bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Reproducible propagation technique for the symbiotic cnidarian model system Cassiopea xamachana
Authors: Newkirk Casandra , Vadlapudi Sankalp , Sadula Mahita , Arbello Cheri , Xiang Tingting 
Published: September 2022

ABSTRACT
The phylum Cnidaria is composed of corals, jellyfish, hydras, and sea anemones. Cnidarians are well-known for their regenerative capability, with many species maintaining the ability to regenerate complete structures. This regenerative capacity has been used casually for propagation purposes (via dissection) for some cnidarians used in laboratory research but has yet been documented in a manner meant to be reproducible. One such cnidarian model system is the scyphozoan jellyfish Cassiopea xamachana. C. xamachana has become an emerging model system for studying the cnidarian-algal symbiotic relationship, so determining a reliable and fast method for expansion of laboratory animals is crucial. Here we outline a reproducible propagation method for continued generation and growth of C. xamachana polyps.
This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Proposed methods for evaluating efforts made by governments to prevent and mitigate corporate influence and conflicts of interest in public health policy
Authors: Mialon Mélissa , Bertscher Adam , Bero Lisa , Vandevijvere Stefanie 
Published: September 2022

Background: There is evidence that corporations try to delay, weaken, and avoid the adoption of measures that would protect and improve population health. This is particularly true and problematic for health harming industries, such as those producing ultra-processed foods, alcohol, and cigarettes. Financial conflicts of interest (COI) are also problematic in policy-making because they may compromise decision-makers’ loyalty and independent judgment. Public opinion is in favor of preventing and mitigating that influence from corporations and COI on public health policy. A scoping review recently identified twenty-three mechanisms that could be adopted with that purpose and which principally cover: i) transparency and disclosure; ii) identification, monitoring, and education; iii) management; iv) prohibition of interactions with the industry and/or COI. There is, however, limited knowledge on the adoption of such mechanisms by governments. We therefore propose new methods for evaluating that progress at the country level. Methods and expected results: The proposed evaluation comprises five steps: 1) Gathering information about the national context; 2) Gathering evidence on the implementation of mechanisms by national governments; 3) Verification of step 2 by government officials and policy experts and local public health experts; 4) Identification and prioritization of actions in a workshop; 5) Supporting the translation of findings into policy actions. Conclusions: The evaluation of progress made by governments in their implementation of mechanisms for preventing and mitigating the influence of corporations and COI in public health policy could help countries systematize their efforts, benchmark their progress internationally, and give perspective on particular weaknesses, approaches, and investment gaps needed for change. We will implement and validate our methods in Ireland, as a first case-study.
Point of care SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing in schools improves school attendance
Authors: Collier Dami A. , Bousfield Rachel , Gkrania-Klotsas Effrossyni , Gupta Ravindra K. 
Published: September 2022

Background: National lockdowns have led to significant interruption to children’s education globally. In the Autumn term in 2020, school absence in England and Wales was almost five times higher than the same period in 2019. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools and ongoing interruption to education remains a concern. However, evaluation of rapid point of care (POC) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in British schools has not been undertaken. Methods: This is a survey of secondary schools in England that implemented PCR-based rapid POC testing. The study aims to measure the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in schools, to assess the impact of this testing on school attendance and closures, and to describe schools experiences with testing. All schools utilised the SAMBA II SARS-CoV-2 testing platform. Results: 12 fee-paying secondary schools in England were included. Between September 1st 2020 and December 16th 2020, 697 on site rapid POC PCR tests were performed and 6.7% of these were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. There were five outbreaks in three schools during this time which were contained. Seven groups of close contacts within the school known as bubbles had to quarantine but there were no school closures. 84% of those tested were absent from school for less than one day whilst awaiting their test result. This potentially saved between 1047 and 1570 days off school in those testing negative compared to the NHS PCR laboratory test. Schools reported a positive impact of having a rapid testing platform as it allowed them to function as fully as possible during this pandemic. Conclusions: Rapid POC PCR testing platforms should be widely available and utilised in school settings. Reliable positive tests will prevent outbreaks and uncontrolled spread of infection within school settings. Reliable negative test results will reassure students, parents and staff and prevent disruption to education.
Prophylaxis of thromboembolic complications in patients undergoing orthopedic surgery
Authors: Małek Anna , Wysokińska Olga , Żyga Justyna , Iwaniszyn-Zapołoch Klara , Zadrożna Karolina 
Published: September 2022

