bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive sexuality education linked to sexual and reproductive health services reduces early and unintended pregnancies among in-school adolescent girls in Zambia
Authors: Mbizvo Michael T. , Kasonda Kondwani , Muntalima Nelly-Claire , Rosen Joseph G. , Inambwae Sophie , Namukonda Edith S. , Mungoni Ronald , Okpara Natasha , Phiri Chifundo , Chelwa Nachela , Kangale Chabu 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Background
Advancing the health of adolescents, particularly their sexual and reproductive health, including HIV prevention and care, is a development imperative. A critical part for improving their wellbeing and economic development is the social status accorded to adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). However, AGYW in many countries including Zambia, encounter health challenges that stem from gender inequalities, lack of empowerment, inaccurate knowledge on sexuality, and poor access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and information. Addressing the knowledge gaps through comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and improving access to SRH services and appropriate information, should reduce school attrition from early and unintended pregnancies (EUP) and enhance realization of their full potential.

Methods
The aim was to reduce EUP and improve SRH outcomes among AGYW in Zambia through provision of CSE linked to receptive SRH services. A 3-Arm randomized control study collected cross-sectional data at baseline, midline and Endline. Schools where CSE was being routinely provided were randomized into a non-intervention arm (arm1), an intervention arm in which information on available SRH services was provided in schools by health workers to complement CSE, (arm 2), and arm 3 in which pupils receiving CSE were also encouraged or supported to access pre-sensitized, receptive SRH services.

Results
Following 3 years of intervention exposure (CSE-Health Facility linkages), findings showed a significant decline of in-school pregnancies amongst AGYW in both intervention arms, with arm two exhibiting a more significant decline, having recorded only 0.74% pregnancies at endline (p < 0.001), as well as arm 3, which recorded 1.34% pregnancies (p < 0.001). No significant decline was recorded in the CSE only control arm. Trends in decline of pregnancies started to show by midline, and persisted at endline (2020), and when difference in differences test was applied, the incident rate ratios (IRR) between the none and exposed arms were equally significant (p < 0.001).

Conclusion
Linking provision of CSE with accessible SRH services that are receptive to needs of adolescents and young people reduces EUP, which provides the opportunity for higher retention in school for adolescent girls.
Employees’ preferences on organisational aspects of psychotherapeutic consultation at work by occupational area, company size, requirement levels and supervisor function – a cross-sectional study in Germany
Authors: Kohl Fiona , Angerer Peter , Weber Jeannette 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Background
Common mental disorders affect a significant proportion of the population worldwide at any given time. Psychotherapeutic consultation at work offers employees with mental distress short-term and low-threshold access to psychotherapeutic treatment. However, this offer is only accepted by one to two percent of the employees to whom it is offered. Taking into account employees ‘ preferences regarding organisational aspects might increase the use of psychotherapeutic consultation at work. This study therefore aimed to identify preferences on organisational aspects of psychotherapeutic consultation at work among employees of diverse occupational areas, company sizes, supervisor functions and job requirement levels.

Methods
A total of 755 employees were recruited via advertisements on social media (Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn). Participants rated on a 5-point Likert scale their agreement to different implementation options of psychotherapeutic consultation at work: type (in-person/video/telephone), location (on/outside company premises), time (within/outside working hours), scope (diagnostic/diagnostic + treatment) and purpose (private/occupational). Additionally, the maximum accepted distance to the location of consultation was assessed. Various analyses of variances (ANOVA) were conducted to determine differences in agreement to implementation options within each organisational aspect and to analyse differences between occupational areas, company sizes, requirement levels and between employees with and without supervisor function.

Results
Participants indicated a preference for in-person psychotherapeutic consultation that takes places outside company premises and outside working hours. Furthermore, they preferred offers including diagnostic and treatment sessions compared to offers including diagnostic sessions only. Even though participants agreed that consultation should be offered for all purposes, agreement for occupational issues was stronger than for private issues. For some implementation options, the level of agreement varied according to occupational field, company size, supervisor function and level of requirement. However, these differences did not affect the key findings mentioned above.

