bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Status of persistent organic pollutants in Ethiopia
Authors: Debela Sisay Abebe , Sheriff Ishmail , Daba Chala , Tefera Yonatal Mesfin , Bedada Dinaol , Gebrehiwot Mesfin 
Published: June 2023

Over the years, the chemical market has shown significant growth, but the hazardous impact of chemical use and disposal on the environment and human health is a growing concern. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are among the most dangerous chemicals with widespread effects on the environment and living organisms, including humans. This study aimed to assess the current status of POP management and regulatory infrastructure in Ethiopia by collecting information from stakeholders responsible for recording the import, export, use, management, and regulation of POPs both in government and private sectors. Additionally, a comprehensive literature review was conducted using Boolean operators from international databases and libraries. The results indicated that Ethiopia banned the import of pesticides listed under Annex A (i.e., those to be eliminated), except endosulfan, which was imported at a quantity of 199,767 kg lt-1 from 2011 to 2015. There are 2,435 PCB-containing transformers in Ethiopia, of which 2,242 (92%) are currently in use. These transformers and capacitors contain 1,031,661 kg and 1,255 kg of dielectric fluids, respectively. As for Annex B POPs (i.e., those to be restricted), there are between 928,509 kg and 1,383,095 kg of active and obsolete dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane found in different stores across the country. Ethiopia imported approximately 337,000 kg of products containing perfluorooctane sulfonic acid from 2000 to 2020, with an annual average of 16,850 kg of photographic film, paper, and plates. POPs were also detected in different environmental matrices (soil, waterbodies, sediments, food items, and air) as well as human blood. Despite these findings, regulation and management of POP waste and stockpiles are largely inadequate in Ethiopia. Therefore, it is crucial to improve the monitoring, management, and regulation of POPs in the country. This could be achieved by strengthening the collaboration among different regulatory bodies, harmonizing the fragmented laws on POP management and control, and building institutional capacity.
Sea level rise-induced habitat loss does not alter effective migration rate for the salt marsh insect Tumidagena minuta due to large genetic effective population size
Authors: Maguire Billie , Tomasula Jewel , Rippel Tyler , Wimp Gina M. , Hamilton Matthew B. 
Published: June 2023

IntroductionAs anthropogenic change alters and fragments habitats, it is apparent that evolutionary change can co-occur with ecological change, though the scale and consequences of this contemporary evolution remain unclear. In coastal salt marshes of eastern North America, the flood tolerant low elevation marsh grass (Spartina alterniflora), is displacing Spartina patens, the flood intolerant high elevation marsh grass. Rising seas restrict S. patens, once occupying large areas of many hectares, to increasingly small patches, some as small as a few square meters. MethodsUsing nine microsatellite loci, we examined the genetic diversity and population structure of Tumidagena minuta, a minute, flightless planthopper and specialist herbivore of S. patens. We sampled T. minuta from S. patens habitat patches of varying radius (3–82 meters) and distances (54–1,100 meters) to test how landscape variation affects population genetic parameters associated with microevolutionary processes. We sampled and genotyped 142 T. minuta individuals across six S. patens patches in a single marsh in New Jersey, USA. ResultsWe observed high polymorphism, observing between 7 and 28 alleles per locus and an average of 13.3 alleles per locus. We observed no genetic differentiation among sampled patches (RST = −0.0109). The contemporary genetic effective population size (Ne) was estimated at approximately 360 (95% confidence interval: 208–1325) based on two-locus linkage disequilibrium. Based on an estimate of Nem = 32.4 in the finite island model, the estimated gene flow rate among these patches was 0.09 migrants per generation. DiscussionThese estimates, which are rarely produced for non-model insects, suggest that, despite rapid and precipitous decreases in habitat size and connectivity, T. minuta populations have remained large and have experienced little genetic differentiation due to drift. Ecological changes in patch size and isolation at this scale have not influenced population genetic processes like effective migration rate for T. minuta, consistent with our expectations for an insect with a large population size.
The preoperative platelet to neutrophil ratio and lymphocyte to monocyte ratio are superior prognostic indicators compared with other inflammatory biomarkers in ovarian cancer
Authors: Song Qian , Xu Song-Xiao , Wu Jun-Zhou , Ling Lin , Wang Sheng , Shu Xin-Hua , Ying Dan-Ni , Pei Wang-Wei , Wu Yu-Chen , Sun Su-Fang , Zhang Yi-Ning , Zhou Si-Hang , Shao Zhu-Yan 
Published: June 2023

