bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investigation of periodontitis, halitosis, xerostomia, and hematological characteristics of patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and identification of new biomarkers
Authors: Lee Yeon-Hee , Hong Seung-Jae , Lee Gi-Ja , Shin Seung-Il , Hong Ji-Youn , Chung Sang Wan , Lee Yeon-Ah 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) are two different types of arthritis. These two diseases share similar clinical characteristics; however, each has a different etiology and requires different treatment. Thus, the accurate diagnosis and development of reliable biomarkers for diagnosing these two diseases is important. This study investigated and compared the distribution of salivary flow rate, xerostomia, halitosis, and periodontitis in patients with RA and OA to clarify the differences from healthy controls. In addition, we investigated the hematological characteristics of the patients, the factors that distinguished patients with RA from those with OA, and the main factors that differentiated between seronegative RA (snRA) and seropositive RA (spRA) patients. A total of 161 participants (mean age: 52.52 ± 14.57 years, 32 males and 129 females) were enrolled in this study and categorized as: normal (n = 33), OA (n = 31), and RA (n = 97). Patients with RA were divided into the following two subtypes: snRA (n = 18) and spRA (n = 79). Demographics, oral health, and hematological characteristics of these patients were compared. The prevalence of periodontal diseases was significantly higher in patients with OA (100%) and RA (92.8%) than in healthy controls (0.0%). Xerostomia occurred more frequently in patients with RA (84.5%) than in patients with OA (3.2%) and healthy controls (0.0%) (all p < 0.001). ROC analysis revealed that periodontal disease was a very strong predictor in the diagnosis of OA compared to healthy controls, with an AUC value of 1.00 (p < 0.001). Additionally, halitosis (AUC = 0.746, 95% CI: 0.621–0.871, p < 0.001) and female sex (AUC = 0.663, 95% CI: 0.529–0.797, p < 0.05) were also significant predictors of OA. The strongest predictors of RA diagnosis compared to healthy controls were periodontal diseases (AUC = 0.964), followed by xerostomia (AUC = 0.923), age (AUC = 0.923), female sex (AUC = 0.660), and halitosis (AUC = 0.615) (all p < 0.05). Significant hematological predictors of RA were anti-CCP Ab (AUC = 0.808), and RF (AUC = 0.746) (all p < 0.05). When diagnosing spRA compared to snRA, anti-CCP Ab (AUC = 1.000, p < 0.001) and RF (AUC = 0.910, 95%CI: 0.854–0.967, p < 0.001) had outstanding predictive performances. Periodontal diseases were present in majority of patients with OA and RA, and were not used as a distinguishing factor between these two diseases. However, xerostomia was overwhelmingly prevalent in patients with RA and had a predictive performance comparable to that of anti-CCP Ab in predicting RA. Therefore, clinicians and researchers should carefully examine the oral status of patients with OA and RA and consider it as a predictor.
Malignant Myoepithelioma of the External Auditory Canal – a Rare Case Report with Literature Review and Clinical Importance of Foramen of Huschke
Authors: Mateášiková Zuzana , Salzman Richard , Michálek Jaroslav 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Background: Myoepitheliomas are rare tumors, mostly arising from the salivary glands. Malignant myoepitheliomas of the ear have rarely been reported. This manuscript reports myoepithelial carcinoma of the external ear canal (EAC) spreading to the infratemporal fossa. A clinician must also be aware of anatomical variation of the bony EAC wall, such as the foramen of Huschke. This rare defect may be a pathway for spreading pathologies between these two anatomical regions.
Case report: We present a case of osteoma-like stenosis of the EAC, which turned out to be an extremely rare malignant tumor. The preoperative MRI and PET/CT revealed that two parts of the tumor communicated through a defect in the antero-inferior portion of the bony ear canal. No distant metastases were detected. Subsequently, the tumor was resected from the ear canal and from the infratemporal fossa en bloc. Perioperatively the defect in the EAC wall was suspected of the foramen of Huschke. After the surgery, the older scans of the patient from the past showed no presence of a congenital EAC wall defect. Therefore, the authors concluded that the tumor aggressively grew through the bone due to its biological nature. This case report is aimed to improve the clinical knowledge of possible unusual communication between EAC and infratemporal fossa.
