bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Modelling malaria in southernmost provinces of Thailand: a two-step process for analysis of highly right-skewed data with a large proportion of zeros
Authors: Ammatawiyanon Lumpoo , Tongkumchum Phattrawan , Lim Apiradee , McNeil Don 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
Background
Malaria remains a serious health problem in the southern border provinces of Thailand. The issue areas can be identified using an appropriate statistical model. This study aimed to investigate malaria for its spatial occurrence and incidence rate in the southernmost provinces of Thailand.

Methods
The Thai Office of Disease Prevention and Control, Ministry of Public Health, provided total hospital admissions of malaria cases from 2008 to 2020, which were classified by age, gender, and sub-district of residence. Sixty-two sub-districts were excluded since they had no malaria cases. A logistic model was used to identify spatial occurrence patterns of malaria, and a log-linear regression model was employed to model the incidence rate after eliminating records with zero cases.

Results
The overall occurrence rate was 9.8% and the overall median incidence rate was 4.3 cases per 1,000 population. Malaria occurence peaked at young adults aged 20–29, and subsequently fell with age for both sexes, whereas incidence rate increased with age for both sexes. Malaria occurrence and incidence rates fluctuated; they appeared to be on the decline. The area with the highest malaria occurrence and incidence rate was remarkably similar to the area with the highest number of malaria cases, which were mostly in Yala province's sub-districts bordering Malaysia.

Conclusions
Malaria is a serious problem in forest-covered border areas. The correct policies and strategies should be concentrated in these areas, in order to address this condition.
Challenges with adherence to the ‘test, treat, and track’ malaria case management guideline among prescribers in Ghana
Authors: Kolekang Augusta Soninour , Afrane Yaw , Apanga Stephen , Zurovac Dejan , Kwarteng Anthony , Afari-Asiedu Samuel , Asante Kwaku Poku , Danso-Appiah Anthony 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
Background
Despite several efforts at addressing the barriers to adherence to the WHO-supported test, treat and track (T3) malaria case management guideline in Ghana, adherence remains a challenge. This study explored the challenges of prescribers regarding adherence to the T3 guideline.

Methods
This was an explorative study using key informant interviews amongst prescribers comprising medical doctors, physician assistants, nurses and a health extension worker from 16 health facilities in six districts in Ghana. The data was analysed using Nvivo 10 and organized into thematic areas.

Results
Prescribers lauded the guideline on testing and treatment as it ensures the quality of malaria case management, but irregular supply of malaria rapid diagnostic test kits (RDT), mistrust of laboratory tests, and the reluctance of prescribers to change from presumptive treatment were key barriers to testing. Patients with malaria test negative results if not treated, revisiting the facility with severe malaria, the experience of prescribers, lack of regular training and supervision for old and new staff and the inability of prescribers to investigate non-malaria fever hindered adherence to results-based treatment.

Conclusion
As malaria remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in Ghana, this study provides insights on gaps in adherence to the testing and treatment of malaria. While the diagnostic capacity for malaria case management is a challenge, the lack of training resulting in the inability of some prescribers to investigate non-malaria fever hinders adherence to the malaria case management guideline. Therefore, there is a need to train new prescribers, laboratory personnel, and other staff involved in malaria diagnosis and treatment on the malaria case management guideline before they assume duty. Equipping laboratory personnel and prescribers with the knowledge to investigate non-malaria fevers could improve adherence to the guideline for improved patient care.
Transanal down-to-up dissection of the distal rectum as a viable approach to achieve total mesorectal excision in laparoscopic sphincter-preserving surgery for rectal cancer near the anus: a study of short- and long-term outcomes of 123 consecutive patients from a single Japanese institution
Authors: Kagami Satoru , Funahashi Kimihiko , Koda Takamaru , Ushigome Toshimitsu , Kaneko Tomoaki , Suzuki Takayuki , Miura Yasuyuki , Nagashima Yasuo , Yoshida Kimihiko , Kurihara Akiharu 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
Background
In rectal cancer (RC) surgery, the complexity of total mesorectal excision (TME) in laparoscopic sphincter-preserving surgery (lap-SPS) for RC near the anus has been a critical issue. Recently, technical assistance via the anus for complete TME has been receiving attention. This study aimed at clarifying the transanal down-to-up dissection viability for achieving TME in lap-SPS for RC near the anus.

