bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Post-anesthetic CPS and EQUUS-FAP scores in surgical and non-surgical equine patients: an observational study
Authors: Reed Rachel Anne , Krikorian Anna M. , Reynolds Rose M. , Holmes Brittany T. , Branning Megan M. , Lemons Margaret B. , Barletta Michele , Quandt Jane E. , Burns Charlotte C. , Dantino Stephanie C. , Sakai Daniel M. 
Published: July 2023

BackgroundEquine pain scoring may be affected by the residual effect of anesthetic drugs.ObjectivesTo compare pain scores in the hours immediately following anesthetic recovery to baseline pre-anesthetic scores in equine patients undergoing surgical and non-surgical procedures.Study designClinical observational study.MethodsFifty adult horses undergoing anesthesia for surgical or non-surgical procedures were enrolled. Horses underwent pain scoring using the Composite Pain Score (CPS) and Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain (EQUUS-FAP) prior to anesthesia (T0) and following anesthetic recovery to standing, every hour for 5 h (T1-T5). Data were analyzed using a generalized linear mixed effects model. A post-hoc Dunnett's test for multiple comparisons was performed for variables where an effect was detected.ResultsMean (95% confidence interval) CPS scores for T0-T5 were 1.6 (1.2–2.0), 6.8 (6.0–7.6), 5.1 (4.3–5.9), 4.3 (3.4–5.2), 3.7 (2.8–4.6), and 2.8 (2.0–3.6) and EQUUS-FAP scores were 0.6 (0.3–0.9), 3.0 (2.5–3.5), 1.9 (1.6–2.2), 1.1 (0.8–1.4), 0.6 (0.4–0.8), and 0.7 (0.4–1.0), respectively. For the CPS, scores greater than 5, and for the EQUUS-FAP scores greater than 3, are consistent with minor pain. There was no effect of type of procedure (surgical vs non-surgical) on CPS or EQUUS-FAP scores. There was an effect of time with CPS scores significantly greater than baseline at T1-T5 and EQUUS-FAP scores significantly greater than baseline at T1 and T2.Main limitationsDiscomfort caused by hoisting was not quantified and it was difficult to ascertain if this affected the results.ConclusionsPost-anesthetic pain scores may be influenced by the residual effect of anesthetic agents for as long as 5 h and 2 h for the CPS and EQUUS-FAP, respectively.
Assessment of the impact of good pharmacy practices training among drug dispensers in Bangladesh
Authors: Ali Sunjida Binta , Chakma Nantu , Islam Md. Saimul , Amzad Raian , Khan Md. lftakhar Hassan , Aziulla Md. , Momtaz Tanisha , Azad Abul Kalam , Babar Zaheer-Ud-Din , Naheed Aliya 
Published: July 2023

Background: Training improves dispensing behavior of drug dispensers in low- and middle-income countries. Between 2018 and 2020, a total of 5,059 Grade C pharmacists, who completed a 3-month training course for availing a “Grade C pharmacist certificate” were trained on Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) in 11 districts in Bangladesh by Management Sciences for Health (MSH) under Better Health in Bangladesh (BHB) project. We assessed the impact of GPP among trained Grade C pharmacists under the BHB project compared to those who did not receive GPP training under the BHB project (non-trained), and explored the major challenges towards achieving GPP.Methods: We created a database of trained Grade C pharmacists provided by MSH and randomly selected the trained Grade C pharmacists for recruitment following consent. We created another database of the non-trained Grade C pharmacist who were deployed within a 1-km radius of a trained Grade C pharmacist, and randomly recruited one non-trained against one trained Grade C pharmacist. A semi structured questionnaire was administered to obtain information about knowledge of GPP, including guidelines of dispensing medicines, temperature maintenance, medicine storage, counseling customers and labeling medicines. Dispensing behavior was directly observed following a structured tool. Chi-square test (for categorical variables) and independent sample t-tests (for continuous variables) were applied for comparison between the trained and the non-trained Grade C pharmacists. A logistic regression model was applied to explore an association between knowledge and practice between the two groups.Results: Between February and March 2021, 220 trained and 220 non-trained Grade C pharmacists were recruited. Mean age (SD) of the participants was 41 years (10.5) and 98.4% were male. Compared to the non-trained, the trained Grade C pharmacists had better knowledge about the guidelines of dispensing medicines (97.7% vs 89.5%, p &lt; 0.001), temperature maintenance (91.8% vs 45.5%, p = 0.001), medicine storage (92.3% vs 40.5%, p = 0.001) counseling customers (99.5% vs 92.3%, p &lt; .001) and labeling medicines (91.0% vs 80%, p &lt; 0.001). General dispensing behavior was observed to be better among the trained than the non-trained with labeling of medicines (63.2% vs 53.4%, p = 0.038), counseling customers (39.1% vs 28.6%, p = 0.021) and using a room thermometer for maintaining ambient temperature in the medicine shops (56.8% vs26.8%, p &lt; 0.001). Bad behavior of the customers (39.5%) and lack of GPP knowledge among Grade C pharmacists (28.6%) were recognized to be challenges towards achieving GPP in Bangladesh.Conclusion: Training led to better knowledge and practices about dispensing medicines among Grade C pharmacists in Bangladesh. Periodic training may promote achieving GPP in Bangladesh.
Weight increase in people with cystic fibrosis on CFTR modulator therapy is mainly due to increase in fat mass
Authors: Mouzaki Marialena , Dupuis Annie , Avolio Julie , Griffin Katherine , Ratjen Felix , Tullis Elizabeth , Gonska Tanja 
Published: July 2023

