bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes in people with and without past history of COVID-19 in northeastern Nigeria
Authors: Stephen Roland , Tyndal Jennifer , Hsu Vivian , Sun Jing , Umaru Nura , Olumoh Jamiu , Adegboye Oyelola , Owobi Olah U. , Brown Todd T. 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Background
An increased risk of diabetes mellitus (DM) after COVID-19 has been reported in the United States, Europe, and Asia. The burden of COVID-related DM has not been described in Africa, where the overall risk of DM has been increasing rapidly. Our objective was to compare the prevalence of pre-DM and DM in Nigerian individuals with a history of COVID-19 to individuals without known COVID-19 infection.
Methods
We identified 256 individuals with a past medical history of COVID-19 with no history of pre-DM or DM and 256 individuals without a history of COVID-19 or pre-DM/DM. Participants were categorized as pre-DM (fasting capillary glucose 100–125 mg/dL) or DM (fasting capillary glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL). We used multivariate multinomial logistic regression to determine the odds of pre-DM and DM in those with and without a history of COVID-19 after adjustment for age, gender, the presence of hypertension, physical activity, central adiposity, and family history of DM.
Results
Compared to the control group, those with a history of COVID-19 had a similar median age (38 vs 40 years, p = 0.84), had a higher proportion of men (63% vs 49%), and had a lower prevalence of central adiposity (waist: hip ratio ≥ 0.90 for males and WHR ≥ 0.85 for females) (48% vs 56.3%, p = 0.06). Of the 256 with a history of COVID-19, 44 (17%) required inpatient care. The median (interquartile range) time interval between COVID-19 diagnosis and the glycaemic assessment was 19 (14, 24) months. Pre-DM prevalence was 27% in the post-COVID-19 group and 4% in the control group, whereas the prevalence of DM was 7% in the post-COVID-19 group and 2% in the control group. After multivariable adjustment, the odds of pre-DM were 8.12 (95% confidence interval (CI): 33.98, 16.58; p < 0.001) higher, and the odds of DM were 3.97 (95% CI: 1.16, 13.63) higher in those with a history of COVID-19 compared to controls.
Conclusion
Previous COVID-19 was found to be a risk factor for prevalent pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus in Nigeria. More intensive screening for DM in those with a history of COVID-19 should be considered.
Behavior, Failure Analysis, and Effectiveness of Mechanical Stress Improvement Process in Residual Stress Relaxations in Butt-Welded Austenitic Piping Using a Numerical Simulation Approach
Authors: Zeghida Chouaib , Guedri Abdelmoumene , Allaoui Abdelhalim , Tlili Samira , Belyamna Mohammed Amine , Suleiman Rami K. , meliani mohammed hadj 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

The utilization of the Mechanical Stress Improvement Process (MSIP) is a widely employed technique to improve the behavior and the failure analysis in nuclear power plants. Its purpose is to effectively prevent stress corrosion cracking by eliminating residual tensile stresses present in weldments. This approach serves to impede the formation of cracks and decelerate the advancement of existing failures in piping systems. Consequently, favorable compressive stresses are created along the inner surface of the pipe near the weld, including molten and heat-affected metal zones. To assess the efficacy of MSIP in reducing stress concentrations and enhancing structural integrity, multiple cases were evaluated via numerical simulations in this study. Moreover, the dimensions and placement of the MSIP tool were discussed, with the optimal position and width of the clamp being determined to be 30 mm from the weld line (WL) and 75 mm, respectively. The results of this study indicate that the WL region manifests significantly high compressive stresses, which gradually diminish within a 10 mm distance on each side of the WL.
A novel CFD based method for assessing the coronary microvascular dysfunction: combining coronary angiography and routine fractional flow reserve Running Title: CFD based method for assessing the CMD
Authors: Xie Xinzhou , Zhao Shuai , Chen Yan , Yu Tiantong , Xie Songyun , Zhu Boda , Wei Zhihong , Wang Jiayi , Pu Wenjun , Geng Min , Zou Yiming , Hu Wentao , Liu Haolin , Ma Bingqi , Han Peng , Li Xiang , Li Guoquan , Yang Li , Wang Wei , Li Chengxiang , Gao Haokao , Lian Kun 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Background
A novel computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based method was proposed for the measurement of intracoronary mean flow rate (Q) and absolute microvascular resistance (AMR) by combining coronary angiography and routine fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurement. The aim of this study is to explore the potential of the proposed method to assess the presence of coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD).
