bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Association between dietary phytochemical index and risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a case-control study
Authors: Mousavi Seyedeh Neda , Nouri Maryam , Yousefi Rad Esmaeil , Kazemi Reza , Birjandi Mehdi , Coe Shelly , Saboori Somayeh 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
Dietary intake of phytochemicals has been associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases, but research on their relationship with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is limited. This case-control study aimed to investigate the association between a Dietary Phytochemical Index (DPI) and BPH risk in a Middle-Eastern population.

Methods
The study recruited 112 BPH patients and 112 age-matched healthy controls (40–75 years) from Al-Zahra Hospital Clinic in Isfahan, Iran between 2021 and 2022. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food-frequency questionnaire, and DPI was calculated as the ratio of energy intake from phytochemical-rich foods to total daily energy intake. Logistic regression analysis was performed, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results
In the crude model, participants in the highest DPI tertile had a 70% lower odds of BPH compared to those in the lowest tertile (OR:0.3, 95% CI 0.15–0.61, P-trend = 0.001). After adjusting for confounders, this inverse association remained significant (OR:0.23, 95% CI 0.15–0.63, P-trend = 0.001). Participants with higher DPI consumed more whole grains (p = 0.02), nuts (p < 0.001), legumes (p = 0.02), fruits (p < 0.001), vegetables (p < 0.001), olives and oilve products (p = 0.02), and tomato and its products (p < 0.001) in their diet compared to the lowest tertile. However, red meat (p = 0.03) and refined grains (p < 0.001) were consumed in higher amounts in the lowest tertile compared to the highest DPI tertile.

Conclusions
This study demonstrates a protective association between DPI and BPH risk in the Middle-Eastern population. Encouraging higher intake of phytochemical-rich foods may help reduce the risk of BPH, highlighting the relevance of nutritional science in promoting prostate health.
Phenotypic characterization of ESBL-producing urinary isolates of E. coli and Klebsiella spp. in a tertiary care children's hospital in Nepal
Authors: Pantha Santosh , Parajuli Hiramani , Arjyal Charu , Karki Shovana Thapa , Shrestha Dhiraj 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
The production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) among uropathogens, particularly E. coli and Klebsiella spp., poses a severe public health concern. This study explored the epidemiology of ESBL-producing E. coli and Klebsiella spp. isolated from urine samples obtained at a tertiary care children's hospital in Nepal.

Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2016 to February 2017. A total of 745 clean catch urine samples were obtained from pediatric patients under the age of 13 and subjected to semiquantitative culture. E. coli and Klebsiella spp. were identified using standard laboratory protocols. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, and ESBL producers were phenotypically identified using the combined disk method.

Results
Among the bacterial isolates, E. coli predominated, accounting for 139 (81.8%) positive cases. Notably, E. coli showed high susceptibility to nitrofurantoin, with 117 (84.2%) isolates being susceptible. Meanwhile, K. pneumoniae showed high susceptibility to gentamicin, with 21 (91.3%) isolates being susceptible. Of the 163 isolates of E. coli and Klebsiella spp., 62 (38.0%) were identified as multidrug-resistant (MDR), with 42 (25.8%) confirmed as phenotypic ESBL producers. Remarkably, all 41 (100%) ESBL-producing E. coli isolates were susceptible to imipenem.

