bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cardio-nephrotoxicity mediated by Echis ocellatus venom and its amelioration through kaempferol’s suppressive effect on oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis expression
Authors: Ajisebiola Babafemi Siji , Durodola Boluwatifemi Peace , Mustapha Abdur-Rahman Kolawole , Oladele Johnson Olaleye , Adeyi Akindele Oluwatosin 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Background
Echis ocellatus venom toxins have the ability to impact multiple organ systems subsequent to envenomation. Kaempferol have been reported to have several therapeutic benefits. In this study, the therapeutic value of kaempferol was investigated in relation to the cardio-nephrotoxicity in rats resulting from E. ocellatus envenoming.

Methods
Fifty male wistar rats were allotted unbiased into five groups (n = 10) for this study. Group 1 was the control, while rats in groups 2 to 5 were envenomed with LD50 of E. ocellatus venom (0.22 mg/kg bw; i.p.). Group 2 was not treated after envenomation while groups 3, 4 and 5 were treated with polyvalent antivenom, 4 and 8 mg/kg of kaempferol, respectively.

Results
E. ocellatus envenomation caused considerable reduction in organ weight and relative organ weight in the envenomed untreated rats. The venom induced intense oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptotic damage to the cardiac and renal tissues accompanied with severe histomorphology in the organ tissues of untreated envenomed rats. In contrast, kaempferol treatment post-envenomation attenuated the venom-induced cardio-nephrotoxic responses in a dose dependent effect. Kaempferol substantially (p < 0.05) decreased malondialdehyde levels while enhancing reduced glutathione levels and superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in the heart and kidney of envenomed treated rats. Treatment of envenomed rats with kaempferol successfully decreased nitric oxide levels and myeloperoxidase activity. Overexpression of apoptotic caspase 3 and caspase 9 in cardiac and renal tissues were suppressed by kaempferol (p < 0.05). The histopathological result supports kaempferol’s ameliorative ability by convalescing the severe morphological alterations of cardiac and renal tissues induced by the venom.

Conclusion
Findings elucidate the significance of kaempferol as promising agent in the management of cardio-nephrotoxicity resulting from snakebite envenoming.
Patient and public involvement and engagement in the development of innovative patient-centric early phase dose-finding trial designs
Authors: Alger Emily , Van Zyl Mary , Aiyegbusi Olalekan Lee , Chuter Dave , Dean Lizzie , Minchom Anna , Yap Christina 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Background
In light of the FDA’s Project Optimus initiative, there is fresh interest in leveraging Patient-reported Outcome (PRO) data to enhance the assessment of tolerability for investigational therapies within early phase dose-finding oncology trials. Typically, dose escalation in most trial designs is solely reliant on clinician assessed adverse events. Research has shown a disparity between patients and clinicians when assessing whether an investigational therapy is tolerable, leading to the recommendation of potentially intolerable doses for further investigation in subsequent trials.
It is also increasingly recognized that patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) plays a pivotal role in enriching trial design and conduct. However, to our knowledge, no PPIE has explored the optimal integration of PROs in the development of advanced statistical trial designs within early phase dose-finding oncology trials.

Methods
A virtual PPIE session was held with nine participants on 18th October 2023 to discuss the incorporation of PROs within a dose-finding trial design. This cross disciplinary session was developed and led by a team of statisticians, clinical specialists, qualitative experts, and trial methodologists. Following the session, in-depth perspectives were provided by two patient advocates who actively engaged in the PPIE session. We discuss the importance of PPIE in shaping advanced dose-finding trial designs, share insights from patients on integrating PROs to inform treatment tolerability, and present a template for meaningful patient involvement in trial design development.

Results
Participants generally supported the introduction of PROs within dose-finding trials but showed some apprehensiveness as to how PROs may reduce the size of the recommended dose (and potentially efficacious effect). Some participants shared that they may be reluctant to record the real severity of their symptoms via PROs if it would mean that they would have to discontinue treatment. They discussed that PROs could be used to assess tolerability rather than toxicity of a dose.