Methods
We evaluated surgical and oncological outcomes of a total of 123 consecutive patients undergoing either a transanal rectal dissection (TARD) under direct vision mobilizing the most difficult portion of TME via the anus or the transanal TME by using an endoscopic system (TaTME) for achieving TME in lap-SPS for RC near the anus between January 2006 and February 2021.

Results
A total of 123 consecutive patients (83 men) with a median age of 66 years (range 33–86 years) were included. TARD and TaTME were performed for 50 (40.7%) and for 73 (59.3%) patients, respectively. Preoperative treatment was performed for 40 (32.5%) patients, resulting in a complete pathological response in 5 (12.5%) patients. Intersphincteric resection was performed significantly more in the TARD group (p<0.001). Although the TaTME group needed a longer operative time at the transanal portion (p<0.001), the median blood loss was lower (p<0.001). Postoperative complications with the Clavien–Dindo classification grade ≧2 developed in 52 (42.3%) patients. Urinary dysfunction and stoma-related complications were found most frequently. More patients needing medication for urinary dysfunction were found in the TARD group, but a significant difference was not observed (10.0% vs. 6.8%, p=0.526). The quality of TME was good for almost all patients. Recurrence developed in 18 (14.6%) patients. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) rates in 123 patients were 95.8% and 88.8%, respectively. The 5-year OS and RFS between the two groups were comparable.

Conclusions
Our data suggested that a transanal down-to-up dissection of the distal rectum might be a viable approach in lap-SPS for RC near the anus. Further studies are needed to examine the differences between TARD and TaTME.
Synthesis and bioactivities evaluation of quinazolin-4(3H)-one derivatives as α-glucosidase inhibitors
Authors: Moheb Mahshid , Iraji Aida , Dastyafteh Navid , Khalili Ghomi Minoo , Noori Milad , Mojtabavi Somayeh , Faramarzi Mohammad Ali , Rasekh Fatemeh , Larijani Bagher , Zomorodian Kamiar , Sadat-Ebrahimi Seyed Esmaeil , Mahdavi Mohammad 
Published: November 2022

AbstractThe development of new antidiabetes agents is necessary to obtain optimal glycemic control and overcome its complications. Different quinazolin-4(3H)-one bearing phenoxy-acetamide derivatives (7a–r) were designed and synthesized to develop α-glucosidase inhibitors. All the synthesized derivatives were evaluated against α-glucosidase in vitro and among them, compound 7b showed the highest α-glucosidase inhibition with an IC50 of 14.4 µM, which was ∼53 times stronger than that of acarbose. The inhibition kinetic studies showed that the inhibitory mechanism of compound 7b was a competitive type towards α-glucosidase. Also, molecular docking studies analyzed the interaction between the most potent derivative and α-glucosidase. Current findings indicate the new potential of quinazolin-4(3H)-ones that could be used for the development of novel agents against diabetes mellitus.
Immunogenicity and antigenicity of a conserved fragment of the rhoptry-associated membrane antigen of Plasmodium vivax
Authors: Ge Jieyun , Wang Qiubo , Chen Gangcheng , Kassegne Kokouvi , Zhang Hangye , Yu Jiali , Tang Jianxia , Wang Bo , Lu Feng , Cao Jun , Han Eun-Taek , Cheng Yang 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
Background
Plasmodium vivax rhoptry-associated membrane antigen (RAMA) is a glycophosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane protein currently under consideration as a malaria vaccine candidate. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies induced by P. vivax RAMA (PvRAMA) have been proved to persist over 12 months in the sera of people infected with P. vivax. It has also been shown that through stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with PvRAMA in vitro, the antigen can induce CD4+ T cells to produce interleukin-10. However, the genetic diversity of the RAMA gene in isolates of P. vivax (pvrama) and the immunogenicity of PvRAMA in animals remain unclear.

