bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Discrete and synergistic impact of climatic conditions on COVID-19 transmission
Authors: Ali Mahwish , Farhat Syeda Mehpara , Abbasi Sumra Wajid , Sehar Shama , Ishtiaq Amna 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Background
Owing to the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19, a large number of clinical trials and scientific studies are in progress to tackle this global crisis. Besides, various physical, social and environmental condition affecting the transmission of COVID-19 are also widely studied.
Methods
This study is a small attempt to highlight the effect of various climatic conditions such as average temperature, dew point, humidity, wind, precipitation and Air Quality Index (AQI)) on the transmission of COVID-19 cases on daily basis in Islamabad, Pakistan. Furthermore, the collected data was analyzed in terms of the Spearman's correlation and Quasi-Poisson regression model.
Results
Our results suggested that average temperature (with the average value 25.95°C) and dew point (with the average value 15.89°C) were positively correlated with the daily number of cases (with an average of 124 cases), while humidity was found to be negatively correlated. Other factors, i.e. precipitation, wind and AQI, do not indicate any significant relation with the daily reported cases.
Conclusion
This study might be helpful in minimizing transmission of COVID-19 at regional level and can be scale up to find out the correlation with various other environmental factors responsible for spread of COVID-19.
Ocular Injury from Nerf Toy Gun (Foam Dart Blasters): A Case Series
Authors: Cohen Shai , Shiuey Eric J. , Zur Dinah , Rachmiel Rony , Kurtz Shimon , Koursh Daphna Mezad , Waisbourd Michael 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Purpose: To report clinical outcomes following ocular injury from Nerf guns - a spring-loaded toy guns that fire foam-coated darts or bullets at a relatively low velocity. These guns gained popularity in recent years among children and adolescents. Methods: Eleven patients with ocular injuries from Nerf guns were included in this retrospective, single-center study. Visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP), and anterior segment, glaucoma-related, and vitreoretinal complications were recorded at each visit.Results: The average age at presentation was 13.4 years and 82% were male. Mean initial VA was 6/12 (range 6/6 – 1/18); On initial examination, nine patients (82%) had hyphema, three (27%) had corneal abrasions, three (27%) had vitreous hemorrhage, and two (18%) had traumatic mydriasis. Four patients (36%) experienced glaucoma-related complications, including three (27%) with angle recession and three (27%) with increased IOP. Three patients (27%) were diagnosed with posterior segment injuries, including three (27%) with commotio retinae and one (9%) with severe retinal photoreceptor damage. No patients required surgical intervention. Conclusion: Foam dart blasters (i.e. Nerf guns) can cause severe blunt ocular trauma and permanent visual loss, illustrating the need for eye protection when handling these toys.
Diagnostic delay in children with inflammatory bowel disease: Results from the German-language patient registry CEDATA- GPGE 2014-2018
Authors: Leiz Maren , Knorr Melanie , Moon Kilson , Tischler Luisa , de Laffolie Jan , Berg Neeltje van den 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Incidence and prevalence of pediatric onset inflammatory bowel disease (PIBD) are on the rise worldwide. Initial symptoms are often recognized with a delay, which reduces quality of life and may lead to an increased rate of complications. The aim of this study was to determine diagnostic delay in PIBD and to identify potential influencing factors. Therefore, data of the German-language patient registry CEDATA-GPGE for children and adolescents with PIBD were analyzed for the period January 2014 to December 2018. There were 456 children identified in the data, thereof 258 children (57%) with Crohn’s disease (CD) and 198 children (43%) with Ulcerative colitis (UC). The median age was 13.3 years (interquartile range (IQR) = 10.9–15.0), 44% were females. The median diagnostic delay was 4.1 months (IQR = 2.1-7.0) in CD and 2.4 months (IQR = 1.2–5.1) in UC. UC was associated with earlier diagnosis than CD (hazard ratio = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.05–1.50; p = 0.01). Only a few factors influencing the diagnostic delay have been verified. Diagnostic delay improved over the years in participating centers, but the level of awareness needs to be high even in common symptoms like abdominal pain.