Methods
Patients without hemodynamically significant coronary artery stenosis or those after a successful PCI were enrolled. Rest SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) was employed as evidence for assessing the presence of CMD. Based on the sum rest score of target vessel (SRSTV), patients were divided into normal MPI group (SRSTV ≤ 1) and abnormal MPI group (SRSTV > 1). Q and AMR were obtained with a CFD based method during rest and hyperemia condition, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed for discriminating patients with normal MPI and with abnormal MPI.
Results
A total of 57 patients with 61 target vessels were investigated. Based on SRSTV, 22 patients (38.6%) with 23 target vessels (37.7%) were associated with abnormal MPI. Compared with abnormal MPI group, the AMR was significantly lower in normal MPI group (1.97 ± 1.50 mmHg·s/ml vs 3.41 ± 2.30 mmHg·s/ml, p = 0.011), and the Q was significant higher in normal MPI group (0.94 ± 70 mmHg·s/ml vs 0.56 ± 0.50 mmHg·s/ml, p = 0.025). According to ROC curve analysis, the ROC-AUC of Q and AMR for discriminating normal MPI and abnormal MPI was 0.720(95% CI: 0.591–0.828, p = 0.001) and 0.731(95% CI: 0.602–0.836, p = 0.001).
Conclusions
The new CFD based method provides an easy and accurate way to measure the intracoronary flow rate and absolute microvascular resistance, and constitutes a new opportunity for assessing the presence of CMD.
Upregulation of interferon signaling predicts sustained complete remission in pediatric AML patients
Authors: Cugno Chiara , Sherif Shimaa , Ali Aesha , Rinchai Darawan , Elanbari Mohammed , Kizhakayil Dhanya , Toufiq Mohammed , Vempalli Fazulur , Mina Tommaso , Comoli Patrizia , Ghias Kulsoom , Fadoo Zehra , Herrera Sheanna , Lachica Che-Ann , Dason Blessing , Ejaz Anila , Saleh Ayman , Deola Sara , Bedognetti Davide 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

The immunological composition of the microenvironment has shown relevance for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy in solid tumors, while it remains underexplored in acute leukemias. In this study, we investigated the significance of the acute myeloid leukemia (AML) bone marrow microenvironment in predicting chemosensitivity and long-term remission outcomes in pediatric patients. To this aim, we analyzed 32 non-promyelocytic pediatric AML patients at diagnosis using the NanoString PanCancer IO 360 assay and RNA-Sequencing and we validated our findings in the online available TARGET AML pediatric dataset. A short signature of 3 Interferon (IFN)-related genes (GBP1, PARP12, TRAT1) significantly distinguished chemosensitive diseases and stratified patients assigned to standard risk group, as per current treatment protocols, into 2 groups: patients with a high enrichment of the 3 genes at diagnosis had a significantly longer overall survival compared with patients with a low enrichment.
The leukemia microenvironment associated with this signature showed a contextual enhancement of TH1/cytotoxic/NK-related pathways. Our results demonstrate the importance of immune response in the tumor microenvironment of pediatric AML and provide tools for a more refined stratification of pediatric patients otherwise categorized as “standard-risk” and as such, lacking adequate risk-oriented therapeutic strategies. Moreover, they offer a promising guide to tackle immune pathways and potentially exploit immune-targeted therapies.
Diffusion of Nanoparticles in Heterogeneous Hydrogels as Vitreous Humour Substitutes
Authors: Lopez Moira Lorenzo , Kearns Victoria R. , Patterson Eann A. , Curran Judith M. 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Nanomedicine has the potential to increase the biostability of drugs to treat retinal diseases, improving their performance and decreasing the required number of intravitreal injections. However, accurate pharmacokinetic studies of these nanoparticle-drug conjugates, nanoparticle motion across the vitreous humour and interaction with the retinal cell layers still need to be investigated. Existing nanoparticle tracking techniques require fluorescent labels, which can impact cytotoxicity, nanoparticles’ motion, protein interactions, and cell internalization. In this study, a real-time label-free tracking technology, for single nanoparticles in an optical microscope based on the optical phenomena of caustics, was used to characterise the diffusion of nanoparticles in agar-hyaluronic acid hydrogels, previously validated as vitreous humour substitutes for in vitro models. The results demonstrated that the diffusion of nanoparticles through these hydrogels was heterogeneous and that nanoparticle size had an important role in nanoparticle distribution across and within in vitro vitreous substitutes. These findings suggest that nanoparticle diameter is a critical parameter for designing novel therapeutics for retinal diseases. Moreover, nanoparticle charge did not affect nanoparticle diffusion or distribution in these synthetic hydrogels. The use of caustics in optical microscopy has been demonstrated to be a reproducible, inexpensive technique for screening novel therapeutics in eye in vitro models.
