bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Risk of transient vision loss after intravitreal aflibercept using vial-prepared vs. the novel prefilled syringe formulation
Authors: Klaas Julian E. , Bui Vinh , Maierhofer Niklas , Schworm Benedikt , Maier Mathias , Priglinger Siegfried G. , Siedlecki Jakob 
Published: October 2023

PurposeTo compare the risk of transient vision loss (TVL) probably attributable to a severe intraocular pressure spike after intravitreal aflibercept application using the novel prefilled syringe (PFS) vs. the established vial system (VS).MethodsDatasets of the intravitreal injection service of the Ludwig Maximilians-University Munich and the Technical University Munich, Germany, were screened for documentation of TVL after intravitreal injection of aflibercept. The observation period included two full months prior to the introduction of the novel PFS and two months afterwards. TVL was defined as loss of perception of hand motion for a duration of &gt;30 s.ResultsOver a period of four months, 1720 intravitreal injections of aflibercept were administered in 672 patients. There were 842 injections with the old VS, and 878 injections using the novel PFS. Using the VS, TVL was noted during two injections (0.24%) in two patients, as compared to 11 cases of TVL (1.25%) in 10 patients with the PFS (p = 0.015). Using the PFS, patients had a 5.3-fold risk of TVL as compared to the VS (OR: 5.33; 95% CI: 1.2–24.1; p = 0.0298).ConclusionThere was a more than five-fold risk of TVL using the novel pre-filled aflibercept syringe as compared to the established vial system. During informed consent, this risk should be discussed.
Comparison of clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent endovascular treatment using different perfusion modalities: a real-world multicenter study
Authors: Gao Jiali , Jing Zhen , Huang Shengming , Yang Jiajie , Guan Min , Zhang Shijun , Li Hao , Li Yongxin , Lu Kui , Yang Ming , Huang Li’an 
Published: October 2023

BackgroundAdvanced perfusion modalities are increasingly popular for various diseases. However, few studies have focused on contrasting perfusion patterns.ObjectiveThis study aimed to compare the time efficiency and clinical outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) who underwent endovascular treatment (EVT) before one-stop arterial spin labeling (ASL) and computed tomography perfusion (CTP) protocols.MethodsThis study retrospectively included 326 patients with AIS who had accepted EVT within 24 h of onset from four comprehensive stroke centers between October 2017 and September 2022. After 1:1 matching of the propensity scores, 202 patients were separated into two groups: the ASL group (n = 101) and the CTP group (n = 101).ResultsFunctional independence at 90 days (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] 0–2; p = 0.574), onset-to-puncture time (p = 0.231), door-to-puncture time (p = 0.136), and door-to-perfusion time (p = 0.646) were not significantly different between the two groups. The proportion of EVT complications (31.7% in the ASL group vs. 14.9% in the CTP group, p = 0.005) and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) at 24 h (23.8% in the ASL group vs. 9.9% in the CTP group, p = 0.008) in the CTP group were lower than the ASL group. The ischemic core volume was a common predictor of favorable outcomes in both ASL (p &lt; 0.001) and CTP (p &lt; 0.001) groups.ConclusionThere were no significant differences in time efficiency and efficacy outcomes between the two groups of patients receiving one-stop ASL and CTP. The proportion of sICH at 24 h and EVT complications of patients in the CTP group was lower than the ASL group. The ischemic core volume was an independent predictor for favorable outcomes.
Transcriptional and bioinformatic analysis of GABAA receptors expressed in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells from the human brain
Authors: Gutierrez Berenice A. , González-Coronel José Manuel , Arellano Rogelio O. , Limon Agenor 
Published: October 2023

IntroductionOligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are vital for neuronal myelination and remyelination in the central nervous system. While the molecular mechanisms involved in OPCs’ differentiation and maturation are not completely understood, GABA is known to positively influence these processes through the activation of GABAA receptors (GABAARs). The molecular identity of GABAARs expressed in human OPCs remains unknown, which restricts their specific pharmacological modulation to directly assess their role in oligodendrocytes’ maturation and remyelination.MethodsIn this study, we conducted a transcriptomic analysis to investigate the molecular stoichiometry of GABAARs in OPCs from the human brain. Using eight available transcriptomic datasets from the human brain cortex of control individuals, we analyzed the mRNA expression of all 19 known GABAARs subunit genes in OPCs, with variations observed across different ages.ResultsOur analysis indicated that the most expressed subunits in OPCs are α1–3, β1–3, γ1–3, and ε. Moreover, we determined that the combination of any α with β2 and γ2 is likely to form heteropentameric GABAARs in OPCs. Importantly, we also found a strong correlation between GABAAR subunits and transcripts for postsynaptic scaffold proteins, suggesting the potential postsynaptic clustering of GABAARs in OPCs.DiscussionThis study presents the first transcriptional-level identification of GABAAR subunits expressed in human OPCs, providing potential receptor combinations. Understanding the molecular composition of GABAARs in OPCs not only enhances our knowledge of the underlying mechanisms in oligodendrocyte maturation but also opens avenues for targeted pharmacological interventions aimed at modulating these receptors to promote remyelination in neurological disorders.
RETRACTED: A 1 year course of starch- and sucrose-reduced diet used by irritable bowel syndrome patients with diarrhoea and the effect of genetic variants
Authors: Garcia-Etxebarria Koldo , Gayoso Lucía , Arzallus Teresa , Montalvo Isabel , Lizasoain Jacobo , Izagirre Arantzazu , Ezkurra Ander , D’Amato Mauro , Etxeberria Usune , Bujanda Luis 
Published: October 2023

BackgroundIrritable bowel syndrome is a heterogeneous syndrome and it is difficult to find an effective treatment. Previously, a starch- and sucrose-reduced diet (SSRD) demonstrated promising short-term outcomes. It was proposed that genetic variants in the sucrose-isomaltase gene might influence this success. Our aim in this work was to extend the follow-up study to 1 year and to analyse the effect of the genetic variants of genes involved in starch and sucrose metabolism.MethodsIBS-SSS questionnaire, IBS-QoL questionnaire and questionnaires about adherence, difficulty and food assessment were sent to 34 patients after 6 months and 1 year after the end of the dietary intervention. In addition, 11 genes involved in sucrose and starch metabolism were sequenced.ResultsTwenty-three participants responded to the 6 months follow-up and 16 to the 1 year follow-up. IBS-SSS total value increased 59.71% in the 6 months follow-up compared with the end of the intervention (p = 0.0018), and 55.39% in the 1 year follow-up (p = 0.0166); while IBS-QoL score decreased 24.09% (p = 0.0002) and 18.07% (p = 0.0022), respectively. The adherence decreased by 29.11% (p = 4.8 × 10−5) and 27.21% (p = 0.0054), respectively. In addition, carriers of pathogenic variants on the SI gene showed a slightly better performance than non-carriers. Finally, the participants showed less satisfaction over time with 18 allowed foods in the diet.ConclusionOver time the SSRD is difficult to follow and the genotype might affect the performance of the diet. Since this diet could be a promising therapeutic option, a larger cohort needs to be analysed to validate the results and to compare it with other diets.
Application of DKI and IVIM imaging in evaluating histologic grades and clinical stages of clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Cheng QiChao , Ren AnLi , Xu XingHua , Meng Zhao , Feng Xue , Pylypenko Dmytro , Dou WeiQiang , Yu DeXin 
Published: October 2023