Background:Ivacaftor, the first CFTR modulator drug, leads to significant long-term improvement in lung function and weight gain. The mechanism as well as the long-term impact of ivacaftor on weight, resting energy expenditure (REE) and body composition remains to be explored.Methods:This prospective observational study included 18 people with CF (pwCF) (age: median (range) 20 (6–58) years) carrying at least one CFTR gating mutation commencing ivacaftor. Assessments of body composition, REE and laboratory investigations were performed at baseline and 6, 12 and 24 months after treatment initiation.Results:Treatment with ivacaftor was associated with a significantly positive change in BMI z-score at 24 months. Fat mass (mean (95% CL) of 6.5 kg (4.0; 9.0) from baseline,p= 0.0001), but not fat-free mass changed under ivacaftor treatment. There was a significant positive correlation between weight and fat mass change. Overall, there was no significant change in measured REE from baseline (mean (95% CL) of 108 kcal/d (−12; 228),p= 0.07) in our cohort. Pancreatic function and other nutritional markers did not change with treatment, with the exception of an increase in serum vitamin A levels (p= 0.006).Conclusion:The weight gain observed in ivacaftor treated pwCF is predominantly secondary to increases in fat mass warranting early counseling of people starting on CFTR-modulating treatment with respect to healthy diet and physical exercise.
Integrative analysis of multi-omics data for discovery of ferroptosis-related gene signature predicting immune activity in neuroblastoma
Authors: Hu Jiajian , Song Fengju , Kang Wenjuan , Xia Fantong , Song Zi’an , Wang Yangyang , Li Jie , Zhao Qiang 
Published: July 2023

Immunotherapy for neuroblastoma remains unsatisfactory due to heterogeneity and weak immunogenicity. Exploring powerful signatures for the evaluation of immunotherapy outcomes remain the primary purpose. We constructed a ferroptosis-related gene (FRG) signature by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and Cox regression, identified 10 independent prognostic FRGs in a training cohort (GSE62564), and then verified them in an external validation cohort (TCGA). Associated with clinical factors, the signature accurately predicts overall survival of 3, 5, and 10 years. An independent prognostic nomogram, which included FRG risk, age, stage of the International Neuroblastoma Staging System, and an MYCN status, was constructed. The area under the curves showed satisfactory prognostic predicting performance. Through bulk RNA-seq and proteomics data, we revealed the relationship between hub genes and the key onco-promoter MYCN gene and then validated the results in MYCN-amplified and MYCN–non-amplified cell lines with qRT-PCR. The FRG signature significantly divided patients into high- and low-risk groups, and the differentially expressed genes between the two groups were enriched in immune actions, autophagy, and carcinogenesis behaviors. The low-risk group embodied higher positive immune component infiltration and a higher expression of immune checkpoints with a more favorable immune cytolytic activity (CYT). We verified the predictive power of this signature with data from melanoma patients undergoing immunotherapy, and the predictive power was satisfactory. Gene mutations were closely related to the signature and prognosis. AURKA and PRKAA2 were revealed to be nodal hub FRGs in the signature, and both were shown to have significantly different expressions between the INSS stage IV and other stages after immunohistochemical validation. With single-cell RNA-seq analysis, we found that genes related to T cells were enriched in TNFA signaling and interferon-γ hallmark. In conclusion, we constructed a ferroptosis-related gene signature that can predict the outcomes and work in evaluating the effects of immunotherapy.
The AKT inhibitor, MK-2206, attenuates ABCG2-mediated drug resistance in lung and colon cancer cells
Authors: Gao Hai-Ling , Cui Qingbin , Wang Jing-Quan , Ashby Charles R. , Chen Yanchun , Shen Zhi-Xin , Chen Zhe-Sheng 
Published: July 2023