Conclusions
The prevalence of ESBL producers among E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates from pediatric patients underscores the importance of antimicrobial stewardship. Nitrofurantoin and gentamicin emerge as effective empirical treatment choices against these pathogens in children. However, the high rates of multidrug resistance and ESBL production highlight the necessity for routine surveillance, and early detection strategies to manage such infections effectively.
Designing Ti-6Al-4V microstructure for strain delocalization using neural networks
Authors: Ahmadikia Behnam , Beyerlein Adolph L. , Hestroffer Jonathan M. , Kumar M. Arul , Beyerlein Irene J. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe deformation behavior of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy is significantly influenced by slip localized within crystallographic slip bands. Experimental observations reveal that intense slip bands in Ti-6Al-4V form at strains well below the macroscopic yield strain and may serially propagate across grain boundaries, resulting in long-range localization that percolates through the microstructure. These connected, localized slip bands serve as potential sites for crack initiation. Although slip localization in Ti-6Al-4V is known to be influenced by various factors, an investigation of optimal microstructures that limit localization remains lacking. In this work, we develop a novel strategy that integrates an explicit slip band crystal plasticity technique, graph networks, and neural network models to identify Ti-6Al-4V microstructures that reduce the propensity for strain localization. Simulations are conducted on a dataset of 3D polycrystals, each represented as a graph to account for grain neighborhood and connectivity. The results are then used to train neural network surrogate models that accurately predict localization-based properties of a polycrystal, given its microstructure. These properties include the ratio of slip accumulated in the band to that in the matrix, fraction of total applied strain accommodated by slip bands, and spatial connectivity of slip bands throughout the microstructure. The initial dataset is enriched by synthetic data generated by the surrogate models, and a grid search optimization is subsequently performed to find optimal microstructures. Describing a 3D polycrystal with only a few features and a combination of graph and neural network models offer robustness compared to the alternative approaches without compromising accuracy. We show that while each material property is optimized through a unique microstructure solution, elongated grain shape emerges as a recurring feature among all optimal microstructures. This finding suggests that designing microstructures with elongated grains could potentially mitigate strain localization without compromising strength.
Baseline and early response 2-[18F]FDG-PET/MRI for prediction of radiotherapy outcome in uterine cervical squamous cell carcinoma: a prospective single-center observational cohort study
Authors: Strandberg Sara , Jonsson Joakim , Zarei Maryam , Aglund Kristina , Blomqvist Lennart , Söderkvist Karin 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
Should early response imaging predict tumor response to therapy, personalized treatment adaptations could be feasible to improve outcome or reduce the risk of adverse events. This prospective single-center observational study on 2-fluorine-18-fluoro-deoxy-glucose (2-[18F]FDG) positron-emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) features aims to investigate the association between semantic 2-[18F]FDG-PET/MRI imaging parameters and outcome prediction in uterine cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) treated with radiotherapy.

Results
Eleven study participants with previously untreated CSCC were examined with 2-[18F]FDG-PET/MRI at baseline and approximately one week after start of curative radiotherapy. All study participants had at least 24 months clinical follow-up. Two patients relapsed during the follow-up period. Reduced tumor size according to visual assessment was present in 9/11 participants (median change in sum of largest diameters (SLD) − 10.4%; range − 2.5 to − 24.6%). The size reduction was less pronounced in the relapse group compared to the no relapse group, with median change in SLD − 4.9%, versus − 10.4%. None of the reductions qualified as significantly reduced or increased in size according to RECIST 1.1., hence all participants were at this stage classified as non-responders/stable disease. Median baseline functional tumor volume (FTV) for the relapse group was 126 cm3, while for the no relapse group 9.3 cm3. Median delta FTV in the relapse group was 50.7 cm3, representing an actual increase in metabolically active volume, while median delta FTV in the no relapse group was − 2.0 cm3. Median delta apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was lower in the relapse group versus the no relapse group (− 3.5 mm2/s vs. 71 mm2/s).

Conclusions
Early response assessment with 2-[18F]FDG-PET/MRI identified potentially predictive functional imaging biomarkers for prediction of radiotherapy outcome in CSCC, that could not be recognized with tumor measurements according to RECIST 1.1. These biomarkers (delta FTV and delta ADC) should be further evaluated.
Trial registration Clinical Trials, NCT02379039. Registered 4 March 2015—Retrospectively registered, https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT02379039.
Research progress on the electrophysiological indicators to predict the efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation for drug-refractory epilepsy
Authors: Li Guangli , Li Zhenguang , Liu Yingting 
Published: March 2024

AbstractVagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an important treatment option for drug-refractory epilepsy (DRE), with well-established efficacy and safety in clinical practice for more than 20 years. However, it is very difficult to find the optimal electrophysiological indicators for the effectiveness of VNS on DRE because the mechanism of action is unknown. In this review, we provide an update of the potential applications of VNS outcomes in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Electroencephalographic (EEG) activity, event-related potentials, EEG synchronization levels, magnetoencephalographic, laryngeal muscle evoked potentials, and heart rate variability are potential biomarkers for VNS outcomes in people with DRE.
Sustainable and one-pot fabrication of peptide chelated calcium from fish scale hydrolysates
Authors: Dai Hongjie , Cao Yingnan , Fu Yu , Tang Mi , Feng Xin , Ma Liang , Zhang Yuhao 
Published: March 2024

