bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing the spiritual needs of China’s colorectal cancer patients: A structural equation modeling exercise
Authors: Zhang Xuanyue , Tu Jin , Ma HaiXia , Ba Li , Zhang YouMeng , Liu Hanjiao 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Numerous studies indicate that long-term cancer treatment can significantly stress patients, adversely affecting both their emotional well-being and unaddressed spiritual needs. Despite this, there is a notable lack of research aimed at enhancing the spiritual well-being of these patients. Most studies that do touch on spiritual needs tend to be narrow in scope, focusing only on specific influencing factors. The spiritual needs of colorectal cancer patients in the postoperative rehabilitation phase are particularly under-researched.
This study aims to identify the spiritual needs of colorectal cancer patients and to analyze the factors that influence these needs. We utilized Generalized Structural Equation Modeling to investigate the interrelationships between psychological resilience, social support, spiritual health, anxiety, depression, and spiritual needs. Additionally, the study delves into the potential mediating roles of psychological resilience, social support, anxiety, depression, and spiritual health in the relationship between selected risk factors and observed variables.
In this research, we surveyed1,200 colorectal cancer patients using a range of scales, including the Psychological Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSS), the Spiritual Wellness Scale (FACIT-Sp-12), the Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale(HADS), and the Spiritual Needs Scale (SNS). We analyzed the data using SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 24.0software. The results indicate that the model is well-fitted, as confirmed by the goodness-of-fit indices (χ2/df = 2.921, TLI = 0.987, CFI = 0.997, NFI = 0.996, RMSEA = 0.046).
The findings obtained highlight the critical need to address the spiritual well-being of Chinese colorectal cancer patients, which continues to be a significant health challenge. Factors such as social support, psychological resilience, spiritual health, anxiety, and depression have both direct and indirect impacts on these needs. As such, healthcare providers and family membersshould consider these factors when offering psychological and social support. This will enable them to provide morecomprehensive spiritual care, thereby enhancing the patients' overall quality of life.
Restoration of gut dysbiosis through Clostridium butyricum and magnesium possibly balance blood glucose levels: an experimental study
Authors: Tayyib Hafiz Muhammad Ubaid , Ali Amjed , Jabeen Shaista , Rehman Habib-ur- , Kamran Hafsa , Bajaber Majed A. , Usman Muhammad , Zhang Xiao 
Published: September 2023

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by an elevated level of blood glucose due to the absence of insulin secretion, ineffectiveness, or lack of uptake of secreted insulin in the body. The improperly diagnosed and poorly managed DM can cause severe damage to organs in the body like the nerves, eyes, heart, and kidneys. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of probioticClostridium butyricumwith magnesium supplementation to evaluate the effect on gut microbial dysbiosis and blood glucose levels. In an animal house, 24 male albino rats weighing 200–250 g have free access to water and food. Diabetes was induced using streptozotocin 60 mg/kg in overnight fasted rats. Diabetic rats were divided into four groups (n = 6). Control group (G0) rats were given Metformin 100 mg/kg/day with a standard basal diet, treatment group 1 was givenClostridium Butyricum2.5x105CFU/day with standard basal diet, magnesium 500 mg/kg/day to group 2, WhileClostridium Butyricum(1.5x105CFU/day) and magnesium (300 mg/kg/day) in combination with a standard basal diet to group 3. Random blood glucose levels were monitored twice a week for 21 days and were represented as mean of each week. The results conclude thatClostridium Butyricum2.5 x105CFU is very effective in balancing random blood glucose levels from 206.6 ± 67.7 to 85.1 ± 3.8 (p = 0.006) compared to other groups (p > 0.005). The results of stool analysis showed thatClostridium Butyricumrestores microbial dysbiosis as evident by the 105CFUClostridium Butyricumload in G1, which was higher than G0, G2and G3which were 103and 104CFU respectively. The findings of this study conclude thatClostridium Butyricumsupplementation improved blood glucose levels and intestinal bacterial load in type II diabetes mellitus.
