bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
COMPARATIVE LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO COVID-19 IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES: CASE IN GAMBIA AND INDONESIA
Authors: Jonga Modou , Fauzi Fadhli Zul 
Published: January 2023

This study aims to evaluate the performance of two different local governments in two different nations using decentralization and policy implementation theories. It will also provide a general overview of the situation in these two nations at the time that Covid-19 began to spread. Using a comparative case study (CCS), this study compares local government response to Covid-19 in Gambia and Indonesia. In this study, the pandemic Covid-19 was given the same effect in each country but produced different results depending on government activities in each country. When the first Covid-19 cases appear in their countries, Gambia and Indonesia face a similar problem, but they also have a similar strategy for dealing with this pandemic outbreak. The Gambian government provides food, personal protective equipment (PPE), and essential sanitary items, as have several local governments in Indonesia. Gambia and Indonesia also establish a task force (both central and local government) to control virus spread, which becomes a key action in both countries' management of the Covid-19 outbreak. This research find that the role of local government in translating policy from the central government becomes critical to a region's success. A country's central government must not only maintain good performance in areas where it already excels, but also provide education and strong attention to local governments that are still struggling in order for them to improve their performance.
The lithospheric S-wave velocity structure beneath the NE Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding craton basins
Authors: Wang Weilai , Cai Guangyao , Wu Jianping , Fang Lihua 
Published: January 2023

It is essential to investigate the spatial distribution of the lithosphere and asthenosphere in detail, to further obtain the understanding of the effect of plate collision and the process of orogenic movement. From the joint inversion of receiver functions and surface waves, the three-dimensional S-wave velocity structure results down to 200 km depth in the study area were obtained at 1,843 seismic stations. Analysis was performed on the sedimentary thickness, crustal thickness, lower crustal wave velocity, and lithospheric thickness. According to the crustal thickness, we evaluated the distribution of low-velocity zones in the lower crust. The results show that there are low-velocity bodies in the lower crust in the Qinling tectonic belt, but they are not connected, indicating that they may not be able to be used as a channel for material extrusion from the NE Tibetan Plateau at the crustal scale. According to the section results and the depth distribution of the lithosphere-astenosphere boundary, a relatively thick lithosphere exists below the Sichuan Basin and Ordos Basin, and the lithosphere in the east of the study area is relatively thin with a thickness of about 60–80 km, indicating that the lithosphere in the east of the study area has been severely destructed and restructured. The delamination has been observed in the lithosphere under the Songpan-Ganzi Block, showing characteristics of vertical movement of asthenosphere materials. There is a relatively thick low-velocity zone at the top of the mantle lithosphere of the NE plateau; however, it does not exist under the relatively stable Sichuan Basin and the Ordos Block. Compared with the Sichuan Basin and the Ordos Basin at both sides, the Qinling tectonic belt has a low-velocity zone at the depth of 100–160 km, which may be asthenosphere material. In combination with the polarization direction characteristics of the SKS wave, it is clearly observed that asthenospheric material movement exists in an approximate east-west direction beneath the Qinling tectonic belt. Therefore, the asthenosphere beneath the Qinling tectonic belt may serve as an important channel for material extrusion in the NE Tibetan Plateau.
The development characteristics and mechanisms of the Xigou debris flow in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region
Authors: Dai Zhenwei , Zhang Anle , Wang Shufeng , Fu Xiaolin , Yang Longwei , Jiang Xiannian , Wang Heng 
Published: January 2023

Debris flow is a common geological hazard in mountainous areas of China, often causing secondary disasters and seriously threatening residents and infrastructure. This paper uses the Xigou debris flow in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (TGRR) as an example case study, the development characteristics and initiation pattern of which were analyzed based on field investigation. The disaster dynamics software DAN-W was then used to simulate the entire initiation-movement-accumulation process of the debris flow and conduct the debris flow dynamics analysis. The paper also simulated and predicted the movements of landslides in the formation area of a debris flow after its initiation. The results show that the movement duration of the Xigou debris flow was approximately 40 s, the maximum velocity was 37.1 m/s, the maximum thickness of the accumulation was 18.7 m, and the farthest movement distance was 930 m, which are consistent with the field investigation. When the volumes of landslide transformed into a new source material of debris flow are 5 × 104, 10 × 104, 15 × 104, 20 × 104, and 26 × 104 m3, the movement distances of the debris flows are 250, 280, 300, 340, and 375 m, respectively. When the volume of the source material exceeds 20 × 104 m3, debris flow movement can seriously impact the residential houses at the entrance of the gully. This paper can provide a scientific basis for the prevention and mitigation of the Xigou debris flow.
Recycling fertilizers from human excreta exhibit high nitrogen fertilizer value and result in low uptake of pharmaceutical compounds
Authors: Häfner Franziska , Monzon Diaz Oscar Rodrigo , Tietjen Sarah , Schröder Corinna , Krause Ariane 
Published: January 2023