Venous thromboembolism is undoubtedly one of the frequent and dangerous complications after orthopedic surgery. If not detected in time, it can lead to very serious consequences concerning the patient's health and life. Therefore, it is crucial to know the risk factors for thromboembolic incidents. Among these factors, we can distinguish those related to the patient, his or her health status, lifestyle and factors that depend on the type of orthopedic intervention performed. Each patient should undergo an individual assessment of risk factors before undergoing surgery. Undoubtedly, an important role is played by observing the patient to detect early and late symptoms, as well as appropriate care in the postoperative period to reduce the risk of thromboembolic incidents. It is important to catch the disease at an early stage and undertake appropriate diagnostics to exclude or confirm the disease. The risk of venous thromboembolism can be lowered by using thromboprophylaxis. Various forms of prevention are available, which include various methods and means of prevention. An appropriate approach to the problem of the occurrence of this type of complication after orthopedic surgery affects not only the results of the treatment of orthopedic conditions, but also the overall health and functioning of the patient and his prognosis.
Thy Neighbor’s Vote: Peer Effects in Proxy Voting
Authors: Huang Jiekun 
Published: September 2022

Institutional investors’ proxy voting decisions are influenced by their neighbors. I identify peer effects in proxy voting using close-call votes on shareholder-sponsored governance proposals at publicly traded financial institutions (focal institutions). I first show that the passage of a governance proposal at a focal institution makes the institution more likely to vote against management at its portfolio firms. Using a triple-difference approach, I find that the neighboring institutions of the focal institution that passes a governance proposal become more likely to vote against management in stocks that are heavily held by the focal institution. These results suggest that peer influence is an important determinant of proxy voting behavior. This paper was accepted by David Sraer, finance. Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4517 .
Exosomes from dysfunctional chondrocytes affect osteoarthritis in Sprague-Dawley rats through FTO-dependent regulation of PIK3R5 mRNA stability
Authors: Lv Guohua , Wang Bing , Li Lei , Li Yunchao , Li Xinyi , He Haoyu , Kuang Lei 
Published: September 2022

Aims Exosomes (exo) are involved in the progression of osteoarthritis (OA). This study aimed to investigate the function of dysfunctional chondrocyte-derived exo (DC-exo) on OA in rats and rat macrophages. Methods Rat-derived chondrocytes were isolated, and DCs induced with interleukin (IL)-1β were used for exo isolation. Rats with OA (n = 36) or macrophages were treated with DC-exo or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Macrophage polarization and autophagy, and degradation and chondrocyte activity of cartilage tissues, were examined. RNA sequencing was used to detect genes differentially expressed in DC-exo, followed by RNA pull-down and ribonucleoprotein immunoprecipitation (RIP). Long non-coding RNA osteoarthritis non-coding transcript (OANCT) and phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 5 (PIK3R5) were depleted in DC-exo-treated macrophages and OA rats, in order to observe macrophage polarization and cartilage degradation. The PI3K/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway activity in cells and tissues was measured using western blot. Results DC-exo inhibited macrophage autophagy (p = 0.002) and promoted M1 macrophage polarization (p = 0.002). DC-exo at 20 μg/ml induced collagen degradation (p < 0.001) and inflammatory cell infiltration (p = 0.023) in rats. OANCT was elevated in DC (p < 0.001) and in cartilage tissues of OA patients (p < 0.001), and positively correlated with patients’ Kellgren-Lawrence grade (p < 0.001). PIK3R5 was increased in DC-exo-treated cartilage tissues (p < 0.001), and OANCT bound to fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) (p < 0.001). FTO bound to PIK3R5 (p < 0.001) to inhibit the stability of PIK3R5 messenger RNA (mRNA) (p < 0.001) and disrupt the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway (p < 0.001). Conclusion Exosomal OANCT from DC could bind to FTO protein, thereby maintaining the mRNA stability of PIK3R5, further activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway to exacerbate OA. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2022;11(9):652–668.
Automatic design of an extreme ultraviolet lithography objective system based on the Seidel aberration theory
Authors: Tan Wei , Ji Huiru , Mo Yan , Ma Donglin 
Published: September 2022

