bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Metformin as adjuvant therapy in obese knee osteoarthritis patients
Authors: Aiad Amany Abd Elaal , El-Haggar Sahar Mohamed , El-Barbary Amal Mohamed , El-Afify Dalia Refat 
Published: June 2024

AbstractAimsThis study aimed at investigating the efficacy of metformin as adjuvant therapy for obese knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients, considering its anti-inflammatory and cartilage-protective effects.Patients and methodsIn this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 50 obese knee OA patients were assigned randomly to two groups, the metformin group (n = 25) which was treated with metformin 500 mg orally BID plus celecoxib 200 mg orally once daily, and the placebo group (n = 25) which was treated with placebo tablets BID plus celecoxib 200 mg orally once daily for 12 weeks. Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP), C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-1), and Interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β) serum levels were measured, while Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) score assessed knee pain, stiffness, and physical function at baseline and after 12 weeks.ResultsFollowing a 12-week treatment, the metformin group exhibited significantly reduced levels of COMP, CTX-1, and IL-1β in the serum compared to the placebo group (p = 0.0081,p = 0.0106, andp = 0.0223, respectively). Furthermore, metformin group produced significant improvements in WOMAC total scale (p < 0.0001), specifically in knee pain, stiffness, and physical function compared to placebo group (p < 0.0001,p < 0.0001, andp < 0.0001, respectively).ConclusionMetformin as an adjuvant therapy in obese knee OA patients may have beneficial effects on cartilage degradation and inflammation, as evidenced by the significant decreases in serum COMP, CTX-1, and IL-1β levels. Additionally, metformin may improve clinical outcomes, as shown by the significant improvements in WOMAC scores.Clinicaltrials.gov IDNCT05638893/Registered December 6, 2022 — Retrospectively.
India’s labour market challenges: Employability of young workforce from the perspective of supply and demand
Authors: Schneider Sebastian , Pilz Matthias 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
India has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and the highest working-age population. The country has a particular demand for skilled labourers, especially at the semi-skilled level, in various sectors. However, many young people find it challenging to acquire the skills employers demand. To approach the issue of youth employability, it is essential to distinguish two sides of the question. On the one hand, the demand side of the labour market, and, on the other, the supply side of the workforce. It is significant that, in quantitative terms, the vocational education and training (VET) system does not yet play a decisive role here. To understand whether the VET system can solve the problem of high youth unemployment, the concept of ‘employability’ is introduced. A critical analysis of the VET system in terms of the concept of employability follows. Based on the analysis, this paper concludes that the VET system in India requires reform and proposes possible policy interventions to address this.
Pollution pressure drives microbial assemblages that improve the phytoremediation potential of heavy metals by Ricinus communis
Authors: Rubio-Noguez Daniela , Breton-Deval Luz , Salinas-Peralta Ilse , Juárez Katy , Galicia Leopoldo 
Published: June 2024

AbstractDue to the rapid expansion of industrial activity, soil pollution has intensified. Plants growing in these polluted areas have developed a rhizobiome uniquely and specially adapted to thrive in such environments. However, it remains uncertain whether pollution acts as a sufficiently selective force to shape the rhizobiome, and whether these adaptations endure over time, potentially aiding in long-term phytoremediation. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to compare whether the microbiome associated with roots from plants germinated in polluted riverbanks will improve the phytoremediation of Cd and Pb under mesocosm experiments compared with plants germinating in a greenhouse. The experimental design was a factorial 2 × 2, i.e., the origin of the plant and the presence or absence of 100 mg/L of Cd and 1000 mg/L of Pb. Our results showed that plants germinated in polluted riverbanks have the capacity to accumulate twice the amount of Pb and Cd during mesocosm experiments. The metagenomic analysis showed that plants from the river exposed to heavy metals at the end of mesocosm experiments were rich in Rhizobium sp. AC44/96 and Enterobacter sp. EA-1, Enterobacter soli, Pantoea rwandensis, Pantoea endophytica. In addition, those plants were uniquely associated with Rhizobium grahamii, which likely contributed to the differences in the levels of phytoremediation achieved. Furthermore, the functional analysis revealed an augmented functional potential related to hormones, metallothioneins, dismutases, and reductases; meanwhile, the plants germinated in the greenhouse showed an unspecific strategy to exceed heavy metal stress. In conclusion, pollution pressure drives stable microbial assemblages, which could be used in future phytostabilization and phytoremediation experiments.
Graphical Abstract
External Beam Radiotherapy in the Management of Uveal Melanoma
Authors: Yilmaz Melek Tugce , Sari Sezin Yuce , Zorlu Faruk , Yazici Gozde 
Published: June 2024

