bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Novel study on investigating the mechanical, microstructure morphological, and dry sliding wear characteristics of grey cast iron GG25 with copper additions for valve guides in internal combustion engine
Authors: Singh Baljeet , Singh Grewal Jasmaninder , Kumar Rajeev , Sharma Shubham , Kumar Abhinav , Mohammed Kahtan A. , Awwad Fuad A. , Khan M. Ijaz , Ismail Emad A. A. 
Published: January 2024

Introduction: The performance functionality efficacy of the engine’s valve train assembly is considerably affected by the valve guide. Material selection is impacted by the prolonged operational lifespan of engines, which favours casting and machining materials such as cast iron. The intent of this study is to examine the dry sliding characteristics of GG25 cast iron with copper additives. Discovering the ways in which variations in load and sliding velocity impact wear characteristics is of paramount significance.Methods: The research entailed the examination of wear characteristics across various environmental conditions. Loads were varied at 30 N, 40 N, and 50 N while maintaining a 1 m/s velocity constant. In the same manner, sliding velocities of 0.5 m/s, 1 m/s, and 2 m/s were varied while a constant load of 30 N was maintained. Experimental techniques were carried out at ambient temperature. Throughout the investigations, frictional forces and the coefficient of friction were also determined. The wear mechanisms of samples that had become deteriorated or worn-out were examined by employing a scanning electron microscope when combined with EDX analysis.Results: A rise in the normal load from 30 N to 40 N led to a twofold rise in wear losses, measuring 417 microns as compared with 222 microns previously. The range of wear losses observed at moderate speeds (0.5 m/s–1 m/s) was 133–222 microns. Conversely, the maximum wear loss observed was 1,226 microns at elevated sliding velocities of 2 m/s, in contrast to 617 microns at higher normal loads of 50 N. Additionally, the research discovered that normal load is more pronounced when both loading and speed are moderate, whereas sliding speed becomes more substantial when both are raised, culminating to higher wear losses.Discussions: In summary, the research highlights the considerable effect that normal load and sliding speed have on the prevalence of wear losses. In conditions of moderate loading and velocity, the influence of normal load is more significant. However, as sliding accelerates, it becomes the predominant factor. An analysis of frictional forces as well as the coefficient of friction indicated that under loading conditions of 30 N–50 N, the friction coefficient raised from 0.238 to 0.43. The wear mechanisms, as discerned via scanning electron microscopy and EDX analysis, underscored the considerable impact of increased sliding velocity on wear loss in comparison to conditions of higher loading.
Total keratometry for toric intraocular lens calculation: comparison from two swept-source optical coherence tomography biometers
Authors: Chai Feiyan , Ma Jack X. , Wang Xiaogang , Liu Jiewei , Jiang Lin , Wu Wanmin , Li Junhong 
Published: January 2024

PurposeTo compare the astigmatism prediction accuracy of total keratometry (TK) from the IOLMaster 700 and total corneal power (TCP) from Anterion based on swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) technology in toric intraocular lens (toric IOL) calculation.DesignA retrospective observational study.MethodsTotal corneal astigmatism (TCA) were obtained using IOLMaster 700 and Anterion. Z CALC 2.0 was used to calculate the expected postoperative refractive astigmatism in conjunction with TCA. Prediction errors (PE) in refractive outcomes was analyzed 1 month postoperatively using the vector analysis by the Holladay method, including the mean vector PE magnitude, percentage of cases with vector PE in certain intervals, and the centroid PE.ResultsA total of 56 eyes from 56 patients were enrolled in the study with an insertion of an AT TORBI 709 toric IOL. The difference in mean vector PE of postoperative refractive astigmatism between TK and TCP was not statistically significant (0.48D versus 0.46D, P = 0.281). TK and TCP yielded 27.3 and 40.0% of eyes with vector PE ≤ 0.25D, and 58.2 and 63.6% with vector PE ≤ 0.5D (both P &gt; 0.05), respectively. TK and TCP resulted in similar ATR centroid PE of 0.10D@35° ± 0.60D and 0.15D@22° ± 0.57D, respectively, and there were no significant differences between x-PE component and y-PE component.ConclusionIOLMaster 700 and Anterion provided comparable astigmatic predictability in toric IOL implantation using total keratometry and Z CALC 2.0.
A novel gene signature related to focal adhesions for distinguishing and predicting the prognosis of lung squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Hui Gang , Xie Yuancai , Niu Li , Liu Jixian 
Published: January 2024

