bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of misoprostol and manual vacuum aspiration in treating first-trimester incomplete miscarriage: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Jin Hongyu , Zhang Man , Yang Xu , Liu Jianhong , Muhetaer Muhelisa , Chen Yali , Wu Yujie , Liu Xinghui 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Background To provide evidence of the comparative curative efficiency and prevalence of treatment-related adverse events following manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) or misoprostol in first trimester incomplete abortion.Methods We comprehensively searched international medical literature databases, including PubMed, Medline, Ovid, Embase, and Web of science for related articles published between 2005 and 2023. After article screening, seven articles were finally included in the meta-analysis after assessment for risk of bias. Important parameters of the included studies were strictly extracted. Stata 17MP was used to compare the proportion of complete uterine evacuation, necessity for additional MVA, prevalence of adverse effects (abdominal pain, bleeding, fever, chills, nausea and vomiting), patients’ subjective evaluation and publication bias. Meta-regression was also performed.Results Seven eligible studies of 1097 patients receiving misoprostol and 1079 patients receiving MVA were included, and MVA was found to have better performance than misoprostol in terms of complete uterine evacuation (RR = 0.972, P༜0.001), regardless of age, gestational age, parity, dosage of misoprostol, and marital status. Meanwhile, misoprostol was related to higher possibility for additional MVA (RR = 7.112, P༜0.001). In terms of adverse events, misoprostol medication led to more frequent bleeding (RR = 1.91, P༜0.001), chills (RR = 7.5, P = 0.018), fever (RR = 4.34, P = 0.001), nausea (RR = 3.13, P = 0.005), and vomiting (2.21, P = 0.008).Conclusion MVA outperformed misoprostol in terms of accomplishing complete uterine evacuation in patients with first-trimester incomplete miscarriage. Moreover, the occurrence rate of adverse events was lower in MVA group than that in misoprostol group. However, since the rate of complete uterine evacuation after MVA and misoprostol were both over 90%, misoprostol was also considered as an alternative for MVA in limited resources settings.Trial registration: The research was formally registered on International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (registration number: INPLASY202350113) before statistical analysis.
Integrative Bioinformatics Analysis of CXCR-4 (C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4): Expression Pattern and Role in Breast Cancer Progression
Authors: KHAN Sameer Ullah , Aisha Shariqa , Fatima Kaneez , Malik Fayaz 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
C-X-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 4 (CXCR4) is a protein-coding gene that regulates the transduction of various downstream signaling cascades, which are crucial for the migration, survival, and proliferation of cancerous cells. This gene is identified as one of the highly deregulated genes in breast cancer patients. The main theme of this study was to examine the expression profile and prognostic relevance of CXCR4 among individuals with breast cancer. We examined the expression pattern, immunological relationship, gene ontology, as well as pathway involvement of CXCR4 in breast cancer (BC) using comprehensive bioinformatic approaches. The findings of our study indicate a significant upregulation of CXCR4 in BC tissues, specifically TNBC. Furthermore, there was a substantial correlation between CXCR4 and tumor stroma, specifically with regulatory T cells. The findings of this study suggest that CXCR4 plays a crucial role in the advancement of tumors. Therefore, a combined approach of targeting CXCR4 along with conventional therapies can lead to a substantial improvement in the therapeutic response of patients with BC.
hsa_circ_0131457 regulates SFRP2 through miR-636 to inhibit the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer
Authors: Kong Panpan , Yang Huan , Liu Huifang , Tong Qing , Dong Xiaogang , Yi Mamumaimaitijiang-Abula , Yan Dong 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Background: Circular RNA plays a crucial role in the occurrence and progression of pancreatic cancer. However, the existence of hsa_circ_0131457 has not been reported yet, necessitating further research.
Methods: The expression level of SOX4 in pancreatic cancer cells and tissues was measured using qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The correlation between the expression level of SOX4 in pancreatic cancer tissues and clinicopathological features was analyzed using the Pearson Chi-square test. The survival curve of pancreatic cancer patients was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The circRNA regulating SOX4 was predicted through bioinformatics and subsequently verified in pancreatic cancer cells and tissues. Bioinformatics was also employed to predict the miRNA and target genes, and a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network was constructed. The expression of SFRP2 in pancreatic cancer cells and tissues was measured using qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, and the correlation between clinicopathological features and prognosis was analyzed. Lastly, the biological function of SFRP2 was investigated through bioinformatics analysis.