Conclusion
Those findings give practical indications on the organisational design of psychotherapeutic consultation at work. The results suggest that in-person consultation outside company premises and working hours combining diagnostic and treatment sessions will be accepted by employees regardless of their occupational area, company size, supervisor function and requirement level.
High SARS-CoV-2 tropism and activation of immune cells in the testes of non-vaccinated deceased COVID-19 patients
Authors: Costa Guilherme M. J. , Lacerda Samyra M. S. N. , Figueiredo André F. A. , Wnuk Natália T. , Brener Marcos R. G. , Andrade Lídia M. , Campolina-Silva Gabriel H. , Kauffmann-Zeh Andrea , Pacifico Lucila G. G. , Versiani Alice F. , Antunes Maísa M. , Souza Fernanda R. , Cassali Geovanni D. , Caldeira-Brant André L. , Chiarini-Garcia Hélio , de Souza Fernanda G. , Costa Vivian V. , da Fonseca Flavio G. , Nogueira Maurício L. , Campos Guilherme R. F. , Kangussu Lucas M. , Martins Estefânia M. N. , Antonio Loudiana M. , Bittar Cintia , Rahal Paula , Aguiar Renato S. , Mendes Bárbara P. , Procópio Marcela S. , Furtado Thiago P. , Guimaraes Yuri L. , Menezes Gustavo B. , Martinez-Marchal Ana , Orwig Kyle E. , Brieño-Enríquez Miguel , Furtado Marcelo H. 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Background
Cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to rely on angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors, whose expression in the testis is among the highest in the body. Additionally, the risk of mortality seems higher among male COVID-19 patients, and though much has been published since the first cases of COVID-19, there remain unanswered questions regarding SARS-CoV-2 impact on testes and potential consequences for reproductive health. We investigated testicular alterations in non-vaccinated deceased COVID-19-patients, the precise location of the virus, its replicative activity, and the immune, vascular, and molecular fluctuations involved in the pathogenesis.

Results
We found that SARS-CoV-2 testicular tropism is higher than previously thought and that reliable viral detection in the testis requires sensitive nanosensors or RT-qPCR using a specific methodology. Through an in vitro experiment exposing VERO cells to testicular macerates, we observed viral content in all samples, and the subgenomic RNA’s presence reinforced the replicative activity of SARS-CoV-2 in testes of the severe COVID-19 patients. The cellular structures and viral particles, observed by transmission electron microscopy, indicated that macrophages and spermatogonial cells are the main SARS-CoV-2 lodging sites, where new virions form inside the endoplasmic reticulum Golgi intermediate complex. Moreover, we showed infiltrative infected monocytes migrating into the testicular parenchyma. SARS-CoV-2 maintains its replicative and infective abilities long after the patient’s infection. Further, we demonstrated high levels of angiotensin II and activated immune cells in the testes of deceased patients. The infected testes show thickening of the tunica propria, germ cell apoptosis, Sertoli cell barrier loss, evident hemorrhage, angiogenesis, Leydig cell inhibition, inflammation, and fibrosis.

Conclusions
Our findings indicate that high angiotensin II levels and activation of mast cells and macrophages may be critical for testicular pathogenesis. Importantly, our findings suggest that patients who become critically ill may exhibit severe alterations and harbor the active virus in the testes.
Gene expression differences consistent with water loss reduction underlie desiccation tolerance of natural Drosophila populations
Authors: Horváth Vivien , Guirao-Rico Sara , Salces-Ortiz Judit , Rech Gabriel E. , Green Llewellyn , Aprea Eugenio , Rodeghiero Mirco , Anfora Gianfranco , González Josefa 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Background
Climate change is one of the main factors shaping the distribution and biodiversity of organisms, among others by greatly altering water availability, thus exposing species and ecosystems to harsh desiccation conditions. However, most of the studies so far have focused on the effects of increased temperature. Integrating transcriptomics and physiology is key to advancing our knowledge on how species cope with desiccation stress, and these studies are still best accomplished in model organisms.

Results
Here, we characterized the natural variation of European D. melanogaster populations across climate zones and found that strains from arid regions were similar or more tolerant to desiccation compared with strains from temperate regions. Tolerant and sensitive strains differed not only in their transcriptomic response to stress but also in their basal expression levels. We further showed that gene expression changes in tolerant strains correlated with their physiological response to desiccation stress and with their cuticular hydrocarbon composition, and functionally validated three of the candidate genes identified. Transposable elements, which are known to influence stress response across organisms, were not found to be enriched nearby differentially expressed genes. Finally, we identified several tRNA-derived small RNA fragments that differentially targeted genes in response to desiccation stress.