BackgroundLung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is a devastating and difficult-to-treat type of lung cancer, and the prognosis of LUSC is the worst. The functional roles of focal adhesion-related genes were explored in LUSC based on data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).MethodsRNA sequencing data and clinical characteristics of LUSC patients in TCGA-LUSC were obtained from the TCGA database. Through systematic analysis, we screened the prognostic genes and determined the focal adhesion-related pathways closely associated with LUSC.ResultsWe identified 444 prognostic genes and focal adhesion-related pathways intimately associated with LUSC. According to the focal adhesion-related genes, TCGA-LUSC patients were well divided into two groups: the low-risk group (G1) and the high-risk group (G2). A differential expression analysis identified 44 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) upregulated in the low-risk G1 group and 379 DEGs upregulated in the high-risk G2 group. The upregulated DEGs in the G1 group were primarily related to tyrosine metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, retinol metabolism, platinum drug resistance, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, and metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450, while the downregulated DEGs in the G1 group were primarily related to ECM-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, proteoglycans in cancer, small cell lung cancer, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and TGF-beta signaling pathway. The immune activity of the G1 group was lower than that of the G2 group, and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of five chemotherapy drugs (i.e., gemcitabine, methotrexate, vinorelbine, paclitaxel, and cisplatin) was significantly different between the G1 and G2 groups. Furthermore, a 10-gene prognostic model was constructed to predict the prognosis for LUSC patients: ITGA3, VAV2, FLNC, FLT4, HGF, MYL2, ITGB1, PDGFRA, CCND2, and PPP1CB.ConclusionThe status of focal adhesion-related genes has a close relationship with tumor classification and immunity in LUSC patients. A novel focal adhesion-related signature had good prognostic and predictive performance for LUSC. Our findings may provide new insight into the diagnosis and treatment of LUSC.
Development and validation of a predictive model for 30-day mortality in patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia in intensive care units
Authors: Zhang Yu , Peng Yuanyuan , Zhang Wang , Deng Wei 
Published: January 2024

BackgroundBased on the high prevalence and fatality rates associated with severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP), this study endeavored to construct an innovative nomogram for early identification of individuals at high risk of all-cause death within a 30-day period among SCAP patients receiving intensive care units (ICU) treatment.MethodsIn this single-center, retrospective study, 718 SCAP patients were screened from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database for the development of a predictive model. A total of 97 patients eligible for inclusion were included from Chongqing General Hospital, China between January 2020 and July 2023 for external validation. Clinical data and short-term prognosis were collected. Risk factors were determined using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multiple logistic regression analysis. The model’s performance was evaluated through area under the curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).ResultsEight risk predictors, including age, presence of malignant cancer, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, prothrombin time, and lactate levels were adopted in a nomogram. The nomogram exhibited high predictive accuracy, with an AUC of 0.803 (95% CI: 0.756–0.845) in the training set, 0.756 (95% CI: 0.693–0.816) in the internal validation set, 0.778 (95% CI: 0.594–0.893) in the external validation set concerning 30-day mortality. Meanwhile, the nomogram demonstrated effective calibration through well-fitted calibration curves. DCA confirmed the clinical application value of the nomogram.ConclusionThis simple and reliable nomogram can help physicians assess the short-term prognosis of patients with SCAP quickly and effectively, and could potentially be adopted widely in clinical settings after more external validations.
Exploration of validity evidence for core residency entrustable professional activities in Chinese pediatric residency
Authors: Li Shan , Qi Xin , Li Haichao , Zhou Wenjing , Jiang Zhehan , Qi Jianguang 
Published: January 2024

