bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Use of an earthen clay pot refrigerator with a thermoelectric cooler for extending farm produce shelf life
Authors: Patel Nishigandha Sandeep , Pawar Sachin , Bhojwani Virendra 
Published: May 2023

Conventional cold storage systems increase the risk of damage and are no longer used for the long-term storage of agricultural products. Thus, newer affordable and energy-efficient storage systems are required for enhancing the shelf life of farm produce. We investigated the coefficient of performance (COP) of an earthen clay pot refrigerator with a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) and explored cooling strategies to enhance cooling and electrical performance for increasing the shelf life of farm produce. We used MATLAB Simulink to analyze Peltier TEC module efficiency. The intrinsic characteristics, including the Seebeck coefficient (α), thermal conductivity (K), and electrical resistance (R), were determined, forming the basis of the Peltier module in MATLAB Simulink. Thermal characteristics such as COP and cooling capacity were studied as a function of system voltage (Vin) and current (Iin). The model was equipped with a 12 V/6 A, 60 W TEC and was verified by simulation investigation. We also used psychrometric measures (e.g., wet bulb, dry bulb, and dew point temperatures and relative humidity) to determine the extent of wetness or dryness of an object and monitor other temperatures of the clay pot refrigerator. The results revealed that the ambient temperature and cold and hot side temperatures fundamentally affected TEC performance. The TEC extended the shelf life of tomatoes, potatoes, and spinach by 60% compared to those stored under ambient conditions, thereby reducing their wastage. In conclusion, earthen refrigeration using TEC doubled the shelf life of farm produce compared to storage under ambient conditions, saving money, resources, labor, and supplies and enabling the development of efficient and environmentally friendly refrigeration systems.
Non-cirrhotic portal hypertension secondary to cholangiointestinal anastomotic stricture after choledochal cyst excision: a case report
Authors: Zhang Xu , Yan Jun Qing , Gao Yan Ying , Song De Zhao , Lou Cheng 
Published: May 2023

BackgroundCystectomy accompanied by biliary system reconstruction is an important treatment option for choledochal cysts, but the risk of post-operative complications is high. The most famous long-term complication is anastomotic stricture, whereas non-cirrhotic portal hypertension secondary to cholangiointestinal anastomotic stricture is rare.Case summaryHere we report the case of a 33-year-old female patient with a type I choledochal cyst who underwent choledochal cyst excision with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. Thirteen years later, the patient presented with severe esophageal and gastric variceal bleeding, splenomegaly, and hypersplenism. Furthermore, cholangiointestinal anastomotic stricture with cholangiectasis was identified on imaging. A pathological examination of the liver suggested intrahepatic cholestasis, but the fibrosis was mild and inconsistent with severe portal hypertension. Therefore, the final diagnosis was portal hypertension secondary to a cholangiointestinal anastomotic stricture after choledochal cyst surgery. Fortunately, the patient recovered well after endoscopic treatment and dilated cholangiointestinal anastomotic stricture.ConclusionCholedochal cyst excision with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy is the recommended standard of care for type I choledochal cysts; however, the long-term risk of cholangiointestinal anastomotic stricture requires consideration. Moreover, cholangiointestinal anastomotic stricture can lead to portal hypertension, and the degree of elevated portal pressure may be inconsistent with the degree of intrahepatic fibrosis.
Efficacy and safety of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents in the treatment of primary pterygium
Authors: Zhang Bowen , Dong Xingmei , Sun Yi 
Published: May 2023