In this paper, a method is proposed to solve the initial optical structure of an off-axis multimirror system for an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) application. By tracing the characteristic rays, the primary aberration can be expressed as a function of the distance and curvature based on the Seidel aberration theory. The initial structure with a favorable aberration performance is calculated when the function value is 0. We solve two different initial structures with an off-axis, six-mirror configuration with different optical powers. The NA of the finally optimized optical system is 0.25, the wavefront aberration rms value is less than

0.04

λ

, and the absolute distortion is below 1.2 nm.
Accelerating model synchronization for distributed machine learning in an optical wide area network
Authors: Liu Ling , Song Liangjun , Chen Xi , Yu Hongfang , Sun Gang 
Published: September 2022

Geo-distributed machine learning (Geo-DML) adopts a hierarchical training architecture that includes local model synchronization within the data center and global model synchronization (GMS) across data centers. However, the scarce and heterogeneous wide area network (WAN) bandwidth can become the bottleneck of training performance. An intelligent optical device (i.e., reconfigurable optical all-drop multiplexer) makes the modern WAN topology reconfigurable, which has been ignored by most approaches to speed up Geo-DML training. Therefore, in this paper, we study scheduling algorithms to accelerate model synchronization for Geo-DML training with consideration of the reconfigurable optical WAN topology. Specifically, we use an aggregation tree for each Geo-DML training job, which helps to reduce model synchronization communication overhead across the WAN, and propose two efficient algorithms to accelerate GMS for Geo-DML: MOptree, a model-based algorithm for single job scheduling, and MMOptree for multiple job scheduling, aiming to reconfigure the WAN topology and trees by reassigning wavelengths on each fiber. Based on the current WAN topology and job information, mathematical models are built to guide the topology reconstruction, wavelength, and bandwidth allocation for each edge of the trees. The simulation results show that MOptree completes the GMS stage up to 56.16% on average faster than the traditional tree without optical-layer reconfiguration, and MMOptree achieves up to 54.6% less weighted GMS time.
Laparoscopic resection of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis: A single-center experience
Authors: Gloor Severin , Candinas Daniel , Beldi Guido , Lachenmayer Anja 
Published: September 2022

Introduction
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) remains a very rare disease requiring complete radical resection for curative treatment. While open approaches are common, safety and efficacy of laparoscopic resections remain unknown.

Methods
This is a single-center, retrospective cohort study with patients undergoing liver resection for hepatic AE at the Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital from December 2002 to December 2020. Postoperative outcomes of patients following laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) for hepatic AE were compared with those of patients undergoing open hepatectomy (OH).

Results
A total of 93 patients underwent liver resection for hepatic AE. Laparoscopic hepatectomy was performed in 23 patients and open hepatectomy in 70 patients. While there were no significant differences in terms of gender, age and diagnostic tools, the majority of patients of the LH cohort were PNM stage 1 (78%) in contrast to only 39% in the OH cohort (p = 0.002). Patients undergoing laparoscopic hepatectomy were treated by minor liver resections in 91% and in 9% by major liver resections in comparison to the open hepatectomy cohort with 61% major liver resections and 39% minor resections. Laparoscopic hepatectomy was associated with shorter mean operation time (127 minutes vs. 242 minutes, p <0.001), lower major complication rate (0% vs. 11%, p = 0.322) and shorter mean length of hospital stay (4 days vs. 13 days, p <0.001). Patients with LH had a distinct, but not significant lower recurrence rate (0% vs. 4%, p = 0.210) during a mean follow-up of 55 months compared with a follow-up of 76 months in the OH cohort. After subgroup analysis of PNM stage 1 patients, similar results are seen with persistent shorter mean operation time (120 minutes vs. 223 minutes, p <0.001), lower major complication rate (0% vs. 8%, p = 0.759) and shorter length of hospital stay (4 days vs. 12 days, p <0.001).

