bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Automatic disease prediction from human gut metagenomic data using boosting GraphSAGE
Authors: Syama K. , Jothi J. Angel Arul , Khanna Namita 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Background
The human microbiome plays a critical role in maintaining human health. Due to the recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies, the microbiome profiles present in the human body have become publicly available. Hence, many works have been done to analyze human microbiome profiles. These works have identified that different microbiome profiles are present in healthy and sick individuals for different diseases. Recently, several computational methods have utilized the microbiome profiles to automatically diagnose and classify the host phenotype.

Results
In this work, a novel deep learning framework based on boosting GraphSAGE is proposed for automatic prediction of diseases from metagenomic data. The proposed framework has two main components, (a). Metagenomic Disease graph (MD-graph) construction module, (b). Disease prediction Network (DP-Net) module. The graph construction module constructs a graph by considering each metagenomic sample as a node in the graph. The graph captures the relationship between the samples using a proximity measure. The DP-Net consists of a boosting GraphSAGE model which predicts the status of a sample as sick or healthy. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified using real and synthetic datasets corresponding to diseases like inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. The proposed model achieved a highest AUC of 93%, Accuracy of 95%, F1-score of 95%, AUPRC of 95% for the real inflammatory bowel disease dataset and a best AUC of 90%, Accuracy of 91%, F1-score of 87% and AUPRC of 93% for the real colorectal cancer dataset.

Conclusion
The proposed framework outperforms other machine learning and deep learning models in terms of classification accuracy, AUC, F1-score and AUPRC for both synthetic and real metagenomic data.
Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus tyrosine kinase inhibitors versus TACE in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Duan Ruihua , Gong Fen , Wang Yan , Huang Caixia , Wu Jiaming , Hu Leihao , Liu Min , Qiu Shijun , Lu Liming , Lin Yisheng 
Published: March 2023

AbstractPurposeTransarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has been increasingly used to treat unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). However, the superiority of combination therapy to TACE monotherapy remains controversial. Therefore, here we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TACE plus TKIs in patients with uHCC.MethodsWe searched four databases for eligible studies. The primary outcome was time to progression (TTP), while the secondary outcomes were overall survival (OS), tumor response rates, and adverse events (AEs). Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were collected for TTP and OS, and the data were analyzed using random-effects meta-analysis models in STATA software. OR and 95% CIs were used to estimate dichotomous variables (complete remission[CR], partial remission[PR], stable disease[SD], progressive disease[PD], objective response rate[ORR], disease control rate[DCR], and AEs) using RStudio’s random-effects model. Quality assessments were performed using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale (NOS) for observational studies and the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized controlled trials (RCTs).ResultsThe meta-analysis included 30 studies (9 RCTs, 21 observational studies) with 8246 patients. We judged the risk of bias as low in 44.4% (4/9) of the RCTs and high in 55.6% (5/9) of the RCTs. All observational studies were considered of high quality, with a NOS score of at least 6. Compared with TACE alone or TACE plus placebo, TACE combined with TKIs was superior in prolonging TTP (combined HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.65–0.80), OS (combined HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.49–0.67), and objective response rate (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.23–3.67) in patients with uHCC. However, TACE plus TKIs caused a higher incidence of AEs, especially hand-foot skin reactions (OR 87.17%, 95%CI 42.88–177.23), diarrhea (OR 18.13%, 95%CI 9.32–35.27), and hypertension (OR 12.24%, 95%CI 5.89–25.42).ConclusionsOur meta-analysis found that TACE plus TKIs may be beneficial for patients with uHCC in terms of TTP, OS, and tumor response rates. However, combination therapy is also associated with a significantly increased risk of adverse reactions. Therefore, we must evaluate the clinical benefits and risks of combination therapy. Further well-designed RCTs are needed to confirm our findings.Trial registrationPROSPERO registration number: CRD42022298003.
Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans infection in a 15-year-old boy with pulmonary empyema: a case report and review of literature
Authors: Mesturino Maria Alessia , Bitetti Carol , Clemente Anna , Krzysztofiak Andrzej , Lancella Laura , Lombardi Roberta , Cursi Laura , Boccuzzi Elena , Musolino Anna Maria , Villani Alberto 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Background
Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), previously known as Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, is a slow-growing Gram-negative coccobacillus, member of the HACEK group of bacteria colonizing oral flora. Besides causing infectious diseases in the oral cavity such as dental caries and periodontitis, it is responsible for severe extra-oral infections secondary to hematogenous spread or aspiration, such as endocarditis, soft tissue abscesses and osteomyelitis. The diagnosis depends on prolonged bacterial culture of biological material obtained through biopsy. Aa is susceptible to most antibiotics but complete eradication often requires a long term treatment.

