bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Tetramethylpyrazine promotes remyelination by conversing M1 to M2 polarization of microglia via JAK2-STAT1/3 and GSK3-NFκB signaling pathways in ischemic stroke
Authors: Feng Xuefeng , Li Mingcong , Lin Ziyue , Lu Yun , Zhuang Yuming , Lei Jianfeng , Wang Lei , Zhao Hui 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Ischemic stroke results in demyelination that underlies neurological disfunction.Promoting oligodendrogenesis will rescue the injured axons and accelerate remyelination after stroke. Microglia react to stroke and polarize to M1/M2 phenotypes. M1 microglia secrete proinflammatory factors to inhibit oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC)proliferation and differentiation, inversely, M2 microglia favor the remyelinating process. Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) has been routinely used in treating cerebrovascular disorders, whereas the role of TMP-mediated microglial polarization on remyelination and the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histopathological evaluation were performed to characterize TMP’s efficacy on remyelinated axon preservation and oligodendrogenesis, particularly, TMP inhibited M1 and enhanced M2 polarization of microglia in cerebral ischemic rats. Moreover, we firstly demonstrated that TMP reversed M1/M2 phenotype via JAK2-STAT1/3 and GSK3-NFκB pathway in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-stimulated BV2 microglia. Blocking the crucial target JAK2 will counteract TMP’s effect on mediating M2 polarization of microglia. This study uncovers that TMP’s facilitation on remyelination warrants promising targets for stroke therapy.
Risk Factors Analysis for Baseline Renal Function Impairment in Patients with Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction and Intermittent Abdominal Pain
Authors: Li Yi , Qu Yanchao , He Yuzhu , Zhang Weiping , Song Hongcheng 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Objective
This study aimed to investigate whether ultrasound parameters during non-painful episodes could indicate impaired differential renal function (DRF) in patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) and intermittent abdominal pain.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective review of all cases of unilateral UPJO with intermittent abdominal pain undergoing their first pyeloplasty between March 2019 and October 2021. Clinical characteristics, such as gender, affected side, age at the first onset of pain, waiting time for pyeloplasty, age, and concurrent symptoms, were collected. Ultrasound examination (US) was used to measure the anteroposterior diameter (APD) and renal parenchyma thickness (PT) during intermittent pain episodes and dynamic renal scintigraphy (RDS) was used to assess DRF.
Results
This study investigated the characteristics and demographics of 109 patients with UPJO. Of the patients, 28.4% had baseline DRF less than 40%, and factors affecting baseline DRF were analyzed. Patients diagnosed with hydronephrosis before the onset of pain had a lower risk of DRF impairment compared to those diagnosed after the onset of pain (p = 0.021). Patients with impaired renal function had larger APD and thinner PT values on ultrasound (p = 0.002, p༜0.001). Abdominal pain accompanying symptoms were found to be associated with DRF impairment (p = 0.044). Multifactorial analysis identified that right UPJO, diagnosis of UPJO after pain onset, large APD, and thin PT were risk factors for baseline DRF damage in patients with intermittent abdominal pain (p༜0.05).
Conclusion
Patients with right-sided UPJO, UPJO diagnosed after a pain episode, and those with larger APD and thinner PT on ultrasound during pain-free intervals were more likely to have DRF impairment.
Vison Transformer Adapter-based Hyperbolic Embeddings for Multi-lesion Segmentation in Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Wang Zijian , Lu Haimei , Yan Haixin , Kan Hongxing , Jin Li 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Background: Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a major cause of blindness worldwide.Early detection and treatment are crucial to prevent vision loss, making accurateand timely diagnosis critical. Deep learning technology has shown promise in theautomated diagnosis of DR, and in particular, multi-lesion segmentation tasks. Inthis paper, we propose a novel Transformer-based model for DR segmentationthat incorporates hyperbolic embeddings and a spatial prior module.
Methods: Our model is primarily built on a traditional Vision Transformerencoder and further enhanced by incorporating a spatial prior module for imageconvolution and feature continuity, followed by feature interaction processingusing the spatial feature injector and extractor. Hyperbolic embeddings are usedto classify feature matrices from the model at the pixel level. We evaluated theproposed model’s performance on the publicly available datasets and compared itwith other widely used DR segmentation models. The results show that ourmodel outperforms these widely used DR segmentation models.
Results: The incorporation of hyperbolic embeddings and a spatial prior moduleinto the Vision Transformer-based model significantly improves the accuracy ofDR segmentation. The hyperbolic embeddings enable us to better capture theunderlying geometric structure of the feature matrices, which is important foraccurate segmentation. The spatial prior module improves the continuity of thefeatures and helps to better distinguish between lesions and normal tissues.Overall, our proposed model has potential for clinical use in automated DRdiagnosis, improving accuracy and speed of diagnosis.