evaluation of choroidal vascular index and choroidal changes in migraine subgroups
Authors: Torun Isil Merve , Dikmen Nejla Tukenmez , Unsal Mirac Aysen , Sonmez Murat 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Purpose: To investigate binarized choroidal structural parameters, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and retina changes during the attack free period in migraine patients using enchanced depth imaging optic coherence tomography (EDI-OCT), compare the migraine patients with aura (MwA), without aura (MoA) and aura subgroups (visual, non- visual aura), with age -sex matched healthy subjects. Method: This observational, prospective, study included 102 migraine patients and 36 healthy controls. . Central macular thickness (CMT), retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), and choroidal thickness (CT) were measured using The Spectralis -OCT device. (SD-OCT). Choroid vascularity index (CVI) was evaluated by Image-J software. CVI was calculated as the proportion of the luminal area (LA) to the total choroidal area (TCA). RNFL, CMT, CT, CVI measurements were compared statistically.Results: Choroidal thickness at 1500 µm temporal of the fovea was found to be statistically significantly thinner in the MwA , MoA groups compared to the control group. (p≤0.01) There was a significant difference in subfoveal CT values of the MwA and the control group.(p<0.05). TCA and LA measurements were statistically different in MwA group compared to controls (p=0.011 and p= 0.006) The mean RNFL thickness of migraine patients with visual aura was found to be statistically significantly thinner than the migraine group with non-visual aura (98.73±8.4 and 109.4±16.8) (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the RNFL CMT, GCC, and CVI values in MwA, MoA, and control groups (p>0.05).Conclusion: We found that the choroidal thickness was significantly decreased in migraine patients , especially in MwA group.In visual aura subgroup the mean RNFL thickness was significantly decreased compared to non-visual aura subgroup.
Disorders of hippocampus facilitated by hypertension in purine metabolism deficiency is repressed by naringin, a bi-flavonoid in a rat model via NOS/cAMP/PKA and DARPP-32, BDNF/TrkB pathways
Authors: K Akintunde J. , S Abinu O. , F Taiwo K. , A Sodiq R. , D Folayan A. , D Ate A 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Individuals who are hypertensive have a higher tendency of predisposition to other genetic diseases including purine metabolism deficiency. Therefore, the search for nontoxic and effective chemo protective agents to abrogate hypertension mediated genetic disease is vital. This study therefore investigated the repressive effect of naringin (NAR) against disorder of hippocampus facilitated by hypertension in purine metabolism deficiency. Male albino rats randomly assigned into nine groups (n = 7) were treated for 35 days. Group I: control animals, Group II was treated with 100 mg/kg KBrO3, Group III was treated with 250 mg/kg Caffeine, Group IV was treated with 100 mg/kg KBrO3 + 250 mg/kg Caffeine. Group V was administered with 100 mg/kg KBrO3 + 100mg/kg Haloperidol. Group VI was administered with 100mg/kg KBrO3 + 50 mg/kg NAR. Group VII was administered with 250 mg/kg Caffeine + 50 mg/kg NAR, Group VIII was administered with 100 mg/kg KBrO3 + 250 mg/kg Caffeine + 50 mg/kg NAR. Finally, group IX was treated with 50 mg/kg NAR. The sub-acute exposure to KBrO3 and CAF induced hypertension and mediated impairment in the hippocampus cells. This was apparent by the increase in PDE-51, arginase and enzymes of ATP hydrolysis (ATPase and AMPase) with a simultaneous increase in cholinergic (AChE and BuChE) and adenosinergic (ADA) enzymes. The hypertensive mediated hippocampal impairment was associated to alteration of NO and AC signaling coupled with lower expression of Brain derived Neurotrophic factor and its receptor (BDNF-TrkB), down regulation of Bcl11b and DARPP-32 which are neurodevelopmental proteins and hypoxanthine accumulation. However, these features of CAF mediated hippocampal damage in KBrO3 induced hypertensive rats were repressed by post-treatment with NAR via production of neuro-inflammatory mediators, attenuation of biochemical alterations, stabilizing neurotransmitter enzymes, regulating NOS/cAMP/PKA and DARPP-32, BDNF/TrkB signaling and restoring hippocampal tissues.
