bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Are pro-inflammatory markers associated with psychological distress in a cross-sectional study of healthy adolescents 15–17 years of age? The Fit Futures study
Authors: Linkas Jonas , Ahmed Luai Awad , Csifcsak Gabor , Emaus Nina , Furberg Anne-Sofie , Grimnes Guri , Pettersen Gunn , Rognmo Kamilla , Christoffersen Tore 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
Inflammatory markers have been associated with depression and anxiety disorder in adolescents. Less is known about the association between inflammation and subclinical symptoms in the form of psychological distress. We investigated prevalence of psychological distress and examined the associations between common pro-inflammatory markers and psychological distress in an adolescent population sample.

Methods
The study was based on data from 458 girls and 473 boys aged 15–17 years from the Fit Futures Study, a large-scale study on adolescent health, conducted in Northern Norway. Psychological distress was measured with the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-10). Serum-levels of the following low-grade inflammatory markers were measured: C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α), tumor necrosis factor alpha variant 1 (TRANCE) and tumor necrosis factor alpha variant 2 (TWEAK). Associations between quartiles of inflammatory markers and HSCL-10 were examined by logistic regression and adjusted for potential confounders in sex-stratified analyses.

Results
The proportion of psychological distress above cutoff were 26.9% and 10.8% among girls and boys, respectively. In both girls and boys, crude analysis showed positive associations between all inflammatory markers and HSCL-10, except for TWEAK and TRANCE in boys. However, none of these associations were statistically significant. Further, there were no significant findings in the adjusted analyses.

Conclusion
There was a higher prevalence of psychological distress in girls compared to boys. Pro-inflammatory markers were not significantly associated with psychological distress in data from healthy adolescents aged 15–17 years.
Differential impacts of e-portfolio assessment on language learners’ engagement modes and genre-based writing improvement
Authors: Pourdana Natasha , Tavassoli Kobra 
Published: March 2022

AbstractPortfolio assessment (PA) as an assessmentforlearning (AfL) alternative has been under-represented in second/foreign language acquisition (SLA) research literature. This study examined the potential impacts of electronic PA (e-PA) on English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) learners’ engagement modes in descriptive and narrative genres of writing on Moodle™. To do so, 56 university students were non-randomly selected and assigned into two intermediate-level EFL cohorts. In a pretest-mediation-posttest study, descriptive and narrative writing tasks completed by two groups were subjected to teacher feedback, student reflection logs, and subsequent revision every week. Results of repeated measures ANOVA indicated significant progress in lower-level skills (sentence structure, word choice/grammar, mechanics), and moderate progress in higher-level skills (organization, development) in both groups’ genre-based writing. Results of one-way ANCOVA reported the notable pretest-to-posttest achievement by both groups with no intergroup statistical differences. The content of students’ reflection logs was inductively analyzed for their behavioral, emotional, and cognitive modes of engagement in e-PA. Qualitative data analysis indicated similar writing time intervals and recurrence of revisions as the behavioral mode of both groups. Participants also expressed novelty, low anxiety, and enjoyment as their emotional experiences. In terms of their cognitive experience, the majority agreed upon the applicability of teacher feedback and positive perception of writing improvement in e-PA. Yet, they were critical to regular mismatches between the scopes of teacher assessment and self-assessment, as well as teacher linguistic bias towards certain writing features. Several pedagogical implications of the study promote the facilitating role of e-PA in genre-based academic writing and e-learning contexts.
Procalcitonin levels in children affected by severe malaria compared to those with uncomplicated malaria in the absence of bacterial infection: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Katte Jean-Claude , Penanje Kiya , Agoons Batakeh B. , Djahmeni Eric Noel , Mbacham-Ngwafor Sharon , Moor Vicky Jocelyne Ama , Koki Paul , Mbacham Wilfred 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
Procalcitonin is an inflammatory marker strongly associated with the presence of bacterial infection. It has been considered raised in severe malaria infection as opposed to uncomplicated malaria. There are suggestions that it may be raised only when there is concomitant unnoticeable bacterial infection during a malaria crisis. We aimed to assess the difference in plasma procalcitonin levels between children affected by severe and uncomplicated malaria.