Conclusion
This is only the fourth reported case describing malignant myoepithelioma of the ear, to date.
The purpose of this article is to point out the clinical importance of proper diagnostic management of ear canal masses, considering their location and possible invasion of adjacent structures. The manuscript also highlights the clinical importance and development of the foramen of Huschke.
Transcriptome analysis of apical meristem enriched bud samples for size dependent flowering commitment in Crocus sativus reveal role of sugar and auxin signalling
Authors: Chaudhary Anjali , Singh Kunal 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Background
Cultivation of Crocus sativus (saffron) face challenges due to inconsistent flowering patterns and variations in yield. Flowering take place in a graded way with smaller corms being unable to produce flowers. Enhancing the productivity requires a comprehensive understanding of the underlying genetic mechanisms that govern this size based flowering initiation and commitment. Therefore, samples enriched with non-flowering and flowering apical buds from small (> 6g) and large (< 15g) corms were sequenced.
Methods and Results
Apical bud enriched samples from small and large corms were collected immediately after break of dormancy in month of July and performed RNA-sequencing on Illumina platform. De-novo transcriptome assembly and analysis using flowering committed buds from large corms at post-dormancy and their comparison with vegetative shoot primordia from small corms pointed out major role of Auxin and ABA hormonal regulation. Many genes with known dual response in flowering development and circadian rhythm like Flowering locus T and Cryptochrome 1 along with a transcript showing homology with small auxin upregulated RNA (SAUR) exhibited induced expression in flowering buds. Thorough prediction of Crocus sativus non-coding RNA repertoire has been carried out for the first time. Enolase was found to be acting as a major hub with protein-protein interaction analysis using Arabidopsis counterparts.
Conclusion
Transcripts belong to key pathways including phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, hormone signaling including and carbon metabolism were found significantly modulated. KEGG assessment and protein-protein interaction analysis conform the expression data. Findings unravel the genetic determinants driving the size-based flowering in Crocus sativus.
May Be A Threshold Value For Differantial Renal Function In Pediatrics With Poor Renal Function?
Authors: Baturu Muharrem , Öztürk Mehmet , Şen Haluk , Durna Görkem , Bayrak Ömer 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors, especially differential renal function (DRF), affecting surgical success in patients with poor renal function associated with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO).
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data of forty-five pediatric patients who underwent pyeloplasty due to a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 15 ml/min or lower secondary to UPJO between 2015 and 2022 were analyzed. The procedures were performed by a single surgeon using the Anderson-Hynes pyeloplasty technique. The patients’ age, UPJO laterality, anteroposterior diameter (APD) of the renal pelvis, renal parenchymal thickness (PT), and preoperative and postoperative DRF and GFRs were recorded. In addition, the effects of the renal pelvis APD/PT ratio, renal pelvis APD/US length ratio, and preoperative DRF levels on the procedure's success were evaluated.
RESULTS: The data of 29 patients who met the study inclusion criteria were examined. The mean age of the study patients was 48.79 months (5–180 months). The mean GFR and DRF values were 13.44±1.52 ml/min and 28.69%±9.32 in the preoperative period and increased to 23.35±10.52 ml/min and 35.71%±15.04 at postoperative 6th-months and 24.35±10.8 ml/min and 35.27%±14.57 at postoperative 12th-months, respectively (p<0.001, p<0.001). A preoperative DRF greater than 18 was identified as a factor affecting success of the surgery (p=0.006).
CONCLUSION: Different from other studies, the cut-off point for DRF was found to be 18 in patients with a GFR of 15 ml/min or lower and diminished renal functions, supporting the notion that pyeloplasty should be preferred in such patients.