Introduction: The overexpression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, ABCB1 and ABCG2, are two of the major mediators of multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancers. Although multiple ABCB1 and ABCG2 inhibitors have been developed and some have undergone evaluation in clinical trials, none have been clinically approved. The compound, MK-2206, an inhibitor of the protein kinases AKT1/2/3, is undergoing evaluation in multiple clinical trials for the treatment of certain types of cancers, including those resistant to erlotinib. In this in vitro study, we conducted in vitro experiments to determine if MK-2206 attenuates multidrug resistance in cancer cells overexpressing the ABCB1 or ABCG2 transporter.Methodology: The efficacy of MK-2206 (0.03–1 μM), in combination with the ABCB1 transporter sub-strates doxorubicin and paclitaxel, and ABCG2 transporter substrates mitoxantrone, SN-38 and topotecan, were determined in the cancer cell lines, KB-C2 and SW620/Ad300, which overexpress the ABCB1 transporter or H460/MX20 and S1-M1-80, which overexpress the ABCG2 transporter, respectively. The expression level and the localization of ABCG2 transporter on the cancer cells membranes were determined using western blot and immunofluorescence assays, respectively, following the incubation of cells with MK-2206. Finally, the interaction between MK-2206 and human ABCG2 transporter was predicted using computer-aided molecular modeling.Results: MK-2206 significantly increased the efficacy of anticancer compounds that were substrates for the ABCG2 but not the ABCB1 transporter. MK-2206 alone (0.03–1 μM) did not significantly alter the viability of H460/MX20 and S1-M1-80 cancer cells, which overexpress the ABCG2 transporter, compared to cells incubated with vehicle. However, MK-2206 (0.3 and 1 μM) significantly increased the anticancer efficacy of mitoxantrone, SN-38 and topotecan, in H460/MX20 and S1-M1-80 cancer cells, as indicated by a significant decrease in their IC50 values, compared to cells incubated with vehicle. MK-2206 significantly increased the basal activity of the ABCG2 ATPase (EC50 = 0.46 μM) but did not significantly alter its expression level and sub-localization in the membrane. The molecular modeling results suggested that MK-2206 binds to the active pocket of the ABCG2 transporter, by a hydrogen bond, hydrophobic interactions and π-π stacking.Conclusion: These in vitro data indicated that MK-2206 surmounts resistance to mitoxantrone, SN-38 and topotecan in cancer cells overexpressing the ABCG2 transporter. If these results can be translated to humans, it is possible that MK-2206 could be used to surmount MDR in cancer cells overexpressing the ABCG2 transporter.
Investigating transfer learning to improve the deep-learning-based segmentation of organs at risk among different medical centers for nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Chen Xinyuan , Zhu Ji , Yang Yiwei , Zhang Jie , Men Kuo , Yi Junlin , Chen Ming , Dai Jianrong 
Published: July 2023