PurposeTo further evaluate the efficacy and safety of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents in management of primary pterygium.MethodsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) in databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from inception to September 2022. Recurrences and complications were evaluated as the pooled risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using random-effects model.ResultsIn total of 1,096 eyes in 19 RCTs were included. Anti-VEGF agents statistically decreased recurrence rate of pterygium following surgery (RR 0.47, 95% CI 0.31–0.74, P &lt; 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that anti-VEGF as an adjunct to bare sclera (RR 0.34, 95% CI 0.13–0.90, P = 0.03) and conjunctival autograft (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.26–0.96, P = 0.04) statistically reduced recurrence rate, while the effect was not favorable for conjunctivo-limbo autograft (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.36–2.68, P = 0.98). Anti-VEGF agents statistically decreased recurrence in White patients (RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.28–0.83, P = 0.008), while didn't in Yellow patients (RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.12–1.47, P = 0.18). Both topical (RR 0.19, 95% CI 0.08–0.45, P &lt; 0.001) and subconjunctival anti-VEGF agents (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.45–0.91, P = 0.01) had a positive influence on recurrence. There was no statistically significant difference in complications between the groups (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.52–1.22, P = 0.29).ConclusionsAs adjuvant treatment, anti-VEGF agents statistically reduced the recurrence following pterygium surgery, especially among White patients. Anti-VEGF agents were well tolerated without increased complications.
Gene expression and locomotor recovery in adult rats with spinal cord injury and plasma-synthesized polypyrrole/iodine application combined with a mixed rehabilitation scheme
Authors: Coyoy-Salgado Angélica , Orozco-Barrios Carlos , Sánchez-Torres Stephanie , Olayo María Guadalupe , Cruz Guillermo Jesus , Morales-Corona Juan , Olayo Roberto , Diaz-Ruiz Araceli , Ríos Camilo , Alvarez-Mejia Laura , Mondragón-Lozano Rodrigo , Morales-Guadarrama Axayacatl , Alonso-García Ana Lucía , Fabela-Sánchez Omar , Salgado-Ceballos Hermelinda 
Published: May 2023

IntroductionSpinal cord injury (SCI) can cause paralysis, for which effective therapeutic strategies have not been developed yet. The only accepted strategy for patients is rehabilitation (RB), although this does not allow complete recovery of lost functions, which makes it necessary to combine it with strategies such as plasma-synthesized polypyrrole/iodine (PPy/I), a biopolymer with different physicochemical properties than PPy synthesized by conventional methods. After SCI in rats, PPy/I promotes functional recovery. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to increase the beneficial effects of both strategies and identify which genes activate PPy/I when applied alone or in combination with a mixed scheme of RB by swimming and enriched environment (SW/EE) in rats with SCI.MethodsMicroarray analysis was performed to identify mechanisms of action underlying the effects of PPy/I and PPy/I+SW/EE on motor function recovery as evaluated by the BBB scale.ResultsResults showed robust upregulation by PPy/I in genes related to the developmental process, biogenesis, synapse, and synaptic vesicle trafficking. In addition, PPy/I+SW/EE increased the expression of genes related to proliferation, biogenesis, cell development, morphogenesis, cell differentiation, neurogenesis, neuron development, and synapse formation processes. Immunofluorescence analysis showed the expression of β-III tubulin in all groups, a decreased expression of caspase-3 in the PPy/I group and GFAP in the PPy/I+SW/EE group (p &lt; 0.05). Better preservation of nerve tissue was observed in PPy/I and PPy/SW/EE groups (p &lt; 0.05). In the BBB scale, the control group scored 1.72 ± 0.41, animals with PPy/I treatment scored 4.23 ± 0.33, and those with PPy/I+SW/EE scored 9.13 ± 0.43 1 month after follow-up.ConclusionThus, PPy/I+SW/EE could represent a therapeutic alternative for motor function recovery after SCI.
Association between functional disability with postural balance among patients with chronic low back pain
Authors: Sun Pingge , Li Kunbin , Yao Xianli , Wu Zhiyuan , Yang Yafei 
Published: May 2023