Trimethylamine N-oxide Aggravates Neuro-inflammation via lncRNA Fendrr/miR-145-5p/PXN axis in Vascular Dementia Rats
Authors: Deng Yang , Zou Junqing , Hong Ye , Peng Qiang , Li Zhongyuan , Shen Can , Ge Shenghui , Chen Xiangliang , Zhang Yingdong , Duan Rui 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Vascular dementia (VaD) is the second most common dementia in the world, and our previous investigation demonstrated that Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) exacerbates cognitive impairment and neuropathological alterations in VaD rats. Thus, this study is to evaluate the potential mechanism of TMAO in VaD. The rats using the bilateral common carotid artery (2VO) model were administered TMAO (120 mg/kg) for 8 consecutive weeks, 4 weeks preoperatively and 4 weeks postoperatively. High-throughput sequencing was conducted to investigate the effects of TMAO treatment on lncRNA expression in rat hippocampus and bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify potential downstream targets. Learning and spatial memory capacities were measured, as well as inflammatory factors. Nissl staining was used to observe neuronal injury in the CA1 area of the hippocampus. TMAO administration upregulated lncRNA Fendrr expression in the rat hippocampus, while the damaging effects of TMAO were counteracted after knockdown of Fendrr. Fendrr exhibits highly expressed in 2VO rats and sponged miR-145-5p, which targets PXN. Silencing of Fendrr or PXN, or promotion of miR-145-5p improved neurological function injury, reduced neuronal damage, as well as repressed inflammation response. Inhibition of miR-145-5p abrogated up Fendrr knockdown mediated influence on 2VO rats. To summarize, the results of this study indicated that TMAO inhibits the miR-145-5p/PXN axis by increasing the Fendrr expression, thus exacerbating the development of VaD.
Safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of a pentavalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine containing serogroups A, C, W-135, X, and Y in healthy adults: A randomized, single-center, active-controlled, double-blind, phase 1 study
Authors: Oh Jaeseong , Kim Yoonjin , Bae Sungyeun , Yu Kyung-Sang , Lee Chankyu , Kim Jinil , Her Howard , Lee SeungHwan 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Introduction Invasive meningococcal disease is a significant health threat, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, and it often results in outbreaks and severe epidemics. However, existing meningococcal vaccines lack protection against the emerging serogroup X, which has been on the rise since 2010. To address this gap, EuNmCV-5, a pentavalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine targeting serogroups A, C, W-135, X, and Y is newly developed. Methods A randomized, single-center, active-controlled, double-blind, first-in-human, phase 1 study was conducted in healthy Korean adults to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of EuNmCV-5. The test drug, a pentavalent vaccine targeting serogroups A, C, W-135, X, and Y, was compared with the reference drug, a quadrivalent vaccine containing serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y. After obtaining written informed consent, sixty subjects were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive a single intramuscular dose of either the test or reference drug. Safety assessment included monitoring anaphylactic reactions for 30 minutes, recording solicited adverse events for 7 days post-vaccination, unsolicited adverse events for 28 days post-vaccination, and serious adverse events over 180 days. Blood samples were collected before vaccination and 28 days after vaccination for immunogenicity assessment using a rabbit complement-dependent serum bactericidal antibody (rSBA) assay. Immunogenicity parameters, including seroconversion, seroprotection rates, geometric mean titers (GMT), and GMT ratio were compared between the two drugs. Result A total of sixty subjects completed the study as planned, and none of them reported anaphylactic reactions or life-threatening adverse events. The incidence rate and severity of adverse events were comparable between the test and reference