Clinical and prognostic analysis of 42 children with malignant rhabdoid tumor of the kidney: a 17-year retrospective multi-center study
Authors: Zhanghuang Chenghao , Zhang Zhaoxia , Zeng Li , Yan Bing , Tang Haoyu , Wang Jinkui , Liu Xing , Wei Guanghui , He Dawei 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Objective To discuss the clinical and prognostic indicators of pediatric malignant rhabdoid tumor of the kidney (MRTK), and to increase the understanding of the occurrence and development of MRTK. Methods From July 2014 to September 2021.All cases were confirmed by postoperative pathological examination.Among the 42 patients,there were 25 males and 17 females,with a median age of 10 (1–84) months.Abdominal mass or hematuria were the main clinical manifestations.Preoperative chemotherapy was performed in 9 cases (VC).The tumor stages were stage I-IV.Preoperative metastasis was found in 9 cases;the most common site was the lung.Postoperative patients received conventional chemotherapy, including VDACE regimen and HU-1 regimen.Among the 42 children in this group, Overall survival rate was 26.2%(11/42). Results Preoperative anemia was found by univariate analysis, hypertension and hypercalcemia had shorter survival time.In addition, tumor-related factors had a significant impact on survival, with incomplete tumor resection, lymph node metastasis, stage III-IV had a lower survival rate.The impact of postoperative factors on survival included postoperative complications had a lower survival rate.The children were younger than 12 months, preoperative metastasis, no chemotherapy was performed after surgery was an independent risk factor for the prognosis of MRTK. Conclusion MRTK is a highly malignant tumor occurring in the kidney, mostly in infants. The main clinical manifestations were abdominal mass and hematuria. Preoperative chemotherapy did not significantly improve the prognosis. Postoperative chemotherapy can significantly improve the survival rate. Diagnosis depends on clinical manifestations, imaging, histopathology, immunohistochemistry and other comprehensive judgment. Age less than 12 months, preoperative metastasis, and no postoperative chemotherapy were independent risk factors for prognosis.
Factors Associated with Postoperative Urinary Retention in Patients Undergoing Penile Prosthesis Implantation
Authors: Drevik Johnathan , Dalimov Zafardjan , Lucas Jacob , Simhan Jay , Cohn Joshua 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Introduction: Many implanters have transitioned penile implantation procedures from 23-hour observation (OBS) stays to same-day discharge surgeries (SDS). Postoperative urinary retention (POUR) represents a potential barrier to successful SDS among inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) recipients; however, its incidence and resolution have not been well characterized. We rigorously characterized POUR in a cohort of IPP recipients along with risk factors and management. Materials and Methods: Patients undergoing IPP from 2014 through 2020 without pre-existing retention were included. All patients underwent void trial immediately following IPP in PACU. POUR was strictly defined as: 1) any patient requiring catheter replacement after IPP, 2) a rising post-void residual (PVR), or 3) inability to void after 6 hours regardless of whether a catheter was placed. Independent demographic, intraoperative, and postoperative risk factors for POUR were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Results: 317 men were included of whom 27.1% experienced POUR. Rates of POUR in patients under OBS or SDS were not significantly different (29.2% vs. 18.0%, p=0.11). Men experiencing POUR and those not in retention were essentially indistinguishable with respect to risk factors for POUR. Only maximal medical therapy for BPH was significantly associated with a greater risk of POUR, a finding maintained on adjusted analysis (aOR 10.1, 95% CI 2.1 to 49.8). POUR resolved without intervention in 3.5%, a single episode of CIC in 7.0% of patients, and repeated CIC or indwelling catheter placement with a successful delayed void trial in 88.4% of patients. Rate of IPP infection in patients who experienced POUR vs. N-POUR did not differ (4.7% vs. 2.2% p=0.26). Conclusion: POUR is experienced in as many as 1 in 4 men undergoing IPP placement, most of whom must be managed with indwelling catheterization or repeated CIC. Those with indicators of symptomatic BPH are at significantly greater risk of urinary retention.