BackgroundPrevious studies have suggested that the ratios of immune-inflammatory cells could serve as prognostic indicators in ovarian cancer. However, which of these is the superior prognostic indicator in ovarian cancer remains unknown. In addition, studies on the prognostic value of the platelet to neutrophil ratio (PNR) in ovarian cancer are still limited.MethodsA cohort of 991 ovarian cancer patients was analyzed in the present study. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were utilized to choose the optimal cut-off values of inflammatory biomarkers such as neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), and PNR. The correlation of inflammatory biomarkers with overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) was investigated by Kaplan-Meier methods and log-rank test, followed by Cox regression analyses.ResultsKaplan-Meier curves suggested that LMR&lt;3.39, PLR≥181.46, and PNR≥49.20 had obvious associations with worse RFS (P&lt;0.001, P=0.018, P&lt;0.001). Multivariate analysis suggested that LMR (≥3.39 vs. &lt;3.39) (P=0.042, HR=0.810, 95% CI=0.661-0.992) and PNR (≥49.20 vs. &lt;49.20) (P=0.004, HR=1.351, 95% CI=1.103-1.656) were independent prognostic indicators of poor RFS. In addition, Kaplan-Meier curves indicated that PLR≥182.23 was significantly correlated with worse OS (P=0.039).ConclusionTaken together, PNR and LMR are superior prognostic indicators compared with NLR, PLR, and SII in patients with ovarian cancer.
Maximizing utility of nondirected living liver donor grafts using machine learning
Authors: Bambha Kiran , Kim Nicole J. , Sturdevant Mark , Perkins James D. , Kling Catherine , Bakthavatsalam Ramasamy , Healey Patrick , Dick Andre , Reyes Jorge D. , Biggins Scott W. 
Published: June 2023

ObjectiveThere is an unmet need for optimizing hepatic allograft allocation from nondirected living liver donors (ND-LLD).Materials and methodUsing OPTN living donor liver transplant (LDLT) data (1/1/2000-12/31/2019), we identified 6328 LDLTs (4621 right, 644 left, 1063 left-lateral grafts). Random forest survival models were constructed to predict 10-year graft survival for each of the 3 graft types.ResultsDonor-to-recipient body surface area ratio was an important predictor in all 3 models. Other predictors in all 3 models were: malignant diagnosis, medical location at LDLT (inpatient/ICU), and moderate ascites. Biliary atresia was important in left and left-lateral graft models. Re-transplant was important in right graft models. C-index for 10-year graft survival predictions for the 3 models were: 0.70 (left-lateral); 0.63 (left); 0.61 (right). Similar C-indices were found for 1-, 3-, and 5-year graft survivals. Comparison of model predictions to actual 10-year graft survivals demonstrated that the predicted upper quartile survival group in each model had significantly better actual 10-year graft survival compared to the lower quartiles (p&lt;0.005).ConclusionWhen applied in clinical context, our models assist with the identification and stratification of potential recipients for hepatic grafts from ND-LLD based on predicted graft survivals, while accounting for complex donor-recipient interactions. These analyses highlight the unmet need for granular data collection and machine learning modeling to identify potential recipients who have the best predicted transplant outcomes with ND-LLD grafts.
Temperature and phosphorus: the main environmental factors affecting the seasonal variation of soil bacterial diversity in Nansi Lake Wetland
Authors: Chen Lei , Shi Yuying , Wang Shen , Sun Mengyao , Wang Meng , Ren Xiaoyue , Gao Zenghao , Zhou Yiping , Zhang Jie , Zhuang Weijing , Su Xinyue , Fu Yongchao , Wu Mengmeng 
Published: June 2023