Methods
We assessed plasma procalcitonin levels in 83 children diagnosed with malaria with no clinical and biological evidence of concomitant bacterial infection. Severity of malaria was established using WHO guidelines. Procalcitonin was determined using the ELISA method. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare medians across the 2 groups. Statistical significance was set for all p values < 0.05.

Results
Of the 83 participants, 28 had uncomplicated malaria, and 55 had severe malaria. PCT levels were obtained in 24 and 40 subjects of each group, respectively, and were similar in both groups; [2.76 (2.52–2.93) vs 2.74 (2.52–2.98) ng/ml, p = 0.916]. The parasite density was lower in the uncomplicated malaria group than in the severe malaria group, but not statistically significant; [22,192 (9110–44 654) vs 31 684 (13 960–73 500) parasites/μl, p = 0.178]. There was no correlation between the parasite density in the general study population and PCT levels (r = 0.072, p = 0.572).

Conclusion
In the absence of overt bacterial infection, procalcitonin levels are not different between children affected with uncomplicated malaria and those with severe malaria. Therefore, bacterial infection should be thoroughly checked for in children with raised serum procalcitonin diagnosed with severe malaria.
The association between office blood pressure and fluid status using bioimpedance spectroscopy in stable continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients
Authors: Slabbert Adriaan , Chothia Mogamat-Yazied 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
Hypertension is common in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. It remains to be determined the extent to which fluid overload contributes to uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) in this population. The aim was to determine the association between fluid status as measured using bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) and BP in CAPD patients.

Methods
A cross-sectional study was performed involving 50 stable CAPD patients at a single center in Cape Town, South Africa. All participants were known to have hypertension and were divided into two groups based on office BP measurements: an uncontrolled BP group (systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg) and a controlled BP group. Fluid status was determined using BIS (Body Composition Monitor®, Fresenius Medical Care, Bad Homburg, Germany).

Results
There was a statistically significant difference in overhydration (OH) between the uncontrolled BP group and the controlled BP group (3.0 ± 2.3 L vs. 1.4 ± 1.6 L, respectively, P = 0.01). The uncontrolled BP group was older (37.7 ± 9.5 years vs. 32.0 ± 8.0 years, P = 0.04) and had a shorter dialysis vintage (15 [IQR, 7–22] months vs. 31 [IQR, 12–39] months, P = 0.02). Significant correlations were found between OH and the extracellular water (ECW) (r = 0.557, P < 0.01) and ECW to total body water (TBW) ratio (r = 0.474, P < 0.01). Mixed ancestry, presence of residual kidney function, ECW, and ECW to TBW ratio were identified as predictors of OH on multivariable linear regression.

Conclusions
We found that stable CAPD patients with uncontrolled BP had higher OH compared to patients whose BP was controlled.
Synthesis of [11C]carbonyl-labeled cyclohexyl (5-(2-acetamidobenzo[d]thiazol-6-yl)-2-methylpyridin-3-yl)carbamate ([11C-carbonyl]PK68) as a potential PET tracer for receptor-interacting protein 1 kinase
Authors: Yamasaki Tomoteru , Kumata Katsushi , Hiraishi Atsuto , Zhang Yiding , Wakizaka Hidekatsu , Kurihara Yusuke , Nengaki Nobuki , Zhang Ming-Rong 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
Receptor-interacting protein 1 kinase (RIPK1) is a key enzyme in the regulation of cellular necroptosis. Recently, cyclohexyl (5-(2-acetamidobenzo[d]thiazol-6-yl)-2-methylpyridin-3-yl)carbamate (PK68, 5) has been developed as a potent inhibitor of RIPK1. Herein, we synthesized [11C]carbonyl-labeled PK68 ([11C-carbonyl]PK68, [11C]PK68) as a potential PET tracer for imaging RIPK1 and evaluated its brain uptake in vivo.