IntroductionPostural balance is impaired in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). In addition, the swaying velocity can be aﬀected by low back pain (LBP) dysfunction. However, the extent to which the dysfunction aﬀects postural balance in CLBP patients remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the eﬀect of LBP-related disability on postural balance among CLBP patients and determine factors associated with postural balance impairments.MethodsParticipants with CLBP were recruited and instructed to complete the one-leg stance and Y-balance test. Moreover, they were divided into two subgroups (i.e., low and medium to high LBP-related disability groups) to compare the diﬀerence in postural balance based on the degree of LBP-related disability measured by the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire. The relationships between postural balance and negative emotions as well as LBP characteristics were determined using the Spearman correlations.ResultsA total of 49 participants with low LBP-related disabilities and 33 participants with medium to high LBP-related disabilities participated in the study. Compared to the medium to high LBP-related disability group, patients in the low LBP-related disability group performed better in one-leg stance on the left leg (z = -2.081, p = 0.037). For Y-balance test, patients in the low LBP-related disability group also had greater normalized values of left leg reach in posteromedial (t = 2.108, p = 0.038) direction and composite score (t = 2.261, p = 0.026) and of right leg reach in posteromedial (t = 2.185, p = 0.032), and posterolateral (t = 2.137, p = 0.036) directions as well as composite score (t = 2.258, p = 0.027). Factors associated with postural balance impairments were also revealed, such as anxiety, depression, and fear avoidance belief.DiscussionThe greater the dysfunction degree, the worse the CLBP patient’s postural balance impairment. Negative emotions could also be considered contributing factors for postural balance impairments.
Case Report: Paraganglioma in the sellar region: longitudinal observation and surgical outcome
Authors: Wang Yingjie , Yang Xuan , Ma Qianquan , Nicholas Van Halm-Lutterodt , Sun Jianjun , Zhao Xiaofang , Liu Weihai , Yang Chenlong 
Published: May 2023

BackgroundParaganglioma in the sellar region is an extremely rare entity, with a limited number of cases reported in the literature. Due to the paucity of clinical evidence, the diagnosis and treatment of paragangliomas in the sellar region remain challenging. Herein, we reported a case of sellar paraganglioma with parasellar and suprasellar extension. Particularly, the dynamic evolution of this benign tumor within a 7-year longitudinal observation was presented. Additionally, the relevant literature regarding sellar paraganglioma was comprehensively reviewed.Case descriptionA 70-year-old woman presented with progressive visual deterioration and headache. Brain magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a mass in the sellar region with parasellar and suprasellar extension. The patient refused surgical treatment. Seven years later, brain magnetic resonance imaging showed the lesion significantly progressed. Neurological examination revealed bilateral tubular contraction of visual fields. Laboratory examinations showed endocrine hormone levels were normal. Surgical decompression was performed via a subfrontal approach, and subtotal resection was achieved. Histopathological examination confirmed a diagnosis of paraganglioma. Postoperatively, she developed hydrocephalus, and ventriculoperitoneal shunting was performed. Eight months later, cranial CT showed no recurrence of the residual tumor, and the hydrocephalus had been relieved.ConclusionParaganglioma occurring in the sellar region is rare, and the preoperative differential diagnosis is difficult. Owing to the infiltration to the cavernous sinus and internal carotid, complete surgical resection is usually impracticable. There has been no consensus regarding postoperative adjuvant radiochemotherapy for the tumor residue. In-situ recurrence and metastasis have been reported in the literature, and close follow-up is warranted.
Patient characteristics and clinical factors affecting lumpectomy cavity volume: implications for partial breast irradiation
Authors: Le Amy , Achiko Flora Amy , Boyd LaKeisha , Shan Mu , Zellars Richard C. , Rhome Ryan M. 
Published: May 2023