Case presentation
We report the case of a 15-year-old previously healthy boy diagnosed with both pulmonary empyema and subphrenic chest wall abscess caused by Aa. He was admitted to our Pediatric Emergency department for evaluation of a right mass associated with marked asthenia and dry cough. After radiological findings etiological diagnosis was made by culture of fluid drainage of pleural empyema. He started empirical antibiotic therapy with intravenous piperacillin/tazobactam, whose sensibility was confirmed by the antibiogram, then, for occurrance of hepatopathy it was switched to ciprofloxacin: the patient almost completely recovered after 6-month therapy.

Conclusions
Extra-oral infections caused by Aa are extremely rare, especially in children, and not well described yet. To our knowledge, there is only another similar case described in literature. However, the case described in our manuscript represents the only one presenting with pulmonary empyema without involvement of lung parenchyma in children. We also conducted a brief review of published cases of Aa infection in the pediatric population. This case report reminds us the importance of an accurate inspection of the oral cavity during the examination of pediatric patients.
Congenital hypothyroidism: a case report of an Egyptian child with congenital heart disease, pelvic kidney and cavernous transformation of portal vein
Authors: Elsedfy Heba , Gamal Radwa 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Background
A case of thyroid hormone deficiency which presented at birth. Thyroid hormones are essential for brain development and normal cognitive function. Common symptoms of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) include constipation, decreased activity, increased sleep and feeding difficulty. Common signs include dry skin, macroglossia and umbilical hernia. If congenital hypothyroidism is left untreated after birth, it can lead to permanent intellectual disability and growth failure.
Case presentation.
Here, we report a 10.5-year-old female with the typical features of CH. She is the sixth in order of birth of consanguineous Egyptian parents. No family history of similar condition. Our patient had primary CH caused by thyroid agenesis. She had congenital heart disease, pelvic kidney, cavernous transformation of portal vein and parenchymatous liver disease.

Conclusions
Congenital hypothyroidism is associated with an elevated risk of congenital anomalies. Clinical suspicion of symptoms and signs of congenital hypothyroidism are important for early diagnosis and prevention of serious problems that are related to congenital hypothyroidism.
Challenges in the Implementation of Human Papillomavirus Self-Sampling for Cervical Cancer Screening in India: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hariprasad Roopa , John Amrita , Abdulkader Rizwan Suliankatchi 
Published: March 2023

PURPOSE In the light of WHO's call for elimination of cervical cancer, primary human papillomavirus (HPV) screening through self-collection is a powerful tool that can improve screening coverage. Challenges encountered during implementation of the program are unique to each country. We conducted this systematic review to list the challenges in implementing primary HPV screening through self-sampling in Indian context. METHODS A literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar since their inception till July 2022 for peer-reviewed articles published in the English. Non-Indian studies and those which did not mention implementation challenges were excluded. Articles were screened and reviewed independently by two authors. The results were discussed using a narrative synthesis. RESULTS All the eight original articles included in the review were of cross-sectional design. The challenges identified in these studies were grouped into beneficiary, health care provider, and health system perspectives. Beneficiary-related issues outnumbered other challenges in all the studies which included misconceptions and fear, lack of motivation, low self-efficacy in collection leading to poor sample quality, low socioeconomic status leading to lack of privacy, and refusal for screening and further treatment. CONCLUSION This review highlights the challenges for the implementation of HPV self-sampling in India. Future programs should incorporate context-specific solutions for the success of primary HPV screening and cervical cancer elimination.
Quantitative image analysis in COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome: a cohort observational study.
Authors: Dolinay Tamas , Jun Dale , Maller Abigail , Chung Augustine , Grimes Brandon , Hsu Lillian , Nelson David , Villagas Bianca , Kim Grace Hyun J , Goldin Jonathan 
Published: March 2023