Results
We synthesized [11C]PK68 by reacting amine precursor 14 with [11C]acetyl chloride. At the end of synthesis, we obtained [11C]PK68 of 1200–1790 MBq with a radiochemical yield of 9.1 ± 5.9% (n = 10, decay-corrected to the end of irradiation) and radiochemical purity of > 99%, and a molar activity of 37–99 GBq/μmol starting from 18–33 GBq of [11C]CO2. The fully automated synthesis took 30 min from the end of irradiation. In a small-animal PET study, [11C]PK68 was rapidly distributed in the liver and kidneys of healthy mice after injection, and subsequently cleared from their bodies via hepatobiliary excretion and the intestinal reuptake pathway. Although there was no obvious specific binding of RIPK1 in the PET study, [11C]PK68 demonstrated relatively high stability in vivo and provided useful structural information further candidate development.

Conclusions
In the present study, we successfully radiosynthesized [11C]PK68 as a potential PET tracer and evaluated its brain uptake. We are planning to optimize the chemical structure of [11C]PK68 and conduct further PET studies on it using pathological models.
Recent advances in electrochemical sensor technologies for THC detection—a narrative review
Authors: Amini Kaveh , Sepehrifard Ali , Valinasabpouri Ali , Safruk Jennifer , Angelone Davide , de Campos Lourenco Tiago 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive component and one of the most important medicinal compounds in cannabis. Whether in human body fluids and breath or in laboratory and field samples, rapid and easy detection of THC is crucial. It provides insights into the impact of THC on human organism and its medicinal benefits, it guides the cannabis growers to determine different stages of the growth of the plant in the field, and eventually it helps scientists in the laboratory to assure the quality of the products and determine their potency or better understand the product development procedures. The significance of fast THC detection in forensic analysis also cannot be overlooked. Electrochemical sensor technologies are currently in the focus of attention for fast, easy, and low-cost detection of THC.

Method
In this work, we review the recent advances in sensor technologies developed for the purpose of fast and accurate THC detection. The research works performed mostly in the past decade and those detecting THC directly without any derivatization were the main target of this review. The scope of this narrative review was the reports on detecting THC in synthetic samples and plants as well as oral fluid.

Results
Electrochemical sensor technologies are sensitive enough and have the potential for fast, easy, and low-cost detection of THC for roadside testing, THC trending in growing cannabis plants, THC product development and formulation for medical purposes, etc., and they can provide an alternative for costly chromatography and mass spectrometry-based methods.

Conclusion
The main challenges facing these sensors, however, are nonspecific interaction and the interference of compounds and species from the matrix. Special requirement for storing sensors modified with antibodies or proteins is another challenge in this field. Preparing long-lasting and reusable sensors is a field worthy of attention.
Identification and characterization of a stem canker and twig dieback disease of pear caused by Neofusicoccum parvum in Chinese mainland
Authors: He Feng , Yang Jie , Zhao Yancun , Laborda Pedro , Jia Yifan , Safdar Asma , Kange Alex Machio , Li Bingxin , Zhou Lan , Zeng Quan , Brown Sally , Fu Zheng Qing , Liu Fengquan 
Published: March 2022

AbstractPear (Pyrus spp.) is one of the most consumed fruits in China, but the pear production has to confront the growing threat from fatal diseases. In this study, we report two incidences of stem canker and twig dieback disease on pear plants, which led to death of pear seedlings (approximately 10% of total plants) in Guangxi and Jiangsu provinces. Using a combination of morphological and molecular diagnoses, along with pathogenicity test, the causal agent of the disease in these two locations was identified to be the fungus Neofusicoccum parvum. However, the isolates were divided into two clades: CY-2 isolate and other four isolates including ZL-4, BM-9, BM-10 and BM-12 might split into two groups of N. parvum. Two representative isolates (CY-2 and ZL-4) were selected for further investigation. We observed that the optimal temperature for in vitro infection on pear trees of these two isolates was at round 25 °C. Both CY-2 and ZL-4 could infect different sand pear varieties and other horticultural plants in vitro, while CY-2 had a higher virulence on several pear varieties including Nanyue, Lvyun, Qiushui and Ningmenghuang. Furthermore, the efficacy of fungicides against these two isolates was evaluated, and carbendazim and flusilazole were found to be the most effective fungicides in inhibiting the growth of these fungal pathogens. Taken together, these findings redefine the N. parvum species and provide potential strategies for the future management of this disease.
Effect of Ramadan fasting on hepatic steatosis as quantified by controlled attenuation parameter (CAP): a prospective observational study
Authors: Gad Ahmed Ibrahim , Abdel-Ghani Hesham Atia , Barakat Amir Abd-elhameed Ahmed 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
Although Ramadan fasting has a beneficial effect on health, the role of Ramadan fasting on patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), as quantified by the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), is not determined yet. So, this study aimed to determine the effect of Ramadan fasting on patients with NAFLD by assessing the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and biochemical parameters of the fatty liver.