Methods
Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples (n = 25) of patients in Jiangsu Province, China with imported infections of P. vivax from endemic countries in South and Southeast Asia. The extract genomic DNA was used as templates to amplify the P. vivax rama gene (pvrama) by PCR, and the PCR products were then sequenced and analyzed by the DnaSP, MEGA, and GeneDoc software packages. Recombinant PvRAMA (rPvRAMA) protein was expressed and purified, and then used to immunize mice. Levels of total IgG and different IgG subclasses of rPvRAMA-immunized mice were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Also, spleen cells of rPvRAMA-immunized mice were stimulated with rPvRAMA in vitro and levels of T cells were measured by flow cytometry.

Results
The average pairwise nucleotide diversity (π) of the pvrama gene was 0.00190, and the haplotype diversity (Hd) was 0.982. The C-terminal of PvRAMA showed lower haplotype diversity compared to the N-terminal and was completely conserved at amino acid sites related to erythrocyte binding. To further characterize immunogenicity of the C-terminal of PvRAMA, mice were immunized with rPvRAMA antigen. The rPvRAMA protein induced antibody responses, with the end-point titer ranging from 1:10,000 to 1:5,120,000. IgG1 was the predominant IgG subclass in rPvRAMA-immunized mice, followed by IgG2b. In addition, levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the rPvRAMA-stimulated group were significantly higher than those in the phosphate-buffered saline-stimulated group (normal control group).

Conclusions
The high conservation at specific amino acid sites and the high immunogenicity of the C-terminal of PvRAMA indicate the presence of conserved epitopes able to generate broadly reactive humoral and cellular immune responses. These findings support the potential of PvRAMA to serve as a vaccine candidate against P. vivax infection.

Graphical Abstract
Genomic and transcriptomic analysis of a diffuse pleural mesothelioma patient-derived xenograft library
Authors: Offin Michael , Sauter Jennifer L. , Tischfield Sam E. , Egger Jacklynn V. , Chavan Shweta , Shah Nisargbhai S. , Manoj Parvathy , Ventura Katia , Allaj Viola , de Stanchina Elisa , Travis William , Ladanyi Marc , Rimner Andreas , Rusch Valerie W. , Adusumilli Prasad S. , Poirier John T. , Zauderer Marjorie G. , Rudin Charles M. , Sen Triparna 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
Background
Diffuse pleural mesothelioma (DPM) is an aggressive malignancy that, despite recent treatment advances, has unacceptably poor outcomes. Therapeutic research in DPM is inhibited by a paucity of preclinical models that faithfully recapitulate the human disease.

Methods
We established 22 patient-derived xenografts (PDX) from 22 patients with DPM and performed multi-omic analyses to deconvolute the mutational landscapes, global expression profiles, and molecular subtypes of these PDX models and compared features to those of the matched primary patient tumors. Targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS; MSK-IMPACT), immunohistochemistry, and histologic subtyping were performed on all available samples. RNA sequencing was performed on all available PDX samples. Clinical outcomes and treatment history were annotated for all patients. Platinum-doublet progression-free survival (PFS) was determined from the start of chemotherapy until radiographic/clinical progression and grouped into < or ≥ 6 months.

Results
PDX models were established from both treatment naïve and previously treated samples and were noted to closely resemble the histology, genomic landscape, and proteomic profiles of the parent tumor. After establishing the validity of the models, transcriptomic analyses demonstrated overexpression in WNT/β-catenin, hedgehog, and TGF-β signaling and a consistent suppression of immune-related signaling in PDXs derived from patients with worse clinical outcomes.