Opinion statementUveal melanoma is the most common primary ocular tumor in adults. With the evidence demonstrating that episcleral plaque brachytherapy (EPB) has similar survival rates as enucleation in the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS), eye-sparing treatments have come to the fore today. External radiotherapy techniques (proton beam radiotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery/fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery) are an important treatment option for globe-sparing treatments. There are no prospective randomized trials comparing these techniques; however, retrospective series, meta-analyses, and reviews indicate that these EPB and external radiotherapy techniques are equal. With this review, we aimed to examine the external radiotherapy techniques used in the treatment of uveal melanoma in detail with reference to the current literature.
Patients’ Satisfaction with Healthcare Services Among Older People with Multimorbidity: Subnational Gender Perspective
Authors: Ahmed Abdulsalam , Khan Hafiz T.A. , Lawal Muili 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackground and Aim The universal use of patient satisfaction as a measure of quality of healthcare cannot be overemphasized, but studies of healthcare satisfaction between older women and older men with multimorbidity in our contemporary society has been questioned over the years. This paper explores the disparities in patient satisfaction between older women and men with multimorbidity in Nigeria using survey data. Methods We analyzed data collected between October 2021 to February 2022 from a cross-section of randomly sampled 734 participants with multimorbidity with age 60 years and above who presented for routine check-ups and consented to participate in the study. The data were entered into JISC online data collection tool and exported to IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 27 for analysis. Mann-Whitney U test analysis was performed to compare the participant’s mean satisfaction level and gender. Results Despite higher education among males, females utilize healthcare services more. Our study shows that females are less likely to be satisfied with factors that are linked to access and quality of healthcare, and financial burden of medical care. Whereas males are more likely to be satisfied with factors that relate to patient-physician interaction time and patient waiting time and confidence and trust in medical care. Conclusions Female and male patients may have different expectations regarding healthcare, especially in our society where men are more educated, but females utilize the healthcare services more. The development of appropriate strategies for the implementation of knowledge about patient gender differences will be crucial for the delivery of high-quality gender-sensitive healthcare.
Further improvements of the estimation of key enumeration with applications to solving LWE
Authors: Budroni Alessandro , Mårtensson Erik 
Published: June 2024

AbstractIn post-quantum cryptography, Learning With Errors (LWE) is one of the dominant underlying mathematical problems. The dual attack is one of the main strategies for solving the LWE problem, and it has recently gathered significant attention within the research community. The attack strategy consists of a lattice reduction part and a distinguishing part. The latter includes an enumeration subroutine over a certain number of positions of the secret key. Our contribution consists of giving a precise and efficient approach for calculating the expected complexity of such an enumeration procedure, which was missing in the literature. This allows us to decrease the estimated cost of the whole dual attack, both classically and quantumly, on well-known protocols such as Kyber, Saber, and TFHE. In addition, we explore different enumeration strategies to investigate some potential further improvements. As our method of calculating the expected cost of enumeration is pretty general, it might be of independent interest in other areas of cryptanalysis or even in different research areas.
Sympathetic 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine index for Lewy body disease: probability-based diagnosis and identifying patients exempt from late imaging
Authors: Nakajima Kenichi , Matsumura Takeshi , Komatsu Junji , Wakabayashi Hiroshi , Ono Kenjiro , Kinuya Seigo 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Objective
We aimed to establish a practical diagnostic index for Lewy body diseases (LBD), such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia, with Lewy bodies in outpatient settings and criteria for exempting patients from late imaging.