Could home management of COVID-19 cases alleviate strain on the fragile healthcare system in Damascus, Syria: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Alsalkini Marah , Hanafi Ibrahem , Alkhaledi Ahmad , Awad Khaled , Awad Kassem , Zamzam Haitham 
Published: September 2023

Abstract

The global impact of COVID-19 was devastating, particularly in low-income countries. Conflict zones like Syria, already plagued by political and socioeconomic instability, faced additional hardships, resulting in a fast collapse of the healthcare system. The overwhelmed system necessitated the implementation of home-based management as a practical solution to alleviate strain on hospitals. This study documents the efforts of a volunteer team during the initial COVID-19 wave in Damascus, Syria (August-September 2020) in implementing management through home visits and evaluates its outcomes in terms of recovery, hospitalization, and mortality. Out of the managed 770 moderate and severe cases, approximately 80% reported full or partial recovery from COVID-19, with only 6.6% experiencing persistently low peripheral blood oxygen levels at follow-up. Nonetheless, 28.6% of patients necessitated hospitalization, 14.5% were admitted to intensive care units, and 15.3% died. Age, masculinity, and cardiac comorbidities were associated with a higher need for oxygen support and led to higher hospitalization and mortality rates. This approach effectively steered most patients toward recovery and facilitated the timely identification and management of critical cases until their transition to hospital care when capacities allowed, proving to be a pivotal asset to the healthcare system in the face of such challenging circumstances.
A Quantitative Evaluation Model of Ancient Military Defense Efficiency Based on Spatial Strength—Take Zhejiang of the Ming Dynasty as an example
Authors: Wang Yinggang , Tan Lifeng , Zhang Zao , Liu Huanjie , Liu Jiayi , Zhang Yukun , Mu Mengqi 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
In the study of the defense capacity of ancient military settlements, most existing studies have evaluated the defense capacity of citadels qualitatively from a historiographical perspective. There are fewer quantitative studies on defense efficiency in a specific regional context. This paper takes the coastal defense citadels system of Zhejiang in the Ming Dynasty of China as the research object. It adopts a combination of digital historical data mining and quantitative research to study the defense efficiency of the military defense area in Zhejiang in the Ming Dynasty. This paper first analyzes the defense pattern of Zhejiang's sea defense citadels system in the Ming Dynasty. It determines the control points of defense groups, quantifies the defense group area with a Voronoi diagram, and classifies and assigns the entropy value to the deployment data of guard forts in historical data. Finally, the assigned forces are superimposed on the defense area to obtain the quantified defense efficiency of each defense group, and the defense results are verified. This paper innovatively proposes an "area-force" perspective. It introduces spatial segmentation and quantitative research methods to study the defense efficiency of a specific regional defense group system in ancient times. It proves that this method is feasible and can be applied to the study of other ancient military defense areas. It also expands the scientific perspective of ancient military fortification systems, which can contribute to systematically preserving ancient military settlement heritage on a larger scale.
Water stress tolerance is coordinated with water use capacity and growth under water deficit across six fruit tree species
Authors: Opazo Ismael , Pimentel Paula , Salvatierra Ariel , Ortiz Mauricio , Toro Guillermo , Garrido Marco 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Compare water stress tolerance traits between different fruit tree species under the same experimental conditions can provide valuable information for understanding the mechanisms underlying water stress tolerance. This work aimed to determine and compare the water stress tolerance of six fruit tree species typically cultivated in Mediterranean regions and evaluate its association with water use and growth under water deficit. Six fruit tree species were used in this study: pomegranate, fig, mandarin, avocado, and two Prunus species ('R40' and 'R20'). Iso-anisohydric behavior (low to high water stress tolerance) was assessed through a multi-trait approach and associated with growth and water use under well-watered and water deficit conditions. Avocado and mandarin were classified as species with more strict stomatal control over water potential, while pomegranate, fig, and Prunus spp. showed less stomatal control. This classification was supported by the multi-traits analysis, which showed that avocado and mandarin, in contrast to the rest of the species, were characterized by higher gas-exchange thresholds (more sensitive). A more isohydric behavior was associated with lower water, but higher root hydraulic conductivity, and a lower growth capacity. Some traits, such as the FTSWthreshold to the drop of relative transpiration, root hydraulic conductivity, and residual soil water content, provide valuable information to discriminate between species or genotypes that are better adapted to water deficits. These traits explain the position of the species in the iso-anisohydric spectrum and allow us to understand and develop better strategies for water management in agricultural systems.