Conclusions
These data demonstrate that DPM PDX models closely resemble the genotype and phenotype of parental tumors, and identify pathways altered in DPM for future exploration in preclinical studies.
Clinical characterizations of three adults with genetically confirmed spinal muscular atrophy: a case series
Authors: Setyaningrum Cempaka Thursina Srie , Harahap Indra Sari Kusuma , Nurputra Dian Kesumapramudya , Ar Rochmah Mawaddah , Sadewa Ahmad Hamim , Alkarani Giga Hasabi , Harahap Nur Imma Fatimah 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
Background
Spinal muscular atrophy is a recessively inherited autosomal neuromuscular disorder, with characteristic progressive muscle weakness. Most spinal muscular atrophy cases clinically manifest during infancy or childhood, although it may first manifest in adulthood. Although spinal muscular atrophy has come to the era of newborn screening and promising treatments, genetically confirmed spinal muscular atrophy patients are still rare in third world countries, including Indonesia.

Case presentations
We presented three Indonesian patients with spinal muscular atrophy genetically confirmed during adulthood. The first case was a 40-year-old male who presented with weakness in his lower limbs that started when he was 9 years old. At the age of 16 years, he could no longer walk and started using a wheelchair. He first came to our clinic at the age of 38 years, and was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy 2 years later. The second patient was a 58-year-old male who presented with lower limb weakness since he was 12 years old. Owing to the geographical distance and financial problems, he was referred to our clinic at the age of 56 years, when he already used a walker to walk. Lastly, the third patient was a 28-year-old woman, who was in the first semester of her second pregnancy, and who presented with slowly progressing lower limb weakness. Her limb weakness began at the age of 8 years, and slowly progressed until she became dependent on her wheelchair 8 years later until now. She had successfully given birth to a healthy daughter 3 years before her first visit to our clinic. All three patients were diagnosed with neuromuscular disorder diseases, with the differential diagnoses of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, and Becker muscular dystrophy. These patients were finally confirmed to have spinal muscular atrophy due to SMN1 deletion by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Conclusions
Many genetic diseases are often neglected in developing countries owing to the difficulty in diagnosis and unavailable treatment. Our case series focused on the disease courses, diagnosis difficulties, and clinical presentations of three patients that finally lead to diagnoses of spinal muscular atrophy.
Gut microbiota is associated with the effect of photoperiod on seasonal breeding in male Brandt’s voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii)
Authors: Zhu Hanyi , Li Guoliang , Liu Jing , Xu Xiaoming , Zhang Zhibin 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
Background
Seasonal breeding in mammals has been widely recognized to be regulated by photoperiod, but the association of gut microbiota with photoperiodic regulation of seasonal breeding has never been investigated.

Results
In this study, we investigated the association of gut microbiota with photoperiod-induced reproduction in male Brandt’s voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii) through a long-day and short-day photoperiod manipulation experiment and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiment. We found photoperiod significantly altered reproductive hormone and gene expression levels, and gut microbiota of voles. Specific gut microbes were significantly associated with the reproductive hormones and genes of voles during photoperiod acclimation. Transplantation of gut microbes into recipient voles induced similar changes in three hormones (melatonin, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone) and three genes (hypothalamic Kiss-1, testicular Dio3, and Dio2/Dio3 ratio) to those in long-day and short-day photoperiod donor voles and altered circadian rhythm peaks of recipient voles.

