bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Concomitant Sjögren’s disease as a biomarker for treatment effectiveness in rheumatoid arthritis - results from the Swiss Clinical Quality Management cohort
Authors: Christ Lisa , Kissling Seraphina , Finckh Axel , Fisher Benjamin A. , Adler Sabine , Maurer Britta , Möller Burkhard , Kollert Florian 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Objective: To investigate the clinical phenotype and treatment response in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with and without concomitant Sjögren’s disease (SjD).
Methods: In this observational cohort study, patients with RA from the Swiss Clinical Quality Management in Rheumatic Diseases registry were categorised according to the presence or absence of SjD. To assess treatment effectiveness, drug retention of tumor necrosis factor-α-inhibitors (TNFi) was compared to other mode of action (OMA) biologics and Janus kinase-inhibitors (JAKi) in RA patients with and without SjD. Adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for time to drug discontinuation were compared in crude and adjusted Cox proportional regression models for potential confounders.
Results: We identified 5974 patients without and 337 patients with concomitant SjD. Patients with SjD were more likely to be female, to have a positive rheumatoid factor, higher disease activity scores, and erosive bone damage.
For treatment response, a total of 6781 treatment courses were analysed. After one year, patients with concomitant SjD were less likely to reach DAS28 remission with all three treatment modalities. Patients with concomitant SjD had a higher hazard for stopping TNFi treatment (adjusted HR 1.3 [95% CI 1.07-1.6]; OMA HR 1.12 [0.91-1.37]; JAKi HR 0.97 [0.62-1.53]). When compared to TNFi, patients with concomitant SjD had a significantly lower hazard for stopping treatment with OMA (adjusted HR 0.62 [95% CI 0.46-0.84]) and JAKi (HR 0.52 [0.28-0.96]).
Conclusion: RA patients with concomitant SjD reveal a severe RA phenotype, are less responsive to treatment, and more likely to fail TNFi.
Notable improvements on LWFA through precise laser wavefront tuning
Authors: Oumbarek-Espinos Driss , Rondepierre Alexandre , Jin Zhan , Zhidkov Alexey , Pathak Naveen , Huang Kai , Nakanii Nobuhiko , Daito Izuru , Kando Masaki , Hosokai Tomonao 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) continues to grow and awaken interest worldwide, especially as in various applications it approaches performance comparable to classical accelerators. However, numerous challenges still exist until this can be a reality. The complex non-linear nature of the process of interaction between the laser and the induced plasma remains an obstacle to the widespread LWFA use as stable and reliable particle sources.
It is commonly accepted that the best wavefront is a perfect Gaussian distribution. However, experimentally, this is not correct and more complicated ones can potentially give better results. in this work, the effects of tuning the laser wavefront via the controlled introduction of aberrations are explored for an LWFA accelerator using the shock injection configuration. Our experiments show the clear unique correlation between the generated beam transverse characteristics and the different input wavefronts.
The electron beams stability, acceleration and injection are also significantly different. We found that in our case, the best beams were generated with a specific complex wavefront. A greater understanding of electron generation as function of the laser input is achieved thanks to this method and hopes towards a higher level of control on the electrons beams by LWFA is foreseen.
Assessment of Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Survivors Post 5 Year From Surgery: Study from a Community Hospital in India
Authors: Mathur Vasundhara , Swaminathan Niranjana , Gupta Neha , Nathani Priyansh , Bhandarkar Prashant , Sarang Bhakti , Gadgil Anita , Roy Nobhojit 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Breast cancer is the most common cancer afflicting women with an estimated 2.1 million new cases diagnosed globally every year. Breast cancer and its treatment significantly impair the patient’s physical mental health and thereby affect their overall quality of life (QOL). Our aim was to identify differences in long-term QOL between breast conservative surgery (BCS) and modified radical mastectomy (MRM) for early breast cancer among sociodemographic and clinical subgroups of patients.
Methodology:
This prospective observational cohort study was conducted at Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) hospital under Universal Health Coverage scheme. We recruited patients who were surgically treated for breast cancer between 2010 to 2015 and were continuing further treatment or follow-up. Their QOL scores were measured using the 37-item Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy- Breast, Version 4 (FACT-B) questionnaire and were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test. P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results
Among the 86 patients (46 with BCS and 41 with MRM) included in the study, the mean age was 59 ± 11.5 years with a mean follow-up period of 6.9 years. Functional well-being was significantly better for the BCS group (P < 0.01). However, the QOL scores corresponding to physical, social and emotional well-being as well as body image and attractiveness scores for BCS and MRM at the end of the follow-up period were comparable (p > 0.05).
Conclusion
Functional well-being was the only component of QOL that was noted to be higher for BCS for our study population. Future work on understanding the behavioral and cognitive components of body image in this patient population is warranted.