Recycling nutrients is essential for closing nutrient loops within a circular economy. Using locally available resources such as human excreta to produce bio-based recycling fertilizers can substitute mineral fertilizers and thereby promote environmentally friendly food production. To better understand the fertilizer potential and nitrogen value of human excreta, three novel and safe recycling products were evaluated in a field experiment. Two nitrified urine fertilizers (NUFs) and one fecal compost were applied alone or in combination, and compared against the commercial organic fertilizer vinasse. In addition, the uptake of pharmaceuticals was assessed for treatments with compost application. White cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. alba) was cultivated in plots in three different soil types (sand, loam or silt) treated with the fertilizers according to plant needs and mineral soil nitrogen content. The two NUFs resulted in marketable yields similar to those of vinasse in all soil types. Combining fecal compost with a NUF led to increased marketable yield compared to compost alone. The highest yield was recorded from the sandy soil, where vinasse and NUF treatments led to comparable yields, as expected in organic productions systems (up to 72 t ha−1). The cabbage yield and total aboveground fresh biomass followed the following trend in all soils: NUFs ∼ vinasse ≥ compost + NUF ≥ compost. Nitrogen uptake in the cabbage heads and total biomass was significantly higher in sand (69.5–144 kg ha−1) than loam (71.4–95.8 kg ha−1). All compost treatments alleviated the effect of soil type and resulted in comparable nitrogen uptake and yield in all soil types. Plant uptake of pharmaceuticals (Carbamazepin) was higher in sand than in loam, and concentration in the edible part was lower than in the outer leaves. In conclusion, NUF alone appears to be a promising successful fertilizer substitute in horticultural food production. The combined application of NUF and compost led to slightly lower crop yields, but may increase soil carbon content in the long term, promoting climate-friendly food production.
Long-term outcomes of infantile spasms in children treated with ketogenic diet therapy in combination with anti-seizure medications in a resource-limited region
Authors: Liao Jianxiang , Hu Zhanqi , Lin Sufang , Lu Xinguo , Wen Jialun , Duan Jing , Zou Dongfang , Zou Huafang , Yu Mei , Liu Liqin , Qiao Xiaoying , Ye Yuanzhen 
Published: January 2023

ObjectiveDespite numerous guidelines, the overall outcome of infantile spasms is poor, with only a small number of patients being able to attend school. The purpose of this study was to investigate long-term outcomes. Patients had poor access to the recommended first-line anti-seizure medications (ASMs), such as hormones (corticotropin or prednisolone/prednisone) and vigabatrin, and their alternative treatment was other ASMs and a ketogenic diet.MethodsPatients suffering from infantile spasms who had at least 2 years of medical records in the electronic medical record system between January 2014 and August 2022 were included in this study. Patient information was retrospectively reviewed. All patients had received ketogenic diet therapy (mainly classical ketogenic diet therapy). The ketogenic diet therapy was combined with ASMs not used as first-line therapies. The primary endpoint outcome measure was the number of patients with seizure freedom. The secondary measures included the duration of ketogenic diet therapy, choice of ASMs, and patient development at the last visit.ResultsA total of 177 patients with infantile spasms were included, and 152 (86%) of them had seizure freedom. The median duration from the first to the last hospital visit was 53.27 months, and the number of visits was 47.00. The median age at the initial hospital visit was 8.00 months, and the median age at initiation of the ketogenic diet was 17.73 months. At the last visit, the proportions of patients with neurodevelopmental delay, developmental epileptic encephalopathy, drug-resistant epilepsy, and generalized seizures increased significantly. The frequently used ASMs were topiramate, valproic acid, levetiracetam, nitrazepam, and vitamin B6 injection, while the recommended first-line drugs corticotropin and vigabatrin were rarely selected. The study duration of 9.5 years was divided into three periods but the prescription of ASMs did not change significantly between these periods.ConclusionsAlthough the seizure freedom rate was high with ketogenic diet therapy combined with non-standard ASMs, the patients had a significant neurodevelopmental delay at the last visit, which was, however, similar to that of standard treatment. To improve the outcomes of infantile spasms, multicenter clinical trials of the ketogenic diet as a first-line treatment in combination with non-standard ASMs are needed.
Are there sustained psychological impacts in women diagnosed with in-situ or early invasive breast cancers?
Authors: Braun Bettina , Tio Joke , Krause-Bergmann Barbara , Hense Hans-Werner 
Published: January 2023