AbstractFish scales, considered as low-value by-products, contain peptides and hydroxyapatite that can be applied to produce peptide chelated calcium directly. This study developed a sustainable and one-pot fabrication method for the peptide-chelated calcium from fish scale hydrolysates (FSP-Ca). During pepsin hydrolysis, the releases of peptides (FSP), calcium, and phosphate from fish scales occurred simultaneously, and the chelation was also effectively performed. After a 6-h hydrolysis, the yield of FSP was 46.18%, and the dissolution rate of calcium was 49.53%. Under the optimal conditions (pH 7, chelation time of 25 min, and chelation temperature of 48 °C), a high chelation rate of 86.16% was obtained, with a calcium content of 81.8 mg/g. The results of UV absorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the successful chelation between FSP and calcium derived from fish scales. The –NH2, –COO–, N–H, C=O, C–H, and –OH groups in FSP participated in the formation of FSP-Ca.
Graphical Abstract
Chlorogenic acid regulates the expression of protein phosphatase 2A subunit B in the cerebral cortex of a rat stroke model and glutamate-exposed neurons
Authors: Kang Ju-Bin , Son Hyun-Kyoung , Park Dong-Ju , Jin Yeung-Bae , Koh Phil-Ok 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
Ischemic stroke is a serious neurological disorder caused by blockages in cerebral artery. Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a phosphatase that performs a critical role in cell signaling and growth. PP2A subunit B acts as a neuroprotective agent in the nerve system. Chlorogenic acid, which is mainly found in roasted coffee, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects. We hypothesized that chlorogenic acid modulates PP2A subunit B expression in ischemic stroke models and glutamate-mediated neurons. Middle artery occlusion (MCAO) surgery was operated and chlorogenic acid (30 mg/kg) or phosphate buffer saline was treated 2 h after MCAO. The cerebral cortex was collected 24 h after surgery and the change of PP2A subunit B expression was analyzed. Glutamate and/or chlorogenic acid were treated in cultured neurons, further study was performed.

Results
A decrease in PP2A subunit B expression in MCAO animals was identified. Chlorogenic acid alleviated this decrease due to ischemic injury. Moreover, the number of PP2A subunit B-positive cells in the ischemic cerebral cortex was significantly decreased, chlorogenic acid alleviated this decrease. We also found protective effects of chlorogenic acid in neurons exposed to glutamate. Glutamate decreased the expression of PP2A subunit B and chlorogenic acid mitigated this decrease. Our results elucidated that chlorogenic acid performs neuroprotective functions and attenuates the reduction of PP2A subunit B by brain damage and glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity.

Conclusions
We showed that chlorogenic acid attenuated the decrease of PP2A subunit B in ischemic injury and neurons exposed to glutamate. Since PP2A subunit B contributes to the protection of brain tissue, we can suggest that chlorogenic acid preserves neurons by modulating PP2A subunit B during ischemic damage.
To evaluate the analgesic effectiveness of bilateral erector spinae plane block versus thoracic epidural analgesia in open cardiac surgeries approached through midline sternotomy
Authors: Bhat Hilal Ahmad , Khan Talib , Puri Arun , Narula Jatin , Mir Altaf Hussain , Wani Shaqul Qamar , Ashraf Hakeem Zubair , Sidiq Suhail , Kabir Saima 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
The efficacy of the erector spinae plane (ESP) block in mitigating postoperative pain has been shown for a range of thoracic and abdominal procedures. However, there is a paucity of literature investigating its impact on postoperative analgesia as well as its influence on weaning and subsequent recovery in comparison to thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) in median sternotomy-based approach for open-cardiac surgeries and hence the study.

Methods
Irrespective of gender or age, 74 adult patients scheduled to undergo open cardiac surgery were enrolled and randomly allocated into two groups: the Group TEA (thoracic epidural block) and the Group ESP (bilateral Erector Spinae Plane block). The following variables were analysed prospectively and compared among the groups with regard to pain control, as determined by the VAS Scale both at rest (VASR) and during spirometry (VASS), time to extubation, quantity and frequency of rescue analgesia delivered, day of first ambulation, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), and any adverse cardiac events (ACE), respiratory events (ARE), or other events, if pertinent.