IntroductionThe soil bacteria promote the circulation conversion of lake nutrients and play an important role in maintaining the balance of the lake ecosystem. Few studies have investigated the association of seasonal variation in bacteria and environmental factors in inland freshwater lake wetlands. Nansi Lake is a large shallow freshwater lake in northern China. It is an important hub of the eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.MethodsIn this study, bacterial 16S rRNA genes were used to analyze the variation of soil bacterial community diversity in Nansi Lake Wetland and its influencing factors in different seasons.ResultsIt is showed that the phylum, family, and genus with the largest relative abundance in the soil of Nansi Lake Wetland are Proteobacteria, Nitrosomonadaceae, and MND1, respectively. There were significant seasonal differences in soil bacterial diversity in Nansi Lake Wetland, which was significantly higher in summer than in winter. Seasonal variation in environmental factors was significantly correlated with the variation in bacterial communities. Temperature and the content of available phosphorus may be the key factors influencing seasonal variation in bacterial diversity.DiscussionThe results of this study further enhance our understanding of the relationship between bacterial community diversity and environmental factors in the lake wetland ecosystem, which can provide scientific data for the conservation of Nansi Lake Wetland.
Examining electroencephalogram signatures of people with multiple sclerosis using a nonlinear dynamics approach: a systematic review and bibliographic analysis
Authors: Hernandez Christopher Ivan , Kargarnovin Shaida , Hejazi Sara , Karwowski Waldemar 
Published: June 2023

BackgroundConsidering that brain activity involves communication between millions of neurons in a complex network, nonlinear analysis is a viable tool for studying electroencephalography (EEG). The main objective of this review was to collate studies that utilized chaotic measures and nonlinear dynamical analysis in EEG of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and to discuss the contributions of chaos theory techniques to understanding, diagnosing, and treating MS.MethodsUsing the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA), the databases EbscoHost, IEEE, ProQuest, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched for publications that applied chaos theory in EEG analysis of MS patients.ResultsA bibliographic analysis was performed using VOSviewer software keyword co-occurrence analysis indicated that MS was the focus of the research and that research on MS diagnosis has shifted from conventional methods, such as magnetic resonance imaging, to EEG techniques in recent years. A total of 17 studies were included in this review. Among the included articles, nine studies examined resting-state, and eight examined task-based conditions.ConclusionAlthough nonlinear EEG analysis of MS is a relatively novel area of research, the findings have been demonstrated to be informative and effective. The most frequently used nonlinear dynamics analyses were fractal dimension, recurrence quantification analysis, mutual information, and coherence. Each analysis selected provided a unique assessment to fulfill the objective of this review. While considering the limitations discussed, there is a promising path forward using nonlinear analyses with MS data.
Alpha-pinene moderates memory impairment induced by kainic acid via improving the BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway in rat hippocampus
Authors: Hashemi Paria , Ahmadi Shamseddin 
Published: June 2023

IntroductionThe potential benefits of natural ingredients in the alleviation of neurodegenerative disorders are of great interest. Alpha-pinene (APN) is an essential oil belonging to monoterpenes with multiple beneficial effects. In this study, the possible improving effects of alpha-pinene on memory impairment induced by kainic acid and the underlying molecular mechanisms were examined.MethodsMemory impairment was induced by i.c.v. injection of kainic acid (KA) in male Wistar rats. Alpha-pinene (50 mg/kg/day, i.p.) was injected for 21 days, including 14 days before the KA injection and seven days afterward. Spatial working memory and inhibitory avoidance (IA) memory performance were assessed five and even days following KA injection, respectively. The hippocampal protein levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tropomyosin-like receptor kinase B (TrkB), cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), and neuronal loss in the CA1 region were also examined.ResultsResults revealed that the i.c.v. injection of KA triggered memory impairment, which was notably diminished by alpha-pinene pre-and post-treatment. Histopathological evaluation revealed that alpha-pinene significantly moderated the attenuation in CA1 alive neurons induced by KA injection. Western blotting analysis confirmed that alpha-pinene pre-and post-treatment significantly reversed the KA-induced decreases in the hippocampal levels of BDNF, TrkB, phosphorylated TrkB, CREB, and phosphorylated CREB.DiscussionThese findings suggest that alpha-pinene pre-and post-treatment moderate memory impairment induced by KA by restoring the BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway in the rat hippocampus.
LC/MS- and GC/MS-based metabolomic profiling to determine changes in flavor quality and bioactive components of Phlebopus portentosus under low-temperature storage
Authors: Li Xiao-Bei , Hu Chen-Menghui , Li Cai-Hong , Ji Guang-Yan , Luo Shun-Zhen , Cao Yang , Ji Kai-Ping , Tan Qi , Bao Da-Peng , Shang Jun-Jun , Yang Rui-Heng 
Published: June 2023