Kidney mesenchymal stem cells alleviate cisplatin-induced kidney injury and apoptosis in rats
Authors: LIANG RUI-NING , YAN DE-QI , ZHANG XING-PING , CHEN XU , JIA HONG-LIN 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
This experiment was designed to demonstrate that mesenchymal stem cells derived from kidney can alleviate cisplatin-induced kidney injury and renal cell apoptosis through paracrine pathway. Firstly, mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from kidney of young rats, and their surface-specific markers were identified by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining. Self-renewal ability of renal mesenchymal stem cells was observed by cell counting and BrdU fluorescence staining. KMSCs at logarithmic growth stage were traced and injected into rat kidney injury model induced by cisplatin through tail vein injection. The results showed that KMSCs homed in the kidney tissues, decreased the secretion of inflammatory factors (CRP, TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6), and alleviated renal function. H＆E, Masson and PASM staining showed that KMSCs could alleviate pathological damage in rats. TUNEL assay showed that KMSCs could reduce the apoptosis of rat kidney cells induced by cisplatin. Finally, IHC results showed that cisplatin could induce higher expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax and lower expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 in kidney tissues. However, KMSCs could reverse the pro-apoptotic effect of cisplatin on kidney cells and improve the survival rate of rats. In conclusion, KMSCs were successfully isolated in this study, and KMSCs have therapeutic effects on rat kidney injury induced by cisplatin. The therapeutic effect can be achieved through anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis and repair of renal function. The results of cell tracer showed that KMSCs could inhibit apoptosis and repair renal injury by endocrine or paracrine mechanism.
CircNTNG1 inhibits renal cell carcinoma progression via HOXA5-mediated epigenetic silencing of Slug
Authors: Liang Yanping , Cen Junjie , Huang Yong , Fang Yong , Wang Yunfei , Shu Guannan , Pan Yihui , Dong Jiaqi , Zhou Mi , Xu Yi , Luo Junhang , Liu Min , Zhang Jiaxing 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Background
Recent studies have identified that circular RNAs (circRNAs) have an important role in cancer via their well-recognized sponge effect on miRNAs, which regulates a large variety of cancer-related genes. However, only a few circRNAs have been well-studied in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and their regulatory function remains largely elusive.
Methods
Bioinformatics approaches were used to characterize the differentially expressed circRNAs in our own circRNA-sequencing dataset, as well as two public circRNA microarray datasets. CircNTNG1 (hsa_circ_0002286) was identified as a potential tumor-suppressing circRNA. Transwell assay and CCK-8 assay were used to assess phenotypic changes. RNA pull-down, luciferase reporter assays and FISH experiment were used to confirm the interactions among circNTNG1, miR-19b-3p, and HOXA5 mRNA. GSEA was performed to explore the downstream pathway regulated by HOXA5. Immunoblotting, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and methylated DNA immunoprecipitation were used to study the mechanism of HOXA5.
Results
In all three circRNA datasets, circNTNG1, which was frequently deleted in RCC, showed significantly low expression in the tumor group. The basic properties of circNTNG1 were characterized, and phenotype studies also demonstrated the inhibitory effect of circNTNG1 on RCC cell aggressiveness. Clinically, circNTNG1 expression was associated with RCC stage and Fuhrman grade, and it also served as an independent predictive factor for both OS and RFS of RCC patients. Next, the sponge effect of circNTNG1 on miR-19b-3p and the inhibition of HOXA5 by miR-19b-3p were validated. GSEA analysis indicated that HOXA5 could inactivate the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, and this inactivation was mediated by HOXA5-induced SNAI2 (Slug) downregulation. Finally, it was confirmed that the Slug downregulation was caused by HOXA5, along with the DNA methyltransferase DNMT3A, binding to its promoter region and increasing the methylation level.
Conclusions
Based on the experimental data, in RCC, circNTNG1/miR-19b-3p/HOXA5 axis can regulate the epigenetic silencing of Slug, thus interfering EMT and metastasis of RCC. Together, our findings provide potential biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for future study in RCC.
Track and Hold Circuit for PAM4 Signaling
Authors: Mokdad Mohamad El , Salameh Elias , Atallah Jad G. 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Test and measurement equipment often targets high bit-rate PAM4 signals that carry data at rates of several gigabits per second. These PAM4 signals are used to measure the quality of interconnects such as RF cables used in datacenters and deduce several important parameters such as the Bit Error Rate (BER) and the eye diagram, which in turn reveal information about the quality of the medium of transmission. In this paper, we propose the design of a track and hold (T&H) integrated circuit that is able to sample a high-speed incoming PAM4 signal and feed it to an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC). This building block acts as a front-end in optical transceivers carrying sensitive data, where power consumption and cost are a primary concern. The proposed architecture is discussed in detail and a design approach based on the switched capacitor architecture is examined and simulated. The circuit, implemented in a 45 nm CMOS technology, is able to sample an incoming 2 Gbit/s PAM4 signal at 0.2 GS/s, while consuming 42 mW of power and occupying 0.0225 mm2 of area.