Background Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe form of acute lung injury commonly associated with pneumonia, including coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). The resultant effect can be persistent lung damage, but its extent is not known. We used quantitative high resolution computed tomography (QHR-CT) lung scans to radiographically characterize the lung damage in COVID-19 ARDS (CARDS) survivors. Methods Patients with CARDS (N=20) underwent QHR-CT lung scans 60 to 90 days after initial diagnosis, while hospitalized at a long-term acute care hospital (LTACH). QHR-CT assessed for mixed disease (QMD), ground glass opacities (QGGO), consolidation (QCON) and normal lung tissue (QNL). QMD was correlated with respiratory support on admission, tracheostomy decannulation and supplementary oxygen need on discharge. Results Sixteen patients arrived with tracheostomy requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. Four patients arrived on nasal oxygen support. Of the patients included in this study 10 had the tracheostomy cannula removed, four remained on invasive ventilation, and two died. QHR-CT showed 45% QMD, 28.1% QGGO, 3.0% QCON and QNL=23.9%. Patients with mandatory mechanical ventilation had the highest proportion of QMD when compared to no mechanical ventilation. There was no correlation between QMD and tracheostomy decannulation or need for supplementary oxygen at discharge. Conclusions Our data shows severe ongoing lung injury in patients with CARDS, beyond what is usually expected in ARDS. In this severely ill population, the extent of mixed disease correlates with mechanical ventilation, signaling formation of interstitial lung disease. QHR-CT analysis can be useful in the post-acute setting to evaluate for interstitial changes in ARDS.
Factors influencing community acceptability of mass drug administration for the elimination of onchocerciasis in the Asante Akim South Municipal, Ghana
Authors: Kumah Emmanuel , Owusu Patrick , Otchere Godfred , Ankomah Samuel E. , Fusheini Adam , Kokuro Collins , Mensah-Acheampong Frederick , Atta Joseph Amankwah , Agyei Samuel Kofi 
Published: March 2023

Introduction
Onchocerciasis is one of the eleven neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) recently targeted by the World Health Organization (WHO) for elimination. Mass drug administration (MDA) of ivermectin has become the main intervention for reducing the burden of onchocerciasis and controlling its transmission. However, despite the considerable gains in the fight against onchocerciasis in Ghana, the infection remains endemic in some communities. This study aimed to ascertain community members’ acceptability levels and factors associated with ivermectin MDA for the elimination of onchocerciasis in the Asante Akim South Municipal in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Methods
A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted in six communities in the Asante Akim South Municipal from 7th May to 9th July, 2021. The study population comprised all persons aged 18 years and above who had lived in the study communities for more than three months prior to the study. The main outcome variable was the acceptability of ivermectin MDA by the community members. This was measured using a composite acceptability score adapted from the Intervention Rating Profile tool. The explanatory variables were the respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics, self-rated knowledge of onchocerciasis, perceived side effects of ivermectin, and self-reported level of education received on MDA activities.

Results
Out of 450 community members included in the study, 50.4% were male while 49.6% were female. The respondents’ mean age was 39.57±10.64 years. The mean acceptability score for ivermectin MDA was 20.52±2.91 (range, 9–36). Acceptability of ivermectin MDA was positively associated with gender, educational status, employment status, self-rated knowledge of onchocerciasis, and level of education received on MDA; and negatively associated with perceived side effect of ivermectin.

Conclusion
This study provides valuable information to inform policy decisions on planning and implementing MDA programs for the elimination of onchocerciasis in the study area and the country as a whole.
Safety and efficacy of probiotic supplements as adjunctive therapies in patients with COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhu Julie , Pitre Tyler , Ching Carmen , Zeraatkar Dena , Gruchy Steven 
Published: March 2023

Background and aims
Oral probiotic supplementation may be a beneficial adjunctive therapy for patients with symptomatic COVID-19. However, its safety and efficacy are unclear. We aimed to investigate how probiotic supplementation impacts COVID-19 symptom trajectory and patient outcomes by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods
RCTs randomizing patients with COVID-19 to probiotics were searched in PubMed Central, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library from inception to July 31, 2022. We performed a random-effects pairwise meta-analysis for all outcomes using the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) estimator. We used the GRADE approach to assess the certainty of the evidence.

Results
A total of 1027 participants from eight RCT studies were included in the meta-analysis. Probiotic supplements probably reduce the incidence of diarrhea (RR 0.61 [0.43 to 0.87]; moderate certainty) and probably reduce cough or dyspnea compared to placebo/standard care (RR 0.37 [0.19 to 0.73]; moderate certainty). Probiotic supplements may improve composite endpoint measured by clinical escalation or mortality compared to placebo (RR 0.41 [0.18 to 0.93]; low certainty evidence); however, they may not significantly reduce the need for clinical escalation (RR 0.57 [0.31 to 1.07]; low certainty evidence) or mortality (RR 0.50 [0.20 to 1.29]; low certainty evidence). In addition, the probiotic supplement is associated with reduced adverse events (RR 0.62 [0.46 to 0.83]; moderate certainty).

