bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Health Impact of Armed Conflict - Evidence from Ukraine
Authors: ADEOYE LUCAS 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Armed conflicts impose substantial costs on the civilian population. We empirically measure the impact of the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine from 2014 to 2016 by exploring the channels through which people’s physical health is affected when conflict breaks out. Specifically, this research focuses on the effects of the conflict. Using the Ukrainian Household Budget Survey (UHBS) data set from 2003 to 2016, we employed a modified difference-in-difference estimation technique and find evidence that armed conflict has two contrasting effects on health. First, we argue that armed conflict has a negative impact on people’s physical health. In particular, the self-reported health status of individuals shows significant deterioration due to violent conflict. The effect is stronger for the population closer to the conflict. On the other hand, we find that access to healthcare services improves based on proximity to the conflict zone. That is, the closer an individual is to armed conflict, the more access to healthcare services they have. We did not find an effect of the conflict on chronic disease.
Sediment bed morphology in the wake of wall mounted deformable plate
Authors: Suresh Dhanush Bhamitipadi , Wood Daniel , Jin Yaqing 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
The distinctive sediment bed morphology modulated by the wake flow of a wall-mounted deformable plate across various structural aspect ratio and incoming flow speeds was investigated experimentally in a water channel. A surface scanner was implemented to quantify bed topography, and a tomographic particle image velocimetry system was used to characterize the three-dimensional wake flows. Results show that due to the deflection of incoming flow, the velocity magnitude enhanced at lateral sides of the plate, which produced distinctive scour holes in these regions. The level of velocity magnitude enhancement was highly correlated to postures of deformable plate. At a given flow speed, plate with lower aspect ratio exhibited smaller deformation, which produced more distinctive near-bed velocity enhancement in wake deflection zone and therefore led to higher erosion volume. Further inspection indicated that when deformation of the plate was small, the larger velocity enhancement close to bed can be attributed to higher plate drag coefficient and stronger flow mixing with high momentum flows away from bed. Supported with measurements, a basic formulation was established to quantify the shear stress acting on sedimentary bed as a function of incoming flow speed and plate aspect ratio.
Comparison of Real-World Efficacy and Safety of Atezolizumab and Durvalumab in Combination with Chemotherapy for First-Line Treatment of Extensive-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Igata Fumiyasu , Inoue Hiroyuki , Ikeda Takato , Nakao Akira , Ebi Noriyuki , Fujita Masaki 
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Purpose: The combination of programmed cell death ligand 1 inhibitors and platinum-based chemotherapy has become the standard treatment for first-line therapy in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). This study compared the efficacy and safety of atezolizumab plus chemotherapy and durvalumab plus chemotherapy in the treatment of ES-SCLC in clinical practice.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 40 patients with ES-SCLC treated with atezolizumab plus chemotherapy or durvalumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy at our hospital between October 2019 and November 2022.
Results: Among the 40 patients, 20 were treated with atezolizumab and 20 were treated with durvalumab. There was no significant difference in patient characteristics between the two groups; five patients who received atezolizumab and one who received durvalumab showed a performance status of 2 or higher. The median progression-free survival of the patients who received atezolizumab or durvalumab was 5.6 and 5.4 months, respectively (p=0.881). The median overall survival of the patients who received atezolizumab or durvalumab was 10.0 and 17.1 months, respectively (p=0.163). The objective response rate of the patients who received atezolizumab or durvalumab was 80.0% and 85.0%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the incidence of immune-related adverse events between the groups.
Conclusion: This retrospective study was the first to compare the efficacy and safety of PD-L1 antibody, atezolizumab or durvalumab, in combination with carboplatin and etoposide in treatment-naïve ES-SCLC Japanese patients in a real-world setting. Both regimens, atezolizumab or durvalumab with carboplatin and etoposide, were effective and well-tolerated in Japanese ES-SCLC patients, aligning with clinical trial findings.
