bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The free flap based on a single proximal perforator of the radial artery: ultrasonography study and clinical applications in reconstruction of soft tissue defects in finger
Authors: Wu Guangzhi , Zhang Zhan , Zhang Fan , Zhang Yiqun , Wang Qianqian , Yu Wei 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Objectives
To locate an anastomosable constant perforator of the radial artery on the proximal forearm using ultrasonography and describe the application of a free radial artery flap based on a single proximal perforator for the reconstruction of soft tissue defects in finger.

Methods
In 20 forearms (ten right and ten left) from ten volunteers, the perforators in the proximal half of the forearm from the radial artery were visualized using ultrasonography. The free radial artery perforator flaps based on the single perforator were used to reconstruct digital soft tissue defects in four cases between October 2017 and May 2018.

Results
Of the 20 forearms, an anastomosable perforator was consistently detected in the radial artery in the forearm’s proximal half. The perforator diameter was 0.7 ± 0.1 mm, and the pedicle length was 12 ± 3 mm according to ultrasonography. The perforator’s location was far from the elbow crease (8.8 ± 1.4 cm), and the relative distance of the perforator’s location from the elbow crease to the wrist crease was 37.2% ± 4.8%. In clinical cases, all flaps survived. Flap size ranged from 3.5 to 6.5 cm in length and 2.3–3.0 cm in width. Donor sites of the forearm were closed primarily in all cases. During a mean period of 12 months (8–14 months) follow-up, the average static 2-PD was 13.8 mm (10–18 mm) in the flap area, and the ROM of DIP was 35° (30–40°), PIP was 82° (45–110°), and MP was 85° (70–90°) of the affected finger. The mean Brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire (BMHQ) score was 72.9 (60.4–85.4) in the affected hand.

Conclusions
An anastomosable perforator is consistently located on the radial artery in the proximal half of the forearm. The free radial artery flap based on this single perforator provides acceptable functional and cosmetic outcomes for reconstructing digital soft tissue defects. With the preservation of the forearm’s main vessel (radial artery), this flap provides another reliable option for hand surgeons to reconstruct small soft tissue defects in finger.
Tauroursodeoxycholic acid: a potential therapeutic tool in neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Khalaf Kareem , Tornese Paolo , Cocco Antoniangela , Albanese Alberto 
Published: June 2022

AbstractMost neurodegenerative disorders are diseases of protein homeostasis, with misfolded aggregates accumulating. The neurodegenerative process is mediated by numerous metabolic pathways, most of which lead to apoptosis. In recent years, hydrophilic bile acids, particularly tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), have shown important anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective activities, with numerous experimental and clinical evidence suggesting their possible therapeutic use as disease-modifiers in neurodegenerative diseases. Experimental evidence on the mechanisms underlying TUDCA’s neuroprotective action derives from animal models of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and cerebral ischemia. Preclinical studies indicate that TUDCA exerts its effects not only by regulating and inhibiting the apoptotic cascade, but also by reducing oxidative stress, protecting the mitochondria, producing an anti-neuroinflammatory action, and acting as a chemical chaperone to maintain the stability and correct folding of proteins. Furthermore, data from phase II clinical trials have shown TUDCA to be safe and a potential disease-modifier in ALS. ALS is the first neurodegenerative disease being treated with hydrophilic bile acids. While further clinical evidence is being accumulated for the other diseases, TUDCA stands as a promising treatment for neurodegenerative diseases.
Predicting handgrip power of young adult population among major ethnic groups of Sabah: a multivariate analysis
Authors: Hossain Parash M Tanveer , Khazri Hasanur Bin , Mustapha Zainal Arifin , Shimmi Sadia Choudhury 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Background
Handgrip power is an essential indicator of health, vital for grasping or gripping sports, and crucial for providing information related to work capacity. The present study investigated any linear relationship of handgrip power with hand anthropometric variables (hand length, handbreadth, middle finger length, second inter-crease length of the middle finger, and hand span), gender, and ethnicity in young adults of Sabah.