Conclusions
Overall, our results showed that basal gene expression differences across individuals should be analyzed if we are to understand the genetic basis of differential stress survival. Moreover, tRNA-derived small RNA fragments appear to be relevant across stress responses and allow for the identification of stress-response genes not detected at the transcriptional level.
Case report: a Chinese girl like atypical Rubinstein–Taybi syndrome caused by a novel heterozygous mutation of the EP300 gene
Authors: Bai Zhouxian , Li Gaopan , Kong Xiangdong 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Background
Rubinstein–Taybi syndrome (RSTS) is an extremely rare autosomal dominant inheritable disorder caused by CREBBP and EP300 mutations, while atypical RSTS harbouring variant from the same genes but not obvious resembling RSTS. There are only a few cases of Menke–Hennekam syndrome (MKHK) with variant of exon 30 or 31 of CREBBP or EP300 gene have been reported that not resembling RSTS recent years. Atypical RSTS cannot be accurately classified as MKHK, nor is it easy to identify the obvious classic characteristics of RSTS. The clinical manifestations and genetic variation of atypical RSTS are not fully understood.

Case presentation
We present a Chinese core family with a girl had recurrent respiratory tract infection and developmental delay. The patient with language and motor mild development retardation, she has slight abnormal facial features, mild hirsutism and post-axial hexadactylia of left foot. Her cisterna magna is enlarged to connect with the fourth ventricle, and the ventricular system is enlarged. She has a malacia beside the posterior horn of the left lateral ventricle. The patient has primary low immunoglobulin G and A, but her level of immunoglobulin M content in blood is normal. The patient harbors a novel heterozygous frameshift variant of c.2499dupG in exon 14 of EP300 gene, that it is proved to de novo origin. The mutation is judged to be a pathogenic mutation, and it has high-grade pathogenic evidence.

Conclusion
The clinical and genetic evaluation of this case corroborates that clinical features caused by c.2499dupG in exon 14 of EP300 are less marked than RSTS2 patient although it is difficult to establish an accurate genotype–phenotype correlation. Our additional case also helps to deepen the clinical and genetic spectrum in this disorder. The case provides a novel mutation of EP300 and enriches the phenotypes related with the gene. We have contributed new variation and disease information for guardians and doctors to broaden the knowledge about EP300-RSTS genotype and phenotype, this may contribute to ameliorate the health management of patients and improve the genetic counseling to the families.
Hidden blood loss between percutaneous pedicle screw fixation and the mini-open Wiltse approach with pedicle screw fixation for neurologically intact thoracolumbar fractures: a retrospective study
Authors: Jiang Haitao , Sheng Wenbo , Yuan Hantao , Xu Jianhua , Chen Xiaochun , Gu Xiaohua , Li Sibo 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Background
The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of hidden blood loss (HBL) in patients treated with minimally invasive surgery, and to compare the HBL between patients treated with percutaneous pedicle screw fixation (PPSF) and the mini-open Wiltse approach with pedicle screw fixation (MWPSF).

Methods
From January 2017 to January 2019, a total of 119 patients with thoracolumbar fractures were included in the analysis, of which 58 cases received PPSF and 61 cases received MWPSF. The clinical information and demographic results were collected and compared. And the HBL of the patients is calculated by the combination formulas of Nadler, Gross and Sehat.

Results
Compared with the PPSF group, operation time of MWPSF is shorter. The fluoroscopy times are 13.6 ± 3.0 in PPSF group and 5.6 ± 1.6 in MWPSF group (p < 0.001). As shown in Table 3, the intraoperative blood loss in PPSF group is 31.9 ± 9.6 ml, which is significantly less than that in the MWPSF group (44.0 ± 14.9 ml). The HBL (445.7 ± 228.9 ml), and HBL% (91.2 ± 7.7%) of the PPSF group are significantly higher than that in the MWPSF group (P < 0.05). And the total blood loss (TBL) of the PPSF group (477.6 ± 228.8 ml) is also more than that in the MWPSF group (401.0 ± 171.3 ml).