Cytoprotective effect of chloroquine against metal(loid)s and PM 2.5 toxicity in the A549 lung cell line
Authors: Debray-García Yazmin , Andrade-Oliva María de los Angeles , García-Cante Victoria , Diaz-Godoy Raúl Venancio , López-Monroy José , Sierra-Vargas Martha Patricia , Aztatzi-Aguilar Octavio Gamaliel 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
The airborne particulate matter (PM) is associated with acute and/or chronic health adverse effects. Metal(loid)s are the main chemical species present in the PM and they can induce oxidative stress (OxS) and cytotoxicity. For this reason, the present study explores a possible alternative to prevent this problem through pharmacological treatments. Chloroquine (CQ) is an antimalarial drug used also as a chemo-, radio-sensitizing, and anti-inflammatory. This work evaluates the effect of individual metal(loid)s founded in PM2.5 and the complete PM2.5, and the CQ cytoprotective effect to these in the A549 lung cell line. Cell viability was evaluated using the MTT assay, the OxS was evaluated by measuring the biochemical assay to glutathione S-transferase (GST), malondialdehyde (MDA), Advanced Oxidation Protein Products (AOPP), and the expression of the surfactant protein SPD by Western blot. Based on the composition of PM2.5 reported to Toluca Valley, State of Mexico (2017-2018), eight metals were established. The non-cytotoxic concentration of CQ was chosen to evaluate cytoprotective activity to metal(loid)s or PM2.5 exposures. Simultaneous exposure to CQ-metal(loid)s and CQ-PM2.5, in addition to CQ pretreatment before PM2.5 treatment at 24 h were tested. Data of CQ/metal(loid)s exposure showed that CQ favors cell viability independently of the metal(loid). However, OxS biomarkers suggest damage with differential response metal(loid)-dependent. There are differences between simultaneous and pretreatment with CQ. CQ has a cytoprotective effect towards metal(loid) on cell viability mainly due to GST and surfactant proteins induction; but is not enough to reduce lipoperoxidation, this effect is reproducible to PM2.5 treatment.
Retinal Injury from a Laser Skin Resurfacing Device during Medical Tourism: A Public Health Concern
Authors: Lambert Lester H. , Tompkins Brett L. , Uber Ian C. , Kapoor Kapil G. , Ramsey David J. 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Background:
Laser skin resurfacing is a popular cosmetic procedure for noninvasive skin rejuvenation. Since health insurance plans often do not cover these types of procedures, patients often pay out of pocket. Consequently, there is an incentive to go abroad where prices are more affordable. However, some destination countries fall short on rigorous regulatory oversight and the licensing of practitioners or devices, especially those used for "cosmetic" procedures. In certain cases, this can lead to tragic outcomes, especially when underqualified practitioners operate such devices.
Case presentation:
A 29-year-old woman suffered a retinal burn from a handheld Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser pulse device used to perform skin resurfacing treatment at a medical spa in Vietnam. The patient was not adequately informed about the potential risk to her vision and was not provided with any eye protection. A momentary, unintended laser exposure to the patient's right eye led to irreversible vision loss due to a macular burn. This incident caused immediate pain, followed by the sudden appearance of floaters along with retinal and vitreous hemorrhaging. Despite treatment with off-label bevacizumab for the development of a choroidal neovascular membrane, vision remained at the level of counting fingers due to the presence of the macular scar.
Conclusion:
When utilizing laser-based devices, it is crucial to employ safety measures, such as the wearing of safety goggles or the use of eye shields to protect ocular tissues from potential damage. The growing availability of cosmetic laser devices presents a substantial public health risk, as numerous operators lack adequate training in essential safety standards or neglect to follow them. Furthermore, patients seeking services abroad are subject to the regulatory practices of the destination country, which may not always enforce the requisite safety standards. Further research is needed to determine regional and global incidence of laser-related injuries to help direct educational and regulatory efforts.
