bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Factors Influencing COVID-19 Vaccination: A Case of Smallscale Farmers in Zambia’s Southern Province Practicing Climate-Smart Agricultural Technologies.
Authors: Somanje Albert Novas , Mwansa Lauraine Mwila , Nyambe Anayawa , Chisanga Kafula 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has significantly impacted the agricultural sector, coupled with climate change. With the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, Zambia's vaccination rate and uptake have been lower in rural areas than in urban areas. This study aimed to examine the factors influencing smallscale farmers who are practicing Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) to get vaccinated. The study used purposive sampling of farmers across Southern province of Zambia. A sample size of 263 farmers were interviewed. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were performed. Results show that 100% of the smallscale farmers are aware of COVID-19, 76.8% of the farmers practising CSA are not vaccinated, and only 23.2% are vaccinated against COVID-19. The regression analysis shows that being vaccinated is 0.622 times lower for farmers who change the planting dates due to shifts in rain season than those who don’t (OR 0.537; p = 0.091). Likewise, the vaccination odds are 0.840 times lower for farmers who use hybrid seeds than those who recycle seed (OR 0.432; p = 0.023). However, the odds of being vaccinated are 0.963 times more for farmers who use organic fertilizers than synthetic fertilizers (OR 2.619; p = 0.023). This study concludes that some CSA technologies are significant factors influencing the vaccination of small-scale farmers. The study recommends targeting adopters of organic fertilizer as an ideal entry point among smallscale farmers in rural communities to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates. Further studies should consider other CSA technologies in a different regional context.
RIG-I and TLR-7/8 agonists as combination adjuvant shape unique antibody and cellular vaccine responses to seasonal influenza vaccine
Authors: Jangra Sonia , Laghlali Gabriel , Choi Angela , Rathnasinghe Raveen , Chen Yong , Yildiz Soner , Coughlan Lynda , De Geest Bruno , Garcia-Sastre Adolfo , Schotsaert Michael 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Influenza vaccine effectiveness could be improved by combination with an adjuvant with the potential to enhance the host-vaccine response both quantitatively and qualitatively. The goal of this study was to explore a RIG-I agonist (SDI-nanogel) and a TLR7/8 agonist (Imidazoquinoline (IMDQ)‐PEG‐Chol) as adjuvants, when co-administered with a licenced quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (QIV), and to determine the role of these adjuvants in directing helper T (Th) cell responses for their role in the immunoglobulin (Ig) class switching. Administration of QIV with the two adjuvants, individually or combined, resulted in enhanced HA-specific serum ELISA IgG titers, serum hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) titers and splenic T cell responses as examined by IFN-γ and IL-4 enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assays, 4-weeks post-prime and post-boost vaccination in BALB/c mice. While QIV+SDI-nanogel largely induced antigen-specific IgG1 responses, QIV+IMDQ-PEG-Chol predominantly induced IgG2a antibody isotypes post-prime vaccination, suggesting efficient induction of Th2 (IL-4) and Th1 (IFN-γ) responses, respectively. Combination of the two adjuvants not only skewed the response completely towards IgG2a, but also resulted in induction of HAI titers that outperformed groups that received single adjuvant. Moreover, enhanced IgG2a titers correlate with antibody-mediated cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) that targets both the highly conserved H1 hemagglutination (HA) stalk domain and N1 neuraminidase (NA). A booster vaccination with QIV+IMDQ-PEG-Chol resulted in a more balanced IgG1/IgG2a response in animals primed with QIV+IMDQ-PEG-Chol but increased only IgG2a titers in animals that received the combination adjuvant during prime vaccination, suggesting that class switching events in germinal centres during the prime vaccination contribute to the outcome of booster vaccination. Importantly, IMDQ-PEG-Chol, alone or in combination, always outperformed the oil-in-water control adjuvant Addavax. Vaccine-induced antibody and T cell responses correlated with protection against lethal influenza virus infection. This study details the benefit of adjuvants that target multiple innate immune receptors to shape the host vaccine response.
Benzothiazole-based Palladium Complexes as Efficient Nano-sized Catalysts for Microwave Hydrothermal Suzuki –Miyaura Cross-Couplings
Authors: Khormi Afaf Y. , