bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Galectin-3 in prostate cancer and heart diseases: a biomarker for these two frightening pathologies?
Authors: Lima Tânia , Perpétuo Luís , Henrique Rui , Fardilha Margarida , Leite-Moreira Adelino , Bastos Jose , Vitorino Rui 
Published: December 2022

AbstractGalectin-3 (Gal-3) belongs to galectin protein family, a type of β-galactose-binding lectin having more than one evolutionarily conserved domain of carbohydrate recognition. Gal-3 is mainly located in the cytoplasm, but it also enters the nucleus and is secreted into the extracellular environment and biological fluids such as urine, saliva, and serum. It plays an important role in many biological functions, such as angiogenesis, apoptosis, cell differentiation, cell growth, fibrosis, inflammation, host defense, cellular modification, splicing of pre-mRNA, and transformation. Many previous studies have shown that Gal-3 can be used as a diagnostic or prognostic biomarker for heart ailments, kidney diseases, and other major illnesses including cancer. Moreover, it may also play a major role in risk stratification in different diseases, and in this review, we have summarized the potential roles and application of Gal-3 as diagnostic, prognostic, and risk stratifying biomarker from previously reported studies in heart diseases and cancer, with special emphasis on prostate cancer.
Do Foreign Buyers Pay More Than Domestic Buyers? Evidence from International Transaction-Level Data
Authors: Miyakawa Daisuke , Shimizu Chihiro , Uesugi Iichiro 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
In this paper, we examine the role of international capital flows in real estate prices by quantifying the extent foreign buyers overpay for their realty investments as well as the spillover effect of such behavior on property prices domestic buyers pay. Using a unique dataset accounting for about 30,000 realty investment transactions in Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States, we find the following. First, foreign investors pay significantly higher prices than domestic investors, even after taking a wide variety of controls into account. Second, this paying over the odds becomes smaller the larger the buyers’ exposure to realty investments in the host countries. These results indicate that foreign investors are overcharged when they are less informed about the property market and that the extent to which they are overcharged decreases the more investment experience they have. Third, we did not find any significant spillover effects from overpaying by foreign investors to real estate prices in host countries. This finding is consistent with a group of extant studies employing aggregate-level data to examine the link between international capital flows and real estate prices.
Pemafibrate improves liver dysfunction and non-invasive surrogates for liver fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with hypertriglyceridemia: a multicenter study
Authors: Morishita Asahiro , Oura Kyoko , Takuma Kei , Nakahara Mai , Tadokoro Tomoko , Fujita Koji , Tani Joji , Shi Tingting , Himoto Takashi , Tatsuta Miwa , Moriya Akio , Senoo Tomonori , Tsutsui Akemi , Nagano Takuya , Takaguchi Koichi , Ono Masafumi , Masaki Tsutomu 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Background
This retrospective, multicenter study evaluated the effect of pemafibrate treatment on liver function and fibrosis by liver function tests (LFTs) and various fibrotic biomarkers including FibroScan in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with hypertriglyceridemia.

Methods
A total of 138 NAFLD patients treated with pemafibrate at three hospitals between September 2018 and April 2021 were included. To evaluate the effect of pemafibrate treatment, FibroScan-aspartate aminotransferase (FAST) score, a novel index of steatohepatitis that can be calculated based on the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) value, controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) was used.

Results
Serum TG levels were significantly decreased 4 weeks after pemafibrate treatment (p = 0.003). The levels of AST (p = 0.038), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (p = 0.003), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (p = 0.047) also significantly diminished 12 weeks after pemafibrate administration compared to before administration (p < 0.05). However, serum HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.193), LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.967), and eGFR (p = 0.909) levels were not significantly altered 12 weeks after pemafibrate administration. In addition, the fibrosis biomarkers’ Type IV collagen (p = 0.753) and FIB-4 index (p = 0.333) did not significantly differ, while Autotaxin (p = 0.006) and the AST-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) (p = 0.003) significantly decreased 48 weeks after pemafibrate administration. No significant reductions in LSM (p = 0.959) and CAP (p = 0.266) were detected using FibroScan 48 weeks after pemafibrate administration. FAST score was significantly improved (p = 0.0475).

