bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
E2F3/CDCA2 reduces radiosensitivity in gastric adenocarcinoma by activating PI3K/AKT pathway
Authors: Gao Jun , Wang Huaqiao , Qiu Xiujuan , Tang Jianjun 
Published: September 2023

Objectives:
Gastric adenocarcinoma is primarily responsible for tumor-associated deaths and its incidence is increasing global. CDCA2 is a nuclear protein binding to protein phosphatase one γ (PP1γ) and plays a pro-oncogenic role in tumors. This study aimed to elucidate the biological function of CDCA2 in gastric adenocarcinoma progression and radiosensitivity, as well as its potential mechanisms.

Methods:
Differentially expressed mRNAs in gastric adenocarcinoma were obtained by bioinformatics and upstream regulatory factors were predicted. The correlation between their expressions was analyzed. The expressions of E2F3 and CDCA2 in cells were assayed by qRT-PCR and their regulatory relationship was validated by molecular experiments. Cell viability was tested via CCK-8. Cell proliferation and survival after radiotherapy were determined by colony formation assay. The expressions of PI3K/AKT pathway-related proteins were assessed through western blot.

Results:
CDCA2 was significantly upregulated in gastric adenocarcinoma tissues and cells, promoted cell proliferation, and reduced radiosensitivity. The impact of CDCA2 on cell proliferation and radiosensitivity was reversed by the PI3K/AKT inhibitor. Furthermore, the upstream transcription factor of CDCA2 was found to be E2F3, which was highly expressed in gastric adenocarcinoma. The binding relationship between the two was validated by dual luciferase and ChIP experiments. The rescue experiment showed that E2F3 activated CDCA2 to drive cell proliferation and reduce radiosensitivity through PI3K/AKT pathway in gastric adenocarcinoma.

Conclusion:
In summary, this study found that E2F3 activated CDCA2 to drive cell proliferation and reduce radiosensitivity in gastric adenocarcinoma through the PI3K/AKT pathway, suggesting that E2F3/CDCA2 axis is a new therapeutic target for gastric adenocarcinoma.

Advances in knowledge:
1. CDCA2 reduced the radiosensitivity of gastric adenocarcinoma cells;
2. CDCA2 reduced the radiosensitivity of gastric adenocarcinoma cells through the PI3K/AKT pathway;
3. E2F3 activated CDCA2 to reduce the radiosensitivity of gastric adenocarcinoma cells through the PI3K/AKT pathway.
Prevalence and risk factors associated with dysglycemia among overweight and obese Palestinian adolescents in the Hebron governorate
Authors: Abu Al-Halawa Diala , Vicuna Polo Stephanny , Qasrawi Radwan 
Published: September 2023

Background: The prevalence of dysglycemia among adolescents and younger children has been rising, yet health professionals are still unaware of the significance of this problem. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MOH) records, most diabetic children under the age of 20 in Palestine are classified as type 1; nonetheless, very limited data are available for policymakers to frame cost-effective screening programs. This study aims to determine the prevalence of dysglycemia in a sample of obese and overweight Palestinian adolescents, identify risk factors associated with dysglycemia, and examine risk factors variance by gender. Methods: A cross-sectional sample of observed obese and overweight adolescents was selected from public schools in the Hebron governorate. Informed consent, physical examination, anthropometric, and laboratory tests (Random Blood Glucose Level (BGL) and fasting BGL ) were performed on a sample of 511 students (44.6% boys and 55.4% girls) aged 13–18-years (13-15 years =46.2% and 16-18 years =53.8%). Results: The prevalence of confirmed overweight and obese cases was 73.2%, and dysglycemia prevalence among the confirmed cases was 3.7% (5.3% boys and 2.5% girls). The BMI classifications of the dysglycemic children indicated that 42.1% were overweight and 31.1% were obese. Furthermore, 64.6% reported high systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure readings. Conclusions: The results of this study provide valuable information about the rising problem of dysglycemia among Palestinian adolescents and underlines the need for rapid screening programs and protocols for early detection and classification of the disease, leading to initiation of early prevention and treatment plans.
Randomised control trial of epidural platelet rich plasma versus epidural steroids for low back pain
Authors: Jayasoorya T. Adarsh , Samal Nitin 
Published: September 2023