Conclusions
Amplifying patient voice in the development of patient-centric dose-finding trial designs is now essential. This paper offers an exemplary illustration of how trialists and methodologists can effectively incorporate patient voice in the future development of advanced dose-finding trial designs.
Impact of reconstruction parameters on the accuracy of myocardial extracellular volume quantification on a first-generation, photon-counting detector CT
Authors: Gnasso Chiara , Pinos Daniel , Schoepf U. Joseph , Vecsey-Nagy Milan , Aquino Gilberto J. , Fink Nicola , Zsarnoczay Emese , Holtackers Robert J. , Stock Jonathan , Suranyi Pal , Varga-Szemes Akos , Emrich Tilman 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Background
The potential role of cardiac computed tomography (CT) has increasingly been demonstrated for the assessment of diffuse myocardial fibrosis through the quantification of extracellular volume (ECV). Photon-counting detector (PCD)-CT technology may deliver more accurate ECV quantification compared to energy-integrating detector CT. We evaluated the impact of reconstruction settings on the accuracy of ECV quantification using PCD-CT, with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based ECV as reference.

Methods
In this post hoc analysis, 27 patients (aged 53.1 ± 17.2 years (mean ± standard deviation); 14 women) underwent same-day cardiac PCD-CT and MRI. Late iodine CT scans were reconstructed with different quantum iterative reconstruction levels (QIR 1−4), slice thicknesses (0.4−8 mm), and virtual monoenergetic imaging levels (VMI, 40−90 keV); ECV was quantified for each reconstruction setting. Repeated measures ANOVA and t-test for pairwise comparisons, Bland–Altman plots, and Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) were used.

Results
ECV values did not differ significantly among QIR levels (p = 1.000). A significant difference was observed throughout different slice thicknesses, with 0.4 mm yielding the highest agreement with MRI-based ECV (CCC = 0.944); 45-keV VMI reconstructions showed the lowest mean bias (0.6, 95% confidence interval 0.1–1.4) compared to MRI. Using the most optimal reconstruction settings (QIR4. slice thickness 0.4 mm, VMI 45 keV), a 63% reduction in mean bias and a 6% increase in concordance with MRI-based ECV were achieved compared to standard settings (QIR3, slice thickness 1.5 mm; VMI 65 keV).

Conclusions
The selection of appropriate reconstruction parameters improved the agreement between PCD-CT and MRI-based ECV.

Relevance statement
Tailoring PCD-CT reconstruction parameters optimizes ECV quantification compared to MRI, potentially improving its clinical utility.

Key points
• CT is increasingly promising for myocardial tissue characterization, assessing focal and diffuse fibrosis via late iodine enhancement and ECV quantification, respectively.
• PCD-CT offers superior performance over conventional CT, potentially improving ECV quantification and its agreement with MRI-based ECV.
• Tailoring PCD-CT reconstruction parameters optimizes ECV quantification compared to MRI, potentially improving its clinical utility.

Graphical Abstract
Unconfined compressive strength prediction of rock materials based on machine learning
Authors: Niu Lihong , Cui Qiang , Luo Jiangyun , Huang Hongbing , Zhang Jing 
Published: June 2024