Methods
We acquired early and late 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) images from 108 consecutive patients with suspected LBD and standardized heart-to-mediastinum (H/M) ratios for collimator conditions. Exclusions included young-onset Parkinson’s disease (age < 50 years) and genetic transthyretin-type amyloidosis. We developed logistic models incorporating H/M ratios with or without age (n = 92). The sympathetic MIBG index for LBD (SMILe index), categorized LBD likelihood from 0 (lowest) to 1 (highest). Diagnostic accuracy was assessed as the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). The characteristics of the new index were compared with H/M ratios. The need for late imaging was explored using the SMILe index.

Results
Early or late SMILe indexes using a single H/M ratio variable discriminated LBD from non-LBD. The AUC values for early and late SMILe indexes were 0.880 and 0.894 (p < 0.0001 for both), identical to those for early and late H/M ratios. The sensitivity and the specificity of early SMILe indexes with a 0.5 threshold were 76% and 90%, achieving accuracy of accuracy 86%. Similarly, the late SMILe index demonstrated a sensitivity of 76% and specificity of 87%, with an accuracy of 84%. Early SMILe indexes < 0.3 or > 0.7 (representing 84% patients) indicated a diagnosis without a late MIBG study.

Conclusion
The 123I-MIBG-derived SMILe indexes provide likelihood of LBD, and those with a 50% threshold demonstrated optimal diagnostic accuracy for LBD. The index values of either < 0.3 or > 0.7 accurately selected patients who do not need late imaging.
Denizli Travertine: A Global Heritage Stone Resource Nominee from Western Türkiye
Authors: Özkul Mehmet , Gül Arzu , Koralay Tamer , Özen Hülya , Semiz Barış , Duman Bahadır 
Published: June 2024

AbstractA global heritage stone designated by International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) is a natural stone that has been widely used in significant architecture and monuments, recognized as integral aspects of human culture.The aim of this study is to evaluate the characteristics of the Quaternary travertine formations located in Western Türkiye called ‘Denizli Travertine’ as a global heritage stone candidate. The Denizli Travertine have been commonly used as building stones in the ancient cities of the Lycus Valley since the second century BC. The cotton-white Pamukkale Travertine, which was designated as one of The First 100 Geological Heritage by IUGS in 2022, is the recent part of the Denizli Travertine. The travertine-dominated structures have given a privileged feature to the aforementioned ancient cities. In these cities, public buildings such as theatre, agora, bath basilica, monumental fountain, bridges and fortification wall were predominantly built in travertine. Since the thirteenth century, the use of the travertine also continued in the buildings of Seljuk Period, like caravanserais, monumental tombs and castle walls. The travertine consists of carbonate minerals (i.e. mostly calcite, with less amount of aragonite) and is porous. The main texture is significantly wackestone to packstone including peloid, bacterial/crystalline dendrite, and coated grain. Another type is banded travertines, which occurs as a fissure fill or vein, have a completely crystalline texture and has been mostly used for decorative purpose. Contemporarily, the stone is widely used in many areas such as flooring, cladding, stair steps, countertops, table, coffee tables and sculptures and is traded worldwide, and therefore considered to deserve to be designated as a global heritage stone resource.
Detection of Cyclic Imines (CIs) Toxins in Whole Body of Shellfishes: First Monitoring Report of CIs in South Korea Shellfishes
Authors: Kim Young-Sang , Nagahawatta D. P. , Kurera M. J. M. S. , Jayawardhana H. H. A. C. K. , Liyanage N. M. , Dissanayake D. S. , Amarasiri R. P. G. S. K. , Kim Chan-Young , Je Jun-Geon , Lee Sang Gil , Jo Hee Young , Kim Hong Ju , Oh Myung Jin , Seo Nari , An Hyun Joo , Jeon You-Jin 
Published: June 2024