IntroductionPartial breast irradiation (PBI) has increased in utilization, with the postoperative lumpectomy cavity and clips used to guide target volumes. The ideal timing to perform computed tomography (CT)–based treatment planning for this technique is unclear. Prior studies have examined change in volume over time from surgery but not the effect of patient characteristics on lumpectomy cavity volume. We sought to investigate patient and clinical factors that may contribute to larger postsurgical lumpectomy cavities and therefore predict for larger PBI volumes.MethodsA total of 351 consecutive women with invasive or in situ breast cancer underwent planning CT after breast-conserving surgery at a single institution during 2019 and 2020. Lumpectomy cavities were contoured, and volume was retrospectively computed using the treatment planning system. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the associations between lumpectomy cavity volume and patient and clinical factors.ResultsMedian age was 61.0 years (range, 30–91), 23.9% of patients were Black people, 52.1% had hypertension, the median body mass index (BMI) was 30.4 kg/m², 11.4% received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 32.5% were treated prone, mean interval from surgery to CT simulation was 54.1 days ± 45.9, and mean lumpectomy cavity volume was 42.2 cm3 ± 52.0. Longer interval from surgery was significantly associated with smaller lumpectomy cavity volume on univariate analysis, p = 0.048. Race, hypertension, BMI, the receipt of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and prone position remained significant on multivariate analysis (p &lt; 0.05 for all). Prone position vs. supine, higher BMI, the receipt of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the presence of hypertension, and race (Black people vs. White people) were associated with larger mean lumpectomy cavity volume.DiscussionThese data may be used to select patients for which longer time to simulation may result in smaller lumpectomy cavity volumes and therefore smaller PBI target volumes. Racial disparity in cavity size is not explained by known confounders and may reflect unmeasured systemic determinants of health. Larger datasets and prospective evaluation would be ideal to confirm these hypotheses.
Risks of prostate cancer and mortality in the city of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Authors: Al Shareef Zainab , Al-Shahrabi Rula , Saheb Sharif-Askari Fatemeh , Alshamsi Younis , Zarooni Abdulqadir Al , AlKhayyal Noura , Soliman Sameh S. M. , Bendardaf Riyad , Halwani Rabih 
Published: May 2023

BackgroundProstatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa) are common age-related diseases in men. According to World Health Organization (WHO), PCa is the second most common cancer among Emirati men. This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with PCa and mortality in a cohort diagnosed with PCa between 2012 and 2021 in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE).MethodsThe data collected in this retrospective case-control study included patient demographics and comorbidities, as well as PCa markers such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostate volume, prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD), and Gleason scores. Risk factors for PCa were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis, and factors associated with all-cause mortality in PCa patients were evaluated using Cox-proportional hazard analysis.ResultsOf the 192 cases analyzed in this study, 88 were diagnosed with PCa and 104 were diagnosed with BPH. Regarding risk factors for PCa, a higher risk of PCa was associated with age 65 or older (OR=2.76, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-7.30; P=0.038) and serum PSAD greater than 0.1 ng/mL2 (OR=3.48, 95% CI:1.66-7.32; P=0.001), whereas being of UAE nationals (OR=0.40, 95% CI:0.18-0.88; P=0.029) were associated with lower risk of PCa, after adjusting for patient demographics and comorbidities. Moreover, regarding cancer markers, higher serum PSA level (P=0.003) and smaller prostate volume (P=0.028) were associated with a higher risk of PCa, after adjusting with patients’ age and BMI. Additionally, a high-grade Gleason score was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality after adjusting for patient’s age and BMI (hazard ratio, aHR= 2.3, 95% CI:1.3-4.1; P= 0.016).ConclusionThis study found that age 65 or older and serum PSAD greater than 0.1 ng/mL2 are risk factors for PCa, while UAE nationality is associated with a lower risk. PSAD may be a better screening marker for PCa compared to traditional markers such as PSA and prostate volume.
Safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity of an anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody HFB30132A after single dose intravenous administration in healthy Chinese subjects: a phase 1, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Authors: Li Shanshan , Wu Xiaojie , Li Nanyang , Cao Guoying , Wang Jingjing , Chen Yuancheng , Li Size , He Jinjie , Wu Jufang , Yang Haijing , Lin Ke , Qiu Chao , Liu Angela , Zhou He , Adrian Francisco , Schweizer Liang , Zhang Wenhong , Gu Jingwen , Zhang Jing 
Published: May 2023