drug. Following a single vaccination, the test drug induced seroconversion in over 85% of subjects and achieved a seroprotection rate exceeding 96.7% for all the targeted serogroups. The test drug showed higher seroconversion rates against serogroups A and C than the reference drug (p = 0.0016 and 0.0237, respectively) and maintained seroconversion rates greater than 90% for serogroups W-135 and Y. The GMT ratios (test to the reference drug) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were 5.5 (2.3–13.2), 9.0 (2.5–32.4), 6.1 (2.2–16.7), 397.1 (161.8-974.4), and 5.0 (2.1–12.0) for serogroup A, C, W-135, X, and Y, respectively. Conclusion A single dose of EuNmCV-5 was safe and well-tolerated in healthy Korean adults. It elicited high seroconversion and seroprotection rates, along with a substantial increase in GMT for all targeted serogroups. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05739292
KLF9 inhibits breast cancer metastasis by up-regulating E-cadherin
Authors: Pang Mengyao , Zhang Jie , Zhang Mengjie , Ni Rui , Zhang Mei , Wei Ranru , Li Guohui , Tang Ying , Ma Liming , Li Xiaoyan , Wang Miao 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Krüppel-like factor 9 (KLF9) plays an inhibitory role in the process of breast cancer metastasis. The metastasis of tumor cells is often related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Among them, the gradual decrease of E-cadherin expression on cell surface is an important feature of EMT process. However, the concrete mechanism involved in this process remains largely unknown. In order to explore the mechanism, we have done relevant research. Through the analysis of transcriptome data in TCGA database and immunohistochemistry, we found that KLF9 was at a low expression level in breast cancer patients. The expression of KLF9 was positively correlated with the expression of E-cadherin in breast cancer cells. Functionally, KLF9 transcriptionally up-regulated E-cadherin expression and inhibited breast cancer metastasis, depending on its DBD domain. Mechanistically, KLF9 promoted E-cadherin promoter activity by binding to the CACCC motif (-12 to + 8), increasing the mRNA and protein level of E-cadherin. We also found that KLF9 can compete with SNAI1 to bind to the promoter region(-206 to + 47)of E-cadherin, and inhibit the transcriptional activity of SNAI1, leading to the activation of E-cadherin in breast cancer cells. Taken together, these results confirmed a new mechanism by which KLF9 could up-regulate E-cadherin expression to inhibit breast cancer metastasis, providing a research support for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.
Measurement of computed tomography modulation transfer function with a novel polymethyl methacrylate phantom
Authors: Svenson Jack , Irvine Michael Alan 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

A novel phantom for measuring the 10% and 50% values of the modulation transfer function (MTF) for computed tomography scanners (CT) was investigated. The phantom was constructed by drilling rows of holes of different sizes and frequencies into a small block of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The MTF at a given frequency was determined from the ratio of the range of Hounsfield units within the rows of holes at different frequencies, and the difference in Hounsfield units between air and PMMA. A MTF curve was plotted from measurements at different frequencies and the 10% and 50% MTF values were obtained from a cubic spline interpolation. The MTF results obtained with the drilled hole phantom method were compared to a conventional method - using a thin wire and Spice-CT ImageJ Plugin – and with identical acquisition and reconstruction parameters. The drilled hole phantom measured the 50% MTF with reasonable accuracy but underestimated the 10% MTF by 8.2% on average. MTF measurements were reproducible for repeated image acquisitions and with different users analysing the images, and the phantom was able to accurately measure the change in MTF when measured on images using different reconstruction kernels. The tool may find application as a cheap, easy to use method for routine QC testing of CT scanners.