AbstractCyclic imines (CIs) produced by microalgal species that accumulate in the food chains of marine organisms are novel biotoxins that do not belong to the classic group of marine biotoxins. In the past, CIs were found only in limited areas; however, in recent years, rapid changes in marine ecosystems have led to widespread CIs and increased exposure to toxic risks. In this study, we analyzed seven CI toxins, GYM-A, SPX (13-desmethyl spirolide C, 13, 19-dideMe spirolide C, 20-methyl spirolide G), and PnTX-E, F, and G, using LC/MRM-MS. Shellfish samples were purchased from a domestic Korean fish market (67 samples in 2021 and 216 samples in 2022). The entire body of the shellfish was ground and extracted with 50% methanol, followed by lipophilic-specific SPE. Only GYM-A, PnTX-G, and 13-desmethyl spirolide C were detected in all analyzed samples. The maximum concentrations of GYM-A is maximum 179 ppt (ng/kg) in Crassostrea nippona (March 2022), PnTX-G is maximum 7 ppt in Anadara broughtonii (April 2022), 13-desmethyl SPX C is maximum 58 ppt in Crassostrea nippona (April 2022). The southern coast exhibited the highest frequency of detection of these toxins, which was attributed to elevated sea-surface temperatures, aligned with conducive conditions for toxin-producing phytoplankton. According to the monitoring results, there were no significant CI toxins in the shellfish; however, it is important to monitor CI toxin accumulation in shellfish because of their high risk of toxicity.
Buffalo milk: an essential natural adjuvant
Authors: Emakpor Oghenerume Lucky , Edo Great Iruoghene , Jikah Agatha Ngukuran , Ikpekoro Victor Ovie , Agbo Joy Johnson , Ainyanbhor Irene Ebosereme , Essaghah Arthur Efeoghene Athan , Ekokotu Helen Avuokerie , Oghroro Ephraim Evi Alex , Akpoghelie Patrick Othuke 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe water buffalo breed known as the Murrah buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is primarily raised for its milk. It is preserved in the Indian states of Haryana and Punjab, namely in the districts of Bhiwani, Agra, Hisar, Rohtak, Jind, Jhajhar, Fatehabad, Gurgaon, and the Delhi capital city. The fat from buffalo milk also contains ketoglycerides. While β-lactoglobulin, which contains branched chain and essential amino acids as well as a retinol-binding protein that may modulate lymphatic processes, is absent from human milk, buffalo milk has somewhat more of this protein than cow’s milk and is also the primary source of whey protein. It has the ability to create antimicrobial peptides that work well against gram-positive bacteria and are released by proteolytic enzymes during trypsin-catalyzed digestion. International dairy product production is increasingly shifting to domestic buffalo as a substitute source. Buffalo milk contains a high amount of calcium, a mineral that is necessary for the development of bones. Moreover, it contains casein-derived peptides, which may promote bone health and reduce the likelihood of osteoporosis, a disorder characterized by weakening bones and an increased risk of fractures. Customers love buffalo milk because of its excellent nutritional value. It may be eaten raw or used to manufacture premium products like cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and other traditional dairy products.
On the Theory of the Divergence Method for Quantifying Source Emissions From Satellite Observations
Authors: Koene E. F. M. , Brunner D. , Kuhlmann G. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe divergence method, a lightweight approach for estimating emission fluxes from satellite images, rests on a few implicit assumptions. This paper explicitly outlines these assumptions by deriving the method from first principles. The assumptions are: the enhanced mass flux is dominated by advection, normal fluxes vanish at the top and bottom of the atmosphere, steady‐state conditions apply, sources are multiplications of temporal and spatial functions, sinks are described as first‐order reactions, and effective wind fields are concentration‐weighted wind fields. No such assumptions have to be made for the background field. A “topography correction term” does not follow from the theory, but is rather shown to be a practical correction for topography‐dependent effective wind speed errors. The cross‐sectional flux method follows naturally from the derived theory, and the methods are compared. Effects of discrete pixels and finite‐difference operations are explored, leading to recommendations, primarily the recommendation to integrate over small regions only to minimize the influence of noise. Numerical examples featuring Gaussian plumes and COSMO‐GHG simulated plumes are provided. The Gaussian plume example suggests that the divergence method might underestimate emissions when assuming only advection in the presence of cross‐wind diffusion. Conversely, the cross‐sectional flux method remains unaffected, provided fluxes are integrated across the entire plume. The COSMO‐GHG example reveals frequent violations of the steady‐state assumption, although the assumption remains valid proximal to the source (<20 km in this example). It is the hope that this paper provides a solid theoretical foundation for the divergence and cross‐sectional flux methods.
Multi-target measurable residual disease assessed by error-corrected sequencing in patients with acute myeloid leukemia: An ALFA study
Authors: Hirsch Pierre , Lambert Jérôme , Bucci Maxime , Deswarte Caroline , Boudry Augustin , Lambert Juliette , Fenwarth Laurene , Micol Jean-Baptiste , Terré Christine , Celli-Lebras Karine , Thomas Xavier , Dombret Hervé , Duployez Nicolas , Preudhomme Claude , Itzykson Raphael , Delhommeau Francois 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe evaluation of measurable residual disease (MRD) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) using comprehensive mutation analysis by next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been investigated in several studies. However controversial results exist regarding the detection of persisting mutations in DNMT3A, TET2, and ASXL1 (DTA). Benchmarking of NGS-MRD taking into account other molecular MRD strategies has to be done. Here, we performed error-corrected-NGS-MRD in 189 patients homogeneously treated in the ALFA-0702 study (NCT00932412). Persistence of non-DTA mutations (HR = 2.23 for RFS and 2.26 for OS), and DTA mutations (HR = 2.16 for OS) were associated with poorer prognosis in multivariate analysis. Persistence of at least two mutations in complete remission (CR) was associated with a higher cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) (HR = 3.71, p < 0.0001), lower RFS (HR = 3.36, p < 0.0001) and OS (HR = 3.81, p = 0.00023) whereas persistence of only one mutation was not. In 100 analyzable patients, WT1-MRD, but not NGS-MRD, was an independent factor for RFS and OS. In the subset of 67 NPM1 mutated patients, both NPM1 mutation detection (p = 0.0059) and NGS-MRD (p = 0.035) status were associated with CIR. We conclude that detectable NGS-MRD including DTA mutations correlates with unfavorable prognosis in AML. Its integration with alternative MRD strategies in AML management warrants further investigations.
Convergent approach for direct cross-coupling enabled by flash irreversible generation of cationic and anionic species
Authors: Soutome Hiroki , Yamashita Hiroki , Shimizu Yutaka , Takumi Masahiro , Ashikari Yosuke , Nagaki Aiichiro 
Published: June 2024

