bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparing the effectiveness of pterostilbene and sitagliptin on modulating inflammatory levels and inducing autophagy to improve atherosclerosis outcome: A preclinical study in rabbits
Authors: Sahib Hussam H , Mohammad Bassim I , Hadi Najah R , Al-Shaibany Azhar , Philip Anil K , Mohammed Wisam J , Jamil Dina A , Al-Aubaidy Hayder A 
Published: March 2023

Background: Inflammation is the key contributor to the development of atherosclerotic plague. This study aims to evaluate the protective and autophagy induction properties of pterostilbene and sitagliptin on modulating the degree of atherosclerosis in rabbit models treated with an atherogenic diet. Methods: 80 rabbits were randomly placed into one of four study groups (20 in each group): normal control diet (NC) fed normal diet for eight weeks, atherogenic control (AC) fed atherogenic diet for eight weeks, pterostilbene treated group (PT) fed atherogenic diet with pterostilbene (at 10 mg/kg/day) orally daily for eight weeks, and sitagliptin treated group (ST) fed atherogenic diet with sitagliptin (at 12 mg/kg/day) orally daily for eight weeks. Results: While serum lipids and F2-isoprostane were elevated significantly in the AC study cohort compared to NC study cohort, (P < 0.001), both pterostilbene and sitagliptin supplementations provided significant improvements in serum lipid parameters and F2-isoprostane in the PT study cohort and ST study cohort, respectively, when compared to the AC study cohort, (P<0.001). Total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL levels were significantly reduced among the PT and ST study cohorts as compared to the AC study cohort. This was coupled with a significant rise in LC3B levels (marker of tissue autophagy) among the PT study cohort and the ST study cohort, as compared to the AC study cohort, (P < 0.001). The RNA expression of mTORC1 was reduced significantly at both PT study cohort and ST study cohort, (P<0.001). Pterostilbene supplementation induced a significant reduction in tissue expression of PI3K and AKT, (P<0.01), while sitagliptin induced significant reduction in 5’ adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) levels, (P<0.001). Conclusions: The results indicate that pterostilbene and/or sitagliptin supplementation can significantly improve the outcome of atherosclerosis due to their effects on the inflammatory pathways which hinder the progression of atherosclerotic plaque formation.
Hesitancy towards the COVID-19 vaccine among health care practitioners in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Almojaibel Abdullah A. , Ansari Khalid , Alzahrani Yahya A. , Alessy Saleh A. , Farooqi Faraz A. , Alqurashi Yousef D. 
Published: March 2023

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a major public health crisis worldwide. In less than 12 months since the World Health Organization declared the outbreak, several different COVID-19 vaccines have been approved and deployed mostly in developed countries since January 2021. However, hesitancy to accept the newly developed vaccines is a well-known public health challenge that needs to be addressed. The aim of this study was to measure willingness and hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccines among health care practitioners' (HCPs) in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study using an online self-reported survey was conducted among HCPs in Saudi Arabia between April 4th to April 25th 2021 using snowball sampling. Multivariate logistic regression was employed to identify the possible factors affecting HCPs’ willingness and hesitancy to receive COVID-19 vaccines. Results: Out of 776 participants who started the survey, 505 (65%) completed it and were included in the results. Among all HCPs, 47 (9.3%) either said “no” to receive the vaccine [20 (4%)] or were hesitant to receive it [27 (5.3%)]. Of the total number of the HCPs, 376 (74.5%) already received the COVID-19 vaccine, and 48 (9.50%) were registered to receive it. The main reason of agreement to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was “wanting to protect self and others from getting the infection” (24%). Conclusion: Our findings have shown that hesitancy toward receiving COVID-19 vaccines among HCPs in Saudi Arabia is limited and therefore may not be a serious issue. The outcomes of this study may help to understand factors that lead to vaccine hesitancy in Saudi Arabia and help public health authorities to design targeted health education interventions aiming to increase uptake of these vaccines.
Randomized trial evaluating an mHealth intervention for the early community-based detection and follow-up of cutaneous leishmaniasis in rural Colombia
Authors: Castillo Mabel , Alexander Neal , Rubiano Luisa , Rojas Carlos , Navarro Andrés , Rincon Domiciano , Bernal Leonardo Vargas , Lerma Yenifer Orobio , Saravia Nancy Gore , Aronoff-Spencer Eliah 
Published: March 2023

Background
In Latin America, cutaneous leishmaniasis primarily affects dispersed rural communities, that have limited access to the public health system and medical attention. Mobile health (mHealth) strategies have shown potential to improve clinical management and epidemiological surveillance of neglected tropical diseases, particularly those of the skin.