Conclusion
Pemafibrate improved LFTs, including fibrotic biomarkers and FAST score, due to the hepatic anti-inflammatory effect, suggesting that pemafibrate may prevent disease progression in NAFLD patients with hypertriglyceridemia.
Can patients with good tumor regression grading after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy be exempted from lateral lymph node dissection?
Authors: Liu Xianwei , Yang Xuyang , Wu Qingbin , Zhang Tong , Jiang Dan , Wang Ziqiang 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Objective
To investigate whether lateral lymph node (LLN) dissection (LLND) can be exempted in patients with good tumor regression grading (TRG) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT)?

Methods
A retrospective study was conducted on consecutive patients with advanced rectal cancer who underwent nCRT and total mesorectal resection plus selective LLND at our institution. The primary outcomes are the relationship between LLN metastasis (LLNM) and magnetic resonance imaging TRG (mrTRG) and the relationship between LLNM and pathological TRG (pTRG).

Results
A total of 91 patients were included, of which 24 patients (26.4%) had LLNM, 67 patients (73.6%) had no LLNM. There were significant differences of the maximum short-axis of LLN before and after nCRT, short-axis reduction rate of the LLN with maximum short-axis, length diameter reduction rate of primary tumor, mrTRG, and pTRG between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression showed that mrTRG (P = 0.026) and pTRG (P = 0.013) were independent predictors for LLNM. The combination used by mrTRG and the maximum short-axis of LLNs ≥ 8 mm before nCRT and the maximum short-axis of LLN ≥ 5 mm after nCRT achieved specificity of 0.970, positive predictive value (PPV) of 0.867, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 0.855. The same combination used by pTRG achieved the specificity of 0.970, PPV of 0.857 and NPV of 0.844.

Conclusion
The suspected positive LLNs tend to be sterilized by nCRT in patients who have a very good response to nCRT. It is rational to avoid LLND in patients whose primary tumor and LLNs both show good response to nCRT.
Application of ANFIS, ELM, and ANN models to assess water productivity indicators based on agronomic techniques in the Lake Urmia Basin
Authors: Emami Somayeh , Dehghanisanij Hossein , Achite Mohammed , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Linh Nguyen Thi Thuy 
Published: December 2022

AbstractWater productivity (WP) is one of the most important critical indicators in the essential planning of water consumption in the agricultural sector. For this purpose, the WP and economic water productivity (WPe) were estimated using agronomic technologies. The impact of agronomic technologies on WP and WPe was carried out in two parts of field monitoring and modeling using novel intelligent approaches. Extreme learning machine (ELM), adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), and artificial neural network (ANN) methods were used to model WP and WPe. A dataset including 200 field data was collected from five treatment and control sections in the Malekan region, located in the southeast of Lake Urmia, Iran, for the crop year 2020–2021. Six different input combinations were introduced to estimate WP and WPe. The models used were evaluated using mean squared error (RMSE), relative mean squared error (RRMSE), and efficiency measures (NSE). Field monitoring results showed that in the treatment fields, with the application of agronomic technologies, the crop yield, WP, and WPe increased by 17.9%, 30.1%, and 19.9%, respectively. The results explained that irrigation water in farms W1, W2, W3, W4, and W5 decreased by 23.9%, 21.3%, 29.5%, 16.5%, and 2.7%, respectively. The modeling results indicated that the ANFIS model with values of RMSE = 0.016, RRMSE = 0.018, and NSE = 0.960 performed better in estimating WP and WPe than ANN and ELM models. The results confirmed that the crop variety, fertilizer, and irrigation plot dimensions are the most critical influencing parameters in improving WP and WPe.
Fostering children’s reading comprehension: the importance of fiction reading
Authors: Pfost Maximilian , Heyne Nora 
Published: December 2022