AbstractIn biosynthesis multiple kinds of reactive intermediates are generated, transported, and reacted across different parts of organisms, enabling highly sophisticated synthetic reactions. Herein we report a convergent synthetic approach, which utilizes dual intermediates of cationic and carbanionic species in a single step, hinted at by the ideal reaction conditions. By reactions of unsaturated precursors, such as enamines, with a superacid in a flow microreactor, cationic species, such as iminium ions, are generated rapidly and irreversibly, and before decomposition, they are transported to react with rapidly and independently generated carbanions, enabling direct C-C bond formation. Taking advantage of the reactivity of these double reactive intermediates, the reaction take place within a few seconds, enabling synthetic reactions which are not applicable in conventional reactions.
Germline-like TCR-α chains shared between autoreactive T cells in blood and pancreas
Authors: Linsley Peter S. , Nakayama Maki , Balmas Elisa , Chen Janice , Barahmand-pour-Whitman Fariba , Bansal Shubham , Bottorff Ty , Serti Elisavet , Speake Cate , Pugliese Alberto , Cerosaletti Karen 
Published: June 2024

AbstractHuman type 1 diabetes (T1D) is caused by autoimmune attack on the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells by islet antigen-reactive T cells. How human islet antigen-reactive (IAR) CD4+ memory T cells from peripheral blood affect T1D progression in the pancreas is poorly understood. Here, we aim to determine if IAR T cells in blood could be detected in pancreas. We identify paired αβ (TRA/TRB) T cell receptors (TCRs) in IAR T cells from the blood of healthy, at-risk, new-onset, and established T1D donors, and measured sequence overlap with TCRs in pancreata from healthy, at risk and T1D organ donors. We report extensive TRA junction sharing between IAR T cells and pancreas-infiltrating T cells (PIT), with perfect-match or single-mismatch TRA junction amino acid sequences comprising ~29% total unique IAR TRA junctions (942/3,264). PIT-matched TRA junctions were largely public and enriched for TRAV41 usage, showing significant nucleotide sequence convergence, increased use of germline-encoded versus non-templated residues in epitope engagement, and a potential for cross-reactivity. Our findings thus link T cells with distinctive germline-like TRA chains in the peripheral blood with T cells in the pancreas.