AbstractIt is costly, time-consuming, and difficult to measure unconfined compressive strength (UCS) using typical laboratory procedures, particularly when dealing with weak, extremely porous, and fractured rock. By efficiently choosing the variables from a subset of the dataset that includes the Schmidt hammer rebound number (SRn), bulk density (BD), bulk tensile strength (BTS), dry density (DD) test, p-wave velocity test (Vp), and point load index test (Is(50)), this study seeks to establish predictive models for the UCS of rocks. A prediction model for UCS was prepared using K-nearest neighbor (KNN). KNN was preferred over machine learning algorithms because it is simple, versatile, and interpretable. It is particularly useful when it has limited training time, faces non-parametric data with changing distributions, or requires straightforward explanations for predictions. In order to improve KNN’s prediction performance in this research, two optimization procedures (namely, Alibaba and the Forty Thieves (AFT) and Improved Manta-Ray Foraging Optimizer (IMRFO)) were used. Through comparison of KNN single modal performance with that of optimized versions, it is concluded that the KNIM (KNN model optimized with IMRFO) is an excellent possible applicant for the forecast of the UCS of rocks. This study’s results showed that the KNIM model is more suitable than the KNN single model and its counterpart KNAF in terms of accuracy as its correlation of determination (R2) values were 1.1% and 2% higher than KNN and KNAF and its root mean squared error (RMSE) values were 37.9% and 43.7% lower than KNN and KNAF. The improvement in R2 and RMSE values for the KNIM model compared to KNN and KNAF is highly significant for the reliability and accuracy of the predictive model. R2, measuring the proportion of variance predictable in the dependent variable (UCS of rocks) from the independent variables (model predictions), signifies a better fit to observed data. The elevated R2 values for KNIM indicate a stronger correlation with actual UCS values, enhancing the model’s accuracy in representing underlying patterns. Additionally, the reduction in RMSE values for KNIM implies that its predictions are, on average, closer to actual UCS values, contributing to a more accurate and reliable estimation of rock strength.
Firehose instability in heat-conducting solar wind plasmas including FLR corrections and electrical resistivity
Authors: Prajapati Ram Prasad 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
The effects of finite Larmor radius (FLR) corrections and heat-flux vector are studied on the pressure anisotropy-driven firehose instability in finitely conducting solar wind plasmas described by the double-adiabatic Chew, Goldberger and Low (CGL) fluid theory. The fluid description of collisionless plasmas is governed through modified adiabatic equations due to the heat-flux vector and finite ion Larmor radius corrections. The analytical dispersion relation of the firehose instability has been derived using the normal mode analysis and discussed in the solar wind plasmas. In the transverse mode, the dispersion relation of the Alfvénic mode is modified due to electrical resistivity and FLR corrections. In the longitudinal mode, the effects of the heat-flux parameter and electrical resistivity are observed separately. The dispersion relation of the firehose mode is modified due to the combined effects of FLR corrections and electrical resistivity. The graphical illustrations show that finite electrical resistivity and ion Larmor frequency destabilize the growth rate of the firehose instability. The results are useful for analyzing the solar mission data to study the firehose instability in the solar wind plasmas.
Unlocking the potential of SY-stem cells
Authors: Furlanetto Federica , Frank Sarah , Karow Marisa 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT
The sixth SY-Stem Symposium, jointly organized by the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology and the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology took place in Vienna in March 2024. Again, aspiring new group leaders were given a stage to present their work and vision of their labs. To round up the excellent program, the scientific organizers included renowned keynote speakers. Here, we provide a summary of the talks covering topics such as early embryogenesis, nervous system development and disease, regeneration and the latest technologies.
To Revise or Not Revise? Isolated Margin Positivity in Localized Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Elshami Mohamedraed , Wu Victoria S. , Stitzel Henry J. , Hue Jonathan J. , Loftus Alexander W. , Kyasaram Ravi K. , Shanahan John , Ammori John B. , Hardacre Jeffrey M. , Ocuin Lee M. 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Background
The study determined the proportion of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who had margin-positive disease and no other adverse pathologic findings (APF) using institutional and administrative datasets.

Methods
Patients with clinical stage I or II PDAC in the National Cancer Database (NCDB 2010–2020) and those who underwent pancreatectomy at the authors’ institution (2010–2021) were identified. Isolated margin positivity (IMP) was defined as a positive surgical margin with no APF (negative nodes, no lymphovascular/perineural invasion).