Methods
The Guaral +ST app for Android was designed to monitor cutaneous leishmaniasis treatment and assess therapeutic response. We carried out a randomized trial in the coastal municipality of Tumaco in southwestern Colombia, with parallel arms comparing a) follow-up aided by the app to b) standard institution-based follow-up. Treatment was prescribed according to national guidelines. Follow-up of therapeutic response was scheduled at the end of treatment and at 7, 13 and 26 weeks after the start of treatment. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants who were monitored at or around week 26, allowing outcome and effectiveness of treatment to be determined.

Results
Follow-up of treatment and outcome assessment was achieved in significantly more patients in the intervention arm than the controls, Of the 75 participants in the two randomized arms, 74 had information on whether or not treatment was followed and outcome determined at or around week 26. Among these, 26/49 (53.1%) were evaluated in the intervention arm, and none (0/25, 0%) in the control arm (difference = 53.1%, 95% confidence interval 39.1–67.0%, p<0.001). Of the 26 participants evaluated at or around week 26 in the intervention arm, 22 (84.6%) had cured. There were no serious adverse events, nor events of severe intensity among patients monitored by CHW using the app.

Conclusion
This study provides proof of concept for mHealth to monitor treatment of CL in remote and complex settings, deliver improved care and to provide information to the health system on the effectiveness of treatment as it is delivered to affected populations.

Clinical Trial Registration
ISRCTN54865992.
Effects of diacutaneous fibrolysis in patients with tension-type headache: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Cabanillas-Barea Sara , Pérez-Guillén Silvia , López-de-Celis Carlos , Rodríguez-Sanz Jacobo , Fanlo-Mazas Pablo , Carrasco-Uribarren Andoni 
Published: March 2023

Background
Manual therapy appears to be effective for the relief of tension-type headache (TTH), just as diacutaneous fibrolysis (DF) has shown to be a beneficial technique for the relief of symptoms in other dysfunctions. However, no studies have evaluated the potential beneficial effect of DF in TTH. The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of three sessions of DF in patients with TTH.

Methods
Randomized controlled trial in 86 subjects (43 intervention/ 43 control group). The headache frequency, the headache intensity, the pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) at trapeziometacarpal joint, upper trapezius, suboccipital, frontal and temporal muscles, parietal sutures and the cervical mobility were measured at baseline, at the end of the third intervention and one-month after the last intervention.

Results
Statistically significant differences with p values <0.05 were observed between groups in favor of the intervention group in the one-month follow-up in the following variables: headache frequency, headache intensity, flexion, extension, right and left side-bending, right and left rotation, PPTs in left trapeziometacarpal joint, right suboccipital muscle, right and left temporal muscle, left frontal muscle and right and left parietal.

Conclusions
DF provides a beneficial effect in reducing headache frequency, relieving pain, and improving cervical mobility in patients with TTH.
Application of Indian Diabetic Risk Score (IDRS) and Community Based Assessment Checklist (CBAC) as Metabolic Syndrome prediction tools
Authors: Gupta Manoj Kumar , Dutta Gitashree , G. Sridevi , Raghav Pankaja , Goel Akhil Dhanesh , Bhardwaj Pankaj , Saurabh Suman , S. Srikanth , K. H. Naveen , T. Prasanna , Rustagi Neeti , Sharma Prem Prakash 
Published: March 2023