Collaborative learning in older age and the role of familiarity: Evidence from the Map Task
Authors: Wolfe Kelly , Crompton Catherine J. , Hoffman Paul , Wolters Maria K. , MacPherson Sarah E. 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
As we age, learning new knowledge and skills becomes more difficult due to age-related changes to cognition. Learning collaboratively could counteract these changes, and perhaps more so when working with someone familiar. This study examined whether collaborative learning is affected by age and partner familiarity. Forty-eight participants (younger n = 24, older n = 24) completed the Map Task with a familiar and unfamiliar same-age partner. Participants became more efficient at completing the Map Task over time, regardless of age and partner familiarity. There was no age difference in immediate or 1-hour recall, but younger adults recalled more after 7 days than older adults. Overall, results suggest that collaborative learning outcomes are unaffected by age or partner familiarity, and that collaborative learning has short-term protective effects on memory, with age-related declines only emerging after 7 days.
Joint superpixel and Transformer for high resolution remote sensing image classification
Authors: Dang Guangpu , Mao Zhongan , Zhang Tingyu , Liu Tao , Wang Tao , Li Liangzhi , Gao Yu , Tian Runqing , Wang Kun , Han Ling 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Deep neural networks combined with superpixel segmentation have proven to be superior to high-resolution remote sensingimage (HRI) classification. Currently, most HRI classification methods that combine deep learning and superpixel segmentationuse stacking on multiple scales to extract contextual information from segmented objects. However, this approach does nottake into account the contextual dependencies between each segmented object. To solve this problem, a joint superpixel andTransformer (JST) framework is proposed for HRI classification. In JST, HRI is first segmented into superpixel objects as input,and Transformer is used to model the long-range dependencies. The contextual relationship between each input superpixelobject is obtained and the class of analyzed objects is output by designing an encoding and decoding Transformer. Additionally,we explore the effect of semantic range on classification accuracy. JST is also tested by using two HRI datasets with overallclassification accuracy, average accuracy and Kappa coefficients of 0.79, 0.70, 0.78 and 0.91, 0.85, 0.89, respectively. Theeffectiveness of the proposed method is compared qualitatively and quantitatively, and the results achieve competitive andconsistently better than the benchmark comparison method.
Cardiopulmonary function in pediatric post-COVID-19 A Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Schoeffl Isabelle , Raming Roman , Tratzky Jan-Philipp , Regensburger Adrian P. , Kraus Calvin , Waellisch Wolfgang , Trollmann Regina , Woelfle Joachim , Dittrich Sven , Heiß Rafael , Knieling Ferdinand , Weigelt Annika 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Recently the importance of post-COVID-19 in children has been recognized in surveys and retrospective chart analysis. However, objective data in the form of CPET as performed in adults suffering from this condition are still lacking. This study aims to investigate the cardiopulmonary effects of post-COVID-19 on children and adolescents.
Methods
In this cross-sectional study (the FASCINATE study) children fulfilling the criteria of post-COVID-19 and an age- and sex-matched control group underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a treadmill and completed a questionnaire with regards to physical activity before, during and after the infection with SARS-CoV-2.
Results
We were able to recruit 20 children suffering from post-COVID-19 (mean age: 12.8 ± 2.4 years, 60% females) and 28 control children (mean age: 11.7 ± 3.5 years, 50% females). All participants completed a maximal treadmill test with a significantly lower (V̇O2peak) in the post-COVID-19 group (37.4 ± 8.8 ml/kg/min vs. 43.0 ± 6.7 ml/kg/min). This significance did not persist when comparing the achieved (V̇O2peak) percent of predicted norms. There were no significant differences for oxygen pulse, heart rate, minute ventilation or breathing frequency.
Conclusions
This is the first study to investigate post-COVID-19 in children using CPET. Although there was a significantly reduced (V̇O2peak) in the post-COVID-19 group, this was not true for the percent of predicted values. No pathological findings with respect to cardiac or pulmonary functions could be discerned. Deconditioning remained as the only plausible cause for the symptoms experienced.