Conclusion
Early probiotic supplement is a safe and effective adjunctive therapy that reduces the risk of symptoms and health care burden related to COVID-19 across all severity types.
Dietary intake and stunting in children aged 6-23 months in rural Sumba, Indonesia
Authors: Limardi Suryadi , Hasanah Dini Mutia , Utami Ni Made Dwiyathi 
Published: March 2023

Background Linear growth retardation in the first two years of life leads to numerous harmful consequences. Lack of diversity in the diet and inadequate amounts of complementary food have been associated with stunted growth in children.
Objective To assess the dietary intake and investigate for associations with stunting among children aged 6-23 months.
Methods This case-control study compared the dietary intake of children aged 6-23 months with and without stunting in the South and West Wewewa subdistricts of Southwest Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Complementary food types, dietary diversity, and nutritional intake were assessed and compared between groups. Nutrient intake sufficiency and stunting were analyzed by logistic regression.
Results A total of 200 participants were equally allocated into groups with and without stunting. Only 6% of stunted children received adequate complementary food diversity compared to 14% of non-stunted children (P=0.05). The stunted group had significantly lower consumption of flesh foods (beef, fish, poultry, organ meat, and other kinds of meat) compared to the non-stunted group (7% vs. 16% of subjects, respectively; P<0.05). The median total protein intake was also significantly lower in stunted children compared to non-stunted children [7.72 (IQR 6.46, 11.31) g vs. 10.02 (IQR 6.53, 13.95) g, respectively; P<0.05] although no association was found between protein intake sufficiency and stunting in the multivariate analysis. Only maternal unemployment was positively associated with stunting (OR 2.32; 95%CI 1.26 to 4.26).
Conclusion Overall, most subjects did not receive sufficient amounts of nutrients. Although dietary diversity was not found to be significantly different between those with and without stunting, a significantly lower proportion of stunted children consumed flesh food. The stunted group also received significantly lower protein from their diet although no association was found between nutrient intake sufficiency and stunting. Further studies are needed to longitudinally assess the effects of macronutrient and micronutrient intake sufficiency on linear growth in children.
Design and validation of a space plasma environment detector for BeiDou navigation satellite
Authors: Tang Zhenyu , Ren Qiongying , Li Hao , Peng Yuchuan , Peng Zhong , Liu Qinghai , Wang Junfeng , Liu Yenan , Ge Lili , Wu Da , Zhao Hua 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
Most of the satellites of the BeiDou navigation system work in geostationary orbit (GEO) and medium earth orbit (MEO), where the space plasma environment can make a severe impact on spacecraft. To measure the parameters of the plasma environment in GEO and MEO orbital space and to improve the design of the environmental adaptability of the satellites based on in situ probe data, a 2π-solid-angle omnidirectional field-of-view plasma detector was investigated and tested. The overall system design and detailed design of the structure and electric system were implemented. Then tests and verification were carried out to validate the reliability and capability of the detector. The detector can supply accurate in situ data of the plasma environment and be used to investigate the space plasma environment and its effects.
The Impact of Environmental Taxation on Wage Inequality in the Presence of Subsidizing Renewable Energy
Authors: Pi Jiancai , Fan Yanwei 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
This paper explores how environmental taxation affects wage inequality in the presence of subsidizing renewable energy. It is necessary to take both traditional dirty energy and renewable energy into account. Take the case where the renewable energy sector is more skill-intensive than the traditional energy sector as an example. If the final product sector is more skill-intensive than the whole energy sector, an increment of the output tax in the traditional energy sector will widen wage inequality unambiguously. However, if the final product sector is less skill-intensive than the whole energy sector, an increment of the output tax in the traditional energy sector may narrow down wage inequality when the substitution elasticity between energy and labor in the final product sector is sufficiently large. The interaction between environmental taxation and subsidization on renewable energy plays a key role in the mechanism. We also analyze the relationship between environmental taxation and welfare.
Fractal characterization of polyester based standard and single walled carbon nanotube modified composites
Authors: Ilgaz Aykut , Bayırlı Mehmet 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
The electrical properties of composite materials over a wide frequency range are of great interest, not only for experimental applications, but also for theoretical studies such as fractal analysis. This study presents comparative analysis of alternating current (ac) conductivity and fractal structure characteristics in standard and single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) reinforced polymer composites based unsaturated polyester resin (UPR). The electrical characteristics of polymer matrices at 320 K have been analyzed as a function of frequency by impedance analysis method. It was found that the conductivity of the nanotube doped material in the dc conductivity region, which is the low frequency region, is independent of the frequency and takes a constant value. It was proved that conductivity obeys Jonscher’s power law toward the high frequency region. The standard sample showed an insulating behavior that exhibits continuous increase with increasing frequency. The images of the samples were obtained by scanning electron microscope (SEM) to reveal the relationship between the conductivity of the materials and their fractal properties. All samples were converted to binary format for calculations. Cellular particle density for each sample was determined according to scaling theory. Then, the surface coverage ratio, fractal dimensions, cluster densities, average cluster sizes and critical interface exponent values of the samples were calculated and compared with different samples in the literature. It was determined that the coverage ratio and fractal dimension increased when carbon nanotubes were added. In addition, it was observed that the interface critical exponent decreased when the carbon nanotube was doped.