Conclusions: Our study shows that the integration of hyperbolic embeddingsand a spatial prior module with a Vision Transformer-based model improves theperformance of DR segmentation models. Future research can explore theapplication of our model to other medical imaging tasks, as well as furtheroptimization and validation in real-world clinical settings.
Microbiota-dependent expression of CTLA-4 by innate lymphoid cells restrains IFNγ dependent colitis
Authors: Lo Jonathan , Schroeder Jan-Hendrik , Beattie Gordon , Roberts Luke , Cozzetto Domenico , Omer Omer , Ross Ellen , Heuts Frank , Jowett Geraldine , Read Emily , Liu Zhigang , Ibraheim Hajir , Seoane Rocio Castro , Mohamed Rami , Korcsmaros Tamas , Cope Andrew , Papa Sophie , Neves Joana , Walker Lucy , Jenner Richard , Powell Nick , Lord Graham 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

The maintenance of intestinal homeostasis is a fundamental process critical for organismal integrity. Sitting at the interface of the gut microbiome and mucosal immunity, adaptive and innate lymphoid populations regulate the balance between commensal micro-organisms and pathogens. Checkpoint inhibitors (CPI), particularly those targeting the CTLA-4 pathway, disrupt this fine balance and can lead to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and immune checkpoint colitis (CPI-C). Here, we show that CTLA-4 is expressed by innate lymphoid cells (ILC) and that its expression is regulated by ILC subset-specific cytokine cues in a microbiota-dependent manner. Genetic deletion or antibody blockade of CTLA-4 demonstrates that this pathway plays a key role in intestinal homeostasis and is conserved in human IBD and CPI-induced colitis (CPI-C). We propose that this population of CTLA-4-positive ILC may serve as an important target for the treatment of idiopathic and iatrogenic intestinal inflammation.
WITHDRAWN: Efficient removal of perfluorooctanoic acid by UV-based peroxide/persulfate advanced oxidation process
Authors: G Bharathi Dileepan A , Sellappa Kanmani 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) challenge traditional aquatic treatment and recycling from recalcitrant organic compounds, which ubiquitously persist in the environment, mainly water bodies, and cause various concerns in human and the environment. Conventional water technology treatment technologies are proven inefficient and must focus on the advanced oxidation processs (AOP). This study conducted treatability studies for removing PFOA using direct photolysis, UV/peroxide, and UV/persulphate oxidation using a lab-scale reactor. The experiment was performed with an initial concentration of 20 mg/L at 120 minutes for a 500 mL sample. The oxidant dosage and pH have been optimized based on the mineralization efficiency. The efficient method for the degradation of PFOA is based on their percentage reduction in concentration, mineralization efficiency, and Reaction kinetics study. It was found that all three processes were adequate for the mineralization of PFOA. Among them, UV/persulphate was more effective in mineralizing PFOA. The TOC removal percentage using direct photolysis, UV/persulphate, and UV/peroxide treatment were 49%, 80%, and 66%, respectively. The pseudo-first-order kinetics for those three were 0.160, 0.489, and 0.349 per hour, respectively.
The Analytic Hierarchy Process Method to Design Applicable Decision Making for the Effective Removal of 2-mib and Geosmin in Water Sources
Authors: Ozgur Cihan 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Numerous utilities encounter issues with taste and odor that alter the public's impression of the safety of drinking water. The creation of certain components in water naturally due to global climate change is another source of taste and odor components, in addition to industrial emissions. Geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB), both of which are generated by blue-green algae and actinomycetes, are two substances that contribute to the musty and earthy smells in drinking water sources. Unfortunately, current conventional treatment plants partially remove 2-MIB and geosmin. Therefore, to safeguard the environment and public health, current treatment methods should be applied to outdated treatment facilities. Best treatment practices, evaluation standards, and decision-making approaches, however, are still shrouded in mystery. The goal of this study was to identify the most effective treatment options for 2-MIB and geosmin. By using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), a total of 22 assessment criteria were found and prioritized. A thorough literature search led to the identification of potential treatment options, and their effectiveness was evaluated. These options and priority rankings were decided upon using AHP in the decision-making process. Advanced oxidation techniques came out on top in the final priority ranking, followed by membrane filtering, adsorption, oxidation, hybrid processes, and traditional treatment methods. The applied analytical decision techniques may also be used to choose the optimal treatment options, even though the results are particular to 2-MIB and geosmin.