Conclusions
Our results suggest that in the minimally invasive surgical treatment of thoracolumbar fractures, the perioperative HBL is much higher than visible blood loss (VBL). Although PPSF has less intraoperative blood loss, it has higher TBL and HBL than those of MWPSF. Compared with MWPSF, we should pay more attention to the postoperative anemia status of patients with thoracolumbar fractures undergoing PPSF surgery.
An overview of DNA methylation-derived trait score methods and applications
Authors: Nabais Marta F. , Gadd Danni A. , Hannon Eilis , Mill Jonathan , McRae Allan F. , Wray Naomi R. 
Published: February 2023

AbstractMicroarray technology has been used to measure genome-wide DNA methylation in thousands of individuals. These studies typically test the associations between individual DNA methylation sites (“probes”) and complex traits or diseases. The results can be used to generate methylation profile scores (MPS) to predict outcomes in independent data sets. Although there are many parallels between MPS and polygenic (risk) scores (PGS), there are key differences. Here, we review motivations, methods, and applications of DNA methylation-based trait prediction, with a focus on common diseases. We contrast MPS with PGS, highlighting where assumptions made in genetic modeling may not hold in epigenetic data.
Immobilization techniques improve volumetric hydrogen productivity of Caldicellulosiruptor species in a modified continuous stirred tank reactor
Authors: Vongkampang Thitiwut , Sreenivas Krishnan , Grey Carl , van Niel Ed W. J. 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Background
Co-cultures and cell immobilization have been used for retaining biomass in a bioreactor, with the aim to improve the volumetric hydrogen productivity (QH2). Caldicellulosiruptor kronotskyensis is a strong cellulolytic species that possesses tāpirin proteins for attaching on lignocellulosic materials. C. owensensis has its reputation as a biofilm former. It was investigated whether continuous co-cultures of these two species with different types of carriers can improve the QH2.

Results
QH2 up to 30 ± 0.2 mmol L−1 h−1 was obtained during pure culture of C. kronotskyensis with combined acrylic fibres and chitosan. In addition, the yield of hydrogen was 2.95 ± 0.1 mol H2 mol−1 sugars at a dilution rate (D) of 0.3 h−1. However, the second-best QH2 26.4 ± 1.9 mmol L−1 h−1 and 25.4 ± 0.6 mmol L−1 h−1 were obtained with a co-culture of C. kronotskyensis and C. owensensis with acrylic fibres only and a pure culture of C. kronotskyensis with acrylic fibres, respectively. Interestingly, the population dynamics revealed that C. kronotskyensis was the dominant species in the biofilm fraction, whereas C. owensensis was the dominant species in the planktonic phase. The highest amount of c-di-GMP (260 ± 27.3 µM at a D of 0.2 h−1) were found with the co-culture of C. kronotskyensis and C. owensensis without a carrier. This could be due to Caldicellulosiruptor producing c-di-GMP as a second messenger for regulation of the biofilms under the high dilution rate (D) to prevent washout.

Conclusions
The cell immobilization strategy using a combination of carriers exhibited a promising approach to enhance the QH2. The QH2 obtained during the continuous culture of C. kronotskyensis with combined acrylic fibres and chitosan gave the highest QH2 among the pure culture and mixed cultures of Caldicellulosiruptor in the current study. Moreover, it was the highest QH2 among all cultures of Caldicellulosiruptor species studied so far.
Research on monaural speech segregation based on feature selection
Authors: Xie Xiaoping , Chen Yongzhen , Shen Rufeng , Tian Dan 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Speech feature model is the basis of speech and noise separation, speech expression, and different styles of speech conversion. With the development of signal processing methods, the feature types and dimensions increase. Therefore, it is difficult to select appropriate features. If a single feature is used, the representation of the speech signal will be incomplete. If multiple features are used, there will be redundancy between features, which will affect the performance of speech separation. The feature described above is a combination of parameters to characterize speech. A single feature means that the combination has only one parameter. In this paper, the feature selection method is used to select and combine eight widely used speech features and parameters. The Deep Neural Network (DNN) is used to evaluate and analyze the speech separation effect of different feature groups. The comparison results show that the speech segregation effect of the complementary feature group is better. The effectiveness of the complementary feature group to improve the performance of DNN speech separation is verified.
Screening method toward ClbP-specific inhibitors
Authors: Zhou Tao , Ando Takayuki , Kudo Akihiro , Sato Michio , Miyoshi Noriyuki , Mutoh Michihiro , Ishikawa Hideki , Wakabayashi Keiji , Watanabe Kenji 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Background
Colibactin is a genotoxin produced by Escherichia coli and other Enterobacteriaceae that is believed to increase the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) of their symbiosis hosts, including human. A peptidase ClbP is the key enzyme for activation of colibactin. Inhibition of ClbP is considered to impede maturation of precolibactin into genotoxic colibactin. Therefore, ClbP-specific inhibitors could potentially prevent the onset of CRC, one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the world. This study intends to establish an efficient screening system for identifying inhibitors that are specific to ClbP.