PurposeThe detection of a ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) or an early invasive breast cancer (EIBC), particularly by population-wide mammography-screening-programs, is controversial as an unknown proportion of these cases may be due to overdiagnosis. We investigated whether women with such potentially overdiagnosed breast cancers suffer from sustained adverse psycho-social consequences.MethodsStandardized questionnaires were mailed to 900 survivors, diagnosed with either DCIS or EIBC, requesting self-reports on quality of life using EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire C-30. Levels of anxiety and depression were assessed using the HADS questionnaires. Item score values in the study group were compared to reference data obtained from normative studies in the German female reference population.ResultsThe 577 women who returned completed questionnaires had a mean age of 65.1 years, 387 (67%) had been diagnosed by mammography screening. Median time since diagnosis was 5.9 years. There were no substantial differences between the study sample and the reference population for most of the items. While most score values were even slightly more favorable in the study group, the scores for cognitive function were moderately lower, especially among younger patients. Score values for anxiety were generally higher among younger women (50 to 59 years) from the study group, while depression scores were lower irrespective of age.ConclusionsThis study indicates that the diagnosis of DCIS or EIBC, which is predominantly a result of screening, does not seem to induce sustained, adverse psychological impacts in affected women when compared with the respective general female population. Only anxiety levels remained elevated among younger women.
Positive regulators of T cell functions as predictors of prognosis and microenvironment characteristics of low-grade gliomas
Authors: Li Yang , Feng Yabo , Luo Fushu , Peng Gang , Li Yueran 
Published: January 2023

BackgroundLow-grade gliomas (LGG) are one of the most prevalent types of brain cancers. The efficacy of immunotherapy in LGG is limited compared to other cancers. Immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of LGG is one of the main reasons for the low efficacy of immunotherapy. Recent studies have identified 33 positive regulators of T cell functions (TPRs) that play a critical role in promoting the proliferation, activity, and functions of multiple immunocytes. However, their role in the TME of LGG has not been investigated. This study aimed to construct a risk model based on these TPRs and to detect the significance of immunotypes in predicting LGG prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy.MethodsA total of 688 LGGs and 202 normal brain tissues were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA), and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases. The NMF R package was used to identify TRP-related subtypes. The TPR prognostic model was established using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm to predict the overall survival of LGG samples.ResultsThe Subtype 2 patients had worse survival outcomes, suppressed immune function, and higher immune cell infiltration. A risk regression model consisting of 14 TPRs was established, and its performance was validated in CGGA325 cohorts. The low-risk group exhibited better overall survival, immune microenvironment, and immunotherapy response, as determined via the TIDE algorithm, indicating that increasing the level of immune infiltration can effectively improve the response to immunotherapy in the low-risk group. The risk score was determined to be an independent hazard factor (p&lt;0.001) although other clinical features (age, sex, grade, IDH status, 1p19q codel status, MGMT status, and accepted radiotherapy) were considered. Lastly, high-risk groups in both cohorts revealed optimal drug responses to rapamycin, paclitaxel, JW-7-52-1, and bortezomib.ConclusionsOur study identified two distinct TPR subtypes and built a TPR signature to elucidate the characteristics of T cell proliferation in LGG and its association with immune status and prognosis. These findings shed light on possible immunotherapeutic strategies for LGGs.
Impact of clinicopathological factors on extended endocrine therapy decision making in estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer
Authors: Chen Weilin , Wu Jiayi , Zhu Yifei , Huang Jiahui , Chen Xiaosong , Huang Ou , He Jianrong , Li Yafen , Chen Weiguo , Shen Kunwei , Zhu Li 
Published: January 2023

PurposeIn our study, we aim to analyze the impact of clinicopathological factors on the recommendation of extended endocrine therapy (EET) in patients with ER+ breast cancer and to retrospectively validate the value of CTS5 in EET decision making.Patients and methodsThe retrospective analysis was performed in patients with ER+ breast cancer who have finished 4.5–5 years of adjuvant endocrine therapy and undergone MDT discussion from October 2017 to November 2019. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the independent factors for treatment recommendation. CTS5 was calculated for retrospective validation of the EET decision making.ResultsTwo hundred thirty-five patients were received; 4.5–5 years of adjuvant endocrine therapy were included in the study. Multivariate analysis suggested that age (OR 0.460, 95% CI 0.219–0.965, p = 0.04), pN (OR 39.350, 95% CI 9.831–157.341, P &lt; 0.001), and receipt of chemotherapy (OR 3.478, 95% CI 1.336–9.055, p = 0.011) were independent predictors for the recommendation of EET. In the previously selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM)–treated subgroup, pN and receipt of chemotherapy were independent predictors for the recommendation of EET. In the previously AI-treated subgroup, age, pN, and receipt of chemotherapy were independent predictors. Adverse events did not affect the recommendation in patients previously treated with adjuvant endocrine treatment nor in the previously SERM or AI-treated subgroups. CTS5 (OR 21.887, 95% CI 2.846–168.309, p = 0.003) remained an independent predictor for the recommendation of EET.ConclusionsOur study indicated that age, lymph nodal status, and receipt of chemotherapy were independent predictors for the recommendation of EET. The application of the CTS5 on EET decision making might be valuable among ER+ breast cancer patients.
Identification of MTHFD2 as a prognostic biomarker and ferroptosis regulator in triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: Zhang Hao , Zhu Shuangli , Zhou Haiting , Li Rui , Xia Xiaohui , Xiong Huihua 
Published: January 2023

BackgroundMethylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 2 (MTHFD2) is a mitochondrial bifunctional enzyme encoded in the nucleus. It plays a significant role in the regulation of glucose, nucleic acid, and folate metabolism, and maintains redox balance in the cells. The present study aimed at elucidating the potential function and mechanisms of MTHFD2 and explored the correlation between ferroptosis and MTHFD2 in triple-negative breast cancer.MethodsMTHFD2 expression, survival analysis, and clinical correlation were performed using data from various online databases including TCGA, GEO, HPA, GTEX, Kaplan–Meier Plotter, PrognoScan, and UALCAN databases. Genomic alterations and CNV analysis were performed using the cBioPortal and GSCA databases. Potential functions and mechanisms were explored by enrichment analysis. The tumor microenvironment was identified by the TIMER database. In vitro, RT-qPCR and western blot assays were utilized to identify the MTHFD2 expression and the knockdown effects in breast cancer. CCK8, cell wound healing, transwell, and flow cytometry assays were used to identify the potential function of MTHFD2 in TNBC cells. MDA, GSH detection, and flow cytometry assays were performed to identify ferroptosis. Western blot assays were performed to measure the protein expression of all target genes.ResultsMTHFD2 expression levels were up-regulated in the majority of cancers and particularly in TNBC, in which higher expression levels indicated a poorer prognosis. Enrichment analyses showed that MTHFD2 is involved in various tumor-related biological processes. MTHFD2 expression was found to strongly correlate with multiple immune cell infiltration. In vitro, the knockdown of MTHFD2 suppresses the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion in TNBC cells. In addition, the MTHFD2 knockdown significantly enhanced intracellular ROS and lipid peroxidation and decreased intracellular GSH. The expressions of SLC7A11, GPX4, and NRF2 were down-regulated by the MTHFD2 knockdown.ConclusionMTHFD2 could be a crucial molecular biomarker for predicting patient prognosis and a novel therapeutic target in TNBC. In addition, MTHFD2 is a potential ferroptosis regulatory gene in TNBC.
Aldosterone defects in infants and young children with hyperkalemia: A single center retrospective study
Authors: Liu Xu , Xie Yanshu , Tang Jing , Zhong Jingzi , Zeng Dan , Lan Dan 
Published: January 2023

IntroductionHyperkalemia is a rare but severe condition in young children and usually discovered as a result of hemolysis of the blood samples taken. However, patients with defects in either aldosterone biosynthesis or function can also present with hyperkalemia- as well hyponatremia-associated, and metabolic acidosis. It is a challenge to make an accurate diagnosis of these clinical conditions. We conducted this study to investigate the clinical and genetic features of aldosterone signaling defects associated hyperkalemia in young children.MethodA retrospective review was conducted at the pediatric department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from 2012 to 2022.Results47 patients with hyperkalemia were enrolled, of which 80.9% (n = 38) were diagnosed with primary hypoaldosteronism, including congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency (n = 32), isolated hypoaldosteronism (n = 1) due to CYP11B2 gene mutation and Xp21 contiguous gene deletion syndrome (n = 1). Additionally, 4 patients were clinically-diagnosed with primary adrenal insufficiency. Nine patients were confirmed with aldosterone resistance, of which one child was diagnosed with pseudohypoaldosteronism (PHA) type 1 with a mutation in the NR3C2 gene and 3 children were identified with PHA type 2 due to novel mutations in either the CUL3 or KLHL3 genes. Five patients had PHA type 3 because of pathologies of either the urinary or intestinal tracts.ConclusionsThe etiologies of infants with hyperkalemia associated with aldosterone defects were mostly due to primary hypoaldosteronism. An elevated plasma aldosterone level may be a useful biomarker for the diagnosis an aldosterone functional defect in patients presented with hyperkalemia. However, a normal plasma aldosterone level does rule out an aldosterone defect in either its biosynthesis or function, especially in young infants. Molecular genetic analyses can greatly help to clarify the complexity of disorders and can be used to confirm the diagnosis.