Result: The expression of SOX4 was significantly up-regulated in pancreatic cancer cells and tissues. It is also associated with tumor size and T stage, which leads to a poor prognosis. qRT-PCR detection of pancreatic cancer tissue samples from 9 patients revealed a significantly lower expression of hsa_circ_0131457. Further bioinformatics analysis was conducted to establish the hsa_circ_0131457-miR-636-SFRP2 regulation network. Analysis of the target gene SFRP2 demonstrated a significant down-regulation in pancreatic cancer tissues and cells. SFRP2 was found to be negatively correlated with preoperative direct bilirubin, tumor size, T stage, and tumor differentiation, while positively correlated with overall survival time of patients.
Conclusion: It is inferred that the hsa_circ_0131457/ miR-636/SFRP2 regulatory mechanism may inhibit the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer.
Practices and Factors Affecting on-site Medical Equipment Maintenance at Wau Teaching Hospital, South Sudan
Authors: Massimino Natale , Nimpagaritse Manassé , Maru Shital , Makhado Mulatedzi , Mitiku Shiferaw 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Background of the study
With advances in the clinical field, medical devices in hospitals are also becoming more sophisticated and need to function under ideal conditions. In this context, it is important for hospitals to focus on the effective and fast repair of life-saving equipment. The objective of this research was to determine the practices and influential factors that affect on-site medical equipment maintenance.
Method:This was a quantitative research design. First, data related to maintenance practices, factors affecting medical equipment, and the root causes of equipment failure were collected using questionnaires. Questionnaires were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. A desk review and observation checklist was used.
Results:In this study, the maintenance practices documented were corrective maintenance and outsourcing to third-party logistics when medical devices broke down. There was a lack of inspection, prevention, predictive, and proactive maintenance practices.
Conclusions:The findings showed that corrective maintenance and outsourcing were the main maintenance practices observed. Factors affecting medical equipment repair processes were linked to insufficient resources, a lack of biomedical personnel, inadequate information about devices, a lack of periodical inspection and preventive design and implementation, and the inappropriateness of medical equipment.
Clinical characteristics of the “Gap” between the prevalence and incidence of hearing loss using National Health Insurance Service data
Authors: Lee Junhun , Yoon Chul Young , Lee Juhyung , Kong Tae Hoon , Seo Young Joon 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Hearing loss is the inability to hear speech or sounds well, owing to a number of causes. This study aimed to simultaneously determine the prevalence, incidence, and the gap between them in hearing loss in South Korean patients at the same point in time as well as to identify patients who have not recovered from hearing loss. We examined the prevalence and incidence of patients diagnosed with hearing loss in the National Health Insurance Service database over an 11-year period from 2010 to 2020. The difference between prevalence and incidence was defined by the term “Gap”. Clinical characteristics such as sex and age per 100,000 individuals were examined. As of 2020, the domestic prevalence and incidence rates obtained in this study were 1.84% and 1.57%, respectively, and the prevalence and incidence rates increased with increasing age. The gap was 0.27%, which showed a steady increasing trend from 2011 to 2020, and the total medical expenses increased accordingly. Because hearing loss is an irreversible disease, this Gap could mean many things, but it could be seen as a patient who has never recovered from hearing loss.
Serum proteinase-3 levels as a predictor of progression-free survival of first-line chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer
Authors: Furuya Kei , Nakajima Masao , Tsunedomi Ryouichi , Nakagami Yuki , Xu Ming , Matsui Hiroto , Tokumitsu Yukio , Shindo Yoshitaro , Watanabe Yusaku , Tomochika Shinobu , Maeda Noriko , Iida Michihisa , Suzuki Nobuaki , Takeda Shigeru , Hazama Shoichi , Ioka Tatsuya , Hoshii Yoshinobu , Ueno Tomio , Nagano Hiroaki 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Background: To improve the prognosis of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), investigating predictive biomarkers for prognosis and chemotherapeutic responsiveness is necessary. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the clinical significance of serum proteinase-3 (PRTN3) as a predictor for prognosis and chemosensitivity, especially to bevacizumab, in mCRC.
Methods: This single-center retrospective observational study enrolled 79 patients with mCRC in our hospital and 353 patients with colorectal cancer from the TCGA database. Preoperative serum PRTN3 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis according to serum PRTN3 levels were then evaluated. PRTN3 expression in tumor and stromal cells was evaluated immunohistochemically. The impact of PRTN3 levels on angiogenesis and bevacizumab sensitivity was evaluated using the tube formation assay.
Results: Serum PRTN3 level was an independent poor prognostic factor for progression-free survival (PFS) (hazard ratio: 2.082; 95% confidence interval: 1.118–3.647; P=0.010) in patients with mCRC. Similarly, prognostic analysis with TCGA data set showed poorer overall survival in patients with PRTN3 expression compared to those without PRTN3 expression, especially in patients with stage IV. Immunohistochemical analysis of resected specimens revealed that stromal neutrophils expressed PRTN3, and their expression level was significantly correlated with serum PRTN3 levels. Interestingly, the effectiveness of first line chemotherapy was significantly poorer in the high serum PRTN3 level group. High serum PRTN3 was significantly associated with poorer PFS (hazard ratio, 3.027; 95% confidence interval, 1.175–7.793; P=0.0161) in patients treated with bevacizumab, an anti-angiogenic inhibitor. Tube formation assay revealed that PRTN3 administration notably augmented angiogenesis while simultaneously attenuating the anti-angiogenic influence exerted by bevacizumab.