Three-dimensional leaf edge reconstruction using a combination of two- and three-dimensional phenotyping approaches
Authors: Murata Hidekazu , Noshita Koji 
Published: September 2023

Abstract

Background: The physiological functions of plants are carried out by leaves, which are important organs. The morphological traits of leaves serve multiple functional requirements and demands of plants. Traditional techniques for quantifying leaf morphology rely largely on two-dimensional (2D) methods, resulting in a limited understanding of the three-dimensional (3D) functionalities of leaves. Notably, recent advancements in surveying technologies have improved 3D data acquisition processes. However, there are still challenges in producing accurate 3D-representations of leaf morphologies, particularly leaf edges. Therefore, in this study, we propose a method for reconstructing 3D leaf edges using a combination of 2D image instance segmentation and curve-based 3D reconstruction.
Results: The proposed method reconstructed 3D leaf edges from multi-view images based on deep neural network-based instance segmentation for 2D edge detection, SfM for estimating camera positions and orientations, leaf correspondence identification for matching leaves among multi-view images, curve-based 3D reconstruction for estimating leaf edges as 3D curve fragments, and B-spline curve fitting for integrating curve fragments into a 3D leaf edge. The method was demonstrated on both virtual and actual plant leaves. On the virtually generated leaves, we evaluated the accuracy of the 3D reconstruction by calculating standardized Fréchet distance, which reveals that small leaves and high camera noise pose greater challenges to reconstruction. To balance the number and precision of 3D curve fragments, we proposed guidelines for setting the threshold for how only reliable curve fragments are reconstructed based on simulated data. These guidelines suggested that the threshold becomes lower with greater occlusions, larger leaf size, and camera positional error greater than a certain level. We also found the number of images does not affect the optimal threshold except in very few cases. Moreover, the proposed method succeeded in reconstructing holes in the leaf when the number of holes is three or less.
Conclusions: In this study, a nondestructive method for 3D leaf edge reconstruction was developed to address the 3D morphological properties of plants, which have been challenging to evaluate quantitatively. It is a promising way to capture whole plant architecture by combining 2D and 3D phenotyping approaches adapted to the target anatomical structures.
The Construction and Development of a Clinical Prediction Model to Assess Lymph Node Metastases in Oesophageal Squamous Carcinoma
Authors: Xiang Jian , Tang Yuntao , Wu Jian 
Published: September 2023

Abstract

Background Oesophageal squamous carcinoma(ESCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, whose prognosis is closely associated with lymph node metastasis(LNM). This study to investigate the correlation between laboratory indicators and LMN, and to establish a visual prediction model for LMN in ESCC. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 183 patients operated on for ESCC. These patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of LMN – The two groups were as follows: group N+(with lymph node metastasis, 60 cases) and group N0(without lymph node metastasis, 123 cases). We performed a logistic regression analysis to determine the risk factors of LNM, draw the receiver operating characteristic curve, calculate the area under the curve (AUC), establish a column line graph visualisation prediction model and perform internal validation, and to perform calibration curve and decision curve. Results Multifactorial analysis revealed alcohol, red blood cell distribution width(RDW), and deeper infiltration depth as independent risk factors for LNM. The prediction model included the above three factors with an AUC of = 0.700 (95% confidence interval = 0.619–0.782,P < 0.001). The decision curves were higher than both extreme lines indicating that when the threshold probability was 15–48%, the patients included in the prediction model could benefit from the corresponding intervention. Conclusion Alcohol, deeper infiltration depth, and RDW were independent risk factors for LNM of ESCC. A prediction model based on the above three indicators could predict the LNM of ESCC, These indicators are readily available, thereby helping clinicians decision-making.