IntroductionThis study seeks to explore validity and reliability evidence for core residency entrustable professional activities (CR-EPAs) that were developed by Peking University First Hospital (PKUFH) in 2020.MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted in PKUFH. Trainers (raters) assessed pediatric residents on CR-EPAs over 1 academic year, bi-annually. Critical components within a validity evidence framework were examined: response process (rater perceptions), the internal structure (reliability and contributions of different variance sources), and consequences (potential use of a cutoff score).ResultsIn total, 37 residents were enrolled, and 111 and 99 trainers’ ratings were collected in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, respectively. For rater perceptions, all the raters considered CR-EPAs highly operational and convenient. In all ratings, individual EPAs correlate with total EPA moderately, with Spearman correlation coefficients spanning from 0.805 to 0.919. EPA 2 (select and interpret the auxiliary examinations), EPA 5 (prepare and complete medical documents), EPA 6 (provide an oral presentation of a case or a clinical encounter), and EPA 7 (identify and manage the general clinical conditions) were EPAs correlated with other EPAs significantly. The results of the generalizability theory indicated that the variability due to residents is the highest (nearly 78.5%), leading to a large size of the reliability estimates. The matching results indicate that the lowest error locates at 5.933.ConclusionThe rating showed good validity and reliability. The ratings were reliable based on G-theory. CR-EPAs have a magnificent internal structure and have promising consequences. Our results indicate that CR-EPAs are a robust assessment tool in workplace-based training in a carefully designed setting.
Description of electroneuromiographic and laboratorial findings in leprosy neuropathy, according to its clinical forms: the confirmation of a spectral disease
Authors: Santos Diogo Fernandes dos , Borges Isabella Sabião , Garcia Leonardo Peixoto , Antunes Douglas Eulálio , Luppi Andrea De Martino , Goulart Isabela Maria Bernardes 
Published: January 2024

IntroductionLeprosy is one of the most common infectious cause of peripheral neuropathy in the world and can lead to sequelae and physical disabilities. Electroneuromyography (ENMG) is the gold-standard test for evaluating neural impairment, detecting from subclinical abnormalities to advanced lesions. This study aims to describe the electroneuromyographic findings in patients with leprosy, according to their clinical forms.MethodsThe study is a retrospective observational analysis of the medical records of patients with leprosy, of a National Reference Center of Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy in Brazil between 2014 and 2022. 513 patients underwent ENMG at leprosy diagnosis and also underwent a clinical, serological and molecular evaluation of the disease.ResultsThe electroneuromyographic findings showed 2,671 altered nerves, with an average of 6.9 (±5.1) altered nerves per patient. The most affected sensory nerves were the superficial peroneal (25.0%; 413/1649), sural (15.1%; 397/2627) and ulnar (13.8%; 363/2627), with average of 4.3 (±3.2) affected sensory nerves per patient. The most affected motor nerves were the ulnar (33.1%; 338/1022) and common peroneal (12.1%; 319/2627), with average of 2.6 (±2.5) motor nerves affected per patient. 126 patients presented normal ENMG and, among the 387 with abnormalities in the exam, 13.2% (51/387) had mononeuropathy and 86.8% (336/387) had multiple mononeuropathy. Axonal involvement was more frequent in primary neural leprosy, borderline-tuberculoid, borderline-lepromatous and lepromatous forms.DiscussionOur findings support that leprosy is a spectral disease, characterized by a balance between host immunity and bacillary load. Therefore, the impairment and electroneuromyographic characteristics are distinct and may vary according to the clinical form.
Circulating levels of inflammatory mediators in pregnant people living with HIV according to antiretroviral therapy regimen
Authors: Hindle Stephanie , Girard Sylvie , Cote Helene C. F. , Money Deborah , Mann Evelyn , Boucoiran Isabelle ,   for the Children and Women Antiretroviral Therapy and Makers of Aging (Carma) Preg Team
Published: January 2024