Purpose: Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) offer a promising approach to automating organ segmentation in radiotherapy. However, variations of segmentation protocols made by different medical centers may induce a well-trained CNN model in one center and may not perform well in other centers. In this study, we proposed a transfer learning method to improve the performance of deep-learning based segmentation models among different medical centers using nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) data.Methods: The NPC data included 300 cases (S_Train) from one institution (the source center) and 60 cases from another (the target center), divided into a training set of 50 cases (T_Train) and a test set of 10 target cases (T_Test). A ResNet CNN architecture was developed with 103 layers. We first trained Model_S and Model_T from scratch with the datasets S_Train and T_train, respectively. Transfer learning was then used to train Model_ST by fine-tuning the last 10 layers of Model_S with images from T_Train. We also investigated the effect of the numbers of re-trained layers on the performance. The performance of each model was evaluated using the dice similarity coefficient, and it was used as the evaluation metrics. We compared the dice similarity coefficient value using the three different models (Model_S, Model_T, and Model_ST).Results: When Model_S, Model_T, and Model_ST were applied to the T_Test dataset, the transfer learning (Model_ST) had the best performance. Compared with Model_S, the p-values of all organs at risk were less than 0.05. Compared with Model_T, the p-values of most organs at risk were less than 0.05, but there was no significant statistical difference in Model_ST for the brain stem (p = 0.071), mandible (p = 0.177), left temporal lobes (p = 0.084), and right temporal lobes (p = 0.068). Although there was no statistical difference for these organs, the mean accuracy of Model_ST was higher than that of Model_T. The proposed transfer learning can reduce the training time by up to 33%.Conclusion: Transfer learning can improve organ segmentation for NPC by adapting a previously trained CNN model to a new image domain, reducing the training time and saving physicians from labeling a large number of contours.
Serum ferritin and the risk of short-term mortality in critically ill patients with chronic heart failure: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zhou Zijing , Yang Deyi , Li Chan , Wu Ting , Shi Ruizheng 
Published: July 2023

Background: Serum ferritin levels are associated with a higher risk of incident heart failure (HF). Whether serum ferritin levels, either increased or decreased, predict the risk of mortality in individuals with chronic heart failure (CHF) remains unknown.Objectives: This study aimed to clarify the potential predictive significance of serum ferritin levels in assessing the short-term mortality in critically ill patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).Methods: Critically ill patients with CHF were identified from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care III and IV (MIMIC III and IV) databases. Linear and logistic regression models and Cox proportional hazards models were applied to assess the associations between serum ferritin and survival.Results: A total of 1,739 and 2,322 patients with CHF identified from the MIMIC III and IV databases, respectively, fulfilled the inclusion criteria. In the MIMIC III group, compared with the reference group (serum ferritin ≥70 and &lt;500 ng/mL), serum ferritin ≥1000 ng/mL was a significant predictor of 28-day (odds ratio [OR], 1.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14–2.72) and 90-day mortality (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.13–2.39). The results from the Cox regression and Kaplan–Meier curves revealed similar results. In the MIMIC IV group, serum ferritin ≥1000 ng/mL was a significant predictor of in-hospital (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.18–2.46), 28-day (OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.24–2.69), and 90-day mortality (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.11–2.22) after adjusting for confounding factors.Conclusion: High ferritin levels (≥1000 ng/mL) were associated with increased short-term mortality in critically ill patients with CHF, indicating that serum ferritin may serve as a useful prognostic marker for CHF.
Effects of different obesogenic diets on joint integrity, inflammation and intermediate monocyte levels in a rat groove model of osteoarthritis
Authors: Warmink K. , Rios J. L. , van Valkengoed D. R. , Vinod P. , Korthagen N. M. , Weinans H. 
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Obesogenic diets aggravate osteoarthritis (OA) by inducing low-grade systemic inflammation, and diet composition may affect OA severity. Here, we investigated the effect of diet on joint damage and inflammation in an OA rat model.Methods: Wistar-Han rats (n = 24) were fed a chow, a high-fat (HF) diet, or a high-fat/high-sucrose (HFS) for 24 weeks. OA was induced unilaterally 12 weeks after the diet onset by groove surgery, and compared to sham surgery or no surgical intervention (contralateral limb). Knee OA severity was determined by OARSI histopathology scoring system. At several timepoints monocyte populations were measured using flow cytometry, and joint macrophage response was determined via CD68 immunohistochemistry staining.Results: Groove surgery combined with HF or HFS diet resulted in higher OARSI scores, and both HF and HFS diet showed increased circulating intermediate monocytes compared to chow fed rats. Additionally, in the HFS group, minimal damage by sham surgery resulted in an increased OARSI score. HFS diet resulted in the largest metabolic dysregulation, synovial inflammation and increased CD68 staining in tibia epiphysis bone marrow.Conclusion: Obesogenic diets resulted in aggravated OA development, even with very minimal joint damage when combined with the sucrose/fat-rich diet. We hypothesize that diet-induced low-grade inflammation primes monocytes and macrophages in the blood, bone marrow, and synovium, resulting in joint damage when triggered by groove OA inducing surgery. When the metabolic dysregulation is larger, as observed here for the HFS diet, the surgical trigger required to induce joint damage may be smaller, or even redundant.
What explains the link between romantic conflict with gambling problems? Testing a serial mediational model
Authors: Hagen Amanda E. F. , Nogueira-Arjona Raquel , Sherry Simon B. , Rodriguez Lindsey M. , Yakovenko Igor , Stewart Sherry H. 
Published: July 2023