Conclusions: Serum PRTN3 levels could be a novel predictive biomarker of PFS of first-line chemotherapy especially for bevacizumab in patients with mCRC; however, future studies are warranted to confirm our results.
Characterizations of Laser Transmission Welding of Glass and Copper Using Nanosecond Pulsed Laser
Authors: Nguyen Hoai , Lin Chih-Kuang , Tung Pi-Cheng , Ho Jeng-Rong 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
In this study, we conducted an investigation into the heterogeneous bonding process of glass and copper using a nanosecond pulsed laser for laser transmission welding. Our research focused on examining various processing parameters and the influence of focal plane positions on bonding quality. To evaluate weld strength, we employed both pull-tensile separation force (PTSF) and shear-tensile separation force (STSF) measurements. The analysis of fracture and separation results encompassed detailed examinations of weld morphology, microstructure, elemental composition, and phase configuration. The results revealed that increasing the laser welding energy initially enhanced the weld strength until it reached a saturation point. This saturation point was attributed to the formation of voids or cracks, leading to residual stress within the weld zone due to non-uniform hot spots in the molten area during processing. Among the different focal plane positions tested, positioning it below the glass/copper interface yielded the highest weld strength. The maximum achieved bond strength was above 10 MPa, demonstrating the feasibility of cost-effective pulsed laser welding for copper-to-glass applications. Furthermore, the welds exhibited superior resistance to STSF compared to PTSF. PTSF caused breaking at the weld seam-glass boundary, leaving the weld seam on the copper plate, whereas STSF resulted in separation along the weld-copper interface, leaving the weld seam on the glass sheet. In-depth analysis through SEM and EDS elucidated that Cu and SiO2 underwent intra-mixing and inter-particle diffusion in the molten pool during welding. HR-TEM and SAED observations unveiled the presence of polycrystalline copper nanoparticles, copper oxides, and an amorphous Cu-O-Si region at the weld interface. This amorphous region significantly contributed to the robust bonding between copper and glass.
Bioinformatics analysis of a disease-specific lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA)
Authors: Reiisi Somayeh , Ahmadi Kambiz 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Background:This study investigated the molecular mechanisms of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in RSA using the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network.
Methods: The present study obtained expression datasets of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) (GSE179996), messenger RNAs (mRNAs) (GSE201469), and microRNAs (miRNAs) (GSE178619, GSE201442) from blood samples of individuals with RSA and healthy controls. The differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs), mRNAs (DEMs), and miRNAs (DEmiRs) were revealed. Subsequently, the identification of miRNAs that interact with DELs and exhibit overlap with DEmiRs was conducted. The specific genes were achieved through the overlapping predicted target genes and DEmiRs. A regulatory network comprising lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA was established, followed by a subsequent analysis of enrichment. Also, the enrichment analysis was performed, and a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed.
Results: This study identified 57 DELs, 212 DEmiRs, and 301 DEMs regarding RSA. Subsequent analysis revealed a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network comprising nine upregulated lncRNAs, 14 downregulated miRNAs, and 65 mRNAs. The ceRNA network's genes were then subjected to functional enrichment and pathway analyses, which showed their association with various processes, such as cortisol and thyroid hormone synthesis and secretion, human cytomegalovirus infection, and parathyroid hormone synthesis. Furthermore, ten hub genes (ITGB3, GNAI2, GNAS, SRC, PLEC, CDC42, RHOA, RAC1, CTNND1, FN1) were identified based on the PPI network results.
Conclusion: In summary, the outcomes of our study offer new understandings towards comprehending the potential pathogenic mechanism in RSA via the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network and reveal the possibility of identifying new lncRNAs and miRNAs as promising molecular biomarkers.