Background: Lower back pain (LBP) is a prevalent medical condition that frequently results in work-related disability and is one of the leading causes of missed workdays. Low back pain (LBP) struck 619 million people worldwide in 2020, and by 2050, it's predicted that there will be 843 million instances worldwide. 70 to 85% of people are predicted to suffer from LBP at some point of time in their lives. 90% of these people will experience multiple episodes, and an intervertebral disc prolapse accounts for a significant portion. Medications and lifestyle adjustments may be used as the first line of treatment. However, if the symptoms do not improve, minimally invasive procedures such as epidural steroid injection and epidural platelet-rich plasma injection may relieve the pain and lessen disability. We therefore aim to conduct a study to analyse the patient’s functional status and satisfaction after epidural platelet-rich plasma infiltration. Methods: Eligible patients with low back pain will be divided into two groups(Group A and Group B). Patients in group A will receive epidural steroid whereas Group B will receive epidural Platelet rich plasma. These patients will be monitored where visual analogue scale will be used to assess relief of pain before and after the procedure, Straight leg raising test will be used to understand the improvement of the patient clinically during examination pre and post procedure. Oswestry disability index will be used to compare the outcome in patient's day to day activities before and after the intervention. Patients will be evaluated with these methods pre-procedure and 1 hour after and later follow up evaluation will be done after 3 weeks and 3 months. The follow-up scores will be taken post one hour, three weeks and three months of the treatment. Protocol version: v1 dated 04/07/23 CTRI registration: REF/2023/06/068736 (12/06/2023)
Are numerical scores important for grant proposals' evaluation? A cross sectional study
Authors: Buljan Ivan , Pina David G. , Mijatović Antonija , Marušić Ana 
Published: September 2023

Background: In the evaluation of research proposals, reviewers are often required to provide their opinions using various forms of quantitative and qualitative criteria. In 2020, the European Commission removed, for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Innovative Training Networks (ITN) funding scheme, the numerical scores from the individual evaluations but retained them in the consensus report. This study aimed to assess whether there were any differences in reviewer comments’ linguistic characteristics after the numerical scoring was removed, compared to comments from 2019 when numerical scoring was still present. Methods: This was an observational study and the data were collected for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Innovative Training Networks (ITN) evaluation reports from the calls of 2019 and 2020, for both individual and consensus comments and numerical scores about the quality of the proposal on three evaluation criteria: Excellence, Impact and Implementation. All comments were analyzed using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) program. Results: For both years, the comments for proposal's strengths were written in a style that reflects objectivity, clout, and positive affect, while in weaknesses cold and objective style dominated, and that pattern remained stable across proposal status and research domains. Linguistic variables explained a very small proportion of the variance of the differences between 2019 and 2020 (McFadden R2=0.03). Conclusions: Removing the numerical scores was not associated with the differences in linguistic characteristics of the reviewer comments. Future studies should adopt a qualitative approach to assess whether there are conceptual changes in the content of the comments.
A comparative study of corneal topographical and central corneal thickness changes in diabetics and non-diabetics before and after phacoemulsification: A study protocol
Authors: Mallareddy Dr Vijaya , Daigavane Sachin 
Published: September 2023

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder and it has its effects in the eye causing various ocular complications. It is also found that diabetes causes changes in the corneal morphology. Corneal components such as epithelium, endothelium, nerves, and immune cells are affected by hyperglycemia. These changes cause a significant effect on vision in individuals with diabetes. Assessment of corneal parameters like central corneal thickness and corneal topography changes related to diabetes are essential in patients undergoing modern-day cataract surgery like phacoemulsification. Systemic condition like diabetes along with cataract surgery like phacoemulsification can influence corneal healing and fluid balance leading to changes in corneal thickness. Postoperative changes in the cornea are also important to assess the corneal health after the surgery. Comparison of preoperative and postoperative corneal measurements help in assessing the effect of phacoemulsification and health status of the cornea. Study of these changes help in preventing complications and effect on visual outcome and specialised management for individuals with diabetes undergoing cataract surgery. In diabetic patients the risk of intraoperative and postoperative complications in cataract surgery increases compared to non diabetic patients. The aim of the study is to compare corneal curvature and astigmatism by corneal topography and central corneal thickness in diabetic patients and controls before and after phacoemulsification. CTRI registration number: REF/2023/08/071341
Changes in tear film function in patients after pterygium excision surgery done under topical anaesthesia with and without conjunctival autograft – A protocol for a randomized interventional study
Authors: Jain Raina , Tidake Pravin K. 
Published: September 2023