Inequalities and trends in under-five mortality between formal and informal settlements in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Authors: Lankoande Yempabou Bruno , Compaoré Yacouba , Dianou Kassoum , Sanogo Souleymane , Soura Abdramane , Maïga Abdoulaye , Amouzou Agbessi 
Published: August 2023

Abstract

The expansion dynamic of the city of Ouagadougou through the establishment of spontaneous habitat zones faded in 2015 by the banning of subdivision operations. This ban has been coupled with a strategy of servicing these urban spaces and the implementation of social policies such as free health care. It is in this context that this research tests the convergence of infant and child mortality levels between formal and informal neighbourhoods in the city. It is based on all-cause mortality data collected prospectively in the Ouagadougou Population Observatory (OPO) over the period 2010-2018. Analyses of these data are based on the calculation of allcause and cause mortality rates and a Poisson regression model. Over the entire period considered, children in formal neighbourhoods enjoy a health advantage compared to those in formal neighbourhoods. However, these inequalities have decreased over time, especially at the end of the (2016-2018) period, due to a more sustained decline in mortality in informal settlements. This sharp decline in mortality in informal settlements is explained by a rapid decline in deaths from malaria and respiratory infections. The pursuit of policies for the maintenance of informal settlements and the implementation of social policies targeting the poorest is likely to accelerate the mortality transition at the scale of the city of Ouagadougou.
Aerobic physical exercise enhances nanoparticle efficacy in prostate cancer treatment
Authors: Veras Allice Santos Cruz , Batista Victor Rogério Garcia , Correia Rafael Ribeiro , Tavares Maria Eduarda Almeida , Rubira Rafael Jesus Gonçalves , Tavares Elaine Rufo , Maranhão Raul Cavalcante , Teixeira Giovana Rampazzo 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
The effectiveness of drugs currently employed for prostate cancer (PC) can vary, as they may not always yield satisfactory results. Moreover, resistance to these drugs can develop over time, rendering long-term therapy ineffective, depending on the specific type of cancer. The research and clinical application of drug-carrying nanoparticles in various types of cancers is rapidly expanding. Here, we used a nanoemulsion (LDE) as a carrier of docetaxel (DTX). Nevertheless, our testing has demonstrated that the non-pharmacological effects of aerobic physical exercise can enhance the antitumor effects associated with LDE nanoemulsion in the treatment of PC. Aerobic physical exercise demonstrated a potentiation effect on the internalization of LDE nanoparticles. Notably, when combined with LDE+DTX+EX, it resulted in an increased expression of p-16, p-27, p-53, and p-21 compared to the PC group. The LDE-DTX treatment exhibited significant reductions in prostate weight, protected against adenocarcinomas, decreased proliferation, and downregulated the anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2, while simultaneously increasing the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein BAX and reduction of the inflammation. Additionally, the LDE+DTX+EX group displayed metabolic regulation, as evidenced by reductions in lipids and plasma glucose levels. These findings collectively highlight the potential benefits of combining LDE, docetaxel, and physical exercise, indicating improved therapeutic outcomes and metabolic regulation in prostate cancer. In conclusion, our findings revealed that the combined treatment of LDE-docetaxel and physical exercise led to an increase in tumor suppressor proteins, which had a significant impact on the phenotype of PC.
Nonparametric Bayesian Online Change Point Detection Using Kernel Density Estimation with Nonparametric Hazard Function
Authors: Prabpon Naruesorn , Homsud Kitakorn , Vatiwutipong Pat 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
This paper aims to develop Bayesian online change point detection (BOCD), a parametric change point detection method, into a nonparametric method to be able to detect change points in a free-distribution time series. Instead of using pre-defined exponential family distribution for predictive probability, we use kernel density estimation in which two possible options have been proposed. The first is manual constant bandwidth selection. This option provides a fast computation of KDE as it can pursue dynamic programming. Another option for maximum accuracy is a nonparametric bandwidth estimator. Additionally, to pursue the goal of fully nonparametric change point detection, the predefined hazard function in BOCD method is changed to be a nonparametric estimator. The performance of the proposed method was intensively evaluated with simulated and real-life data, and compared with other traditional methods. It was found that nonparametric BOCD gives a better solution in general cases as a consequence of the adaptive property of KDE. But this also comes with a drawback: it requires a sufficient amount of data to form a precise distribution curve to accurately detect change points.