The Effects of Humidity on the Velocity-Dependence and Frictional Ageing of Nanoscale Silica Contacts
Authors: McClimon J. Brandon , Li Zhuohan , Goldsby David , Szlufarska Izabela , Carpick Robert W. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract

This work examines the effect of environmental humidity on rate-and-state friction behavior of nanoscale silica-silica single asperity contacts in an atomic force microscope, particularly, its effect on frictional ageing and velocity-weakening vs. strengthening friction from 10 nm/s to 100 µm/s sliding velocities. At extremely low humidities (<< 1% RH), ageing is nearly absent for up to 100 s of nominally stationary contact, and friction is strongly velocity-strengthening. This is consistent with dry interfacial friction, where thermal excitations help overcome static friction at low sliding velocities. At higher humidity levels (10–40% RH), ageing becomes pronounced and is accompanied by much higher kinetic friction and velocity-weakening behavior. This is attributed to water catalyzing interfacial Si-O-Si bond formation. At the highest humidities examined (> 40% RH), ageing subsides, kinetic friction drops to low levels, and friction is velocity-strengthening again. These responses are attributed to intercalated water separating the interfaces, which precludes interfacial bonding. The trends in velocity-dependent friction are reproduced and explained using a computational multi-bond model. Our model explicitly simulates bond formation and breaking, and the passivation and reactivation of reaction sites across the interface during sliding, where the activation energies for interfacial chemical reactions are dependent on humidity. These results provide potential insights into nanoscale mechanisms that may contribute to the humidity dependence observed in prior macroscale rock friction studies. They also provide a possible microphysical foundation to understand the role of water in interfacial systems with water-catalyzed bonding reactions, and demonstrate a profound change in the interfacial physics near and above saturated humidity conditions.
Ameliorative Role of Ascorbic acid to Drought Stress in Hordeum Vulgare L. through Modulation of the polyamines, osmolytes and Antioxidant Defense System
Authors: Ahmad Mohammad Aijaz , Saleem Ammara , Tahir Minahil , Khilji Sheza Ayaz , Sajid Zahoor Ahmad , Rauf Mamoona , Arif Muhammad , Landry Koloko Brice 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Drought is a severe environmental condition that negatively impacts the metabolic processes of plants, making it one of the most devastating stressors they face. Drought has a significant detrimental impact on grain crops, such as barley. Exogenous application (foliar) of ascorbic acid has been shown to confer tolerance against biotic and abiotic stresses. In the present research, the ability of ascorbic acid to increase drought stress tolerance was investigated in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Three barley genotypes, a drought-resistant genotype (V3 = Jau-Haider 93) and two drought-sensitive genotypes (V1 = 92044 and V2 = 92112) were grown in plastic pots under soil conditions. There were two levels of water, control i.e., with adequate irrigation and drought stress with 60% of field capacity. Ascorbic acid was applied as a foliar spray (1 mM). Overall, the plant growth of all genotypes was inhibited by drought stress. However, the drought-tolerant variety (V3 = Jau-Haider 93) showed higher growth rates under drought stress. Ascorbic acid as foliar spray supported the barley plant growth under drought stress to ameliorate the adverse effects of stress by maintaining growth, relative water contents, and osmotic adjustment by enhancing antioxidant enzymes, polyamines, proline and phenolics contents.
Vitamin D3 Role in Women Undergoing Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection for Successful Pregnancy
Authors: Atiea Hourah Sh. , Imeer Ali Thoulfikar A. , Al-Bahrani Hussein Ali , Kadhum Abdul Amir H. , Aljibori Hakim S. Sultan , Alamir Hassan Thoulfikar A. , Al-Anbari Lubna A. , Al-Amiery Ahmed A. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Objective: vitamin D role is investigated in this work to establish the effect of its level on the outcome of patients undergoing Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for fertility treatment.