Results
The study included 225 patients from the authors’ institution and 23,598 patients from the NCDB. The margin-positive rates were 21.8% and 20.3%, and the IMP rates were 0.4% and 0.5%, respectively. In the institutional cohort, 68.4% of the patients had recurrence, and most of the patients (65.6%) had distant recurrences. The median recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 63.3 months for no APF, not reached for IMP, 14.8 months for negative margins & 1 APF, 20.3 months for positive margins & 2 APFs, and 12.9 months with all APF positive. The patients in the NCDB with IMP had a lower median OS than the patients with no APF (20.5 vs 390 months), but a higher median OS than those with margin positivity plus 1 APF (20.5 vs 18.0 months) or all those with APF positivity (20.5 vs 15.4 months). Based on institutional rates of IMP, any margin positivity, neck margin positivity (NMP), and no APF, the fraction of patients who might benefit from neck margin revision was 1 in 100,000, and those likely to benefit from any margin revision was 1 in 18,500. In the NCDB, those estimated to derive potential benefit from margin revision was 1 in 25,000.

Conclusions
Isolated margin positivity in resected PDAC is rare, and most patients experience distant recurrence. Revision of IMP appears unlikely to confer benefit to most patients.
Aversion to Hiring Algorithms: Transparency, Gender Profiling, and Self-Confidence
Authors: Dargnies Marie-Pierre , Hakimov Rustamdjan , Kübler Dorothea 
Published: June 2024

We run an online experiment to study the origins of algorithm aversion. Participants are in the role of either workers or managers. Workers perform three real-effort tasks: task 1, task 2, and the job task, which is a combination of tasks 1 and 2. They choose whether the hiring decision between themselves and another worker is made by a participant in the role of a manager or by an algorithm. In a second set of experiments, managers choose whether they want to delegate their hiring decisions to the algorithm. When the algorithm does not use workers’ gender to predict their job-task performance and workers know this, they choose the algorithm more often than in the baseline treatment where gender is employed. Feedback to the managers about their performance in hiring the best workers increases their preference for the algorithm relative to the baseline without feedback, because managers are, on average, overconfident. Finally, providing details on how the algorithm works does not increase the preference for the algorithm for workers or for managers. This paper was accepted by Elena Katok, special issue on the human-algorithm connection. Funding: D. Kübler acknowledges financial support from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [CRC TRR 190], R. Hakimov acknowledges financial support from the Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung [Project 100018_189152], and M.-P. Dargnies acknowledges financial support from the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR JCJC TrustSciTruths). Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.02774 .
Predictability in anterior aesthetic implants: assessment, planning and execution
Authors: Campbell Colin , Hare Katherine 
Published: June 2024

Implant placement in the anterior maxilla has been shown to have success rates comparable to posteriorly placed implants. However, the aesthetic outcome of these implants is, unsurprisingly, of much greater importance to patients, and can provide a significant clinical challenge. Predictable outcomes are undoubtedly harder to achieve and sustain, and greater consideration must be given to the precision of implant positioning and restoration in order to achieve clinical and aesthetic success. This article discusses the many factors affecting aesthetic implant predictability, from assessment and planning, through to materials, execution and restoration, with a focus on timings and early (Type II) placement. CPD/Clinical Relevance: For the majority of clinicians, Type II methodology for anterior implants is the more appropriate choice and gives predictable and stable outcomes.
Bariatric dentistry: a review and clinical recommendations
Authors: Alasere Yhya , Abed Hassan , Alqarni Ali , Alshammari Abdullah , Aloufi Abdullah 
Published: June 2024