Conclusions
Our study firstly revealed the association of gut microbiota with photoperiodic regulation of seasonal breeding through the HPG axis, melatonin, and Kisspeptin/GPR54 system. Our results may have significant implications for pest control, livestock animal breeding, and human health management.
How Universal Health Coverage can curb the escalating antimicrobial resistance in Pakistan: a call to action for the country's healthcare system
Authors: Imran Laiba , Rehan Syeda Tayyaba , Lee Ka Yiu 
Published: November 2022

AbstractAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a major threat to the global healthcare economy during Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), especially in developing countries like Pakistan where the healthcare facilities are already substandard. To combat AMR, the World Health Organization (WHO) has taken several initiatives including the establishment of a sustainable Universal Health Coverage (UHC) system. The implementation of UHC could eliminate various factors that contribute to a high AMR rate including self-medication. Our commentary explores in depth the current UHC system in Pakistan and how UHC could be the answer to Pakistan’s AMR crisis.
Analysis of GPS P(Y) signal power enhancement based on the observations with a semi-codeless receiver
Authors: Tang Xiaomei , Yuan Muzi , Wang Feixue 
Published: November 2022

AbstractThe Global Position System (GPS) satellites of Block IIR-M and later versions can turn on the signal power enhancement if needed. In recent years, this power enhancement has been triggered several times when the U.S force was involved in local conflicts, which was observed by the monitoring receivers at International GNSS Service (IGS)/international GNSS Monitoring and Assessment System (iGMAS) stations or the high-gain antennas at monitoring ground stations. The specific power enhancement magnitudes with these two observation methods are different. The observations of L1/L2 P(Y) power with a high-gain antenna are accurate, while the observations at IGS/iGMAS stations contain biases. This paper analyses the reasons for the observation biases with monitoring receivers at IGS/iGMAS stations and proposes a method verifying the accurate relation between the observed carrier-to-noise ratio (C/N0) data and the real power enhancement magnitudes. When the power enhancement event happens, the observed L1/L2 P(Y) C/N0 data at IGS/iGMAS stations can be corrected using the model proposed in this paper. In the analysis, this paper concludes that the power of L1P(Y) increases by about 4.3–5.3 dB and the power of L2P(Y) by about 4.6–5.2 dB in power enhancement events, which matches the designed capability of GPS satellites as well. The results are also verified by the data of high-gain antennas.
The role of mindfulness training in sustaining weight reduction: retrospective cohort analysis
Authors: Hanson Petra , Lange Maria , Oduro-Donkor Dominic , Shuttlewood Emma , Weickert Martin O. , Randeva Harpal S. , Menon Vinod , Alexander Regi T. , Basset Paul , Shankar Rohit , Barber Tom M. 
Published: November 2022

Background
Psychological stress has an established bi-directional relationship with obesity. Mindfulness techniques reduce stress and improve eating behaviours, but their long-term impact remains untested. CALMPOD (Compassionate Approach to Living Mindfully for Prevention of Disease) is a psychoeducational mindfulness-based course evidenced to improve eating patterns across a 6-month period, possibly by reducing stress. However, no long-term evaluation of impact exists.

Aims
This study retrospectively evaluates 2-year outcomes of CALMPOD on patient engagement, weight and metabolic markers.

Method
All adults with a body mass index >35 kg/m2 attending an UK obesity service during 2016–2020 were offered CALMPOD. Those who refused CALMPOD were offered standard lifestyle advice. Routine clinic data over 2 years, including age, gender, 6-monthly appointment attendance, weight, haemoglobin A1C and total cholesterol, were pooled and analysed to evaluate CALMPOD.

Results
Of 289 patients, 163 participated in the CALMPOD course and 126 did not. No baseline demographic differences existed between the participating and non-participating groups. The CALMPOD group had improved attendance across all 6-monthly appointments compared with the non-CALMPOD group (P < 0.05). Mean body weight reduction at 2 years was 5.6 kg (s.d. 11.2, P < 0.001) for the CALMPOD group compared with 3.9 kg (s.d. 10.5, P < 0.001) for the non-CALMPOD group. No differences in haemoglobin A1C and fasting serum total cholesterol were identified between the groups.

Conclusions
The retrospective evaluation of CALMPOD suggests potential for mindfulness and compassion-based group educational techniques to improve longer-term patient and clinical outcomes. Prospective large-scale studies are needed to evaluate the impact of stress on obesity and the true impact of CALMPOD.