bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Occidiofungin inhibition of
Candida
biofilm formation on silicone elastomer surface
Authors: Kumpakha Rabina , Gordon Donna M. 
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT

Biofilms are the leading cause of clinically acquired fungal infections and contribute to significantly high morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised and hospitalized patients.
Candida
biofilms exhibit increased resistance to currently available antifungal agents that contribute to persistent reoccurring infections and are driving efforts to identify novel fungicidal compounds. The natural product, occidiofungin, is an antifungal compound with demonstrated activity against hyphal morphogenesis in polymorphic
Candida
species. In this study, we use an
in vitro
static biofilm model to demonstrate the efficacy of occidiofungin against
C. albicans
and
C. tropicalis
at all stages of biofilm development, including inhibiting cell dispersal. Consistent with prior findings, we demonstrate that actin organization is altered following occidiofungin exposure to include loss of F-actin cables and accumulation of actin aggregates. Altogether, our results provide strong evidence of the antibiofilm activity of occidiofungin toward
Candida
biofilms and support its potential as a therapeutic for
Candida
infections.

IMPORTANCE

Candida
are opportunistic fungal pathogens with medical relevance given their association with superficial to life-threatening infections. An important component of
Candida
virulence is the ability to form a biofilm. These structures are highly resistant to antifungal therapies and are often the cause of treatment failure. In this work, we evaluated the efficacy of the antifungal compound, occidiofungin, against
Candida
biofilms developed on a silicone surface. We demonstrate that occidiofungin eliminated cells at all stages of biofilm formation in a dose-dependent manner. Consistent with our understanding of occidiofungin bioactivity, we noted alterations to actin organization and cell morphology following antifungal exposure. Given the challenges associated with the treatment of biofilm-associated infections, occidiofungin exhibits potential as a therapeutic antifungal agent in the future.
British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines on sedation in gastrointestinal endoscopy
Authors: Sidhu Reena , Turnbull David , Haboubi Hasan , Leeds John S , Healey Chris , Hebbar Srisha , Collins Paul , Jones Wendy , Peerally Mohammad Farhad , Brogden Sara , Neilson Laura J , Nayar Manu , Gath Jacqui , Foulkes Graham , Trudgill Nigel J , Penman Ian 
Published: October 2023

Over 2.5 million gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures are carried out in the United Kingdom (UK) every year. Procedures are carried out with local anaesthetic r with sedation. Sedation is commonly used for gastrointestinal endoscopy, but the type and amount of sedation administered is influenced by the complexity and nature of the procedure and patient factors. The elective and emergency nature of endoscopy procedures and local resources also have a significant impact on the delivery of sedation. In the UK, the vast majority of sedated procedures are carried out using benzodiazepines, with or without opiates, whereas deeper sedation using propofol or general anaesthetic requires the involvement of an anaesthetic team. Patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy need to have good understanding of the options for sedation, including the option for no sedation and alternatives, balancing the intended aims of the procedure and reducing the risk of complications. These guidelines were commissioned by the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) Endoscopy Committee with input from major stakeholders, to provide a detailed update, incorporating recent advances in sedation for gastrointestinal endoscopy.This guideline covers aspects from pre-assessment of the elective ‘well’ patient to patients with significant comorbidity requiring emergency procedures. Types of sedation are discussed, procedure and room requirements and the recovery period, providing guidance to enhance safety and minimise complications. These guidelines are intended to inform practising clinicians and all staff involved in the delivery of gastrointestinal endoscopy with an expectation that this guideline will be revised in 5-years’ time.
New aboveground biomass equations by components for small black spruce in peatland ecosystems of Western Canada
Authors: Wagers Steven , Castilla Guillermo , Voicu Mihai , Rea Tyler , Sanchez-Azofeifa G. Arturo 
Published: October 2023