Obesity is considered a major medical issue owing to its effects on general health and the different body systems. Obesity also affects oral health and can make it challenging for the dentist to treat the patient in general dental practice. This review covers the definitions, general and dental diseases that bariatric patients may experience, and pain management from the dentist's perspective. CPD/Clinical Relevance: This article provides clinical tips for best managing overweight and obese patients.
The effect of resistance exercise on multimodal pain thresholds in local and systemic muscle sites
Authors: Lyons Kaitlyn M. , Stock Matt S. , Hanney William J. , Anderson Abigail W. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractDynamic resistance exercise may produce reductions in pain locally at the exercising muscle and systemically at non‐exercising sites. However, limited research has examined these changes with multiple noxious stimuli. This study examined changes in heat pain threshold (HPT) and pressure pain threshold (PPT) on different musculature after an upper and lower body exercise to compare local and systemic effects. A crossover design with 28 participants (mean age: 21 ± 4 years, 21 female) completed three sessions. Visit one included baseline quantitative sensory testing and 5‐repetition maximum (RM) testing for upper (shoulder press) and lower (leg extension) body. In subsequent sessions, participants performed upper or lower body exercises using an estimated 75% 1‐RM with pre/post assessment of HPT and PPT at three sites: deltoid, quadriceps, and low back. A significant three‐way interaction was observed for HPT (F (1.71, 3.80) = 2.19, p = 0.036, η2p = 0.12) with significant increases in HPT over the quadriceps (p = 0.043) after leg extension and over the deltoid (p = 0.02) after shoulder press. Significant systemic changes were not observed for HPT or PPT. Local but not systemic effects were demonstrated after an acute bout of exercise. Peripheral pain sensitivity may be more responsive to heat stimuli after resistance exercise.
A qualitative study on illness perceptions and self-mastery among Chinese elderly with hypertension
Authors: Yao Hong , Zhang Weijing , Qie Yifan 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Objectives
Hypertension stands as the most prevalent chronic disease globally, making self-care a crucial determinant in the trajectory of the illness. Yet, a significant challenge faced by many elderly individuals with hypertension is the accurate perception of the condition as an embodied symptom. The aim of this paper is to delve into the illness perceptions of older adults with hypertension and further gain insights into their self-management efforts.

Methods
This qualitative study involved 20 older adults living in community settings, all clinically diagnosed with hypertension. Data collection was conducted using semi-structured interviews from May to August 2022, and the data was subsequently analyzed through thematic analysis.

Results
Based on data analysis, two primary themes emerged: Illness Ambiguity regarding Hypertension and Self-Mastery of Holistic Health. Illness ambiguity regarding hypertension was manifested by incidental discovery and elusive triggers of recurrence, hypertension management approaches and emotional complexities associated with aging. The participants demonstrated self-mastery as an effective strategy in coping with hypertension as well as other health problems, including psychological flexibility, active body ownership, and meaning-making for illness acceptance.

Conclusions
Older adults with hypertension faced illness ambiguity regarding their condition; however, they effectively coped by exercising self-mastery and adopting holistic health strategies to maintain their overall well-being. Future interventions in hypertension therapy and psychosocial care should be customized, taking into account these embodied experiences and the sociocultural contexts of the patients.
Motivating Loyal Bureaucrats in Sequential Agency
Authors: Rodivilov Alexander , Shin Dongsoo 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
We study a principal–agent model in which a legislature and a bureaucrat sequentially play the principal’s role. In the first stage, the legislature offers a menu of transfer payments to the bureaucrat for implementing a public project. In the second stage, the bureaucrat offers a menu of the project attribute levels to the legislature. Then, the legislature decides whether to go forward with the project and aggregates information on the public’s valuation of the project. The key trade-off in this paper is information versus the bureaucrat’s loyalty. We show that when the bureaucrat is loyal enough to the public, taking advantage of his loyalty requires inducing him to make his decision independent of the public’s valuation.
Error Identities for Parabolic Equations with Monotone Spatial Operators
Authors: Repin Sergey I. 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
The article studies quantitative relations (error identities) that characterize distances between exact solutions of nonlinear evolutionary problems and functions considered as approximations.
The restrictions imposed on such a function are minimal and actually come down to the condition that it belongs to the same functional class as the generalized solution of the problem under consideration.
Functional identities of this type reflect the most general relations between deviations from exact solutions of parabolic initial boundary value problems and those data that can be observed in a numerical experiment.
The identities contain no mesh dependent constants and are valid for any function in the admissible (energy) class regardless of the method by which it was constructed.
Therefore, they can serve as basic tools for deriving fully reliable a posteriori estimates of approximation errors as well as for analysis of modeling errors.
The corresponding examples are discussed in the paper.