Prognostic impact of cancer inflammation prognostic index for non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Motono Nozomu , Mizoguchi Takaki , Ishikawa Masahito , Iwai Shun , Iijima Yoshihito , Uramoto Hidetaka 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Purpose: Cancer-inflammation prognostic index (CIPI) is calculated by multiplying the concentration of carcinoembryonic antigen by neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. CIPI has been reported as a prognostic factor for colorectal cancer. Although carcinoembryonic antigen and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio have been reported as prognostic factors for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), it has not been investigated whether CIPI is a useful marker.
Methods: We analyzed the prognostic factors, including CIPI, in 700 NSCLC patients treated by pulmonary resection. We also analyzed a subgroup of 482 patients with pathological stage I NSCLC.
Result: CIPI>14.59 (P<.01), maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) >5.35 (P<.01), lymphatic invasion (P=.01), and pathological stage (P<.01) were significant factors for relapse-free survival (RFS) in multivariate analysis. SUVmax>5.35 (P<.01) and pathological stage (P<.01) were revealed as significant factors for overall survival in the multivariate analysis.
In the subanalysis, CIPI>14.88 (P=.01) and SUVmax>5.07 (P<.01) were significant factors for RFS of pathological stage I NSCLC in multivariate analysis.
Conclusion: CIPI was a significant factor for RFS in NSCLC patients treated surgically, even in those with pathological stage I disease. SUVmax was also a significant factor for RFS and overall survival in NSCLC patients treated surgically, and for RFS in patients with pathological stage I NSCLC.
Trial registration: The Institutional Review Board of Kanazawa Medical University approved the protocol of this retrospective study (approval number: I392), and written informed consent was obtained from all patients
Insecticide-treated bed nets and residual indoor spraying reduce malaria in areas with low transmission: a reanalysis of the Maltrials study
Authors: Gari Taye , Lindtjørn Bernt 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Background: We reanalysed malaria incidence data from a malaria prevention study from the Rift Valley in Central Ethiopia (see https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12936-019-2775-1). Our objective was to investigate whether including an administrative structure within the society, which may have required consideration in our protocol or previous analysis, would provide divergent outcomes.
Methods: We performed a cluster-randomised controlled trial lasting 121 weeks with 176 clusters in four groups with 6071 households with 34,548 persons: interventions combining indoor residual spraying (IRS) and insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), IRS alone, ITNs alone and routine use. The primary outcome was malaria incidence. A multilevel negative binomial regression model was employed to examine the impact of the kebele and the proximity of homes to the primary mosquito breeding sites as potential residual confounders (levels). The study also assessed whether these factors influenced the effect measures of the interventions.
Results: The initial findings of our study revealed 1183 instances of malaria episodes among 1059 persons, with comparable effects observed across the four intervention groups. In the reanalysis, the results showed that both ITN+IRS (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.63, P<0.001) and ITN alone (IRR 0.78, P=0.011) were associated with a greater reduction in malaria cases compared to IRS (IRR 0.90; P=0.28) or the control group (reference). The combined usage of IRS with ITN yields better outcomes compared to the standalone use of ITN and surpasses the effectiveness of IRS in isolation.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that implementing a combination of IRS and ITN decreased malaria incidence. Furthermore, there was an observed synergistic impact when ITN and IRS were used in combination. Considering relevant social structures as potential residual confounders is of paramount importance.
Trial registration: PACTR201411000882128 (08 September 2014)
Sub-one Quasi-norm-based k-means Clustering Algorithm and Analyses
Authors: An Qi , Jiang Shan 
Published: August 2023

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the impact of distance metrics on the performance of the k-means algorithm, which is one of the most popular clustering schemes. Our focus is on the sub-one ℓp quasi-norm-based distance metric, which has recently gained attention due to its ability to better leverage similarities between data-items while avoiding overemphasizing the dissimilarities. Through an illustrative example, we demonstrate the superiority of the proposed distance metric over commonly used metrics in revealing natural groupings in data. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed sub-one ℓp distance based k-means method, we conduct experiments on synthetic datasets as well as real-life datasets from the UCI machine learning repository both in their original form and with additional noise introduced. Overall, our results demonstrate the effectiveness of the ℓp quasi-norm-based distance metric in improving the performance of the k-means algorithm in various situations, particularly in noisy data.