Results
Clinical and demographic variables were similar in both groups. Both groups had overall good pain control, as determined by the VAS scale both at rest (VASR) and with spirometry (VASS) with Group ESP demonstrating superior pain regulation compared to Group TEA during the post-extubation period at 6, 9, and 12 h, respectively (P > 0.05). Although statistically insignificant, the postoperative mean rescue analgesic doses utilised in both groups were comparable, but there was a higher frequency requirement in Group TEA. The hemodynamic and respiratory profiles were comparable, except for a few arrhythmias in Group TEA. With comparable results, early recovery, fast-track extubation, and intensive care unit (ICU) stay were achieved.

Conclusions
The ESP block has been found to have optimal analgesic effects during open cardiac surgery, resulting in a decreased need for additional analgesic doses and eliminating the possibility of a coagulation emergency. Consequently, it presents itself as a safer alternative to the potentially invasive thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA).
Targeting Molecular Measurable Residual Disease and Low-Blast Relapse in AML With Venetoclax and Low-Dose Cytarabine: A Prospective Phase II Study (VALDAC)
Authors: Tiong Ing Soo , Hiwase Devendra K. , Abro Emad , Bajel Ashish , Palfreyman Emma , Beligaswatte Ashanka , Reynolds John , Anstee Natasha , Nguyen Tamia , Loo Sun , Chua Chong Chyn , Ashby Michael , Wiltshire Kaitlyn M. , Fleming Shaun , Fong Chun Y. , Teh Tse-Chieh , Blombery Piers , Dillon Richard , Ivey Adam , Wei Andrew H. 
Published: March 2024

PURPOSE A prospective phase II study examined the safety and efficacy of venetoclax combined with low-dose cytarabine (LDAC) in AML at first measurable residual disease (MRD) or oligoblastic relapse. METHODS Patients with either MRD (≥1 log10 rise) or oligoblastic relapse (blasts 5%-15%) received venetoclax 600 mg once daily D1-28 plus LDAC once daily D1-10 in 28-day cycles. The primary objective was MRD response in the MRD relapse cohort or complete remission (CR/CRh/CRi) in the oligoblastic relapse cohort. RESULTS Forty-eight adults with either MRD (n = 26) or oligoblastic (n = 22) relapse were enrolled. Median age was 67 years (range, 18-80) and 94% had received previous intensive chemotherapy. Patients received a median of four cycles of therapy; 17% completed ≥12 cycles. Patients with oligoblastic relapse had more grade ≥3 anemia (32% v 4%; P = .02) and infections (36% v 8%; P = .03), whereas grade 4 neutropenia (32 v 23%) or thrombocytopenia (27 v 15%) were comparable with the MRD relapse cohort. Markers of molecular MRD relapse included mutant NPM1 (77%), CBFB::MYH11 (4%), RUNX1::RUNX1T1 (4%), or KMT2A::MLLT3 (4%). Three patients with a log10 rise in IDH1/ 2 (12%) were included. By cycle 2 in the MRD relapse cohort, a log10 reduction in MRD was observed in 69%; 46% achieved MRD negative remission. In the oligoblastic relapse cohort, 73% achieved CR/CRh/CRi. Overall, 21 (44%) underwent hematopoietic cell transplantation. Median overall survival (OS) was not reached in either cohort. Estimated 2-year OS rate was 67% (95% CI, 50 to 89) in the MRD and 53% (95% CI, 34 to 84) in the oligoblastic relapse cohorts. CONCLUSION For AML in first remission and either MRD or oligoblastic relapse, venetoclax plus LDAC is well tolerated and highly effective.
Association of Serum Phosphate, Calcium and Alkaline Phosphatase With Risk of Incident Fractures in Healthy Older Adults
Authors: Hussain Sultana Monira , Seeman Ego , Schneider Hans G , Ebeling Peter R , Barker Anna L , Polkinghorne Kevan , Newman Anne B , Yu Chenglong , Lacaze Paul , Owen Alice , Tran Cammie , Nelson Mark R , Woods Robyn Lorraine , Yeap Bu B , Clark David , Beilin Lawrence J , McNeil John J 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Context
Aging increases fracture risk through bone loss and microarchitecture deterioration due to an age-related imbalance in bone resorption and formation during bone remodeling.