Black spruce is the most common tree species in Canada, dominating treed peatlands where they are usually stunted. We used 495 destructively sampled trees from 56 plots to develop allometric models of aboveground biomass by components (stem, branches, and needles) for small (<5 m tall) black spruce from peatlands in the Taiga Plains and Boreal Plains Ecozones of Western Canada, for which there were no specific models available of biomass by components. We used leave-one-plot-out cross-validation to assess transferability and compare our models with existing national and ecozone-specific equations. Our models predicted total tree biomass with better accuracy and less biased estimates than the national model (relative RMSE: 30% versus 35% national; relative bias: +1% versus –12% national). Similar results were obtained in other external datasets. Existing ecozone equations performed worse than either our models or the national ones. When we applied the models at the plot level to predict aboveground biomass density (Mg·ha−1), our models outperformed the national model again (relative RMSE: 15.9% versus 18.6% national, relative bias: +3.5% versus –13.6% national). These results indicate that at least for peatlands of Western Canada, our models provide better aboveground biomass estimates for small black spruce trees than existing models.
40 Years of Designing Code Comprehension Experiments: A Systematic Mapping Study
Authors: Wyrich Marvin , Bogner Justus , Wagner Stefan 
Published: October 2023

The relevance of code comprehension in a developer’s daily work was recognized more than 40 years ago. Consequently, many experiments were conducted to find out how developers could be supported during code comprehension and which code characteristics contribute to better comprehension. Today, such studies are more common than ever. While this is great for advancing the field, the number of publications makes it difficult to keep an overview. Additionally, designing rigorous code comprehension experiments with human participants is a challenging task, and the multitude of design options can make it difficult for researchers, especially newcomers to the field, to select a suitable design.
We therefore conducted a systematic mapping study of 95 source code comprehension experiments published between 1979 and 2019. By structuring the design characteristics of code comprehension studies, we provide a basis for subsequent discussion of the huge diversity of design options in the face of a lack of basic research on their consequences and comparability. We describe what topics have been studied, as well as how these studies have been designed, conducted, and reported. Frequently chosen design options and deficiencies are pointed out to support researchers of all levels of domain expertise in designing their own studies.
Implications of Clinical Risk Phenotypes on the Management and Natural History of Atrial Fibrillation: A Report From the GLORIA‐AF
Authors: Romiti Giulio Francesco , Proietti Marco , Corica Bernadette , Bonini Niccolò , Boriani Giuseppe , Huisman Menno V. , Lip Gregory Y. H. ,   the GLORIA‐AF Investigators
Published: October 2023

Background
Clinical risk factors are common among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), but there are still limited data on their association with oral anticoagulant (OAC) treatment patterns and major outcomes. We aim to analyze the association between clinical risk phenotypes on AF treatment patterns and the risk of major outcomes.

Methods and Results

The GLORIA‐AF (Global Registry on Long‐Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation) phase 2 and 3 registries enrolled patients with a recent diagnosis of AF between 2011 and 2016. We defined 4 features of clinical risk among patients with CHA
2
DS
2
‐VASc ≥2: elderly individuals (aged ≥80 years), chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate <45 mL/min), history of stroke, and history of bleeding. We analyzed the odds of receiving OAC and the risk of OAC discontinuation and adverse events at follow‐up according to specific combinations and cumulative burden of these features. Primary outcome was the composite of all‐cause death, thromboembolism, and major bleeding. Among 28 891 (mean±SD age, 70.1±10.5 years; 45.5% women) patients included, 10 797 (37.3%) had at least 1 clinical risk feature. OAC use was lower among patients in the elderly group (odds ratio [OR], 0.85 [95% CI, 0.75–0.96]), those with history of both stroke and bleeding (OR, 0.45 [95% CI, 0.35–0.56]), and those with multiple features (OR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.62–0.82]). Increasing burden of clinical risk features was associated with OAC discontinuation, with highest magnitude in those with ≥3 features (hazard ratio [HR], 1.68 [95% CI, 1.31–2.15]). Groups with increasingly complex clinical risk phenotypes were associated with the occurrence of the primary composite outcome, with the highest figures observed for groups with a history of both stroke and bleeding (adjusted HR, 2.36 [95% CI, 1.83–3.04]) and multiple features (adjusted HR, 2.86 [95% CI, 2.52–3.25]).