IntroductionWhile individuals have many motives to gamble, one particularly risky motive for gambling is to cope with negative affect. Conflict with one’s romantic partner is a strong predictor of negative affect, which may elicit coping motives for gambling and, in turn, gambling-related problems. Support for this mediational model was demonstrated in relation to drinking-related problems. We extended this model to gambling.MethodUsing a cross-sectional design, we examined links between romantic conflict (Partner-Specific Rejecting Behaviors Scale), negative affect (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-21), coping gambling motives (Gambling Motives Questionnaire, coping subscale), and gambling-related problems [Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)] in 206 regular gamblers (64% men; mean age = 44.7 years; mean PGSI = 8.7) who were in a romantic relationship and recruited through Qualtrics Panels in July 2021.ResultsResults supported our hypothesis that the model would explain a significant amount of variance in gambling-related problems, β = 0.35, 95% CI [0.24, 0.47], and that the association between romantic conflict and gambling-related problems would be sequentially mediated through negative affect and coping gambling motives, β = 0.07, 95% CI [0.03, 0.11], and also showed a strong single mediation pathway through negative affect alone, β = 0.24, 95% CI [0.16, 0.35].DiscussionNegative affect and coping gambling motives partially explain the link between romantic conflict and gambling-related problems. Interventions should target both negative affect and coping gambling motives in response to romantic conflict to reduce gambling-related problems in partnered gamblers.
Parental homework involvement and students' mathematics achievement: a meta-analysis
Authors: Jiang Qiaodan , Shi Li , Zheng Donghui , Mao Weijie 
Published: July 2023

IntroductionGiven the importance of parent involvement to students' academic achievement, researchers have used a variety of methods to investigate the relationship between the two, but few focus on the relationship between parental homework involvement and students' achievement in a specific subject by using meta-analysis. This meta-analysis investigated the relationship between parent homework involvement and students' mathematics achievement from two dimensions: supportive (SPI) and intrusive parent homework involvement (IPI), along with their moderators.MethodsAccessed through Web of Science, Taylor and Francis Online, EBSCO, Springer Link, Elsevier, and ProQuest databases, a total of 20 empirical studies between 2005 to 2022, 41 independent effect sizes were included (N = 16,338). Effect size estimations were obtained by transforming Fisher's correlation coefficient. This study has conducted the heterogeneity tests of the magnitudes grouped according to different moderators, and investigated the publication bias that affects meta-analysis studies.Results and discussionThe results showed an overall positive link between SPI and students' mathematics achievement (r = 0.076, 95% CI = [0.037, 0.114]) and a negative link between IPI and students' mathematics achievement (r = −0.153, 95% CI = [−0.226, −0.079]). For the link of SPI and students' mathematics achievement, the effect sizes were (a) strongest when SPI was measured by autonomy support, followed by content support and provision of structure respectively; (b) stronger when students' mathematics achievement indicated by non-standardized measurement than standardized measurement. For the link of IPI and students' mathematics achievement, the effect sizes varied across grade level, strongest in high school, followed by middle school and lowest in primary school. These findings provide important implications for how to improve parental homework involvement practice to increase students' mathematics achievement.