PurposeTo evaluate the value of quantitative parameters derived from diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) and intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) in differentiating histologic grades and clinical stages of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).Materials and methodsA total of 65 patients who were surgically and pathologically diagnosed as ccRCC were recruited in this study. In addition to routine renal magnetic resonance imaging examination, all patients underwent preoperative IVIM and DKI. The corresponding diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), perfusion fraction (f), mean diffusivity (MD), kurtosis anisotropy (KA), and mean kurtosis (MK) values were obtained. Independent-samples t-test or Mann–Whitney U test was used for comparing the differences in IVIM and DKI parameters among different histologic grades and clinical stages. The diagnostic efficacy of IVIM and DKI parameters was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Spearman’s correlation analysis was used to separately analyze the correlation of each parameter with histologic grades and stages of ccRCC.ResultsThe D and MD values were significantly higher in low-grade ccRCC than high-grade ccRCC (all p &lt; 0.001) and in low-stage than high-stage ccRCC (all p &lt; 0.05), and the f value of high-stage ccRCC was lower than that of low-stage ccRCC (p = 0.007). The KA and MK values were significantly higher in low-grade than high-grade ccRCC (p = 0.000 and 0.000, respectively) and in low-stage than high-stage ccRCC (p = 0.000 and 0.000, respectively). The area under the curve (AUC) values of D, D*, f, MD, KA, MK, DKI, and IVIM+DKI values were 0.825, 0.598, 0.626, 0.792, 0.750, 0.754, 0.803, and 0.857, respectively, in grading ccRCC and 0.837, 0.719, 0.710, 0.787, 0.796, 0.784, 0.864, 0.823, and 0.916, respectively, in staging ccRCC. The AUC of IVIM was 0.913 in staging ccRCC. The D, D*, and MD values were negatively correlated with the histologic grades and clinical stages (all p &lt; 0.05), and the KA and MK values showed a positive correlation with histologic grades and clinical stages (all p &lt; 0.05). The f value was also negatively correlated with the ccRCC clinical stage (p = 0.008).ConclusionBoth the IVIM and DKI values can be used preoperatively to predict the degree of histologic grades and stages in ccRCC, and the D and MD values have better diagnostic performance in the grading and staging. Also, further slightly enhanced diagnostic efficacy was observed in the model with combined IVIM and DKI parameters.
Total and component forest aboveground biomass inversion via LiDAR-derived features and machine learning algorithms
Authors: Ma Jiamin , Zhang Wangfei , Ji Yongjie , Huang Jimao , Huang Guoran , Wang Lu 
Published: October 2023

Forest aboveground biomass (AGB) and its biomass components are key indicators for assessing forest ecosystem health, productivity, and carbon stocks. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology has great advantages in acquiring the vertical structure of forests and the spatial distribution characteristics of vegetation. In this study, the 56 features extracted from airborne LiDAR point cloud data were used to estimate forest total and component AGB. Variable importance–in–projection values calculated through a partial least squares regression algorithm were utilized for LiDAR-derived feature ranking and optimization. Both leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) and cross-validation methods were applied for validation of the estimated results. The results showed that four cumulative height percentiles (AIH30,AIH40, AIH20, and AIH25), two height percentiles (H8 and H6), and four height-related variables (Hmean, Hsqrt, Hmad, and Hcurt) are ranked more frequently in the top 10 sensitive features for total and component forest AGB retrievals. Best performance was acquired by random forest (RF) algorithm, with R2 = 0.75, root mean square error (RMSE) = 22.93 Mg/ha, relative RMSE (rRMSE) = 25.30%, and mean absolute error (MAE) = 19.26 Mg/ha validated by the LOOCV method. For cross-validation results, R2 is 0.67, RMSE is 24.56 Mg/ha, and rRMSE is 25.67%. The performance of support vector regression (SVR) for total AGB estimation is R2 = 0.66, RMSE = 26.75 Mg/ha, rRMSE = 28.62%, and MAE = 22.00 Mg/ha using LOOCV validation and R2 = 0.56, RMSE = 30.88 Mg/ha, and rRMSE = 31.41% by cross-validation. For the component AGB estimation, the accuracy from both RF and SVR algorithms was arranged as stem &gt; bark &gt; branch &gt; leaf. The results confirmed the sensitivity of LiDAR-derived features to forest total and component AGBs. They also demonstrated the worse performance of these features for retrieval of leaf component AGB. RF outperformed SVR for both total and component AGB estimation, the validation difference from LOOCV and cross-validation is less than 5% for both total and component AGB estimated results.
Rosin from Pinus pinaster Portuguese forests shows a regular profile of resin acids
Authors: Pinheiro Ângela , Martins Isabel , Bento Artur , Escórcio Rita , Nunes Carolina , Varela Adélia , Nunes João , Afonso Carlos A.M. , Silva Pereira Cristina 
Published: October 2023