Conclusions
In patients with AF, clinical risk phenotypes are multifaceted and heterogenous, and they are associated with differences in stroke prevention and worse prognosis.
A Qualitative Research On the Evaluation of Corporate Feedback Practices in Municipalities as a Citizen Participation Practice
Authors: ÖZDEN Miray 
Published: October 2023

The using of the Internet since the beginning of the 2000s has led to an increase in scientific interest in e-participation applications, which are defined as online participation. Feedback applications are areas of receiving comments from users, listening to complaints or presenting suggestions on process design regarding available services. Here, “Write to us”, “Online Chat”, “Like or Dislike Buttons” and “Comment sites” are applications designed to get feedback. It is important how these applications work and how obtained data is stored and interpreted in terms of determining the level of interaction between the municipality and the citizen.
In the study, first of all, citizen participation and e-participation, one of the participation methods, will be explained conceptually. In the study, feedback applications on the websites of 11 District Municipalities, including Tekirdağ Metropolitan Municipality, and communication lines used for feedback will be examined; interviews will be held with the administrative staff who collect and report the feedback, it will be evaluated in which aspects the feedbacks are reflected in the applications. In the study, feedback applications were tested and the work of the information processing units was observed on site, especially as a participant observer. Accessibility of feedback applications, ease of use, response times of municipalities were determined and advantageous aspects for participation were listed.
A House for the Spirit
Authors: Colombo Gabriel Miller 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
This paper highlights the architectural theory and practice of the twentieth-century Dutch Benedictine monk and architect Dom Hans van der Laan as a lens through which to view architecture and urbanism’s underlying spiritual purpose. Van der Laan’s theologically grounded vision of architecture as a sacramental mediator between the human, the natural, and the divine and empirically based rubric by which to achieve that end—through human-centric proportion, polyrhythm, and humble materiality—provide a robust framework for crafting cities and homes that reveal the sacredness inherent in the world. Through an analysis of Van der Laan’s theory and an examination of his exemplary Roosenberg Abbey, the paper illuminates the spatial, sensory, and dimensional qualities currently lacking in many contemporary urban and architectural spaces and presents a set of strategies for adapting them to better support human flourishing.
From Medieval Sacred Art to Modern Photography
Authors: Nader Myrna 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
In this study of image-making, it is argued that from the Middle Ages to the Modern period in Lebanon, coexistence between Christians and Muslims, who maintained contact alternately as a minority or dominant culture, was defined by fundamental ideas about sacred art, namely, the embodiment and depiction of the divine. The central premise holds that in Christianity paintings of a religious character are of importance because they reaffirm belief in the doctrine of incarnation, and thus Christ’s humanity. In Islam, by comparison, such art is idolatrous and deserving of censure. The opposite is asserted: God is invisible, and, therefore, paintings of the divine are impermissible. However, denunciation by Islamic scholars was not absolute; there was no disapproval if imagery did not violate Qur’anic proscription against idol-worship. A more nuanced discussion of the Arab literature demonstrates not only Muslim disavowal and episodes of iconoclasm, but also fascination with and commentary on Christian art. Such views informed Christian-Muslim debate over the value and validity of image-making in Modern-era Lebanon, which was further aroused by European developments in the science of optics, based partly on the works of Arab scientists. The advent of photography offered new ways of seeing the world, and discussion among Lebanese Muslim scholars focused on the efficacy and malevolence of optical technology in Arab society and culture. Outright condemnation of image-making was tempered by views condoning certain artistic practices.
The Prosecutor v Dominic Ongwen: An Examination of the Role of Traditional Justice Mechanisms in International Criminal Justice
Authors: Mushoriwa Linda 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
This paper examines whether traditional justice mechanisms have a place in international trials where the accused has committed core international crimes; through the lens of The International Criminal Court’s approach in the Ongwen case. Trial Chamber ix declined to incorporate the mato oput traditional justice mechanism of the Acholi people of Northern Uganda. The paper argues that although concerns have been raised regarding the application of traditional justice mechanisms in the aftermath of mass atrocities, they can still play a significant role alongside prosecutions for international crimes before international criminal tribunals and the International Criminal Court. It recommends ways in which traditional justice mechanisms can be incorporated into proceedings before the icc and concludes that if the Court is to be a truly universal Court as was envisaged at its inception it ought to holistically consider the issues brought before it, particularly from the Global South.
Effect of mode of delivery on neonatal oxidative stress and dynamic thiol–disulfide homeostasis
Authors: Genc Serife Ozlem , Erdal Huseyin 
Published: October 2023