IntroductionThe use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy, particularly protease-inhibitor-based regimens (PI), has been linked to adverse outcomes including preterm delivery. As this outcome may be related to systemic inflammation, we sought to characterize inflammatory profiles of pregnant people living with HIV (PLWH) by comparing their levels of inflammatory mediators at two timepoints during pregnancy according to ART regimen, and to HIV-negative controls.MethodsSecond and third trimester samples from 144 pregnant PLWH treated with ART and 24 HIV-uninfected controls were retrieved from the CARMA-PREG cohort. Peripheral plasma levels of 12 inflammatory mediators previously linked to HIV infection and/or poor pregnancy outcomes were quantified by multiplex assay: HMGB1, GM-CSF, IFNα, IFNβ, IFNγ, IL-10, IL-17, IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, AGP, and CRP. Levels were compared by ART regimen and HIV status.ResultsAdjusted analyses showed that PLWH have higher levels of AGP throughout pregnancy and lower levels of IFNγ and IL-1β during the second trimester. PI-based regimens are associated with significantly higher levels of IFNα and IL-17 during the second trimester and IFNα, CRP, HMGB1, and IFNβ during the third trimester compared to InSTI-based regimens. The PI-subgroup was associated with preterm delivery and higher HIV-1 viral load.DiscussionOur results suggest that PI-based regimens are associated with a pro-inflammatory and antiviral immunological response and a high viral load, which may be a mechanism through which PI-based regimens increase the risk of preterm delivery. Further investigations into cellular mechanisms and pro-inflammatory cascades leading to preterm delivery are necessary to support this association.
Associations of central obesity and habitual food consumption with saliva microbiota and its enzymatic profiles – a pilot study in Finnish children
Authors: Agrawal Nitin , Fontana Federico , Tarracchini Chiara , Lommi Sohvi , Ventura Marco , Milani Christian , Viljakainen Heli 
Published: January 2024

BackgroundVariation in diversity and composition of saliva microbiota has been linked to weight status, but findings have been inconsistent. Focusing on clinically relevant conditions such as central obesity and using advanced sequencing techniques might fill in the gaps of knowledge.AimsWe investigated saliva microbiota with shallow metagenome sequencing in children with (n = 14) and without (n = 36) central obesity. Additionally, we examined the role of habitual food consumption on microbial enzymatic repertoire.MethodsData comprised 50 children (50% male) with a mean age of 14.2 (SD 0.3) years, selected from the Finnish Health in Teens (Fin-HIT) cohort. Dietary scores for consumption frequency of sweet treats (STI), dairy products (DCI) and plants (PCI) were derived based on a self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Central obesity was defined based on waist–height ratio using the cut-off 0.5. Saliva samples were subjected to whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing, and taxonomic and functional profiling was achieved with METAnnotatorX2 bioinformatics platform.ResultsGroups had an average 20 (95% CI 14–27) cm difference in waist circumference. We identified the lack of Pseudomonas guguagenesis and Prevotella scopos, oulorum and oris as putative biomarkers associated with central obesity and observed a total of 16 enzymatic reactions differing between the groups. DCI was associated with the highest number of enzyme profiles (122), followed by STI (60) and DCI (25) (Pearson correlation p &lt; 0.05). Intriguingly, STI showed a high positive/negative correlation ratio (5.09), while DCI and PCI showed low ratios (0.54 and 0.33, respectively). Thus, the main driver of enzymatic reactions was STI, and the related pathways involved nitrate metabolism induced by Haemophilus parainfluenzae and Veilonella dispar among others.ConclusionClinically relevant differences in central obesity were only modestly reflected in the composition of saliva microbiota. Habitual consumption of sweet treats was a strong determinant of enzymatic reactions of saliva microbiota in children with and without central obesity. The clinical relevance of these findings warrants further studies.
Neuro-environmental interactions: a time sensitive matter
Authors: Invernizzi Azzurra , Renzetti Stefano , Rechtman Elza , Ambrosi Claudia , Mascaro Lorella , Corbo Daniele , Gasparotti Roberto , Tang Cheuk Y. , Smith Donald R. , Lucchini Roberto G. , Wright Robert O. , Placidi Donatella , Horton Megan K. , Curtin Paul 
Published: January 2024