AbstractDespite its importance, many students have severe difficulties in the acquisition of effective reading comprehension. In addition, an increasing number of students tend not to read for intrinsic reasons. In this article, we refer to different strands of research and summarize literature from the perspective that fostering children’s engagement in reading fiction is an important and promising way to promote reading comprehension. With reference to the Matthew-effect, we assume a reciprocal relation between reading comprehension and fiction book reading. Therefore, starting in preschool age, children should be motivated to read. Furthermore, in this article the role of fiction reading for digital literacy is discussed. Finally, possibilities for how parents and educators can encourage students to spend more time in fiction book reading are illustrated.
DM-DQN: Dueling Munchausen deep Q network for robot path planning
Authors: Gu Yuwan , Zhu Zhitao , Lv Jidong , Shi Lin , Hou Zhenjie , Xu Shoukun 
Published: December 2022

AbstractIn order to achieve collision-free path planning in complex environment, Munchausen deep Q-learning network (M-DQN) is applied to mobile robot to learn the best decision. On the basis of Soft-DQN, M-DQN adds the scaled log-policy to the immediate reward. The method allows agent to do more exploration. However, the M-DQN algorithm has the problem of slow convergence. A new and improved M-DQN algorithm (DM-DQN) is proposed in the paper to address the problem. First, its network structure was improved on the basis of M-DQN by decomposing the network structure into a value function and an advantage function, thus decoupling action selection and action evaluation and speeding up its convergence, giving it better generalization performance and enabling it to learn the best decision faster. Second, to address the problem of the robot’s trajectory being too close to the edge of the obstacle, a method of using an artificial potential field to set a reward function is proposed to drive the robot’s trajectory away from the vicinity of the obstacle. The result of simulation experiment shows that the method learns more efficiently and converges faster than DQN, Dueling DQN and M-DQN in both static and dynamic environments, and is able to plan collision-free paths away from obstacles.
Gene–environment interactions and their impact on human health
Authors: Virolainen Samuel J. , VonHandorf Andrew , Viel Kenyatta C. M. F. , Weirauch Matthew T. , Kottyan Leah C. 
Published: December 2022

AbstractThe molecular processes underlying human health and disease are highly complex. Often, genetic and environmental factors contribute to a given disease or phenotype in a non-additive manner, yielding a gene–environment (G × E) interaction. In this work, we broadly review current knowledge on the impact of gene–environment interactions on human health. We first explain the independent impact of genetic variation and the environment. We next detail well-established G × E interactions that impact human health involving environmental toxicants, pollution, viruses, and sex chromosome composition. We conclude with possibilities and challenges for studying G × E interactions.
A synergistic Rh(I)/organoboron-catalysed site-selective carbohydrate functionalization that involves multiple stereocontrol
Authors: Rao V. U. Bhaskara , Wang Caiming , Demarque Daniel P. , Grassin Corentin , Otte Felix , Merten Christian , Strohmann Carsten , Loh Charles C. J. 
Published: December 2022

AbstractSite-selective functionalization is a core synthetic strategy that has broad implications in organic synthesis. Particularly, exploiting chiral catalysis to control site selectivity in complex carbohydrate functionalizations has emerged as a leading method to unravel unprecedented routes into biologically relevant glycosides. However, robust catalytic systems available to overcome multiple facets of stereoselectivity challenges to this end still remain scarce. Here we report a synergistic chiral Rh(I)- and organoboron-catalysed protocol, which enables access into synthetically challenging but biologically relevant arylnaphthalene glycosides. Our method depicts the employment of chiral Rh(I) catalysis in site-selective carbohydrate functionalization and showcases the utility of boronic acid as a compatible co-catalyst. Crucial to the success of our method is the judicious choice of a suitable organoboron catalyst. We also determine that exquisite multiple aspects of stereocontrol, including enantio-, diastereo-, regio- and anomeric control and dynamic kinetic resolution, are concomitantly operative.
Magnetic anomaly inversion through the novel barnacles mating optimization algorithm
Authors: Ai Hanbing , Essa Khalid S. , Ekinci Yunus Levent , Balkaya Çağlayan , Li Hongxing , Géraud Yves 
Published: December 2022