Objective To evaluate the effect of the mode of delivery on neonatal oxidative stress and dynamic thiol–disulfide homeostasis. Methods Sixty women who were followed up in the Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic were included in this prospective study. Cord blood samples were obtained from women who underwent cesarean section (CS) and vaginal delivery (VD). Total oxidant status and total antioxidant status levels were measured by spectrophotometry. The dynamic thiol–disulfide balance was determined by colorimetry. Results The total antioxidant status and oxidative stress index levels were higher and total oxidant status levels were lower in the VD group compared with the CS group. Native and total thiol levels were higher while disulfide levels were lower in the VD compared with the CS delivery group, while disulfide levels were higher in the CS group. Conclusion These results indicate that disulfide formation leads to decreased antioxidant capacity in women undergoing CS. Monitoring of dynamic thiol–disulfide levels may thus provide clinicians with important information on the oxidative stress status in newborns.
Topical insulin, a novel corneal epithelial regeneration agent in dry eye disease
Authors: Burgos-Blasco Barbara , Diaz-Valle David , Rego-Lorca Daniela , Perez-Garcia Pilar , Puebla-Garcia Virginia , Fernandez-Vigo Jose Ignacio , Benitez-del-Castillo Jose Manuel , Gegundez-Fernandez Jose Antonio 
Published: October 2023