The effect of using the Hip Exoskeleton Assistive (HEXA) robot compared to conventional physiotherapy on clinical functional outcomes in stroke patients with hemiplegia: A pilot randomized controlled trial
Authors: Mamipour Hamed , Hoseini Seyed Ali , Negahban Hossein , Moradi Ali , Hojjati Amir , Rezaeitalab Fariborz , Torshizian Mohammadreza , Mehrali Arefeh , Parsa Mohammad , Kardan Iman , Tabesh Hamed , Hassankhani Ebrahim Ghayem , Akbarzadeh Alireza 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Recovery of gait function is very crucial in stroke rehabilitation and robotic-assisted gait training (RAGT) as a new approach is a good suggestion because conventional gait rehabilitation is expensive in various aspects and imposes a lot of burden on the physiotherapist. This study aimed to investigate the effect of using Hip Exoskeleton Assistive (HEXA) robot compared to conventional physiotherapy on the quality of walking, disability, and quality of life of stroke patients with hemiplegia. In this study, 24 patients were randomly assigned to the intervention group (robotic physiotherapy with HEXA robot), or control group (conventional physiotherapy). In each session, both groups received 30 minutes of conventional physiotherapy including electrotherapy and conventional exercises, and then the intervention group did gait training for 30 minutes with the HEXA robot and the control group for 30 minutes without the HEXA robot. The treatment program was 12 sessions, 3 times a week. Before the 1st and after the 12th sessions, both groups were evaluated for walking quality, disability, and quality of life. The results showed that the main effect of time was significant (P<0.05) in all outcomes and patients in both groups achieved significant improvement in all outcomes after the intervention. The main effect of the group was also significant in the outcomes of 6MWT (P<0.05) and TUG (P<0.05), and the intervention group patients experienced more distance and speed in these two tests. It seems that the HEXA robot can effectively improve walking capacity and speed. This study was approved by the ethics committee of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (IR.MUMS.FHMPM.REC.1400.079 dated 28th Jan 2022). The trial was registered with the clinical trials site of www.IRCT.ir (IRCT20210730052024N1) on January 28th 2022.
Numerical study of the acoustic spectrum of bubble clusters
Authors: Deng Fuqiang , Zhao Di , Zhang Linxin , Li Yang , Shao Xueming 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

This study delved into the acoustic spectrum of bubble clusters, each consisting of 352 vapor bubbles across volume fractions ranging from 0.005–40%. The clusters, organized in five distinct layers, were modeled using the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method to capture the bubble interfaces, and the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) methodology to compute the far-field acoustic pressure from bubble collapse. Further analysis revealed distinct sound pressure behaviors across different volume fractions: For 25%-40%, time-domain analysis shows that the peak acoustic pressure pulses from the two innermost layers of bubbles are significantly higher than those from the outer layers. In the frequency domain, the octave decay rate of the acoustic pressure levels is relatively low, around − 3dB/octave. For 0.5%-25%, four acoustic pressure pulses with similar widths and peak values were observed in the time domain. In the frequency domain, there are three distinct peaks in sound pressure levels(SPL), directly linked to the difference in collapse times of bubbles within the cluster, and the octave decay rate accelerates as the volume fraction decreases, stabilizing at -6dB/octave when the volume fraction is reduced to 17.5%. For 0.005%-0.5%, as the volume fraction decreases from 0.5–0.1%, the number of acoustic pressure pulses significantly reduces. Below 0.1% volume fraction, only a single wider pulse is observed. In the frequency domain, the octave decay rate gradually increases with decreasing volume fraction, significantly exceeding − 10dB/octave when it drops below 0.1%, reaching up to -11.7dB/octave.
Comparative Study on Key Time Series Models for Exploring the Agricultural Price Volatility in Potato Prices
Authors: Shankar S.Vishnu , Chandel Ashu , Gupta Rakesh Kumar , Sharma Subhash , Chand Hukam , Aravinthkumar A , Ananthakrishnan S 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Potatoes are one of the widely consumed staple foods all over the world. The prices of potatoes were more unstable than other agricultural commodities due to factors such as perishability, production uncertainties, and seasonal fluctuations. These factors make it difficult for farmers to manage and predict production levels, resulting in supply and price fluctuations. Therefore, it is essential to develop predictive models that can accurately forecast the pricing of agricultural commodities like potatoes. The study attempted to explore the pattern of potato prices in major markets of northern India using different time series models. The empirical findings indicated positively skewed data distributed with a high instability index. In terms of forecasting accuracy, the EEMD-ANN model exhibited the best performance among the various time series techniques, generating the lowest MAPE values of 9.10%, 12.97%, and 4.27% for the Chandigarh, Delhi, and Shimla markets, respectively. Meanwhile, the EEMD-ARIMA model yielded the most accurate prediction results for the Dehradun market, with a MAPE value of 12.97%. The outcomes of this study offer significant insights to farmers, consumers, and government bodies for making informed decisions regarding the production, consumption, and distribution of potatoes. Moreover, the effectiveness of various time series models in handling complex agricultural price series was also investigated.