Energy level transition and mode transition in a neuron
Authors: Li Xiaodi , Xu Ying 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
During continuous diffusion and propagation of intracellular ions, energy transition between electric and magnetic field is proceeded to present appropriate firing patterns. For theoretical neuron models, an equivalent Hamilton energy is derived by Helmholtz theorem. For neural circuits, the Hamilton energy can also be obtained by applying scale transformation on the field energy function. External stimuli injects energy into the neuron, and the energy level transition is induced accompanying with mode transition in the neuronal activity. On the flip side, large external stimuli can induce shape deformation of the cell and possible parameter shift occurs to keep neuron on appropriate energy level in the deterministic neuron models. In this letter, energy function for Hindmarh-Rose neuron is estimated and a criterion for transition between energy levels and firing modes is defined and explained. It provides possible clues for understanding the dependencies of pattern selection in discharge mode on energy level and adaptive controllability in neurons, and thus the neural activities in neurons and nervous system can be controlled by regulating energy flow.
LINC01559 promotes lung adenocarcinoma metastasis by disrupting the ubiquitination of VIM
Authors: Feng Hao , Cui Zhilei , Jiang Chenyang , Chen Yuming , Ren Zirui , Li Xiang , Xu Dengfei , Cang Shundong 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background: As the predominant proportion of lung cancer, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has emerged as a formidable malignancy that poses a substantial menace to human health. Numerous studies have demonstrated the undeniable involvement of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Our investigation aims to elucidate the functional role and intrinsic molecular mechanism of LINC01559 in LUAD metastasis.
Methods: The expression and prognosis of LINC01559 in LUAD were analyzed from the database. Quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT-PCR) and In Situ Hybridization (ISH) were performed to detect the expression level of LINC01559 in LUAD cell lines and tissues. With RNA interference (RNAi) technology, the biological function of LINC01559 in LUAD cell lines was clarified through transwell assay. Tail vein injection model was established to observe the effect of LINC01559 on LUAD metastasis in vivo. RNA pull down and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) were utilized to explore the binding proteins of LINC01559. The rescue experiment was conducted to investigate the role of LINC01559 in promoting LUAD metastasis through vimentin (VIM). The molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of VIM by LINC01559 was elucidated using CHX-chase and ubiquitination assays.
Results: LINC01559 exhibited conspicuous upregulation in both LUAD tissues and cell lines, and was identified as a prognostic risk factor for patients with LUAD. Notably, knockdown of LINC01559 expression significantly inhibited the migration and invasion capabilities of LUAD cells. In vivo assay revealed that knockdown of LINC01559 curbed lung metastasis of LUAD. Molecular mechanism studies unveiled that LINC01559 interacted with VIM and modulated its protein level. Further investigations suggested that LINC01559 promoted LUAD metastasis by impeding the ubiquitination-mediated degradation of VIM.
Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that LINC01559 played a crucial role in fostering LUAD metastasis by stabilizing the VIM protein, which suggested that LINC01559 might be a potential therapeutic target for inhibiting LUAD metastasis.
An integrated approach to identifying ecological sources and constructing ecological security patterns in a rapidly urbanizing region: A case study of Suizhou, China
Authors: Chen Jiayu , Gu kang , Jiefu Xue , Yiwu Wang 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Context：Over the past decade, China's unprecedented rapid urbanization has brought huge challenges to the stability of regional ecosystems.
Objectives：Hubei Province, positioned as the central region's focal point, holds a strategically important role. Taking Suizhou in Hubei as a case study, we propose a framework for defining ecological security pattern (Esp) within rapidly urbanizing cities to safeguard and rehabilitate mountains, rivers, farmlands, lakes, and grasslands.
Methods：A pivotal objective of this framework is to optimize the selection of ecological sources. We employ the Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) approach to pinpoint areas of high ecological service significance, amalgamating ecological sensitivity and landscape connectivity for source identification.
Results：Approximately 28.7% of Suizhou's territory is enveloped by 15 contiguous and intact ecological sources. Subsequently, using circuit theory, we extract ecological corridors covering 416.08 km2 and stretching 211.43 km.
Conclusions: Due to substantial urban development and construction in central Suizhou, the ecological spaces on its northern and southern flanks are significantly disconnected. Merely two traverse the central urban development zone, establishing a connection between the north and south. Furthermore, numerous ecological bottlenecks are present within these two corridors. Consequently, we propose advancing green infrastructure within urban central areas and augmenting the ecological sensitivity and resilience of natural zones adjacent to developed regions. Furthermore, a focal point should be placed on improving the ecological bottleneck areas within the ecological corridors to enhance species connectivity. The research's applicability can be extended to other rapidly urbanizing areas along the Yangtze River.