Emergent self-adaptation in an integrated photonic neural network for backpropagation-free learning
Authors: Lugnan Alessio , Aggarwal Samarth , Brückerhoff-Plückelmann Frank , Wright C David , Pernice Wolfram , Bhaskaran Harish , Bienstman Peter 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Plastic self-adaptation, nonlinear recurrent dynamics and multi-scale memory are desired features in hardware implementations of neural networks, because they enable them to learn, adapt and process information similarly to the way biological brains do. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate these properties occurring in arrays of photonic neurons. Importantly, this is realised autonomously in an emergent fashion, without the need for an external controller setting weights and without explicit feedback of a global reward signal. Using a hierarchy of such arrays coupled to a backpropagation-free training algorithm based on simple logistic regression, we are able to achieve a performance of 98.2% on the MNIST task, a popular benchmark task looking at classification of written digits. The plastic nodes consist of silicon photonics microring resonators covered by a patch of phase-change material that implements nonvolatile memory. The system is compact, robust, and straightforward to scale up through the use of multiple wavelengths. Moreover, it constitutes a unique platform to test and efficiently implement biologically plausible learning schemes at a high processing speed.
Opinion of young Poles on futile therapy based on a survey among university students
Authors: Damps Maria , Gajda Maksymilian , Wiktor Łukasz , Lipina Julia , Paprocka-Lipińska Anna 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Futile therapy concerns the clinical aspects of the end-of-life period, as well as the purposefulness of therapy in the context of the quality of life of a patient with an incurable disease in its final stage. The study was an anonymous survey conducted in electronic versions among young Poles university students. The views of these young people will influence health policy in the coming decades. An analysis of the collected data was carried out using the methods of descriptive and analytical statistics. The respondents were divided into two groups according to favulty and gender. A total of 161 students participated in the study, the decision to discontinue therapy in adult patients should first be made by the patients themselves (83.2%), the therapeutic team (72.6%), the patient's family (47.2%), and only 14.9% of the respondents indicated the court decision. In the case of children, as many as 80.1% of the respondents indicated that the patient's family and doctors should make a joint decision. Students of medical universities and other faculties who took part in the study demonstrated good knowledge of issues related to the concept of futile therapy, which is a good prognosis for the future in terms of the level of public awareness. It is also positive that they are aware of the existence of various solutions regarding the possibility of expressing the patient's autonomous decision at every stage of the therapeutic procedure.
Difficult extubation caused by knotting of an epidural catheter：a case report
Authors: Den Nianhua , Chen Xiaocong , Quan Shoubo 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Background
Combined spinal-epidural (CSE) anaesthesia is the preferred anesthesia method for cesarean delivery. However, it is very rare in knotting of epidural catheters that most require surgery to remove the catheter.
Case presentation:
A 30-year-old parturient with a difficulty in epidural catheter extraction after cesarean section. CT scan revealed that the catheter had formed a tight knot in the epidural space. We reviewed relevant case reports and summarized the latest research progress, We removed the catheter by non-invasive means of opening the joint to the maximum extent possible.
Conclusion
This case suggests that in cases of difficulty in catheter removal, immediate use of imaging techniques such as CT scan should be recommended to assess the catheter's positioning and trajectory. Demonstrate our method is a simple, cost-effective treatment that clinicians can implementeasily and quickly into routine practice.