IntroductionThe assessment of resting state (rs) neurophysiological dynamics relies on the control of sensory, perceptual, and behavioral environments to minimize variability and rule-out confounding sources of activation during testing conditions. Here, we investigated how temporally-distal environmental inputs, specifically metal exposures experienced up to several months prior to scanning, affect functional dynamics measured using rs functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI).MethodsWe implemented an interpretable XGBoost-shapley additive explanation (SHAP) model that integrated information from multiple exposure biomarkers to predict rs dynamics in typically developing adolescents. In 124 participants (53% females, ages, 13–25 years) enrolled in the public health impact of metals exposure (PHIME) study, we measured concentrations of six metals (manganese, lead, chromium, copper, nickel, and zinc) in biological matrices (saliva, hair, fingernails, toenails, blood, and urine) and acquired rs-fMRI scans. Using graph theory metrics, we computed global efficiency (GE) in 111 brain areas (Harvard Oxford atlas). We used a predictive model based on ensemble gradient boosting to predict GE from metal biomarkers, adjusting for age and biological sex.ResultsModel performance was evaluated by comparing predicted versus measured GE. SHAP scores were used to evaluate feature importance. Measured versus predicted rs dynamics from our model utilizing chemical exposures as inputs were significantly correlated (p &lt; 0.001, r = 0.36). Lead, chromium, and copper contributed most to the prediction of GE metrics.DiscussionOur results indicate that a significant component of rs dynamics, comprising approximately 13% of observed variability in GE, is driven by recent metal exposures. These findings emphasize the need to estimate and control for the influence of past and current chemical exposures in the assessment and analysis of rs functional connectivity.
The combination of accent method and phonemic contrast: an innovative strategy to improve speech production on post-stroke dysarthria
Authors: Ge Shengnan , Wan Qin , Wang Yongli , Yin Minmin , Huang Zhaoming 
Published: January 2024

IntroductionSpeech production includes segmental and suprasegmental features, which interact and cooperate with each other. Impaired speech production is common in individuals with post-stroke dysarthria. The commonly used phonemic contrast therapy and Accent Method in clinical practice can improve the segmental and suprasegmental aspects, respectively. This study aimed to explore the feasibility and immediate effectiveness of the combination of specific rhythm patterns of the Accent Method and phonemic contrast on speech production.MethodsFifteen poststroke dysarthria patients (12 males and three females) first received accentuation task of three rhythm patterns (Largo-slow, Andante-medium, Allegro-fast) and later received speech task in appropriate rhythm patterns combined with phonemic contrast materials and non-phonemic contrast materials. Speech parameters were analyzed by considering speech clarity and prosody.ResultsThe results showed that the number of correct target syllables, sentence clarity, and standard deviation of intensity increased significantly, and the average length of pauses and abnormal pause times decreased significantly in Andante (medium) compared to other rhythms. The number of correct target syllables, sentence clarity, and standard deviation of intensity increased significantly compared with those in the non-phonemic contrast in Andante (medium).ConclusionThe combination of phonemic contrast and Accent Method was verified to have an immediate effect on speech production in Mandarin speakers with post-stroke dysarthria and could be further validated in other diseases with impaired speech production in the clinic in the future.
Bi-directional electrical recording and stimulation of the intact retina with a screen-printed soft probe: a feasibility study
Authors: Vėbraitė Ieva , Bar-Haim Chen , David-Pur Moshe , Hanein Yael 
Published: January 2024

IntroductionElectrophysiological investigations of intact neural circuits are challenged by the gentle and complex nature of neural tissues. Bi-directional electrophysiological interfacing with the retina, in its intact form, is particularly demanding and currently there is no feasible approach to achieve such investigations. Here we present a feasibility study of a novel soft multi-electrode array suitable for bi-directional electrophysiological study of the intact retina.MethodsScreen-printed soft electrode arrays were developed and tested. The soft probes were designed to accommodate the curvature of the retina in the eye and offer an opportunity to study the retina in its intact form.ResultsFor the first time, we show both electrical recording and stimulation capabilities from the intact retina. In particular, we demonstrate the ability to characterize retina responses to electrical stimulation and reveal stable, direct, and indirect responses compared with ex-vivo conditions.DiscussionThese results demonstrate the unique performances of the new probe while also suggesting that intact retinas retain better stability and robustness than ex-vivo retinas making them more suitable for characterizing retina responses to electrical stimulation.