AbstractDealing with the ill-posed and non-unique nature of the non-linear geophysical inverse problem via local optimizers requires the use of some regularization methods, constraints, and prior information about the Earth's complex interior. Another difficulty is that the success of local search algorithms depends on a well-designed initial model located close to the parameter set providing the global minimum. On the other hand, global optimization and metaheuristic algorithms that have the ability to scan almost the entire model space do not need an assertive initial model. Thus, these approaches are increasingly incorporated into parameter estimation studies and are also gaining more popularity in the geophysical community. In this study we present the Barnacles Mating Optimizer (BMO), a recently proposed global optimizer motivated by the special mating behavior of barnacles, to interpret magnetic anomalies. This is the first example in the literature of BMO application to a geophysical inverse problem. After performing modal analyses and parameter tuning processes, BMO has been tested on simulated magnetic anomalies generated from hypothetical models and subsequently applied to three real anomalies that are chromite deposit, uranium deposit and Mesozoic dike. A second moving average (SMA) scheme to eliminate regional anomalies from observed anomalies has been examined and certified. Post-inversion uncertainty assessment analyses have been also implemented to understand the reliability of the solutions achieved. Moreover, BMO’s solutions for convergence rate, stability, robustness and accuracy have been compared with the solutions of the commonly used standard Particle Swarm Optimization (sPSO) algorithm. The results have shown that the BMO algorithm can scan the model parameter space more extensively without affecting its ability to consistently approach the unique global minimum in this presented inverse problem. We, therefore, recommend the use of competitive BMO in model parameter estimation studies performed with other geophysical methods.
Time-dose reciprocity mechanism for the inactivation of Escherichia coli explained by a stochastic process with two inactivation effects
Authors: Matsumoto Takahiro , Tatsuno Ichiro , Yoshida Yukiya , Tomita Makoto , Hasegawa Tadao 
Published: December 2022

AbstractThere is a great demand for developing and demonstrating novel disinfection technologies for protection against various pathogenic viruses and bacteria. In this context, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation offers an effective and convenient method for the inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms. The quantitative evaluation of the efficacy of UV sterilization relies on the simple time-dose reciprocity law proposed by Bunsen-Roscoe. However, the inactivation rate constants reported in the literature vary widely, even at the same dose and wavelength of irradiation. Thus, it is likely that the physical mechanism of UV inactivation cannot be described by the simple time-dose reciprocity law but requires a secondary inactivation process, which must be identified to clarify the scientific basis. In this paper, we conducted a UV inactivation experiment with Escherichia coli at the same dose but with different irradiances and irradiation durations, varying the irradiance by two to three orders of magnitude. We showed that the efficacy of inactivation obtained by UV-light emitting diode irradiation differs significantly by one order of magnitude at the same dose but different irradiances at a fixed wavelength. To explain this, we constructed a stochastic model introducing a second inactivation rate, such as that due to reactive oxygen species (ROS) that contribute to DNA and/or protein damage, together with the fluence-based UV inactivation rate. By solving the differential equations based on this model, the efficacy of inactivation as a function of the irradiance and irradiation duration under the same UV dose conditions was clearly elucidated. The proposed model clearly shows that at least two inactivation rates are involved in UV inactivation, where the generally used UV inactivation rate does not depend on the irradiance, but the inactivation rate due to ROS does depend on the irradiance. We conclude that the UV inactivation results obtained to date were simply fitted by one inactivation rate that superimposed these two inactivation rates. The effectiveness of long-term UV irradiation at a low irradiance but the same dose provides useful information for future disinfection technologies such as the disinfection of large spaces, for example, hospital rooms using UV light, because it can reduce the radiation dose and its risk to the human body.
Modification of TiO2 nanotubes by graphene–strontium and cobalt molybdate perovskite for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic medium
Authors: Szkoda Mariusz , Ilnicka Anna , Skorupska Malgorzata , Wysokowski Marcin , Lukaszewicz Jerzy P. 
Published: December 2022