Conclusion
Laparoscopy appears as a feasible and safe approach for patients with PNM stage 1 alveolar echinococcosis without impact on early disease recurrence.
Scabies incidence and association with skin and soft tissue infection in Loyalty Islands Province, New Caledonia: A 15-year retrospective observational study using electronic health records
Authors: Ducrot Yves-Marie , Bruno Enzo , Franco Jean-Marc , Raffray Loïc , Beneteau Samuel , Bertolotti Antoine 
Published: September 2022

Background
Scabies and its complications are a public health problem in the low- and middle-income countries of the Western Pacific region. However, no data are available for the relatively wealthy French territory of New Caledonia. This study aimed to determine the incidence of scabies and its association with skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) in Loyalty Islands Province (LIP) (20,000 inhabitants), New Caledonia.

Methodology/Principal findings
This retrospective observational study reviewed cases of scabies and SSTI extracted from the electronic health record databases of LIP clinics for the period 2004–2018. Data were validated through double sampling. The overall scabies incidence rate (IR) and scabies IRs by sex and age group were calculated. Scabies seasonality was evaluated. For children <5 years, the presence of SSTI was compared between the 3-month period preceding scabies diagnosis/treatment and the 3-month period preceding the 1-year anniversary of scabies diagnosis/treatment (self-matching).
A total of 16,843 scabies cases were extracted using a detection algorithm with a sensitivity of 96.7% and a specificity of 99.9%. From 2004 to 2018, the average overall scabies IR was 5.9% and the average scabies IR in children <1 year was 18.4%. Almost two-thirds of children aged 14 years had a history of scabies. Females were more affected, especially in the 20–39 age group (sex ratio>2). A strong seasonality was observed, with a 30% increase in winter. In children <5 years, SSTIs were 4.3 times more frequent in the 3 months preceding the scabies diagnosis than in the 3 months preceding the 1-year anniversary of scabies treatment (p<0.001).

Conclusions
Although health care is much better in New Caledonia than in neighboring countries, scabies is highly endemic in LIP. The disease is especially common in children <2 years and is associated with many SSTIs in children <5 years. Mass drug administration should be considered.
One Health risk challenges and preparedness regarding bovine tuberculosis at abattoirs in North-central Nigeria: Associated drivers and health belief
Authors: Odetokun Ismail Ayoade , Alhaji Nma Bida , Aminu Jibrin , Lawan Mohammad Kabir , Abdulkareem Madinat Abimbola , Ghali-Mohammed Ibraheem 
Published: September 2022

Background
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a serious public health and neglected zoonotic disease responsible for 147,000 human cases and 12,500 deaths annually. This study assessed knowledge, risk perceptions, and preventive practices regarding bTB among occupationally exposed abattoir workers and drivers for transmission in slaughterhouses.

Methods
Using a pre-tested questionnaire, we surveyed a cross-section of workers in five main abattoirs in North-central Nigeria between 2018 and 2019. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and univariable/multivariable logistic regression analyses at a 95% confidence level.

Results
All recruited respondents (n = 422: 77.7% meat processors and 22.3% meat and sanitary inspectors) participated and 10.4% had no formal education. About 44.0% and 27.0% of workers knew about bTB occurrence at the abattoirs and its transmission to humans, respectively. Less than one-third use personal protective equipment (PPE) during meat handling, only a few workers correctly practised routine handwashing, and 21.8% sterilized meat handling tools. A few participants (6.4%) had BCG vaccination against tuberculosis. Demographic characteristics (age, gender, occupation, and formal education) significantly influenced the perception and practices about bTB. A few workers perceived raw meat and milk, direct contact with infected carcasses, organs and contaminated fomites, contaminated environment through infected blood, dirty slaughtering floor, and aerosols of contaminated faeces as high-risk bTB transmission routes. Perceived drivers that influenced bTB transmission at abattoirs include unhygienic meat processing (OR = 5.4, 95%CI = 3.1–9.4, p < 0.001) and non-enforcement of abattoir standard operating systems (OR = 10.4, 95%CI = 6.0–18.5, p = 0.001).