Pinus pinaster forestry occupies &gt;20% of the forest ecosystem area in the continental territory of Portugal with a high impact on the national economy. This species’ major derived non-wood product is oleoresin, the raw material for rosin production. Rosin comprises mainly a blend of resin acids and has broad industrial and pharmaceutical applications. Oleoresin production in Portugal has been progressively reduced due to low-cost producers in other countries; currently, it reaches only 2% of the existing P. pinaster trees. To support this value chain, the chemical fingerprint of rosin derived from the national forest requires focused analysis. In the present study, we collected oleoresin within seven geographically distinct pure P. pinaster forests in two consecutive collection years. A high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method was used to quantify the diversity of resin acids in the corresponding rosin samples. Overall, the acquired data highlighted that the profile of resin acids in P. pinaster rosin produced in Portugal is highly regular, regardless of the forest location, having as the major constituents abietic acid and dehydroabietic acid. The diversity of resin acids is possibly influenced, to a minor extent, by some edaphoclimatic factors.
Effects of internet addiction and academic satisfaction on mental health among college students after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in China
Authors: Deng Ai-Ping , Wang Cong , Cai Jia , Deng Zhong-Yue , Mu Yun-Fei , Song Hong-Jun , Meng Ya-Jing , Meng Xian-Dong , Huang Xue-Hua , Zhang Lan , Huang Yi , Zhang Wei , Chen Jin , Ran Mao-Sheng 
Published: October 2023

BackgroundInternet addiction (IA) among students, worsened by Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, has become a social problem with the digitalization of school learning and many aspects of daily life. However, few studies on IA have been conducted among students after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in China.MethodThis large-sample, cross-sectional, online survey was conducted to explore the characteristics of IA and the association among IA, academic satisfaction, and mental health problems from December 14, 2022 to February 28, 2023 in Sichuan, China. All participants (N = 22,605) were students in colleges and universities, recruited via their teachers and professors.ResultsOf all the participants, 14,921 (66.0%) participants had IA. Participants with IA were more likely to have depression symptom, anxiety symptom, insomnia, and lifetime suicidal ideation. In addition, participants with severe IA had significantly higher rates of mental health problems (e.g., depression, anxiety, insomnia, and suicidal ideation) than those with mild IA. A significant IA-by-academic satisfactory-interaction on mental health was identified: participants with higher level of IA showed particularly severe symptom of depression, anxiety and insomnia when affected by low satisfactory of academy (p &lt; 0.001).ConclusionThis study reveals that IA has a significantly negative impact on mental health among college students after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in China. IA and academic satisfaction have interactive impacts on mental health problems among students. Further educational and health policies and psychosocial interventions should be developed to reduce IA and enhance academic satisfaction for improving students’ mental health.
Lifestyle and Diet as Risk Factors for Urinary Stone Formation: A Study in a Taiwanese Population
Authors: Wu Ya-Chun , Hou Chen-Pang , Weng Shu-Chuan 
Published: October 2023