Objective
We examined the associations between levels of phosphate, calcium (Ca), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and fracture risk in initially healthy older individuals.

Methods
A post hoc analysis of the Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) trial recruited 16 703 Australian participants aged 70 years and older and 2411 US participants aged 65 years and older. Analyses were conducted on ASPREE-Fracture substudy participants from Australia with serum calcium, phosphate, and ALP measurement. Fracture data were collected post randomization. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs. Phosphate, Ca, and ALP were analyzed in deciles (D1-D10), with deciles 4 to 7 (31%-70%) as the reference category. Restricted cubic spline curves were used to identify nonlinear associations.

Results
Of the 9915 participants, 907 (9.2%) individuals had incident fractures recorded over 3.9 (SD 1.4) years. In the fully adjusted model, men in the top decile (D10) of phosphate had a 78% higher risk of incident fracture (HR 1.78; 95% CI, 1.25-2.54). No such association was observed for women (HR 1.09; 95% CI, 0.83-1.44). The population attributable fraction in men within the D10 phosphate category is 6.9%.

Conclusion
This result confirms that high-normal serum phosphate levels are associated with increased fracture risk in older men.
Colonial Factions and Pamphlet Warfare
Authors: Fairfax-Cholmeley Alex 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Two Paris-based factions offered the reading public competing histories of the French and Haitian Revolutions as they vied to settle old scores and secure influence over future imperial policy in Thermidorian France. One, a colonial faction, sought to restore as much as possible of Saint-Domingue's pre–slave rebellion structure and identity; the other was more mixed but consisted of individuals who were reconciled to working with the emancipated Black majority in the colony to secure the French republic's strategic and economic interests. The two groups disseminated printed pamphlets offering starkly different visions of the upheaval in France's prized Caribbean colony, as well as opposing interpretations of how revolutionary events in Saint-Domingue and the metropole had been enmeshed since 1789. What both factions shared was a belief in the political significance of controlling this narrative and an emphasis on the shared nature of Saint-Domingue and France's recent history: a dual revolution spanning the Atlantic.
Longing for the Beheaded Father
Authors: Green Netta 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
The article analyzes French departmental statistical reports published under the Directory and the Consulate as a prism for tracing transformations in ideas about inheritance, from the Montagnards' radical egalitarianism to the Napoleonic Civil Code. By focusing on prefects, who provided statistical reports on the population of their respective departments, the article reveals their role in ushering in a return to patriarchalism. Not only did some prefects turn a blind eye to the fact that many families were ignoring the new egalitarian inheritance laws, but they also used novel social scientific vocabulary to defend practices of local, unequal property distribution. Paradoxically, those communities that the statisticians perceived as un-French and uneducated were also those that supposedly encapsulated the domestic values that would ensure social stability for the nation.
Ecology, ethology, and evolution in the Anthropocene
Authors: Sanita Lima Matheus , Lubbe Frederick Curtis , Dias dos Santos Sarah Helen , Saruhashi Stefane , Maglov Jorden Mikaela , Moreira do Nascimento Joseane , Coulson Soren Zachary 
Published: March 2024

ABSTRACTThe 53rd Ontario Ecology, Ethology, and Evolution Colloquium (OE3C 2023) took place at Western University (London, Canada) on 25-27 May 2023, attracting 160 participants. This Meeting Review aims not only to recapitulate what was discussed during the event, but also to provide a brief synthesis of how biologists can move forward. The event was organised and run by graduate students and postdoctoral researchers from the Department of Biology at Western University. With three international keynote speakers, seventy talks, and fifty poster presentations, the OE3C 2023 spanned a wide range of contemporary research in Ecology, Ethology, and Evolution (“the 3 E's”). The colloquium theme was “Surviving the Anthropocene: future steps for the 3 E's under pressing planetary issues”, which was complemented by illustrations depicting the fauna and flora of the “Canadian Anthropocene”. Participants discussed what biologists and researchers can do regarding future climate and environmental catastrophes. The meeting culminated in a panel discussion comprising three climate change specialists who examined topics such as the Anthropocene and the Great acceleration, the living planet index, and carbon bombs. Although not exhaustive, these topics served as a starting point for the necessary discussions about how biologists can contribute to the fight for the survival of life on Earth.