IntroductionLow temperature is the most common method used to maintain the freshness of Phlebopus portentosus during long-distance transportation. However, there is no information regarding the nutritional changes that occur in P. portentosus preserved postharvest in low temperature.MethodsIn this study, the changes in flavor quality and bioactive components in fruiting bodies stored at 4 °C for different storage periods were determined through LC/MS and GC/MS analyses. Sampling was performed at 0, 3, 5, 7, and 13 days storage.Results and DiscussionBased on the results, the metabolites present in caps and stipes were different at the same period and significantly different after 7 days of storage. A total of 583 and 500 different metabolites were detected in caps and stipes, respectively, and were mainly lipids and lipid-like molecules, organic acids and derivatives, organic oxygen compounds and others. Except for prenol lipids and nucleotides, the expression levels of most metabolites increased with longer storage time. In addition, geosmin was identified as the major contributor to earthy-musty odors, and the level of geosmin was increased when the storage time was short.ConclusionThe variations in these metabolites might cause changes in flavor quality and bioactive components in P. portentosus. Variations in these metabolites were thoroughly analyzed, and the results revealed how storage processes affect the postharvest quality of P. portentosus for the first time.
Gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI combined with T1 mapping and clinical factors to predict Ki-67 expression of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Qiu Ganbin , Chen Jincan , Liao Weixiong , Liu Yonghui , Wen Zhongyan , Zhao Yue 
Published: June 2023

ObjectivesTo explore the predictive value of gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with T1 mapping and clinical factors for Ki-67 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).MethodsA retrospective study was conducted on 185 patients with pathologically confirmed solitary HCC from two institutions. All patients underwent preoperative T1 mapping on gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI. Patients from institution I (n = 124) and institution II (n = 61) were respectively assigned to the training and validation sets. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to assess the correlation of clinico-radiological factors with Ki-67 labeling index (LI). Based on the significant factors, a predictive nomogram was developed and validated for Ki-67 LI. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated on the basis of its calibration, discrimination, and clinical utility.ResultsMultivariable analysis showed that alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels &gt; 20ng/mL, neutrophils to lymphocyte ratio &gt; 2.25, non-smooth margin, tumor-to-liver signal intensity ratio in the hepatobiliary phase ≤ 0.6, and post-contrast T1 relaxation time &gt; 705 msec were the independent predictors of Ki-67 LI. The nomogram based on these variables showed the best predictive performance with area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) 0.899, area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC) 0.946 and F1 score of 0.912; the respective values were 0.823, 0.879 and 0.857 in the validation set. The Kaplan–Meier curves illustrated that the cumulative recurrence probability at 2 years was significantly higher in patients with high Ki-67 LI than in those with low Ki-67 LI (39.6% [53/134] vs. 19.6% [10/51], p = 0.011).ConclusionsGadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI combined with T1 mapping and several clinical factors can preoperatively predict Ki-67 LI with high accuracy, and thus enable risk stratification and personalized treatment of HCC patients.
E2F3 accelerates the stemness of colon cancer cells by activating the STAT3 pathway
Authors: Gao Qingkun , An Ke , Lv Zhe , Wang Yanzhao , Ding Changmin , Huang Wensheng 
Published: June 2023