Background: Pterygium is an extra-ocular disorder related to progressive subepithelial growth of degenerative conjunctival tissue over the cornea. There are multifactorial causes that lead to the growth of pterygium. The tear film becomes unstable due to the degenerative growth of the conjunctiva. The tear film is divided into three different layers. The lipid layer is secreted by the meibomian gland, which is the exterior layer exposed to the environment and prevents tears from drying out too rapidly. The lacrimal gland releases the middle layer, the aqueous layer, which provides oxygen to the corneal epithelial layer. The goblet cells secrete mucus, the innermost layer that makes the corneal epithelium hydrophilic. Due to uneven wettability brought on by the progression of pterygium, the tear film becomes unstable and may damage the ocular surface. It has been found that pterygium excision increases tear film stability. According to a study, the incidence of pterygium in central rural India is 12.9%. Incidence increases with age, gender, and occupation. Methods: The patients with pterygium will be divided into two groups for the pterygium excision surgery: Group 1 consists of patients in which conjunctival autograft will not be done after pterygium excision, and Group 2 consists of patients in which conjunctival autograft will be done after pterygium excision. Preoperatively and postoperatively, visual acuity was assessed in all the patients on day 1, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks on follow-up. Tear film evaluation was done through Tear film Break Up Time (T-BUT) and Schirmer’s Test in patients preoperatively and postoperatively on day 1, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks follow up. CTRI Registration: REF/2023/07/071130 (30/07/2023) Protocol version: v1 dated 7/08/2023
Insomnia in teachers with the resumption of in-person instruction at schools amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Kamath Sowmini Padmanabh , Mithra Prasanna , Kamath Padmanabh , Unnikrishnan Bhaskaran 
Published: September 2023

Background: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected people's economies, lifestyles, and physical, emotional, and sleep health. This research aimed to estimate the prevalence of insomnia and symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression among teachers with the resumption of in-person instruction at schools following a hiatus after COVID-19 lockdowns in India. We also studied the association of teachers' insomnia with psychological symptoms and demographic variables. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey between October –November 2021 after schools had reopened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was collected using standard questionnaires online among schoolteachers. We explored the association of insomnia with teachers' symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, sex, school boards, and age groups. Results: Of 124 schoolteachers surveyed, the prevalence of insomnia was 37.9% (subthreshold in 25% and clinical in 12.9%). The prevalence of stress, depression, and anxiety was 20.2%, 30.6%, and 45.2%, respectively. There was a significant association (p<0.001) of insomnia with symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression in univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis, we found that those feeling stressed had a 6.4 times higher risk of insomnia (95% CI: 1.5-28.3, p - 0.01). There was no association of insomnia with age, sex, school educational boards, and type of institution. Conclusions: Over one-third (37.9%) of teachers reported having trouble sleeping when they returned to the school's typical face-to-face instruction modalities through COVID-19 times, and insomnia was more prevalent in those with stress.
Testing the Validity of Patellar Measurements in Sex Estimation – A Computed Tomography Study in a Contemporary Polish Population
Authors: Jakubik Karol , Jeżak Mikołaj , Nowińska Aleksandra , Grudzień Monika , Piech Piotr , Karpińska Justyna , Staśkiewicz Grzegorz 
Published: September 2023