Surgical Management of Evans-Jensen Type IV Femoral Intertrochanteric Fractures in Elderly Patients Aged 65 and Above: A Comparative Study of THA and PFNA
Authors: Sun Ming , Zhang He , Bai Tong , Xu Rong-Da , Duan Si-Yu , Liang Hai-Rui , Cai Zhen-Cun 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Background The optimal surgical approach for Evans-Jensen IV type intertrochanteric fractures in individuals aged 65 and above remains unclear. This study aimed to retrospectively compare early limb function and quality of life in patients treated with total hip arthroplasty (THA) versus proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA). We hypothesized no significant differences in complications and postoperative outcomes between the two procedures. Methods A retrospective analysis included patients aged 65 and above with Evans-Jensen IV fractures treated between 2020 and 2023. Patients were categorized into PFNA and THA groups, and various parameters were recorded, including surgery duration, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative ambulation, partial weight-bearing time, Harris hip scores, SF-36 scale scores, and complications. Results Forty patients (20 PFNA, 20 THA) were analyzed. THA had longer surgery duration and greater blood loss (both p < 0.001). THA demonstrated earlier postoperative ambulation and partial weight-bearing (both p < 0.001) and higher Harris hip and SF-36 scores at 1, 3, and 6 months (all p < 0.05). Overall complication rates did not significantly differ (p = 0.41). Conclusion For Evans-Jensen IV fractures in individuals aged 65 and above, THA is recommended, enabling earlier rehabilitation, faster recovery, and improved postoperative quality of life.
Application of machine learning methods for predicting under-5 mortality determinants in Bangladesh: evidence from the 2017-18 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey
Authors: Naznin Shayla , Uddin Md Jamal , Kabir Ahmad 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Background: Under-5 mortality is a vital social indicator of a country's development and long-term economic viability. The most underlying factors contributing under-5 mortality is a concern in developing countries like Bangladesh. There has been extensive research conducted on under-5 mortality. The prevailing approach employed thus far primarily relies on traditional logistic regression analysis, which have demonstrated limited predictive effectiveness. Advance Machine Learning (AML) methods provide accurate prediction of under-5 mortalities. This study utilized Machine Learning techniques to forecast the mortality rate among children under the age of five in Bangladesh.
Methods: The data for the study were drawn from the Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey 2017–18 data. Python version 3.0 software was utilized to implement and evaluate various Machine Learning (ML) techniques, including Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), Logistic Regression (LR), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) and Support Vector Machine (SVM). Boruta algorithm for selecting best features by using Boruta packages of R programming language. Furthermore, the SPSS Version 17 was used for analyzing conventional methods. Various matrices, like confusion matrix, accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score and the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUROC) was utilized as a metric to assess the effectiveness or performance of predictive models.
Results: We opted for t2xhe Random Forest (RF) model is the best predictive model of under-5 mortality in Bangladesh with accuracy (95.97%), recall (11%), precision (40%), F1 score (18%), and AUROC (75%). Our predictive models showed that Currently breastfeeding, Wealth index, Religion, Birth order number, Number of household members, Place of delivery, Type of toilet facility, Type of cooking fuel are the 8 top determinants of under-5 mortality in Bangladesh.
Conclusions: Machine Learning methods were utilized to create the most optimal predictive model enabling the classification of hidden information that remained undetectable through traditional statistical methods. In our Study the Random Forest model was the best models for predicting under-5 mortality in Bangladesh.
Inversion of the Frequencies of Autosomal Recessive and X-Linked Dominant Forms of Alport Syndrome in the Tunisian Population
Authors: Mariem El Younsi , Achour Ahlem , Kraoua Lilia , Mezzi Nesrine , Zanati Amira , Sayari Taha , Mkaouar Rahma , Goucha Rim , Abderrahim Ezzeddine , Laabidi Jannet , Zouaghi Mohamed Karim , Kharrat Maher , Maazoul Faouzi , Gargah Tahar , Trabelsi Mediha , M'rad Ridha 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
Background:
Alport syndrome is defined by the co-occurrence of hematuria, renal failure, and a family history of renal failure or hematuria. Pathogenic variants in COL4A3, COL4A4, and COL4A5 cause this phenotype. These genes code for the α3, α4, and α5 chains of collagen IV found in the kidneys, eyes, and cochlea. This explains the frequent association of extra-renal signs, such as bilateral sensorineural deafness and ocular abnormalities. Different modes of transmission have been reported. X-linked transmission is attributed to the pathogenic variants of COL4A5, while homozygous pathogenic variants of COL4A3 or COL4A4 lead to autosomal recessive inheritance. The digenic form occurs when a pathological variation in both COL4A3 and COL4A4coexist. Additionally, autosomal dominant inheritance can occur due to heterozygous pathogenic variants in COL4A3or COL4A4.