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of insulin eye drops for dry eye disease in reducing corneal staining and improving symptoms. Methods In this retrospective case series, patients with dry eye disease treated with off-label use of insulin eye drops were collected. The main inclusion criterion was diagnosis of dry eye disease with epithelial damage and acceptance of the off-label use of topical insulin. Age, sex, type of dry eye disease, time since diagnosis, previous ocular surgeries, concomitant treatment, best corrected visual acuity, symptoms, conjunctival hyperemia and corneal staining were recorded . Data from the 1 and 3-month visit were included. Results 16 patients (32 eyes) were treated with insulin (14 females and 2 males; mean age 61.3 ± 16.8 years). 12 patients (71%) were also on autologous serum and 10 patients (63%) on cyclosporine. Symptoms were 3.4 ± 1.3 (range 2–5) when scaled from 0 to 5. Mean hyperemia was 1.0 ± 0.9 (range 0–3) and corneal staining was 2.5 ± 1.3 (range 0–5). After 3 months, 5 patients (31%) referred to be much better, 6 (38%) better, 3 (19%) slightly better and 2 patients (13%) were subjectively similar, mean symptoms being 2.3 ± 1.0 (range 1–4; p = 0.001). Hyperemia was 0.3 ± 0.4 (range 0–1) and corneal staining was 1.1 ± 1.0 (range 0–3; both p < 0.001). Topical insulin was well tolerated with no adverse events. Conclusions The excellent results presented in these case series illustrate topical insulin as a promising treatment in dry eye disease with refractory epithelial damage.
A narrative review of the synthesis, characterization, and applications of iron oxide nanoparticles
Authors: Ogbezode Joseph Ekhebume , Ezealigo Ucheckukwu Stella , Bello Abdulhakeem , Anye Vitalis Chioh , Onwualu Azikiwe Peter 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThe significance of green synthesized nanomaterials with a uniform shape, reduced sizes, superior mechanical capabilities, phase microstructure, magnetic behavior, and superior performance cannot be overemphasized. Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are found within the size range of 1–100 nm in nanomaterials and have a diverse range of applications in fields such as biomedicine, wastewater purification, and environmental remediation. Nevertheless, the understanding of their fundamental material composition, chemical reactions, toxicological properties, and research methodologies is constrained and extensively elucidated during their practical implementation. The importance of producing IONPs using advanced nanofabrication techniques that exhibit strong potential for disease therapy, microbial pathogen control, and elimination of cancer cells is underscored by the adoption of the green synthesis approach. These IONPs can serve as viable alternatives for soil remediation and the elimination of environmental contaminants. Therefore, this paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the research conducted on different types of IONPs and IONP composite-based materials. It examines the synthesis methods and characterization techniques employed in these studies and also addresses the obstacles encountered in prior investigations with comparable objectives. A green engineering strategy was proposed for the synthesis, characterization, and application of IONPs and their composites with reduced environmental impact. Additionally, the influence of their phase structure, magnetic properties, biocompatibility, toxicity, milling time, nanoparticle size, and shape was also discussed. The study proposes the use of biological and physicochemical methods as a more viable alternative nanofabrication strategy that can mitigate the limitations imposed by the conventional methods of IONP synthesis.
Network-based prediction approach for cancer-specific driver missense mutations using a graph neural network
Authors: Hatano Narumi , Kamada Mayumi , Kojima Ryosuke , Okuno Yasushi 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackgroundIn cancer genomic medicine, finding driver mutations involved in cancer development and tumor growth is crucial. Machine-learning methods to predict driver missense mutations have been developed because variants are frequently detected by genomic sequencing. However, even though the abnormalities in molecular networks are associated with cancer, many of these methods focus on individual variants and do not consider molecular networks. Here we propose a new network-based method, Net-DMPred, to predict driver missense mutations considering molecular networks. Net-DMPred consists of the graph part and the prediction part. In the graph part, molecular networks are learned by a graph neural network (GNN). The prediction part learns whether variants are driver variants using features of individual variants combined with the graph features learned in the graph part.ResultsNet-DMPred, which considers molecular networks, performed better than conventional methods. Furthermore, the prediction performance differed by the molecular network structure used in learning, suggesting that it is important to consider not only the local network related to cancer but also the large-scale network in living organisms.ConclusionsWe propose a network-based machine learning method, Net-DMPred, for predicting cancer driver missense mutations. Our method enables us to consider the entire graph architecture representing the molecular network because it uses GNN. Net-DMPred is expected to detect driver mutations from a lot of missense mutations that are not known to be associated with cancer.
Multimodal hybrid convolutional neural network based brain tumor grade classification
Authors: Rohini A. , Praveen Carol , Mathivanan Sandeep Kumar , Muthukumaran V. , Mallik Saurav , Alqahtani Mohammed S. , Al-Rasheed Amal , Soufiene Ben Othman 
Published: October 2023

AbstractAn abnormal growth or fatty mass of cells in the brain is called a tumor. They can be either healthy (normal) or become cancerous, depending on the structure of their cells. This can result in increased pressure within the cranium, potentially causing damage to the brain or even death. As a result, diagnostic procedures such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography, as well as blood and urine tests, are used to identify brain tumors. However, these methods can be labor-intensive and sometimes yield inaccurate results. Instead of these time-consuming methods, deep learning models are employed because they are less time-consuming, require less expensive equipment, produce more accurate results, and are easy to set up. In this study, we propose a method based on transfer learning, utilizing the pre-trained VGG-19 model. This approach has been enhanced by applying a customized convolutional neural network framework and combining it with pre-processing methods, including normalization and data augmentation. For training and testing, our proposed model used 80% and 20% of the images from the dataset, respectively. Our proposed method achieved remarkable success, with an accuracy rate of 99.43%, a sensitivity of 98.73%, and a specificity of 97.21%. The dataset, sourced from Kaggle for training purposes, consists of 407 images, including 257 depicting brain tumors and 150 without tumors. These models could be utilized to develop clinically useful solutions for identifying brain tumors in CT images based on these outcomes.