Patients and methods
A prospective observational study was conducted on 40 NAFLD patients, who were diagnosed by ultrasonography and quantified with controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) in transient elastography (FibroScan) and fasted the month of Ramadan. Transient elastography for CAP and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) were performed. Fibrosis 4 score (FIB4) and NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) were also calculated.

Results
There is a statistically significant change in body mass index, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, serum albumin, total protein, AST, ALT, and alkaline phosphatase after Ramadan fasting. There were significant clinical improvements after Ramadan fasting in FIB-4 (1.31 ± 0.26 and 1.24 ± 0.25 respectively, p < 0.001), CAP (318.52 ± 34.59 and 294.0 ± 20.34, respectively, p < 0. 001), and LSM (6.95 ± 1.62 and 6.59 ± 1.49, respectively, p < 0. 001).

Conclusion
Our study demonstrates that Ramadan fasting could improve liver steatosis in patients with NAFLD proved with a significant reduction in the CAP and LSM.
The use of sugarcane wastes in concrete
Authors: Hussien Nancy T. , Oan Ahmed F. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractCement production is held responsible of polluting the atmosphere with carbon dioxide (CO2). The researchers have shown that manufacturing of one ton of cement releases about half ton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. So, there is a need to produce alternative cement instead of ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Waste materials such as sugarcane bagasse are difficult to dispose which result in environmental hazard. This study investigates the use of sugarcane wastes in concrete, where two forms of sugarcane wastes were used in this study. The first form was using the sugarcane bagasse ash as partial replacement of cement in both mortar and concrete mixes, where, in mortar, the used ratios were 5, 10, and 20% of the total weight of cement. But in concrete, the used ratios were 5, 7.5, and 10%. The samples were tested in compression and split tension. The results showed that the optimum ratio of using sugarcane bagasse ash as a partial replacement of cement was 5%. Similar results were obtained in both mortar and concrete sample. For the bagasse fibers, adding the fibers to the concrete mixture led to the reduction of compressive strength. But on the other hand, the addition of bagasse fibers reduced the crack width formed in the slab.
Integration of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in the Electronic Health Record: The Veterans Affairs Experience
Authors: Friedman Daphne R. , Patil Vikas , Li Chunyang , Rassmussen Kelli M. , Burningham Zachary , Hamilton-Hill Susan , Kelley Michael J. , Halwani Ahmad S. 
Published: March 2022

PURPOSE There are growing efforts to integrate patient-reported outcome (PRO) data into electronic health records (EHRs) to bring together disparate sources of patient information and improve medical care. PRO measures can be used to assess cancer symptom presence and severity. Integrating PRO tools in EHRs can alert providers to address symptoms, which is an essential component of comprehensive oncology care. METHODS We modified a PRO used to measure cancer and end-of-life symptoms, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System to create the Veteran Symptom Assessment System (VSAS). VSAS was implemented as an integrated PRO as part of the Veterans Administration EHR system and was used at hematology-oncology clinics in Veteran Administration (VA) medical centers in the Southeast. RESULTS From 2013 to 2014, VSAS was introduced, underwent usability testing and modifications, and was finally implemented in the EHR. Between 2015 and 2019, VSAS was administered 43,883 times in 9,058 patients. Eighty-nine percent of Veterans were male, 11% were female, 52% identified as non-Hispanic White, and 43% identified as African American. Fatigue, shortness of breath with exertion, and pain were most frequently reported initially (68%, 48%, and 45%, respectively) and were most frequently rated as severe (27%, 16%, and 17%, respectively). In patients diagnosed with stage IV cancer, higher symptom burden was significantly associated with shorter overall survival. The majority of Veterans with longitudinal measurements experienced improvement in symptoms, most frequently in severe symptoms. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale implementation of a PRO system, integrated in the VA EHR, in ambulatory patients with cancer and blood disorders. The integration of VSAS within the VA EHR is a significant demonstration and a necessary requirement for current and future systemic initiatives in cancer symptom management.
Olaparib With or Without Cediranib Versus Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in Recurrent Platinum-Sensitive Ovarian Cancer (NRG-GY004): A Randomized, Open-Label, Phase III Trial
Authors: Liu Joyce F. , Brady Mark F. , Matulonis Ursula A. , Miller Austin , Kohn Elise C. , Swisher Elizabeth M. , Cella David , Tew William P. , Cloven Noelle G. , Muller Carolyn Y. , Bender David P. , Moore Richard G. , Michelin David P. , Waggoner Steven E. , Geller Melissa A. , Fujiwara Keiichi , D'Andre Stacy D. , Carney Michael , Alvarez Secord Angeles , Moxley Katherine M. , Bookman Michael A. 
Published: March 2022