IntroductionColon cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies and causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Thus, further research is required to explicate the latent molecular mechanisms and look for novel biomarkers. E2F3 has been confirmed to be an oncogene in a variety of cancers. However, the particular regulation of E2F3 in colon cancer needs further investigation.MethodsThe self-renewal ability was detected through a sphere formation assay. The tumorigenic ability was measured through nude mice in vivo assay. The protein expression of genes was examined through a Western blot. The expression of E2F3 in tumor tissues was detected through an IHC assay. The resistance to cisplatin was assessed through the CCK-8 assay. The cell migration and invasion abilities were measured after upregulating or suppressing E2F3 through the Transwell assay.ResultsResults uncovered that E2F3 was upregulated in spheroid cells. In addition, E2F3 facilitates stemness in colon cancer. Moreover, E2F3 facilitated colon cancer cell migration and invasion. Finally, it was revealed that E2F3 affected the STAT3 pathway to modulate stemness in colon cancer. E2F3 served as a promoter regulator in colon cancer, aggravating tumorigenesis and stemness in colon cancer progression through the STAT3 pathway.ConclusionE2F3 may be a useful biomarker for anticancer treatment in colon cancer.
Evaluation of the impacts of photodynamic therapy on the prognosis of patients with hrHPV infection based on BTNL8 expression
Authors: Lv Hongqing , Lou Shuai , Zhang Lin , Cui Dawei , Li Yao , Yang Ying , Chen Meilan , Chen Pan 
Published: June 2023

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of Butyrophilin-like protein 8 (BTNL8) expression in high-risk HPV (hrHPV) infection treated with photodynamic therapy.MethodsA total of 93 patients with hrHPV infection were enrolled as research study subjects, along with 69 healthy women who served as controls. Serum samples were obtained from each participant, and BTNL8 levels were quantified. The patients were divided into high- and low-expression groups (n = 45 and n = 48, respectively), and both groups underwent photodynamic therapy. We recorded the following data: BTNL8 expression pre-treatment and at 3/6 months post-treatment, HPV negative conversion ratio, regression rate of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), incidence of adverse reactions, complication rate, serum inflammatory factors, persistence of HPV positivity, LSIL residue or recurrence, and incidence of high-grade cervical intraepithelial lesions (HCIL).ResultsPatients with HPV infection exhibited higher BTNL8 expression than healthy individuals. Compared to the low-expression group, the high-expression group showed increased HPV negative conversion ratios, LSIL regression rates, and levels of IL-17 and IL-23. This group also demonstrated decreased total complication rate, HPV positivity persistence, LSIL residue or recurrence, and IL-10 levels. Additionally, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the number of adverse reactions and cases with LSIL residue/recurrence.ConclusionSerum BTNL8 expression may serve as a valuable tool for early screening and prognosis monitoring of patients with hrHPV infection.
Evaluation of learning transfer after a perinatal/neonatal palliative care virtual training course
Authors: Brady Sinead , Parravicini Elvira , Wool Charlotte 
Published: June 2023

BackgroundThe success of a training can be determined by the degree of learning transfer. To address a gap in educational offerings during the pandemic, an interdisciplinary team developed and offered a 3-day virtual course, called Next Level Perinatal Palliative Care Training.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the transfer of learning and practice from a virtual training course on perinatal/neonatal palliative care (PNPC) by a range of clinicians.Study designA descriptive prospective survey design was used to collect data at two time points, immediately following the training course and 6 months later. Frequency and descriptive statistics were used to measure the implementation of PNPC quality indicators, self-reported competence, and clinical facilitators and barriers. A t-test was used to compare participants’ anticipated learning transfer to actual learning transfer. Two open-ended items assessed benefits and drawbacks of virtual training.ResultsAt course completion, participants anticipated opportunities to implement PNPC strategies with means of 84–87, and at the 6-month mark, the reported implementation had means ranging from 71 to 77. At 6 months post training, participants reported feeling competent/highly competent in each variable with frequency scores of 89%–98%. The opportunity to learn key concepts of PNPC and refresh skill sets ranked as the top facilitators, while the top barriers were the lack of opportunity to use PNPC principles and the lack of funding.ConclusionLearning transfer after a virtual training course of PNPC proved to be successful, with a high rate of self-reported actual implementation and competence at 6 months after the training.