BackgroundIndian Diabetic Risk Score (IDRS) and Community Based Assessment Checklist (CBAC) are easy, inexpensive, and non-invasive tools that can be used to screen people for Metabolic Syndrome (Met S). The study aimed to explore the prediction abilities of IDRS and CBAC tools for Met S.MethodsAll the people of age ≥30 years attending the selected rural health centers were screened for Met S. We used the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria to diagnose the Met S. ROC curves were plotted by taking Met S as dependent variables, and IDRS and CBAC scores as independent/prediction variables. Sensitivity (SN), specificity (SP), Positive and Negative Predictive Value (PPV and NPV), Likelihood Ratio for positive and negative tests (LR+and LR-), Accuracy, and Youden’s index were calculated for different IDRS and CBAC scores cut-offs. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.23 and MedCalc v.20.111.ResultsA total of 942 participants underwent the screening process. Out of them, 59 (6.4%, 95% CI: 4.90–8.12) were found to have Met S. Area Under the Curve (AUC) for IDRS in predicting Met S was 0.73 (95%CI: 0.67–0.79), with 76.3% (64.0%-85.3%) sensitivity and 54.6% (51.2%-57.8%) specificity at the cut-off of ≥60. For the CBAC score, AUC was 0.73 (95%CI: 0.66–0.79), with 84.7% (73.5%-91.7%) sensitivity and 48.8% (45.5%-52.1%) specificity at the cut-off of ≥4 (Youden’s Index, 2.1). The AUCs of both parameters (IDRS and CBAC scores) were statistically significant. There was no significant difference (p = 0.833) in the AUCs of IDRS and CBAC [Difference between AUC = 0.00571].ConclusionThe current study provides scientific evidence that both IDRS and CBAC have almost 73% prediction ability for Met S. Though CBAC holds relatively greater sensitivity (84.7%) than IDRS (76.3%), the difference in prediction abilities is not statistically significant. The prediction abilities of IDRS and CBAC found in this study are inadequate to qualify as Met S screening tools.
Regional differences in primary healthcare utilization in Java Region—Indonesia
Authors: Wulandari Ratna Dwi , Laksono Agung Dwi , Rohmah Nikmatur , Ashar Hadi 
Published: March 2023

Background
Policymakers must understand primary healthcare utilization disparity to minimize the gap because they must seek fair service for every citizen. The study analyzes regional differences in primary healthcare utilization in Java Region-Indonesia.

Methods
The cross-sectional research analyzes secondary data from the 2018 Indonesian Basic Health Survey. The study setting represented Java Region-Indonesia, and the participants were adults 15 years or more. The survey explores 629,370 respondents. The study used primary healthcare utilization as an outcome variable and province as the exposure variable. Moreover, the study employed eight control variables (residence, age, gender, education, marital, employment, wealth, and insurance). The study evaluated data using binary logistic regression in the final step.

Results
People in Jakarta are 1.472 times more likely to utilize primary healthcare than those in Banten (AOR 1.472; 95% CI 1.332–1.627). People in Yogyakarta are 1.267 times more likely to use primary healthcare than those in Banten (AOR 1.267; 95% CI 1.112–1.444). In addition, people in East Java are 15% less likely to utilize primary healthcare than those in Banten (AOR 0.851; 95% CI 0.783–0.924). Meanwhile, direct healthcare utilization was the same between West Java, Central Java, and Banten Province. They are sequentially starting from the minor primary healthcare utilization: East Java, Central Java, Banten, West Java, Yogyakarta, and Jakarta.

Conclusion
Disparities between regions exist in the Java Region-Indonesia. They are sequentially starting from the minor primary healthcare utilization: East Java, Central Java, Banten, West Java, Yogyakarta, and Jakarta.
Ecosystem service trade-offs at small lakes: Preferences of the public and anglers
Authors: Meyerhoff Jürgen , Klefoth Thomas , Arlinghaus Robert 
Published: March 2023