Visit Planner: A Personalized Mobile Trip Design Application based on a Hybrid Recommendation Model
Authors: Papadakis Harris , Panagiotakis Costas , Fragopoulou Paraskevi , Chalkiadakis Georgios , Streviniotis Errikos , Ziogas Ioannis-Panagiotis , Koutsmanis Michail , Bariamis Panagiotis 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

The paper presents Visit Planner (ViP), a mobile application prototype that provides a solution to the challenging tourist trip design problem. ViP follows a holistic approach offering personalized recommendations for Points of Interest (POIs) based on preferences either explicitly collected by the application, or inferred by the users’ ongoing interaction with the system. ViP proposes to the final user, a trajectory of POIs calculated using an Expectation Maximization method that maximizes user satisfaction taking into consideration a variety of time and spatial constraints for both users and POIs. Additionally, POIs are divided into categories, so that a certain number of POIs from each category to be included in the final itinerary. The application is implemented as a user-interactive system that allows the flexibility for easy content adaptation and facilitates management of content and services by the user.The prototype has been implemented for Android-based smartphones, on an open application environment, using standard communication protocols and open database technology. Currently, it is applied to the city of Agios Nikolaos in Crete, and is available for download from Google play. MSC Classification: 68T20 , 68N99
Lived Experiences of Old Age People in Bahir Dar City, Northwest Ethiopia: A Phenomenological Study
Authors: Muhye Ahmed 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Introduction: Understanding ageing and how it is perceived from the perspective of aged people can help one gain a deeper and more accurate understanding of the phenomenon as well as of the demands and challenges that they face. However, this is rare in Ethiopia. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to explore the living experiences of old age people in Bahir Dar City, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods and materials: A hermeneutic phenomenological study design was conducted from January 1 to 15, 2022. An in-depth interview was conducted with 12 old age people chosen based on heterogeneous purposive sampling. In addition, a typical case of purposive sampling was used to select four key informants from different offices in Bahir Dar City. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, following the recommended steps for qualitative data analysis. Lincoln and Guba's criteria were used to increase the trustworthiness of the findings. Finally, this research followed the standards for reporting qualitative research to report the findings. Results: The study revealed nine main themes: definition of old age, perception of old age and healthy ageing; daily activities and community participation; health-related conditions; healthcare service utilization and barriers; nutritional concerns; and availability and types of support. Participants observed old age a change of body appearance, physical and mental activities, and/or expected social roles. Similarly, healthy ageing entails the absence of disease along with physical activity, spiritual wellbeing, and social interaction. The study participants complained about a variety of health-related issues that interfered with their daily activities, community participation, and dietary practices. Furthermore, participants reported receiving various forms of support from various bodies, but they were dissatisfied with the coverage and adequacy of support, and they perceived that traditional values and norms were gradually eroding. Conclusion: The study participants perceived the blessings and challenges of old age. They perceived that older people are seen as a burden to the family and society at large. Therefore, policymakers and stakeholders should offer comprehensive strategies to improve health outcomes and support effective ageing.
A comprehensive profiling of quorum quenching by bacterial pigments identifies quorum sensing inhibition and anti-biofilm action of prodigiosin against Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Acharya Kusumita , Borborah Sonjukta , Chatterjee Abhishek , Bhattacharya Arijit 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Bacterial pigments represent a diverse group of secondary metabolites offering advantages to the producers in terms of survival and replication in communities. The bioactive potential of such metabolites including antimicrobial, anticancer and immune-suppressive properties are being explored. Reckoning that several of such pigments are produced in response to quorum sensing mediated expression of biosynthetic gene clusters and do influence cell-cell communication while residing in communities, systemic profiling of the pigments for possible impact on quorum sensing appears crucial; particularly in the quest of novel alternatives to confront drug nonresponsive pathogens. In this context, a series of bacterial pigments are clustered based on their physicochemical properties and representatives of the clusters are screened for quorum sensing inhibition. The screen highlighted prodigiosin as a potent quorum quencher although its production from Serratia marcescens apparently is QS-independent. In silico analysis indicated potential interaction with AbaI and AbaR, two major QS regulator in Acinetobacter baumannii. While developing multi-bacterial biofilm, prodigiosin producer S. marcescens significantly impaired fitness of A. baumannii and accentuated responsiveness against colistin under co-culture. Prodigiosin impaired a major QS dependent process, biofilm formation, in A. baumannii and also enhanced antibiotic action against A. baumannii biofilms. Collectively, the results underpin the prospect of prodigiosin-based therapeutic strategy in combating A. baumanii infection.