HEATR1 promotes cisplatin resistance by inhibiting ferroptosis via p53-SAT1-ALOX15 pathway in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Ma Xing , Mai Zhongchao , Zhou Borong , Wang Menghan , Xia Wei , Zhang Miao , Song Yanan 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers around the world, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the major subtype. As a commonly used chemotherapy agent, cisplatin (DDP) resistance remains a challenge in clinical application. Our study was conducted to reveal the mechanism of DDP resistance and provide novel targets for NSCLC treatment. DDP-resistant and non-resistant NSCLC specimens were collected to detect the expression of HEATR1. DDP-resistant and non-resistant NSCLC cells were used for experiments. The effect of HEATR1 on the proliferation, apoptosis, and lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) was evaluated in DDP-resistant A549 cells. The expression of HEATR1 was significantly higher in DDP-resistant NSCLC tissues and cells compared with non-resistant ones. The expression of p53, SAT1, and ALOX15 was decreased in DDP-resistant cells. The inhibition of HEATR1 significantly reduced the proliferation and promoted the lipid ROS of NSCLC cells via activating ferroptosis and p53-SAT1-ALOX15 pathway in vitro and in vivo, whereas its overexpression exhibited reversed effects. Moreover, the inhibition of p53 and ALOX15 would reverse the oncogenic effects of HEATR1 and inactivate ferroptosis in DDP-resistant NSCLC cells, which indicated the involvement of p53 and ALOX15 in HEATR1-mediated DDP resistance. In conclusion, our study revealed that HEATR1 could promote DDP resistance in NSCLC by inhibiting ferroptosis via the p53-SAT1-ALOX15 pathway. HEATR1 was a potential target for the treatment of DDP-resistant NSCLC.
Significance of the study: The present study focus on the role and the potential mechanism of HEATR1 in DDP-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Our data demonstrated that HEATR1 might promote the proliferation and reduce the lipid ROS of NSCLC cells via activating ferroptosis and p53-SAT1-ALOX15 pathway. The findings revealed the interaction between HEATR1 and p53 in NSCLC, providing putative therapeutic strategies for treatment of DDP-resistant NSCLC.
Setup accuracy and calculated setup margins for surface guided radiotherapy (SGRT) of target volumes of the head and neck, thorax, abdomen, and pelvis: A single-institutional retrospective analysis
Authors: Rudat Volker , Shi Yanyan , Zhao Ruping , Xu Shuyin , Yu Wei 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Background:The goal of the study was to evaluate the inter- and intrafractional patient setup accuracy of target volumes located in the head and neck, thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic regions when using AlignRT, by comparing it with that of laser alignment using patient skin marks, and to calculate the corresponding setup margins.Methods:A total of 2303 radiotherapy fractions of 183 patients were analyzed. All patients received daily kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography scans (kV-CBCT) for online verification. Since opening of our radiotherapy department in 2019 until October 2021, the initial patient setup was performed using laser alignment with patient skin marks, and since November 2021 we started using AlignRT. The setup accuracy was measured by the six degrees of freedom (6DOF) corrections based on the kV-CBCT. The corresponding setup margins were calculated using the van Herk formula. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the impact of multiple factors on the setup accuracy.Results:The interfractional patient setup accuracy was significantly better using AlignRT compared to laser alignment with skin marks. The mean three-dimensional vector of the translational setup deviation of tumors located in the thorax, abdomen, and pelvis using AlignRT was 3.6 mm (95% confidence interval 3.3 mm to 3.9 mm) and 4.5 mm using laser alignment with skin marks (95% confidence interval 3.9 mm to 5.2 mm; p = 0.001). Calculation of setup margins for the combined inter- and intrafractional setup error revealed similar setup margins using AlignRT and kV-CBCT once a week compared to laser alignment with skin marks and kV-CBCT every other day. Furthermore, comparable setup margins were found for open-face thermoplastic masks with AlignRT compared to closed-face thermoplastic masks with laser alignment and mask marks.Conclusions:Surface guided radiotherapy (SGRT) opens the possibility to reduce the number of CBCTs while maintaining sufficient setup accuracy. The advantage is a reduction of imaging dose and overall treatment time. Open-face thermoplastic masks may be used instead of closed-face thermoplastic masks to increase the patient's comfort.