Conclusion
The workers have low knowledge levels, perceptions, and practices toward bTB emergence. These demand the workers’ education on hygienic meat handling to mitigate the menace of the disease. Surveillance and preventive preparedness considering the identified drivers through the ’One Health’ approach are recommended.
Risk factors for the prognosis of patients with sepsis in intensive care units
Authors: Gai Xiaowei , Wang Yanan , Gao Dan , Ma Jia , Zhang Caijuan , Wang Qiuyan 
Published: September 2022

Background and purpose
To date, sepsis remains the main cause of mortality in intensive care units (ICU). This study aimed analyze the risk factors of the prognosis in sepsis patients.

Methods
In this case-control study, patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit of a Chinese hospital between January and November 2020 were analyzed. Ultrasound and clinical data were analyzed and compared between non-survivors and survivors. The ROC curve analysis was also performed to determine the best indicator for predicting mortality.

Results
A total of 72 patients with sepsis in ICU were included for analysis. The basic characteristics between the survivals and non-survivals were similar, except for acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) Ⅱ score, sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, lactate level, ultrasound parameters from superior mesenteric artery (SMA) such as peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV) and resistive index (RI). Univariate analysis revealed that the APACHE Ⅱ score, SOFA score, lactate, low PSV, EDV, and RI were potential risk factors for mortality in sepsis, while multivariate analysis suggested that low PSV was an independent risk factor for mortality, and the adjusted odds ratio was 0.295 (95% CI: 0.094–0.925). The ROC analysis showed that the PSV (AUC = 0.99; sensitivity and specificity were 0.99 and 0.96, respectively) had good predictive value for mortality in sepsis.

Conclusion
Low PSV as found to be an independent risk factor and good predictor for mortality in patients with sepsis. This study shows the promise of ultrasound in predicting mortality in patients with sepsis; however, further studies are needed to validate these results.
Validity of smartphone-based retinal photography (PEEK-retina) compared to the standard ophthalmic fundus camera in diagnosing diabetic retinopathy in Uganda: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Yusuf Ahmed Mohamud , Lusobya Rebecca Claire , Mukisa John , Batte Charles , Nakanjako Damalie , Juliet-Sengeri Otiti 
Published: September 2022

Introduction
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the major complications of diabetes mellitus and is a significant cause of blindness worldwide. In Uganda, the prevalence of diabetes is approximately 2.7% of the urban population and 1% in rural areas. Many diabetics cannot access an eye exam due to the lack of less costly and user-friendly equipment that primary eye workers can use. Smartphone-based fundus photography allows for a cheap and mobile fundus examination. The study aimed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the Portable Eye Examination Kit (PEEK) retina compared to a standard ophthalmic fundus camera (Zeiss Visucam 200) for the diagnosis of DR.

Methods
From January-March 2020, 286 people with diabetes (type 1 & 2) patients were seen at Kiruddu National referral hospital diabetes clinic. All participants had funduscopy with PEEK retina and the standard ophthalmic fundus camera following ophthalmic examination and pupillary dilation. The PEEK retina’s sensitivity, specificity and reliability were determined using an ophthalmic fundus camera as the gold standard.

Results
The participants’ mean age was 51 with a standard deviation of ±11years, 213 (74.5%) were females, and the majority (93.4%) had Type 2 diabetes. The overall Sensitivity of PEEK retina for DR was 84% (95% CI 70.9–83.5), while the specificity was 79.9% (95% CI 76–83.5) with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 30.9% (95% CI 23.2–39.4) and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 97.9% (95% CI 95.9–99.1).

Conclusions
PEEK retina has high sensitivity and specificity, making it suitable for screening and diagnostic purposes. Therefore, we recommend the integration of the PEEK retina in the screening and diagnosis of DR in resource-limited settings.