Methods
In this cross-sectional study (from January 2020 to December 2021), the adult Sabahan population (18-25 years) was stratified into four ethnicities (KadazanDusun, Bajau, Malay, and Chinese) and was further stratified as males and females. Then, 46 subjects were randomly selected from each gender, and the ethnic group met the intended sample size. The hand dimensions were measured using a digital calliper, and the handgrip power was measured using a portable dynamometer. The relationship between the response variable and explanatory variables was analyzed at first through simple linear regression and then multiple linear regression. R2, adjusted R2, and standard errors of the estimates were used to compare different models. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 27 and StatCrunch.

Results
The study found a linear relationship between gender, height, hand length, handbreadth, hand span, middle finger length, and second inter-crease length of both hands with the corresponding hand’s grip power. The highest percentage (68% and 67%) of handgrip variability was demonstrated by the model predicting handgrip power for right-handed subjects, followed by the general models without stratifying based on hand dominance which was able to explain 63% and 64% of the variability of handgrip power. The study proposes the models for predicted right (RHGP) and left handgrip power (LHGP) of 18 to 25 years old adults from major ethnic groups of Sabah RHGP = − 18.972 − 8.704 Gender + 7.043 Right hand breadth and LHGP = − 11.621 − 9.389 Gender + 5.861 Left hand breadth respectively.

Conclusion
The predicted handgrip power would be a key to selecting a better player or a better worker or assessing the prognosis of a disease or the wellbeing of a person. The study can be further expanded to all ethnicities and ages of people of Sabah or even Malaysia.
Different dietary starch patterns in low-protein diets: effect on nitrogen efficiency, nutrient metabolism, and intestinal flora in growing pigs
Authors: Zhou Junyan , Wang Lu , Yang Lijie , Yang Guangxin , Zeng Xiangfang , Qiao Shiyan 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Background
Protein releases amino acids faster than starch releases glucose in digestive tract of pigs fed low-protein (LP) diets. Poor synchronization of dietary glucose and amino acids supply leads to compromised nitrogen efficiency. Dietary starch patterns modulation may improve this situation.

Methods
Growing barrows (29.7 ± 2.0 kg) were randomly allotted into 5 dietary treatments with LP diets consisting of different purified starches. Treatments included: waxy corn starch (W LP), corn starch + waxy corn starch (C + W LP), corn starch (C LP), pea starch + waxy corn starch (P + W LP) and pea starch (P LP). In the experiment, growth performance, protein deposition, nutrient metabolism, and fecal microbial community of pigs were investigated. In vitro starch digestion was used for predicting the in vivo glucose response.

Results
Dietary starch in vitro glucose release profile was determined by starch source and the ratio of amylopectin and amylose. C + W LP treatment showed decreased total nitrogen excretion and plasma citrulline concentration and improved plasma leptin concentration among treatments (P < 0.05). Besides, the highest nitrogen apparent biological value, whole-body protein deposition and growth performance and lowest urinary nitrogen excretion were also observed in C + W LP treatment. Compared with the other groups, C + W LP and C LP showed increased plasma pyruvate, IGF-1, and lipase concentrations (P < 0.05). The W LP group presented dramatically increased plasma alanine and urea nitrogen concentration and decreased aldolase and leptin concentrations (P < 0.05). Dietary starch patterns did not make an impact on bacterial richness and diversity, but changed the taxonomic and functional structures of the microbial communities. Microbial protein fermentation product (isobutyrate and isovalerate) presented increased in P LP treatments compared with the other treatments (P < 0.05).

Conclusions
Dietary starch patterns modulation can regulate dietary glucose release profile, nutrient metabolism, protein turnover, and fecal microbial fermentation in pigs. The optimal dietary glucose release profile effectively strengthened whole-body protein deposition and improve nitrogen efficiency and growth performance in growing pigs fed LP diets.
Ecogenomics sheds light on diverse lifestyle strategies in freshwater CPR
Authors: Chiriac Maria-Cecilia , Bulzu Paul-Adrian , Andrei Adrian-Stefan , Okazaki Yusuke , Nakano Shin-ichi , Haber Markus , Kavagutti Vinicius Silva , Layoun Paul , Ghai Rohit , Salcher Michaela M. 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Background
The increased use of metagenomics and single-cell genomics led to the discovery of organisms from phyla with no cultivated representatives and proposed new microbial lineages such as the candidate phyla radiation (CPR or Patescibacteria). These bacteria have peculiar ribosomal structures, reduced metabolic capacities, small genome, and cell sizes, and a general host-associated lifestyle was proposed for the radiation. So far, most CPR genomes were obtained from groundwaters; however, their diversity, abundance, and role in surface freshwaters is largely unexplored. Here, we attempt to close these knowledge gaps by deep metagenomic sequencing of 119 samples of 17 different freshwater lakes located in Europe and Asia. Moreover, we applied Fluorescence in situ Hybridization followed by Catalyzed Reporter Deposition (CARD-FISH) for a first visualization of distinct CPR lineages in freshwater samples.