Introduction and purpose: Human skeleton-based sex estimation is a major topic of interest for forensic anthropologists. Various bones have been examined for sex heterogeneity. The most commonly used include skull and pelvis, however they may not always be used due to damage or fragmentation. The patella has been shown to be resistant to postmortem changes, which creates a potential use for determining the sex of unknown human remains.
Materials and methods: The samples were gathered from patients examined by computed tomography angiography (CTA) of lower extremities in University Hospital No. 4 in Lublin. Exclusion criteria included patellar fractures, knee replacement and advanced osteoporosis. A total of 120 CTA examinations of 65 males and 55 females, were included in the analysis. Four measurements for every patella: craniocaudal patella dimension (CCP), transverse dimension (TP), anteroposterior dimension (APP) and patellar angle (PA), were obtained from CTA images.
Results: The statistical analysis proved that sex differences of all variables, except for PA, were statistically significant (p < 0,001).
Conclusions: Patellar measurements can be helpful in sex determination in the Polish population. CT is a useful tool for skeleton-based sex identification.
AI vs. Human Buyers: A Study of Alibaba’s Inventory Replenishment System
Authors: Liu Jiaxi , Lin Shuyi , Xin Linwei , Zhang Yidong 
Published: September 2023

Inventory management is one of the most important components of Alibaba’s business. Traditionally, human buyers make replenishment decisions: although artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms make recommendations, human buyers can choose to ignore these recommendations and make their own decisions. The company has been exploring a new replenishment system in which algorithmic recommendations are final. The algorithms combine state-of-the-art deep reinforcement learning techniques with the framework of fictitious play. By learning the supplier’s behavior, we are able to address the important issues of lead time and fill rate on order quantity, which have been ignored in the extant literature of stochastic inventory control. We present evidence that our algorithms outperform human buyers in terms of reducing out-of-stock rates and inventory levels. More interestingly, we have seen additional benefits amid the pandemic. Over the last two years, cities in China partially and intermittently locked down to mitigate COVID-19 outbreaks. We have observed panic buying from human buyers during lockdowns, leading to the bullwhip effect. By contrast, panic buying and the bullwhip effect can be mitigated using our algorithms due to their ability to recognize changes in the supplier’s behavior during lockdowns.History: This paper has been accepted for the INFORMS Journal on Applied Analytics Special Issue—2022 Daniel H. Wagner Prize for Excellence in the Practice of Advanced Analytics and Operations Research.
Adjuvant chemotherapy or no adjuvant chemotherapy? A prediction model for the risk stratification of recurrence or metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma combining MRI radiomics with clinical factors
Authors: Wu Qiaoyuan , Chang Yonghu , Yang Cheng , Liu Heng , Chen Fang , Dong Hui , Chen Cheng , Luo Qing 
Published: September 2023

Background
Dose adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) should be offered in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients? Different guidelines provided the different recommendations.

Methods
In this retrospective study, a total of 140 patients were enrolled and followed for 3 years, with 24 clinical features being collected. The imaging features on the enhanced-MRI sequence were extracted by using PyRadiomics platform. The pearson correlation coefficient and the random forest was used to filter the features associated with recurrence or metastasis. A clinical-radiomics model (CRM) was constructed by the Cox multivariable analysis in training cohort, and was validated in validation cohort. All patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups through the median Rad-score of the model. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to compare the 3-year recurrence or metastasis free rate (RMFR) of patients with or without AC in high- and low-groups.

Results
In total, 960 imaging features were extracted. A CRM was constructed from nine features (seven imaging features and two clinical factors). In the training cohort, the area under curve (AUC) of CRM for 3-year RMFR was 0.872 (P <0.001), and the sensitivity and specificity were 0.935 and 0.672, respectively; In the validation cohort, the AUC was 0.864 (P <0.001), and the sensitivity and specificity were 1.00 and 0.75, respectively. Kaplan-Meier curve showed that the 3-year RMFR and 3-year cancer specific survival (CSS) rate in the high-risk group were significantly lower than those in the low-risk group (P <0.001). In the high-risk group, patients who received AC had greater 3-year RMFR than those who did not receive AC (78.6% vs. 48.1%) (p = 0.03).