Saudi Medical Student Perceptions Concerning Interventional Radiology
Authors: Aldahery Shrooq , Qwader Renad , Asiri Raghad , Al-Alfy Afnan , Alsharif Walaa , Alhazmi Fahad , Suliman Awadia , Alshamrani Khalid , Qurashi Abdulaziz , Yousef Mohamed , Bushara Lubna , Osman Hanady 
Published: September 2023

Abstract

Interventional radiology (IR) is a subspecialty of diagnostic radiology, that uses image-guided radiological methods to carry out minimally invasive procedures. Medical schools in Saudi Arabia minimally expose students to IR unless it is part of an elective rotation. The study aims to gauge how well-informed medical and radiology technology students are regarding the variations in educational and clinical experiences offered at different universities in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Additionally, to assess students' interest in IR as a potential career path and their opinions about their life experiences concerning the department's future. This study used a cross-sectional study design. Between April and May 2023 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, students studying radiology technology and medicine who were in their second year to internship year had access to an online questionnaire. The study found that 31.5% of the students reported having poor knowledge of IR, while 7.8% reported not knowing at all. Additionally, 45.9% of respondents felt that their knowledge was adequate, and a minority of 14.7% reported having an excellent understanding of IR concepts. Therefore, in order to enhance the students’ knowledge about IR, an early introduction of IR courses into the curriculum, IR symposiums, and conferences are required.
Deep Learning based Joint Fusion approach to exploit anatomical and functional brain information in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Saponaro Sara , Lizzi Francesca , Serra Giacomo , Mainas Francesca , Oliva Piernicola , Giuliano Alessia , Calderoni Sara , Retico Alessandra 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background: The integration of the information encoded in multiparametric MRI images can enhance the performance of machine-learning classifiers. In this study, we investigate whether the combination of structural and functional MRI might improve the performances of a deep learning (DL) model trained to discriminate subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) with respect to typically developing controls (TD).
Material and Methods: We analyzed both structural and functional MRI brain scans publicly available within the ABIDE I and II data collections. We considered 1383 male subjects with age between 5 and 40 years, including 680 subjects with ASD and 703 TD from 35 different acquisition sites. We extracted mor-phometric and functional brain features from MRI scans with the Freesurfer and the CPAC analysis packages, respectively. Then, due to the multisite nature of the dataset, we implemented a data harmonization protocol. The ASD vs. TD classification was carried out with a multiple-input DL model, consisting in a neural network which generates a fixed-length feature representation of the data of each modality (FR-NN), and a Dense Neural Network for classification (C-DNN). Specifically, we implemented a joint fusion approach to multiple source data integration. The main advantage of the latter is that the loss is propagated back to the FR-NN during the training, thus creating informative feature representations for each data modality. Then, a C-NN, with a number of layers and neurons per layer to be optimized during the model training, performs the ASD-TD discrimination. The performance was evaluated by computing the Area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve within a nested 10-fold cross-validation. The brain features that drive the DL classification were identified by the SHAP explainability framework.
Results: The AUC values of 0.66 ± 0.05 and of 0.76 ± 0.04 were obtained in the ASD vs. TD discrimination when only structural or functional features are considered, respectively. The joint fusion approach led to an AUC of 0.78±0.04. The set of structural and functional connectivity features identified as the most important for the two-class discrimination supports the idea that brain changes tend to occur in individuals with ASD in regions belonging to the Default Mode Network and to the Social Brain.
Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that the multimodal joint fusion approach outperforms the classification results obtained with data acquired by a single MRI modality as it efficiently exploits the complementarity of structural and functional brain information.
A New Method to Suppress Reflections from Numerical Boundaries in Wave Propagation
Authors: Choudhary Pratiksha , Sharma Anurag 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
To suppress numerical reflections, various boundary conditions, such as the transparent boundary condition (TBC), the absorbing boundary condition (ABC), and the perfectly matched layer (PML), are used in wave propagation methods. We propose a new boundary condition that works directly on the field. We show through examples that the field-domain boundary condition (FDBC) performs as well as the ABC and the PML. It is much easier to implement as it requires only multiplication of the field in the absorbing layer by a factor. Another advantage with the FDBC is that its performance does not depend critically on the choice of numerical parameters such as the absorption profile and the strength of absorption.
Femoral cortical thickness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis complicated with destructive knee joints are significantly thinner in distal anterior and distal medial diaphysis and significantly correlated with bone mineral density and body mass index
Authors: Kakutani Rika , Kondo Naoki , Yamako Go , Mochizuki Tomoharu , Someya Keiichiro , Kawashima Hiroyuki 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
The examination of femoral cortical bone thickness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been notably limited in prior research. We aimed to compare femoral cortical thickness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy controls and to investigate the association between femoral cortical thickness and clinical parameters within the RA group.