Results
A total of 174 dereplicated metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of diverse CPR lineages were recovered from the investigated lakes, with a higher prevalence from hypolimnion samples (162 MAGs). They have reduced genomes (median size 1 Mbp) and were generally found in low abundances (0.02–14.36 coverage/Gb) and with estimated slow replication rates. The analysis of genomic traits and CARD-FISH results showed that the radiation is an eclectic group in terms of metabolic capabilities and potential lifestyles, ranging from what appear to be free-living lineages to host- or particle-associated groups. Although some complexes of the electron transport chain were present in the CPR MAGs, together with ion-pumping rhodopsins and heliorhodopsins, we believe that they most probably adopt a fermentative metabolism. Terminal oxidases might function in O2 scavenging, while heliorhodopsins could be involved in mitigation against oxidative stress.

Conclusions
A high diversity of CPR MAGs was recovered, and distinct CPR lineages did not seem to be limited to lakes with specific trophic states. Their reduced metabolic capacities resemble the ones described for genomes in groundwater and animal-associated samples, apart from Gracilibacteria that possesses more complete metabolic pathways. Even though this radiation is mostly host-associated, we also observed organisms from different clades (ABY1, Paceibacteria, Saccharimonadia) that appear to be unattached to any other organisms or were associated with ‘lake snow’ particles (ABY1, Gracilibacteria), suggesting a broad range of potential life-strategies in this phylum.
The Otolaryngology boot camp: A scoping review evaluating commonalities and appraisal for curriculum design and delivery
Authors: Bondzi-Simpson Adom , Lindo C. J. , Hoy Monica , Lui Justin T. 
Published: June 2022

Objective Surgical boot camps are becoming increasingly popular in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS) residency programs. Despite pioneering virtual reality and simulation-based surgical education, these boot camps have lacked critical appraisal. The objective of this article was to examine the adoption and utility of surgical boot camps in OHNS residency training programs around the world. Data Sources Ovid Medline and PubMed databases were systematically searched in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for scoping reviews. Additionally, a grey literature search was performed. Review Methods Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed publications and grey literature sources that reported on OHNS boot camps for the novice learner. The search was restricted to human studies published in English. Studies were excluded if they were not examining junior trainees. Results A total of 551 articles were identified. Following removal of duplicates, screening, and full text review, 16 articles were included for analysis. Seven major boot camps were identified across various academic sites in the world. Most boot camps were one-day intensive camps incorporating a mixture of didactic, skill specific, and simulation sessions using an array of task trainers and high-fidelity simulators focusing on OHNS emergencies. Studies measuring trainee outcomes demonstrated improvement in trainee confidence, immediate knowledge, and skill acquisition. Conclusion Surgical boot camps appear to be an effective tool for short term knowledge and skill acquisition. Further studies should examine retention of skill and maintenance of confidence over longer intervals, as little is known about these lasting effects.
Identification of biomarkers, immune infiltration landscape, and treatment targets of ischemia–reperfusion acute kidney injury at an early stage by bioinformatics methods
Authors: You Ruilian , Heyang Zhige , Ma Yixin , Xia Peng , Zheng Hua , Lin Jianfeng , Ji Peili , Chen Limeng 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Background
Mechanisms underlying ischemia/reperfusion injury-acute kidney injury (IRI-AKI) are not fully elucidated. We conducted an integrative analysis of IRI-AKI by bioinformatics methods.