In this study, we investigated 45 patients with Alport syndrome from 11 Tunisian families to establish their clinical and genetic characteristics.
Methods:
Clinical data were collected retrospectively, and molecular analysis of COL4A3, A4,andA5 was performed. Among the 45 patients, whole-exome sequencing was performed on 11 individuals, with one patient selected from each family. All candidate pathogenic variations were validated by Sanger sequencing. Cascade screening in the family of each proband allowed us to expand the number of individuals tested to 53 to verify the presence of the pathogenic variant found in their family.
Results:
We identified 9 likely pathogenic variations among 11 index cases. Six were novel variations and three were known ones. Of these, five out of nine were in the COL4A3 gene, while four out of nine were found in the COL4A5 gene. Frame-shift, nonsense, missense, and alternative splicing variants were detected in our cohort. Most of these variants affected the Gly-XY codon.Thirty out of the 45 clinically identified siblings were tested and confirmed for Alport syndrome. Cascade screening then identified 3 additional affected individuals, along with 10 unaffected siblings and 10 unaffected parents.The mode of inheritance of Alport syndrome was autosomal recessive in 6 familiesand X-linked in 4 families.
Conclusions:
This study represents the first Tunisian screening of the mutational spectrum of Alport syndrome. It contributes new pathogenic variants to the literature and demonstrates that autosomal recessive inheritance of Alport syndrome is more frequent in the Tunisian population than the X-linked dominant form as reported in the literature.
Single Image Dehazing Algorithm using Complementary Saturation Prior
Authors: He Gang , Zhou DaTang , Yan LaiJun , Yu WenXin , Xu Kang , Chen Shuang , Chen ZhenGuo 
Published: November 2023

Abstract

With the rapid development of IoT and image processing technology, there is an urgent need to solve the problems of clarity and reliability of image recognition technology for monitoring systems in foggy environments. In this paper, a fast-dehazing algorithm based on complementary saturation prior is proposed. First, a mathematical model based on the brightness of the image to estimate the transmission is established, which will simplify the computation and reduce the running time of the program. Secondly, a method is proposed to estimate the atmospheric light based on the complementary saturation prior, which find the atmospheric light more accurately. The subjective and objective experimental results show that the algorithm significantly reduces the computational complexity of fog image recognition, and can effectively solve the problem of incorrect estimation of atmospheric light caused by traditional DCP algorithms in the presence of headlights, bright lights, and other environments. The proposed algorithm has the best FADE metrics compared to the up-to-date single image dehazing algorithm, which shows that the proposed algorithm removes more fog. It maintains the naturalness of the image while significantly reducing the haze and produces visually pleasing images without halo artifacts.
Algae-Mediated Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Iron Nanoparticles using Galaxaura rugosa Seaweed
Authors: Shehawy Ahlam S. El , Ali Elham M. , Elsayed Ashraf 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
A simple reduction method has been used for successfully synthesizing Galaxaura rugosa-mediated iron nanoparticles (FeNPs). The FeNPs were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Selected area electron diffraction (SAED), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), Zeta potential, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The early formation of FeNPs is supported by rapid color change from yellow to dark brown and UV-visible absorption peaks at 327 nm. The XRD pattern and SAED analyses show a crystalline nature of FeNPs. Biogenic FeNPs were found to be spherical with mean diameter sizes varying from 14.4 to 17.2 nm by TEM image. The high abundance of FeNPs produced is visible in SEM, and the particles are in aggregates. The biosynthesized FeNPs had a negative surface charge with zeta potential values of -38.4 mV. Functional groups play a significant role in the bioreduction of iron ions and the stability of FeNPs, according to FTIR analysis. This method is straightforward in application and environmentally friendly and could be performed in eco-friendly projects.