant height, 1000-seed weight, clusters per plant, seed yield per plant, and seeds per pod. Seventy SSR primers were utilized to assess molecular diversity. Among these, 11 primer pairs exhibited polymorphism, with a mean PIC value of 0.241. The average number of effective alleles (Ne) and Shannon’s Information Index (SII) were calculated as 1.5051 and 0.4560 per locus, respectively. Clustering analysis using the NTSYS-pc package identified three clusters comprising both indigenous and exotic accessions. Population STRUCTURE revealed the highest ΔK mean value at K = 2, dividing the 96 germplasm accessions into two distinct gene pools, consisting of pure lines and admixtures. AMOVA conducted between the two populations unveiled that 79% of the variation exists within populations, while 21% exists among populations. The pure lines and polymorphic SSR markers identified in this study hold promise for the development and evaluation of core collections and the breeding of superior varieties of adzuki beans along with harnessing genetic diversity in adzuki beans to enhance breeding endeavors toward superior varieties and hybrids.
Decision Tree Models for Predicting Liquefaction-Induced Settlement of Buildings with Shallow Foundations Subjected to Seismic Excitation
Authors: Ahmad Mahmood , Danish Muhammad , Khan Beenish Jehan , Abdullah Gamil M.S. , Ahmad Feezan 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Shallow-founded buildings are susceptible to liquefaction-induced settlement (Sl) in the event of an earthquake. Mitigating earthquake damage requires accurate settlement evaluation. Nnonetheless, the process of predicting the Sl is not simple and necessitates advanced soil models and calibrated soil characteristics, which are not easily accessible for specialists and designers. Furthermore, multivariate adaptive regression splines or conventional regression analysis were used to build the available empirical models to estimate the Sl, and these methods result in complex models. Moreover, these empirical models were created by applying the outcomes of numerical modelling. In order to overcome these constraints, this research presents the development of two novel decision tree models: the reduced error pruning (REP) tree, the random forest (RF), and the random tree (RT). The Sl may be immediately and accurately estimated with the new models, which have been developed using authentic laboratory observations from centrifuge results. The data utilized in this research includes seven characteristics: the width of the foundation, the height of the building, the pressure exerted on the foundation, the thickness and relative density of the liquefiable layer, and the intensity of the earthquake. Two subsets of the available data are used: the training set (20%) and the test set (80%). Statistical measures such as root mean squared error, mean absolute error, and coefficient of correlation are utilized to assess the decision tree models' output. Applications of the previously outlined method for predicting the Sl are compared and discussed. The evaluation of the Sl dataset's statistical metrics indicates that the RT produced significantly more dependable and reliable outcomes.
Urbanization alters the diversity, assembly and complexity in microbial generalist and specialist community of a subtropical river system
Authors: Zhao Teng , Deng Yuting , Zhou Ling , Wang Jinna , Dong Peichang , Yang Songqi , Zheng Baohai , Shi Junqiong , Wu Zhongxing 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Urbanization-induced environmental changes are becoming a major threat to river systems. However, little is known about how urbanization affects aquatic microbial communities despite their critical role in maintaining ecological processes and nutrient cycling. Here, we investigated assembly processes of habitat generalists and specialists in different urbanization stages of subtropical rivers. The results highlight that nitrogen compounds can influence the composition of the microbial community. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, as well as Cyanobacteria were identified as dominant phyla in urbanization rivers. Both total diversity and total species richness of generalists were significantly higher than that of specialists, while beta diversity of generalists was significantly higher in low-level urbanization rivers (LUS) than that in high-level urbanization river (HUS). For the generalist, heterogeneous selection is the most important process for the assembly of HUS in winter, but dispersal limitation, drift and other nondominated processes were mainly the dominant assembly process for the establishment of LUS whether in summer or winter. Similarly, stochastic processes were the main assembly of specialists for LUS and HUS, whether in summer or winter. In summer HUS and winter LUS, a more complex network was found in the generalists and specialists, while a significantly stronger network was found in the complexity and robustness of the co-occurrence network compared to HUS. Overall, these suggest that the specialists and nitrogen play a key role in shaping urbanization-induced homogenization of microbial communities. The insights gained from this study may be helpful in understanding how urbanization affects microbial communities and their ecological assembly mechanisms.
Analysis of flood streamflow sensitivity to precipitation using the WRF-Hydro model in a humid environment
Authors: Liu Peilong , Liang Zhongmin , Qian Mingkai , Hu Yiming , Wang Jun , Li Binquan 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT
Basin-scale runoff forecasting requires controlling absolute relative errors within 0.2 for accurate predictions. This study examines the sensitivity of simulated flood deviations in frequently flooded humid regions to discrepancies in precipitation driving the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-Hydro model. Key parameters of various WRF-Hydro modules are calibrated from 23 flood events between 2003 and 2017. Two experiments were designed with minimized uncertainty in both model and parameterization to explore the sensitivity of streamflow changes to precipitation misestimations, both in total and graded precipitation. The sensitivity of runoff relative errors is more pronounced than that of precipitation relative errors, influenced by the magnitude, variability, and duration of rainfall. During processes involving heavy rainstorm, precipitation absolute relative errors increased by 50%, while runoff absolute relative errors increased by more than 60%. This sensitivity trend is linked to variations in components generated by misestimated precipitation. Runoff relative errors are higher when precipitation is misestimated at high rainfall levels compared to the same misestimation at low rainfall levels. For effective flood simulation and prediction, it is crucial to emphasize the accuracy of precipitation, especially during high rainfall events. Future research will incorporate more realistic precipitation forcing mechanisms and additional metrics for evaluating precipitation forecast.