AbstractHerein, we demonstrate that modification of TiO2nanotubes with graphene–strontium and cobalt molybdate perovskite can turn them into active electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). For this purpose, a simple method of hydrothermal synthesis of perovskites was developed directly on the TiO2nanotubes substrate. Moreover, the obtained hybrids were also decorated with graphene oxide (GO) during one-step hydrothermal synthesis. The obtained materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Catalytic properties were verified by electrochemical methods (linear voltammetry, chronopotentiometry). The obtained hybrids were characterized by much better catalytic properties towards hydrogen evolution reaction compared to TiO2and slightly worse than platinum. The optimized hybrid catalyst (decorated by GO) can drive a cathodic current density of 10 mA cm−2at an overpotential of 121 mV for HER with a small Tafel slope of 90 mV dec−1in 0.2 M H2SO4.
Peristaltic micropump using polyvinyl chloride gels with micropatterned surface
Authors: Motohashi Tomoki , Ogawa Naoki , Akai Hideko , Shintake Jun 
Published: December 2022

AbstractThis paper presents a pump using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gel. PVC gels are compliant, have a simple structure, and exhibit large deformation at voltages in the range of 100–1000 V, which make them suitable for micropumps. In this study, a PVC gel sheet with a surface pattern that enhances active deformation in the thickness direction was employed for the fabrication of a pump. To this end, the PVC gel sheet was sandwiched between three sets of anode and cathode electrodes, after which voltages were sequentially applied to these electrodes to generate a peristaltic deformation of the gel sheet, thus pushing the liquid and creating a one-directional flow. Various pumps were fabricated using PVC gel sheets with different surface patterns, and the pumps were characterized. The pumps exhibited an outline dimension of 35 mm × 25 mm with a thickness of 4 mm, corresponding to a total volume of 3.5 × 103 mm3. The results revealed that the pump fabricated using a 174-μm-high pyramid-patterned gel sheet generated a flow rate of 224.1 µL/min at an applied voltage of 800 V and a driving frequency of 3 Hz. This observed value is comparable to or better than those of existing pumps based on smart materials.
Factors Related to Treatment Attendance for Patients Seeking Gender-Affirming Voice Therapy
Authors: McKenna Victoria S. , Gustin Renee L. , Hobek Amy L. , Howell Rebecca J. , Dickinson Tara E. , Shanley Savannah N. , Patel Tulsi H. 
Published: December 2022

Objective:
The purpose of this study was to investigate factors related to treatment attendance for patients seeking gender-affirming voice therapy (GAVT).

Method:

We completed retrospective chart reviews of 50 patients (43 transgender women, three transgender men, four nonbinary patients; aged 18–67 years,
M
= 34.92 years,
SD
= 12.32 years) referred for GAVT at a Midwest outpatient center from 2016 to 2021. Data extraction included patient demographics, therapy visit specifics (e.g., number of sessions attended, treatment completion status, and in-person vs. virtual visits) and treatment timing (in relation to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic), and psychosocial and socioeconomic information.

Results:
There was no impact of treatment-timing relative to the onset of the pandemic on any attendance measure; however, patients were 1.9 times more likely to complete therapy with each virtual telehealth session attended. Individual factors of outside social support and hormone replacement therapy were positively related to the number of therapy sessions attended, whereas insurance provider and employment status were related to therapy completion.

Conclusions:
Telehealth attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic was positively associated with GAVT completion. Future research should investigate psychosocial and socioeconomic factors to understand how to identify patients at risk for poor treatment adherence and facilitate access to clinical care.