AbstractSmall lakes provide substantial ecosystem services to society, particularly recreational services. These ecosystem services are rarely quantified. It is also unclear whether expectations about desired lake attributes by various user groups and the public at large align. In many landscapes most small lakes artificially originate from sand and gravel mining along highways and close to cities. Using a choice experiment, in samples from north-western Germany we quantified the ecological services provided by these so-called gravel pit lakes and investigated potential conflicts among the preferences of the public and anglers as a specific user group. The same visual choice sets were employed to assess the preferences for different recreational services as well as biodiversity attributes. We also tested whether the presence of anglers at the small gravel pit lakes affected how people from the public valued the services provided by the lakes. Both the public and the anglers valued the presence of endangered fish species and endangered other taxa positively, suggesting that improved conservation of biodiversity would benefit all users. The public and anglers varied in relation to the recreational uses desired at gravel pit lakes. The opportunity to swim was valued positively by the public and negatively by the surveyed anglers. Yet, the presence of anglers did not significantly reduce the value assigned to gravel pit lakes by the public, suggesting the co-existence of anglers and swimmers would be possible. Co-existence could be fostered through establishing separate angling and swimming zones. Our work suggests the presence of local trade-offs in the management of small gravel pit lakes, specifically between swimmers and anglers. However, conservation of endangered species constitutes a common goal that suits the expectations of all.
Beta‐adrenergic agonist induces unique transcriptomic signature in inguinal white adipose tissue
Authors: Paz Henry A. , Pilkington Anna‐Claire , Loy Hannah D. , Zhong Ying , Shankar Kartik , Wankhade Umesh D. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractActivation of thermogenic adipose tissue depots has been linked to improved metabolism and weight loss. To study the molecular regulation of adipocyte thermogenesis, we performed RNA‐Seq on brown adipose tissue (BAT), gonadal white adipose tissue (gWAT), and inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) from mice treated with β3‐adrenoreceptor agonist CL316,243 (CL). Our analysis revealed diverse transcriptional profile and identified pathways in response to CL treatment. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in iWATCL were associated with the upregulation of pathways involved in cellular immune responses and with the upregulation of the browning program. We identified 39 DEGs in beige adipose which included certain heat shock proteins (Hspa1a and Hspa1b), and others suggesting potential associations with browning. Our results highlight transcriptional heterogeneity across adipose tissues and reveal genes specifically regulated in beige adipose, potentially aiding in identifying novel browning pathways.
FGFR regulator Memo1 is dispensable for FGF23 expression by osteoblasts during folic acid‐driven kidney injury
Authors: Bartos Katalin , Moor Matthias B. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractLoss of the mediator Of cell motility 1 (Memo1) in mice caused kidney disease and a bone disease with diminished osteoblast and osteoclast biomarkers in serum, resembling alterations occurring in adynamic bone disease in humans with chronic kidney disease or in Klotho‐deficient mice. Here, we investigated whether Memo1 expression in osteoblasts is required for normal bone structure and FGF23 expression. We deleted Memo1 in the osteoblast–osteocyte lineage in Memo fl/fl mice using a Cre under Col1a1 promotor to obtain osteoblast‐specific knockout (obKO) mice. We studied organs by micro‐computed tomography, qPCR, and western blot. We challenged mice with folic acid for acute kidney injury (AKI) and analyzed organs. Memo obKO were viable without changes in gross anatomy, serum electrolytes, or circulating FGF23 concentrations compared to controls. Memo1 expression was blunted in bones of Memo obKO, whereas it remained unchanged in other organs. Micro‐CT revealed no differences between genotypes in bone structure of vertebrae, femur, and tibia. During AKI, Fgf23 expression in calvaria, and renal transcriptional changes were comparable between genotypes. However, renal injury marker expression, circulating FGF23, and parathyroid hormone revealed a sex difference with more severely affected females than males of either genotype. The present data imply that Memo1 in osteoblasts is dispensable for bone structure and expression of Fgf23. Moreover, we found evidence of potential sex differences in murine folic acid nephropathy similar to other experimental models of renal injury that are important to consider when using this experimental model of renal injury.
Characteristics of acid‐sensing ion channel currents in male rat muscle dorsal root ganglion neurons following ischemia/reperfusion
Authors: Li Qin , Qin Lu , Li Jianhua 
Published: March 2023