Objective: The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) still protracts worldwide. HFB30132A is an anti- SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody purposely engineered for an extended half-life with neutralizing activity against majority of the virus variants identified so far. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and immunogenicity of HFB30132A in healthy Chinese subjects.Methods: A phase 1, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose clinical trial was designed. Twenty subjects were enrolled to Cohort 1 (1,000 mg dose level, 10 subjects) or Cohort 2 (2,000 mg dose level, 10 subjects). Subjects in each cohort were assigned randomly to receive a single intravenous (IV) dose of HFB30132A or placebo at a ratio of 8:2. Safety was assessed in terms of treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs), vital signs, physical examination, laboratory tests, and ECG findings. PK parameters were measured and calculated appropriately. Anti-drug antibody (ADA) test was performed to detect anti-HFB30132A antibodies.Results: All subjects completed the study. Overall, 13 (65%) of the 20 subjects experienced TEAEs. The most common TEAEs were laboratory abnormalities (12 subjects [60%]), gastrointestinal disorders (6 subjects [30%]), and dizziness (4 subjects [20%]). All TEAEs were Grade 1 or Grade 2 in severity based on the criteria of Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). Serum exposure (Cmax, AUC0-t, AUC0-∞) of HFB30132A increased with ascending dose. After single dose of 1,000 mg and 2000 mg HFB30132A, the mean Cmax was 570.18 μg/mL and 898.65 μg/mL, the mean AUC0-t value was 644,749.42 h*μg/mL and 1,046,209.06 h*μg/mL, and the mean AUC0-∞ value was 806,127.47 h*μg/mL and 1,299,190.74 h*μg/mL, respectively. HFB30132A showed low clearance ranging from 1.38 to 1.59 mL/h, and a long terminal elimination half-life (t½) of 89–107 days. ADA test did not detect any anti-HFB30132A antibodiesConclusion: HFB30132A was safe and generally well-tolerated after single IV dose of 1,000 mg or 2000 mg in healthy Chinese adults. HFB30132A did not induce immunogenic response in this study. Our data support further clinical development of HFB30132A.Clinical Trial Registration:https://clinicaltrials.gov, identifier: NCT05275660.
Detection of potential drug-drug interactions for risk of acute kidney injury: a population-based case-control study using interpretable machine-learning models
Authors: Akimoto Hayato , Hayakawa Takashi , Nagashima Takuya , Minagawa Kimino , Takahashi Yasuo , Asai Satoshi 
Published: May 2023

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI), with an increase in serum creatinine, is a common adverse drug event. Although various clinical studies have investigated whether a combination of two nephrotoxic drugs has an increased risk of AKI using traditional statistical models such as multivariable logistic regression (MLR), the evaluation metrics have not been evaluated despite the fact that traditional statistical models may over-fit the data. The aim of the present study was to detect drug-drug interactions with an increased risk of AKI by interpreting machine-learning models to avoid overfitting.Methods: We developed six machine-learning models trained using electronic medical records: MLR, logistic least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression (LLR), random forest, extreme gradient boosting (XGB) tree, and two support vector machine models (kernel = linear function and radial basis function). In order to detect drug-drug interactions, the XGB and LLR models that showed good predictive performance were interpreted by SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) and relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), respectively.Results: Among approximately 2.5 million patients, 65,667 patients were extracted from the electronic medical records, and assigned to case (N = 5,319) and control (N = 60,348) groups. In the XGB model, a combination of loop diuretic and histamine H2 blocker [mean (|SHAP|) = 0.011] was identified as a relatively important risk factor for AKI. The combination of loop diuretic and H2 blocker showed a significant synergistic interaction on an additive scale (RERI 1.289, 95% confidence interval 0.226–5.591) also in the LLR model.Conclusion: The present population-based case-control study using interpretable machine-learning models suggested that although the relative importance of the individual and combined effects of loop diuretics and H2 blockers is lower than that of well-known risk factors such as older age and sex, concomitant use of a loop diuretic and histamine H2 blocker is associated with increased risk of AKI.