Aim: To study the role of vitamin D on the success of women conceiving under Intracytoplasmic sperm injection
Method: In High Institute of Infertility Diagnosis and Assisted Reproductive Techniques, Al-Nahrain University, Iraq, has conducted a study from September 2017 to April 2018. A total of 100 infertile women underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for the intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle. Antagonist ovulation induction protocol was used. Serum vitamin D3 level, oocyte maturation, and embryo quality were performed. The relationship between serum vitamin D3, quality of oocytes and embryos, fertilization rate, and pregnancy rate were determined
Results: This study showed that mean serum vitamin D was significantly higher in women who succeeded to get pregnant in comparison to those who unfortunately failed to get pregnant. The variation is 18.10 ±3.51 versus 14.44 ±2.87 ng/ml, respectively. The level of significance was (P = 0.004). There was no significant correlation between serum vitamin D and the quality of oocytes and embryos, fertilization rate
Conclusions: This study demonstrated a significant difference in mean serum vitamin D concentration between the group of women with successful pregnancy and the group of women who failed to achieve pregnancy. In addition, with exception of the significant negative correlation with LH. Serum vitamin D can be considered a predictive marker for successful ICSI.
The role of adjuvant radiotherapy for intracranial malignant meningiomas: Analysis of a nationwide database
Authors: Ho Chung-Han , Shieh Li-Tsun , Lin Chia-Hui , Guo How-Ran , Ho Yi-Chia , Ho Sheng-Yow 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to examine the effect of postoperative radiotherapy on survival outcomes in patients with malignant meningiomas.
Methods
We identified patients with malignant meningioma diagnosed between 2007 and 2018 using the Taiwan Cancer Registry and followed them up using the death registry. Survival was compared between patients with and without adjuvant radiotherapy. The potential confounding factors evaluated in this study included age, sex, comorbidities, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI).
Results
The analysis included 204 patients; 94 (46%) received adjuvant radiotherapy. The two groups had similar sex distributions (p = 0.53), mean age (p = 0.33), histologic subtype (p = 0.13), and CCI (p = 0.62). The prognosis of malignant meningioma was poor, with a median overall survival (OS) of 2.4 years. The median OS was 3.0 years (interquartile range (IQR) [1.4–6.1], and 2.0 years (IQR [0.5–3.9]) in the radiotherapy and non-radiotherapy groups, respectively (p = 0.001). However, Kaplan–Meier curves with the log-rank test showed no significant difference in OS between the two groups (p = 0.999). Controlling for age group, sex, histologic subtype, treatment, comorbidities, and CCI, adjuvant radiotherapy did not impart a survival benefit (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.6‒1.26); however, only factor of higher comorbidity score (HR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.04‒3.94) was associated with unfavorable survival.
Conclusion
This population-based retrospective analysis suggests that the role of radiotherapy remains unclear and underscores the need for randomized clinical trials to assess the usefulness of adjuvant radiotherapy in malignant meningioma.
Temporal relationships between photoreceptor degeneration and proliferative response of Müller glia: A comparative study on the effects of different alkylating agents
Authors: Nomura-Komoike Kaori , Nishino Reiko , Fujieda Hiroki 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Animal models for retinal degeneration are essential for elucidating its pathogenesis and developing new therapeutic strategies in humans. N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) has been extensively used to construct a photoreceptor-specific degeneration model, which has served to unveil the molecular process of photoreceptor degeneration as well as the mechanisms regulating the protective responses of remaining cells. Methyl methanesulphonate (MMS), also known to cause photoreceptor degeneration, is considered a good alternative to MNU due to its higher usability; however, detailed pathophysiological processes after MMS treatment remain uncharacterized. Here, we analyzed the time course of photoreceptor degeneration, Müller glial proliferation, and expression of secretory factors after MNU and MMS treatments in rats. While the timing of rod degeneration was similar between the treatments, we unexpectedly found that cones survived slightly longer after MMS treatment. Müller glia reentered the cell cycle at a similar timing after the two treatments; however, the G1-S transition occurred earlier after MMS treatment. Moreover, growth factors such as FGF2 and LIF were more highly upregulated in the MMS model. These data suggest that comparative analyses of the two injury models may be beneficial for understanding the complex regulatory mechanisms underlying the proliferative response of Müller glia.