Methods
We screened gene expression profiles of the IRI-AKI at early phase from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and enrichment pathways were conducted based on gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database, and Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Immune cell infiltration analysis was performed to reveal the change of the microenvironment cell types. We constructed protein–protein interaction (PPI), and Cytoscape with plug-ins to find hub genes and modules. We performed robust rank aggregation (RRA) to combine DEGs and analyzed the target genes for miRNA/transcription factor (TF) and drug-gene interaction networks.

Results
A total of 239 and 384 DEGs were identified in GSE87024 and GSE34351 separately, with the 73 common DEGs. Enrichment analysis revealed that the significant pathways involve mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, interleukin-17, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, etc. RRA analysis detected a total of 27 common DEGs. Immune cell infiltration analysis showed the plasma cells reduced and T cells increased in IRI-AKI. We identified JUN, ATF3, FOS, EGR1, HMOX1, DDIT3, JUNB, NFKBIZ, PPP1R15A, CXCL1, ATF4, and HSPA1B as hub genes. The target genes interacted with 23 miRNAs and 116 drugs or molecular compounds such as curcumin, staurosporine, and deferoxamine.

Conclusion
Our study first focused on the early IRI-AKI adopting RRA analysis to combine DEGs in different datasets. We identified significant biomarkers and crucial pathways involved in IRI-AKI and first construct the immune landscape and detected the potential therapeutic targets of the IRI-AKI by drug-gene network.
Association between serum uric acid levels and incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in users of preventive medicine service in southern Brazil: a retrospective study
Authors: Leite Mariana F. , Haagsma Ariele B. , Machado-Júnior Paulo-André B. , Martins Grasiele L. , Olandoski Márcia , Baena Cristina P. 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Background
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a silent disease with increasing prevalence. High levels of serum uric acid (SUA) have been associated with cardiometabolic diseases, yet the possible association between SUA levels and NAFLD is not elucidated. This article aim is to evaluate the possible association between SUA and NAFLD in a Brazilian population.

Methods
This retrospective study evaluated patients submitted to two evaluations between 2015 and 2016 at a preventive medicine service. The diagnosis of NAFLD was performed through abdominal ultrasound, and its progression was defined as favorable or unfavorable according to the degrees of steatosis. Patients with hyperthyroidism, pregnancy, viral hepatitis, use of methotrexate or anabolic steroids, significant alcohol consumption were excluded. Possible confounding factors were evaluated through a multivariate model.

Results
A total of 279 patients were included in the final sample. In the first evaluation, 20.1% were women and the mean age was 46.9 (± 7.9) years, with a mean body mass index of 27.3 (± 4.0) kg/m2. About 26.9% of the individuals were diagnosed with NAFLD, and the mean of SUA levels was 5.7 (± 1.4) mg/dL; a favorable progression of NAFLD was observed in 79.2% of the patients, and the SUA levels at baseline were not significantly associated with the NAFLD progression (p = 0.43).

Conclusions
Despite NAFLD high prevalence, SUA levels were not significantly associated with NAFLD progression in one year in this sample.
1H-NMR-based serum metabolomic study to evaluate the effect of asarone and metformin on experimentally induced diabetic hepatocellular carcinoma in rats
Authors: Das Bhrigu Kumar , K Jayalakshmi , Gadad Pramod C. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractBackgroundThe increased prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in diabetic patients has focused on the need to characterize the role of altered metabolites in liver carcinogenesis. In this study, together with the serum biochemistry and histopathological observation,1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR)-based metabolomics was carried out to study the effect of asarone and metformin in diabetic HCC rats. Intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (STZ; 55 mg/kg b.w.) was used to induce diabetes in male Wistar rats. Further, 2 weeks later, after confirmation of diabetes, another group received diethylnitrosamine (DEN; 200 mg/kg b.w.) to simulate the diabetic HCC condition. The combined dose ofα-andβ-asarone (50 µg/kg b.w. in the ratio of 1:1) and metformin HCl (250 mg/kg b.w.) treatment was orally given to the diabetic HCC rats for 18 weeks. The serum samples were subjected to1H-NMR-based metabolomics analysis to explore the metabolite changes at the end of the study.Results1H-NMR study quantitatively distinguished the metabolites, such as pyruvate, lactate, creatine, acetate, glutamine, valine, and alanine, which varied between the diabetic HCC and normal rats. Furthermore, compared to the diabetic HCC group, the administration of asarone and metformin resulted in a substantial change in metabolite levels. Histopathological examination indicated that treatment attenuates the magnitude of the toxic effect of STZ + DEN.ConclusionsThe aberrant glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolisms were associated with developing hepatocarcinogenesis in rats during the diabetic condition. Treatment with asarone and metformin attenuated the metabolic changes due to STZ + DEN-induced diabetic HCC.
Traditional knowledge and phytochemical screening of plants used in snakebite prevention in Benin
Authors: Dossou Ayékotchami Jacques , Fandohan Adandé Belarmain , Omara Timothy , Gbenou Joachin 
Published: June 2022