Injecting the Score of the First-stage Retriever as Text Improves BERT-Based Re-rankers
Authors: Askari Arian , Abolghasemi Amin , Pasi Gabriella , Kraaij Wessel , Verberne Suzan 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
In this paper we propose a novel approach for combining first-stage lexical retrieval models and Transformer-based re-rankers: we inject the relevance score of the lexical model as a token into the the input of the cross-encoder re-ranker. It was shown in prior work that interpolation between the relevance score of lexical and BERT-based re-rankers may not consistently result in higher effectiveness. Our idea is motivated by the finding that BERT models can capture numeric information. We compare several representations of the BM25 and Dense Passage Retrieval (DPR) scores and inject them as text in the input of four different cross-encoders. Since knowledge distillation, i.e., teacher-student training, proved to be highly effective for cross-encoder re-rankers, we additionally analyze the effect of injecting the relevance score into the student model while training the model by three larger teacher models. Evaluation on the MSMARCO Passage collection and the TREC DL collections shows that the proposed method significantly improves over all cross-encoder re-rankers as well as the common interpolation methods. We show that the improvement is consistent for all query types. We also find an improvement in exact matching capabilities over both the first-stage rankers and the cross-encoders. Our findings indicate that cross-encoder re-rankers can efficiently be improved without additional computational burden or extra steps in the pipeline by adding the output of the first-stage ranker to the model input. This effect is robust for different models and query types.
Experimental advancement of snowmelt influences flowering phenology and pollinator visitation in an alpine ecosystem
Authors: Rose-Person Annika , Spasojevic Marko J , Forrester Chiara , Bowman William D , Suding Katharine N , Oldfather Meagan F , Rafferty Nicole E 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Climate change is altering interactions among species, including plants and pollinators. In alpine ecosystems, where snowmelt timing is a key driver of phenology, earlier snowmelt may generate shifts in plant and pollinator phenology that vary across the landscape, potentially disrupting interactions. Here we ask how experimentally induced changes in snowmelt timing in a topographically heterogeneous alpine-subalpine landscape impact flowering, insect pollinator visitation, and the pathways connecting key predictors of plant-pollinator interaction. Snowmelt was advanced via the application of black sand on top of snow in manipulated plots, which were paired with control plots. For each forb species, we documented flowering onset and counted flowers throughout the season. We also performed pollinator observations to measure visitation rates. We found that plants flowered earlier in advanced snowmelt plots, with the largest advances in later-flowering species, but flowering duration and visitation rate did not differ between advanced snowmelt and control plots. Using piecewise structural equation models, we assessed the interactive effects of topography on snowmelt timing, flowering phenology, floral abundance, and pollinator visitation. We found that all of these factors interacted to predict visitation rate in control plots. However, in plots with experimentally advanced snowmelt, none of these predictors explained a significant amount of the variation in visitation rate, indicating that different predictors are needed to understand the processes that shape pollinator visitation to flowers under novel climate conditions. Our findings demonstrate that climate change-induced early snowmelt may fundamentally change the relationships between abiotic and biotic drivers of plant-pollinator interactions in alpine environments.
Handover decision and Load balancing in LTE networks using a Fuzzy logic system based on an optimisation technique
Authors: Mohan Divya , Amalanathan Geetha Mary 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
In the rapidly evolving landscape of LTE networks, achieving efficient Quality of Service (QoS) while ensuring seamless handovers and optimal Load balancing poses a significant challenge. Traditional methods rely on manual decision-making processes, leading to errors and suboptimal performance. Our study explores automated decision-making leveraging LTE networks' self-organising network (SON) capabilities to address this. This research identifies a critical gap in the existing literature: the lack of an automated, error-sensitive system that can swiftly balance the demands of handover and load distribution while maintaining QoS standards. An innovative strategy utilising fuzzy logic systems is suggested to close this gap. Fuzzy logic considers diverse network parameters, enabling it to make informed decisions regarding handovers and Load balancing based on real-time network status and associated variables. Our solution uses cutting-edge optimisation methods like the Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) to optimise judgments based on fuzzy logic. These algorithms step in when fuzzy logic encounters complexities, ensuring precise decision-making even in intricate scenarios. The core motivation behind this research lies in the ever-increasing demand for high data rates while preserving QoS standards. A dense LTE cell becomes imperative, necessitating sophisticated algorithms for continuous handover operations. The contribution to the fuzzy logic system's conceptualisation and practical application, which significantly enhances system performance and user mobility, is equally important. Our suggested model fulfils and exceeds the desired QoS by automating the decision-making process and incorporating optimisation approaches, resulting in a smooth and effective LTE network operation.
Vector transmission of parsley yellow leaf curl virus by the leafhopper Austroagallia sinuata
Authors: Nichkerdar Khadijeh , Heydarnejad Jahangir , Massumi Hossain 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
This study investigates the transmission potential of parsley yellow leaf curl virus (PYLCV; family Geminiviridae) by Austroagallia sp. leafhopper commonly found in vegetable farms in Kerman province, Iran. Accordingly, following two days of acquisition access period, nymphs from the non-viruliferous colony of Austroagallia sp. successfully transmitted the virus from PYLCV infected parsley to healthy seedlings after seven days from the start of feeding. On the basis of male genitalia morphology, the species of the leafhopper, was identified as A. sinuata. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a plant virus transmission by a species of Austroagallia in the world.