Methods
Forty-four patients (58 limbs) with RA who underwent total knee arthroplasty were enrolled. Preoperative computed tomography images of the lower limbs were analyzed. The femoral cortex was divided into the proximal, central, and distal diaphysis regions and further into the anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral regions. The divisions were measured using Stradwin® software and standardized by femoral length. Femoral cortical thickness was compared between RA and healthy control (n = 25) groups. Correlation analyses between standardized cortical thickness and disease parameters were performed in the RA group.
Results
The RA group had significantly lower standardized femoral cortical thickness at the anterior and medial distal diaphysis than healthy controls. Standardized proximal lateral and central lateral in the RA group were significantly larger than those in the healthy control groups. Standardized femoral cortical thickness was significantly correlated with bone mineral density (BMD) in 11 areas, except the posterior central diaphysis, and with body mass index in 8 areas, except the central posterior, distal lateral, distal anterior, and distal medial diaphysis.
Conclusions
Femoral cortical thinning was noted in patients with RA complicated with destructive knee, particularly at the anterior and medial distal diaphysis. Femoral cortical thickness was significantly correlated with BMD and body mass index (BMI); thus, patients with RA and low BMD and BMI should be cared for to prevent fragility fractures.
The Amazon Deforestation Calendar: Unveiling the role of marked seasonal patterns
Authors: Bezerra Francisco , Silva Felipe , Aguiar Ana Paula , Bezerra Karine , Vinhas Lubia , Maurano Luis , Carvalho André 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
The Amazon biome has experienced significant changes in its landscape, similar to other tropical forests, primarily due to changes in land use in the area. Despite previously established strategies to contain the advance of deforestation, we have observed an increase in deforestation rates recently. Our objective was to analyze deforestation in the biome using clustering and spatial analysis methods to understand deforestation patterns and spatio-temporal dynamics. Regions 1 and 2 stood out as priority areas for monitoring and combating deforestation. Human settlements, agricultural land, and undesignated public forests characterize these areas. Deforestation in these areas presents a significant level of seasonality in its mode and dynamics. The results emphasize that annual deforestation changes require strategies addressing territorial differences. Therefore, prevention and intervention measures must be adapted to seasonal variations and the specific characteristics of each region to combat deforestation in the Amazon biome effectively.
A Rare Case of a Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak and Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension in a Transgender Male
Authors: Smith Isaac , Aoun Raissa , Lalchan Rebecca 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background:
The pathophysiology of Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is not fully characterized, and less is known about its development in transgender patients. Cases detailing the natural history of IIH in transgender patients gives us key insights into the development of these diseases in all patients. Several cases of IIH in transgender patients have been reported, but fewer cases have been published that identify a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak as a complication of IIH in this population.
Case:
We describe the case of a 33-year-old obese (BMI: 30.58 kg/m2) female-to-male (FTM) transgender patient on exogenous testosterone who presented with 1-month of acute on chronic headache with profuse rhinorrhea. Fundoscopic exam revealed disc pallor and edema consistent with a Frisen Gade 3 papilledema. Nasal secretion was positive for beta-2 transferrin, consistent with CSF. Computed tomography (CT) head demonstrated a 5-mm defect in the medial left middle cranial fossa and abnormal arachnoid granulations concerning for IIH. After a successful endoscopic endonasal repair of the left lateral sphenoid recess leak, our patient continued to report headaches, was started on acetazolamide, and noted improvement in symptoms.
Conclusion:
The case described herein further supports the growing body of evidence that implicates a hormonal mechanism of action in the development of IIH in all patients. Importantly, it also addresses the need for increased study and conversation about rare neurologic diseases in transgender patients.
Preparation of zirconia/zinc oxide nanocomposites by sol-gel method for highly sensitive determination of dopamine
Authors: Chen Liqiang , Tian Shuangshuang , Zhang Jinghua , Zhang Hong , Sheng Liangquan , Wang Xinxin , Fan Jiajing , Huang Deqian 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
A novel electrochemical sensor based on ZrO2 and ZnO hybrid nanocomposites was constructed for the specific determination of dopamine (DA) with ultra-high sensitivity and selectivity. The structure and electrochemical properties of the composites were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), automatic gas adsorption apparatus and electrochemistry. The results show that in the ZrO2/ZnO nanocomposite, ZrO2 has a large specific surface area and abundant active site, which can accelerate the oxidation reduction reaction of DA, while ZnO nanomaterials have good conductivity, which can improve the adsorption ability of the sensor to DA. The detection limit of the electrochemical sensor is 94.1 nM in the linear range of 0.5~100 μM. Assays were performed using human serum samples at physiological pH, the recovery rate was 98.5%~101.0%, and the relevant standard deviations were less than 5%. This indicates that the electrochemical sensor is promising for bioanalysis and disease monitoring.