AbstractBackgroundSnake envenomation is a public health problem that has caused many deaths, disabilities and significant physical, psychological and socio-economic losses worldwide. In many rural communities, some plants have been utilized for preventing snake envenomation. The present study aims to document the knowledge of traditional medicine specialists on the plants used to prevent snakebites or repel snakes in Benin. A survey was conducted between January 2020 and September 2020 to this end. A total of 238 traditional healers and 56 hunters of different socio-cultural groups were interviewed using snowball sampling technique. Survey data were analyzed using Relative Citation Frequency. The diversity of antisnake bite plants was assessed using the Shannon diversity index, Piélou equitability, the Bray–Curtis similarity index and a Factorial Correspondence Analysis. Finally, qualitative phytochemical screening was performed on aqueous extracts following standard methods based on staining and/or precipitation reactions.ResultsA total of 74 plant species belonging to 36 families and 70 genera were identified. The most frequently encountered families were Leguminosae (27.3%), Euphorbiaceae (8.1%), Arecaceae, Asteraceae and Cucurbitaceae (4.5% each).Annona senegalensis,Securidaca longipedunculata,Piliostigma thonningii,Chenopodium ambrosioidesandCymbopogon citratuswere the most cited species. The analysis of the intra-community diversity of antisnake bite plants from socio-cultural and sociolinguistic groups showed a high diversity and strong equi-representativeness of the plants used in the prevention of snakebites in Benin. Preliminary qualitative analysis of the bioactive compounds in extracts of the most cited antisnake bite plants revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponosides, mucilages, reducing compounds and triterpenoids.ConclusionsIn-depth pharmacological and phytochemical studies would make it possible to rationalize on the effectiveness of the identified medicinal plants as well as provide insights of the compounds responsible for their antisnake bite activity.
Salicylic acid derivatives as potential α-glucosidase inhibitors: drug design, molecular docking and pharmacokinetic studies
Authors: Aminu Khalifa Sunusi , Uzairu Adamu , Umar Abdullahi Bello , Ibrahim Muhammad Tukur 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Background
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most defying health risk in the twenty-first century promoting a high rate of morbidity and mortality that could possibly increase if no intervention is in place. However, drugs for curing DM are available but are associated with adverse side effect necessitating the pursuit for a safe antidiabetic drugs. The present study was conducted in order to develop a QSAR model that would be used to predict the activities of salicylic acid derivatives, as well as to determine the binding interactions of the compounds with α-glucosidase using molecular docking studies.

Results
Model one was selected and reported as the best model based on its fitness with the following validation keys: R2(trng set) = 0.968, R2(adj) = 0.957, Q2(cv) = 0.932, LOF = 0.085 and R2(test set) = 0.864. Five potent analogues were designed using the ligand-based method with their predicted activities been calculated and found to be higher compared to the lead compound. Furthermore, binding interactions of the designed analogues within the active site of α-glucosidase (pdb id:3L4V) illustrate a good binding affinities than kotalanol and acarbose. However, the ADMET and drug-likeness properties predicted the design analogues to be pharmacologically and orally safe by not having more than one violation of Lipinski’s (Ro5) criteria.

Conclusions
The present findings therefore showed that the salicylic acid derivatives could serve as α-glucosidase inhibitors. The compounds can be studied further for a hunts of promising drug candidates against diabetes mellitus.