PURPOSE Platinum-based chemotherapy is the standard of care for platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer, but complications from repeated platinum therapy occur. We assessed the activity of two all-oral nonplatinum alternatives, olaparib or olaparib/cediranib, versus platinum-based chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS NRG-GY004 is an open-label, randomized, phase III trial conducted in the United States and Canada. Eligible patients had high-grade serous or endometrioid platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1:1 to platinum-based chemotherapy, olaparib, or olaparib/cediranib. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) in the intention-to-treat population. Secondary end points included activity within germline BRCA-mutated or wild-type subgroups and patient-reported outcomes (PROs). RESULTS Between February 04, 2016, and November 13, 2017, 565 eligible patients were randomly assigned. Median PFS was 10.3 (95% CI, 8.7 to 11.2), 8.2 (95% CI, 6.6 to 8.7), and 10.4 (95% CI, 8.5 to 12.5) months with chemotherapy, olaparib, and olaparib/cediranib, respectively. Olaparib/cediranib did not improve PFS versus chemotherapy (hazard ratio [HR] 0.86; 95% CI, 0.66 to 1.10; P = .077). In women with germline BRCA mutation, the PFS HR versus chemotherapy was 0.55 (95% CI, 0.32 to 0.94) for olaparib/cediranib and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.37 to 1.07) for olaparib. In women without a germline BRCA mutation, the PFS HR versus chemotherapy was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.73 to 1.30) for olaparib/cediranib and 1.41 (95% CI, 1.07 to 1.86) for olaparib. Hematologic adverse events occurred more commonly with chemotherapy; however, nonhematologic adverse events were higher with olaparib/cediranib. In 489 patients evaluable for PROs, patients receiving olaparib/cediranib scored on average 1.1 points worse on the NFOSI-DRS-P subscale (97.5% CI, –2.0 to –0.2, P = .0063) versus chemotherapy; no difference between olaparib and chemotherapy was observed. CONCLUSION Combination olaparib/cediranib did not improve PFS compared with chemotherapy and resulted in reduced PROs. Notably, in patients with a germline BRCA mutation, both olaparib and olaparib/cediranib had significant clinical activity.
Underwater acoustic bottle beam generated by latticed pentamode metasurface
Authors: Sun Zhaoyong , Jia Han , Zhao Han , Wang Suhao , Zhang Han , Yang Jun 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
In this paper, we design an underwater acoustic metasurface using a 2-dimensional version of the pentamode lattice to convert a plane wave into a circular bottle beam. The energy of the plane wave transmitted through the designed metasurface mainly focuses on the bottle edge and forms a dark zone. The simulated results demonstrate that a rigid obstacle in the dark zone has hardly any damage on the bottle beam, which means that the bottle beam is robust against the scattering from the obstacle. Moreover, the influence of incident angle on the bottle beam is also analyzed. It is shown that the change of the incident angles can changes the shape of the bottle beam. However, the dark zone still exists and is robust against the obstacle. The underwater acoustic bottle beam may have interesting potential applications in biomedical imaging and in vivo cell manipulation.