Methods
Two types of assays were applied in the screening procedure: a probe assay and an LC–MS assay. For the probe assay, we employed the synthesized probe which we described in our previous report. This probe can be hydrolyzed efficiently by ClbP to release a fluorophore. Hence it was applied here for detection of inhibition of ClbP. For the LC–MS assay, formation of the byproduct of precolibactin maturation process, N-myristoyl-D-asparagine, was quantified using a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) technique. The probe assay can be performed much faster, while the LC–MS assay is more accurate. Therefore, our method employed the two assays in sequence to screen a large number of compounds for inhibition of ClbP.

Results
A library of 67,965 standard compounds was evaluated by the screening method established in the current study, and one compound was found to show a moderate inhibitory activity against ClbP.

Conclusion
A simple screening method for ClbP-specific inhibitors was established. It was proven to be reliable and is believed to be useful in developing potential prophylactic agents for CRC.
A lesion-selective albumin-CTLA4Ig as a safe and effective treatment for collagen-induced arthritis
Authors: Jiang Fu-Yao , Zhang Yan-Zhu , Tai Yuan-Hong , Chou Chien-Yu , Hsieh Yu-Ching , Chang Ya-Chi , Huang Hsiao-Chen , Li Zhi-Qin , Hsieh Yuan-Chin , Chen I-Ju , Huang Bo-Cheng , Su Yu-Cheng , Lin Wen-Wei , Lin Hsin-Chieh , Chao Jui-I , Yuan Shyng-Shiou F. , Wang Yun-Ming , Cheng Tian-Lu , Tzou Shey-Cherng 
Published: February 2023

Abstract
Background
CTLA4Ig is a dimeric fusion protein of the extracellular domain of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte protein 4 (CTLA4) and an Fc (Ig) fragment of human IgG1 that is approved for treating rheumatoid arthritis. However, CTLA4Ig may induce adverse effects. Developing a lesion-selective variant of CTLA4Ig may improve safety while maintaining the efficacy of the treatment.

Methods
We linked albumin to the N-terminus of CTLA4Ig (termed Alb-CTLA4Ig) via a substrate sequence of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP). The binding activities and the biological activities of Alb-CTLA4Ig before and after MMP digestion were analyzed by a cell-based ELISA and an in vitro Jurkat T cell activation assay. The efficacy and safety of Alb-CTLA4Ig in treating joint inflammation were tested in mouse collagen-induced arthritis.

Results
Alb-CTLA4Ig is stable and inactive under physiological conditions but can be fully activated by MMPs. The binding activity of nondigested Alb-CTLA4Ig was at least 10,000-fold weaker than that of MMP-digested Alb-CTLA4Ig. Nondigested Alb-CTLA4Ig was unable to inhibit Jurkat T cell activation, whereas MMP-digested Alb-CTLA4Ig was as potent as conventional CTLA4Ig in inhibiting the T cells. Alb-CTLA4Ig was converted to CTLA4Ig in the inflamed joints to treat mouse collagen-induced arthritis, showing similar efficacy to that of conventional CTLA4Ig. In contrast to conventional CTLA4Ig, Alb-CTLA4Ig did not inhibit the antimicrobial responses in the spleens of the treated mice.

Conclusions
Our study indicates that Alb-CTLA4Ig can be activated by MMPs to suppress tissue inflammation in situ. Thus, Alb-CTLA4Ig is a safe and effective treatment for collagen-induced arthritis in mice.