AbstractPeripheral artery diseases (PAD) increases muscle afferent nerve‐activated reflex sympathetic nervous and blood pressure responses during exercise (termed as exercise pressor reflex). However, the precise signaling pathways leading to the exaggerated autonomic responses in PAD are undetermined. Considering that limb ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is a feature of PAD, we determined the characteristics of acid‐sensing ion channel (ASIC) currents in muscle dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons under the conditions of hindlimb I/R and ischemia of PAD. In particular, we examined ASIC currents in two distinct subpopulations, isolectin B4‐positive, and B4‐negative (IB4+ and IB4−) muscle DRG neurons, linking to glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor. In results, ASIC1a‐ and ASIC3‐like currents were observed in IB4− muscle DRG neurons with a greater percentage of ASIC3‐like currents. Hindimb I/R and ischemia did not alter the distribution of ASIC1a and ASIC3 currents with activation of pH 6.7 in IB4+ and IB4− muscle DRG neurons; however, I/R altered the distribution of ASIC3 currents in IB4+ muscle DRG neurons with pH 5.5, but not in IB4− neurons. In addition, I/R and ischemia amplified the density of ASIC3‐like currents in IB4− muscle DRG neurons. Our results suggest that a selective subpopulation of muscle afferent nerves should be taken into consideration when ASIC signaling pathways are studied to determine the exercise pressor reflex in PAD.
Discharge predicted in compound channels using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS)
Authors: Khattab Noor I. , Mohammed Ahmed Y. , Mala Obaida Arwa A. 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Some hydraulic structures and phenomena, including compound channels, must be studied in relation to open channel flow. Despite the fact that the primary channel and watersheds share a similar degree of roughness, estimating discharge in composite channels with mainstreams and flood plains has proved tricky. The flow discharge for a compound channel with different roughness in the primary and flood plain channels has been studied, and the results computed experimentally using horizontal division level have been compared with those predicted using dimensional analysis and an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system. The results show good agreement between experimental and numerical for discharge calculation according to root-mean-square error, MARE, R
2, SI, and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency, with a percentage error not exceeding ±5%.
Hypoparathyroidism and medium-chain Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, an unusual association
Authors: Huguet Isabel , Díaz-Guerra Guillermo Martínez 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Objectives
Hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT) is a rare disorder and non-surgical cases require careful evaluation, since may be due to genetic, autoimmune, or metabolic factors.

Case presentation
We present a 15-year-old girl with a previous diagnosis of medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency due to G985A homozygous mutation. She was admitted to the emergency department with severe hypocalcaemia and inappropriately normal level of intact parathyroid hormone. Main etiologies of primary HypoPT were excluded, so it was suspected to be related to MCAD deficiency.

Conclusions
The association of fatty acid oxidation disorders and HypoPT has been previously described in the literature, but its link to MCAD deficiency has only been reported once. We present the second case describing the coexistence of both rare diseases. Since HypoPT can be a life-threatening condition, we suggest calcium levels be assessed in these patients on a regular basis. Further research is needed to better understand this complex association.
Wide-angle deep ultraviolet antireflective multilayers via discrete-to-continuous optimization
Authors: Kim Jae-Hyun , Kim Dong In , Lee Sun Sook , An Ki-Seok , Yim Soonmin , Lee Eungkyu , Kim Sun-Kyung 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
To date, various optimization algorithms have been used to design non-intuitive photonic structures with unconventional optical performance. Good training datasets facilitate the optimization process, particularly when an objective function has a non-convex shape containing multiple local optima in a continuous parametric space. Herein, we developed a discrete-to-continuous optimization algorithm and confirmed its validity by designing and fabricating deep-ultraviolet antireflective MgF2/LaF3 multilayers. For discrete optimization, a multilayer was encoded into a binary vector with multiple bits; a 10 nm thick MgF2 or LaF3 layer was assigned a binary digit of 0 or 1, respectively. Using the binary-based training datasets, a factorization machine formulated a surrogate function, which discovered the ground binary vector representing a near-optimal figure of merit. Then, the figure of merit was refined through continuous optimization (e.g., using an interior-point method) of the ground binary vector. MgF2/LaF3 multilayers with a variety of bit levels were created to attain a minimum average angular (0°–45°) reflectance at 193 nm. A MgF2/LaF3 multilayer optimized at ten bits (i.e., a total thickness of approximately 100 nm) yielded an average reflectance of 0.2%, which agreed well with the experimental results. Moreover, an integrated ray-wave optics simulation predicted that a single CaF2 plano-convex lens coated with the optimized multilayer could exhibit a transmittance of 99.7%. The developed optimization approach will be widely applicable to any photonic structures that can represent a binary vector with multiple bits, such as microwave metasurfaces, in addition to being useful for producing ideal optical multilayers.