Conclusion
Considering increasing RMFR, a prediction model for NPC based on two clinical factors and seven imaging features suggested the AC needs to be added to patients in the high-risk group and not in the low-risk group.
Long Covid symptoms and diagnosis in primary care: A cohort study using structured and unstructured data in The Health Improvement Network primary care database
Authors: Shah Anoop D. , Subramanian Anuradhaa , Lewis Jadene , Dhalla Samir , Ford Elizabeth , Haroon Shamil , Kuan Valerie , Nirantharakumar Krishnarajah 
Published: September 2023

BackgroundLong Covid is a widely recognised consequence of COVID-19 infection, but little is known about the burden of symptoms that patients present with in primary care, as these are typically recorded only in free text clinical notes.AimsTo compare symptoms in patients with and without a history of COVID-19, and investigate symptoms associated with a Long Covid diagnosis.MethodsWe used primary care electronic health record data until the end of December 2020 from The Health Improvement Network (THIN), a Cegedim database. We included adults registered with participating practices in England, Scotland or Wales. We extracted information about 89 symptoms and ‘Long Covid’ diagnoses from free text using natural language processing. We calculated hazard ratios (adjusted for age, sex, baseline medical conditions and prior symptoms) for each symptom from 12 weeks after the COVID-19 diagnosis.ResultsWe compared 11,015 patients with confirmed COVID-19 and 18,098 unexposed controls. Only 20% of symptom records were coded, with 80% in free text. A wide range of symptoms were associated with COVID-19 at least 12 weeks post-infection, with strongest associations for fatigue (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 3.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.87, 4.17), shortness of breath (aHR 2.89, 95% CI 2.48, 3.36), palpitations (aHR 2.59, 95% CI 1.86, 3.60), and phlegm (aHR 2.43, 95% CI 1.65, 3.59). However, a limited subset of symptoms were recorded within 7 days prior to a Long Covid diagnosis in more than 20% of cases: shortness of breath, chest pain, pain, fatigue, cough, and anxiety / depression.ConclusionsNumerous symptoms are reported to primary care at least 12 weeks after COVID-19 infection, but only a subset are commonly associated with a GP diagnosis of Long Covid.
Osteoprotegerin genetic polymorphisms and their influence on therapeutic response to ibandronate in postmenopausal osteoporotic females
Authors: Tariq Saba , Tariq Sundus , Abualhamael Shahad Abduljalil , Baig Mukhtiar , Malik Ahmad Azam , Shahzad Muhammad 
Published: September 2023

ObjectivesThe present study investigated osteoprotegerin (OPG) genetic polymorphisms and their influence on the therapeutic response to ibandronate in postmenopausal osteoporotic females.MethodsThis case-control study included 135 postmenopausal females (89 osteoporotic females and 46 non-osteoporotic females). Each osteoporotic patient received a monthly 150 mg ibandronate tablet for six months, and blood samples were taken before and after treatment. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using DEXA Scan. Three SNPs (A163G, T245G, and G1181C) of the OPG gene were selected for analysis.ResultsSerum OPG levels were significantly lower in osteoporotic subjects than in the control group. The percentage changes in OPG levels in the osteoporotic group before and after treatment with ibandronate were significant (p < .001). After six months of therapy with ibandronate, the percentage changes in OPG levels with AA, TT, TC, GC, and GG genotypes were significant. Following six months of ibandronate treatment, the AA genotype of rs3134069, TT, TC genotypes of rs3102735, GG, and GC genotypes of rs2073618 SNP showed a significant increase in OPG levels. Age, BMI, and GC polymorphism (rs2073618 (G/C) G1181C) were inversely associated with low BMD. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) showed that BMI, GC, GG polymorphism (rs2073618 (G/C) G1181C) and TC polymorphism (rs3102735 (T/C) A163G) were inversely associated with low BMD.ConclusionThe inverse association of rs2073618 and rs3102735 with low BMD indicates the protective role of these SNPs in our population. More research is needed to replicate these results in another cohort and to determine the molecular processes by which such SNPs may influence BMD.