Evaluating the performance of red mud and hematite powder additives of clay layer used in low-level radiation waste landfills
Authors: Salati Abbas , Isfahani Hajar Share , Rowshanzamir Mohammed Ali , Azhari Amin 
Published: March 2023

AbstractClay is used as the main material for the construction of landfill liners due to its unique properties such as low hydraulic permeability, self-healing performance, and availability. In addition to these properties, radiation shielding performance is a vital challenge for low-level radioactive waste disposal. In this study, the effect of two additives, including red mud and hematite are investigated on the radiation shielding and hydromechanical performance of bentonite clay. Experimental tests were performed on mixtures with 15, 30, and 45 percent of additives, and the shielding performance, hydraulic permeability, and mechanical strength have been investigated. Energy scattering (EDS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests have been performed to chemically analyze the mixture components and to define the linear attenuation coefficient by implementing simulation (MCNP code) and theoretical (XCOM database) methods. The results showed a good agreement between the experimental, simulation, and theoretical approaches. The best linear attenuation coefficient performance was reached by adding 15 percent of each additive while maintaining the hydraulic permeability and uniaxial strength in the acceptable range.
investigation on the prevalence of complication of bacterial meningitis and its related factors in children after the neonatal period- a retrospective study.
Authors: Almohamed Mulham , Khazem Bernard 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Background: Bacterial meningitis in children is a life-threatening condition, carrying a potentially large proportion of morbidity and mortality. Early reorganization of accurate diagnosis, and correct management are important in regard to avoiding complications and death. Others, such as the type of pathogen, also play an important role.
Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted after obtaining ethical approval from the IRB, Faculty of Medicine, Syrian Private University. The study included a review of all cases of bacterial meningitis among children attending Damascus Hospital, during the period between the beginning of 2017 and the end of 2022.
Results: The number of cases of bacterial meningitis reached 122 patients, 56% of the sample were males, and infants were the most common age group. Crowded housing was found in 73% of patients. The percentage of positive bacterial cultures for CSF was 24.6% of the sample, while the percentage of positive cultures for Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Neisseria meningitidis was few.
The incidence of complications was 32% of the sample, where the duration of the fever for more than 10 days was the most common complication, followed by organ failure accompanying trauma, inappropriate ADH secretion syndrome, and intracranial hypertension, respectively. Complications occurred more among females than males, and were also higher among infants than the rest of the age groups, and also higher among those with overcrowded housing.The occurrence of complication was statistically associated with hospital acquisition, hospitalization period, and bacterial type.
The death rate was 4% of the sample, 60% of whom were females. In 80% of the deceased, diagnosis and treatment were delayed for a week, and 80% of them were adult children. It was found statistically that the longer the hospitalization period is associated with a higher risk of death.
Conclusion:This study indicates the occurrence of both complications and death in pediatric patients with bacterial meningitis in Damascus Hospital. The disease itself carries a high risk of both morbidity and mortality, but the results of this study identify some factors whose correct control may avoid their occurrence as well as avoid long-term sequela.
Predictors of poor outcome from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and an exploratory analysis into the causes of delayed neurosurgical clipping at a major public hospital in the Philippines
Authors: Ferraris Kevin Paul , Golidtum Jared Paul , Palabyab Eric Paolo M. , Salloman Alain James , Alcazaren Jose Carlos , Seng Kenny , Navarro Joseph Erroll , Reyes Kenneth de los 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Objective: The provision of neurosurgical care for patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is beset with particular challenges in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs) like the Philippines. In this study located in a low-resource setting, we identify the factors that contribute to unfavorable outcomes of dependency and death. Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed 106 patients who underwent surgery for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in a single institution from January 2016 to September 2018. Data were obtained on exposure variables comprising patient demographics, clinical features, perioperative management, and complications and other interventions; while outcomes on discharge were investigated using the modified Rankin scale (mRS). Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression analyses were done. Root cause analysis was done to identify the causes of delay. Results: The percentage of patients who had unfavorable outcome (mRS ≥ 3) was 29.2%. The timing of surgery—whether early (<3 days), intermediate (3-10 days), or late (>10 days)—was not found to be significantly associated with dependency or mortality. On multiple logistic regression, the factors associated with unfavorable outcome were: intraoperative rupture (OR 23.98, 95%CI 3.56–161.33, p=0.001), vasospasm (OR 12.47, 95%CI 3.01–51.57, p<0.001), and a high Hunt & Hess grade (OR 5.96, 95%CI 1.47–24.18, p=0.012). Intraoperative rupture and vasospasm were further found to be independent predictors of mortality. Many causes of delay were identified in terms of patient-, provider-, and health system-levels. These constitute as barriers to timely care and also contribute to the gap in quality and efficiency of neurosurgical treatment situated in low-resource settings in LMICs. Conclusion: The identified predictors of poor outcomes, as well as the causes delays in neurosurgical treatment, pose as significant challenges to the care of socioeconomically-disadvantaged SAH patients. When considering the solutions to these challenges, the broader environment of practice ought to be taken into account.