Background and Objectives: Urinary tract stones have long been a common ailment afflicting the population, with a high incidence and a wide distribution across different age groups. Effectively preventing the occurrence of urinary tract stones is of paramount importance. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the correlations between individual characteristics, water consumption habits, dietary habits, exercise habits, and the occurrence of urinary tract stones in a Taiwanese population. Materials and Methods: This study is cross-sectional research conducted over one month in 2022. One hundred eligible urinary stone cases were recruited through physician screening at outpatient clinics, and an additional one hundred samples from surgical outpatients without urinary tract stones were included as the control group. A questionnaire survey was employed to gather information on demographic variables, dietary habits, water consumption, and exercise habits of the cases. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression were used to explore the impact of relevant factors on urinary stone formation. Results: The analysis results revealed that among the demographic variables, males exhibited a higher risk of contracting urinary tract stones than females, and the majority of cases fell within the 40- to 49-year-old age group. Unhealthy lifestyle habits such as smoking and betel nut chewing also demonstrated a higher susceptibility to urinary tract stones. A logistic regression analysis showed that individuals who engaged in physical activity more than three times per week and those with inadequate water intakes had a higher risk of developing urinary tract stones. Conclusions: There is a close relationship between lifestyle and urinary tract stones. It is recommended that individuals continue to hydrate adequately during exercise.
Approaches to providing coordination of the regional development policy regarding the restoration of the territories damaged during the course of the war
Authors: Vasylіeva Oleksandra , Markushin Oleksandr 
Published: October 2023

The article substantiates approaches to ensuring the coordination of regional development policy regarding the restoration of war-damaged territories. It is emphasized that the key to solving regional problems is ensuring the coordination of regional development policy, which aims to reduce disparities in the development of settlements and regions, this situation creates a challenge in the application of an approach to regional development focused on local needs for recovery. It was noted that today the priorities for ensuring the coordination of regional development policy are the support of specific reconstruction projects in territorial communities and the updating of the State Strategy for Regional Development, which should be based on five key priorities: strategic planning and project management; investments and interaction with donors; anti-corruption activity; digitization and management based on open data; urban planning.
It was noted that the differentiated geographical impact of the war further exacerbated the differences of the regions in terms of their development opportunities and the necessary state support. For the policy of regional development, which aims to reduce disparities in the development of settlements and regions, this situation creates a challenge in the application of an approach to regional development focused on local needs. Today, the simple differentiation of regions into two groups based on the relative indicator of gross domestic product per capita, which is used by the State Fund for Regional Development, is no longer enough, but a much more detailed approach to the RDP that takes into account local needs and is based on the definition and support of development initiatives implemented at the local and regional levels must be developed.
It is noted that although some tools and approaches to the policy of regional development are already included in the legislation, the system of vertical coordination, i.e. multi-level management with wide use of public participation in decision-making regarding the further development of administrative-territorial units, still remains quite relevant and needs adaptation to ensure greater flexibility and initiative from below.
Features of the influence of local leadership on public dministration: european experience for Ukraine
Authors: Tytarenko Oleksandr 
Published: October 2023

A critical question on the minds of many researchers is whether local leadership can influence democratic governance. All societies are characterized by a division of labor, which in turn presupposes a certain form of leadership and an asymmetrical division of power. Moreover, modern democratic societies are built on a foundation of complex and specialized institutions and structures, interconnected by vast formalized hierarchies that must be effectively managed. Therefore, a kind of inevitable paradox arises: societies based on the principle of equality between citizens. At the same time, they assume the existence of elite groups that have greater powers to manage social processes and the state compared to ordinary citizens.
The article examines the features of the influence of local leadership on public administration in different strategies, in particular, in the implementation of a pan-European policy. In addition, in adapting the European experience in Ukraine, we will use the following analogies: EU - Ukraine, national European leadership - local Ukrainian leadership. This can be done with a certain degree of assumption, since in both the first and second cases we are talking about the influence of leadership of a smaller territorial level on the politics of a larger territorial level.
Of course, each national leadership has its own characteristics according to various indicators, ranging from gender ratio to management style, but analyzing the process of influence of national leadership on EU policy. Therefore, the author of the article, summarizing, focuses on the fact that the main instrument of influence of local leadership on public administration is lobbying, and almost exclusively in a formalized form. The European leadership discussed in the article is highly dynamic; its composition is often formed from temporary representatives of national leadership, which contributes in the future to the return of local leaders to public administration at the national level to defend the interests of their own state along with pan-European interests. It is advisable to use such experience both in conditions of martial law in Ukraine and in the context of integration processes into the European Union.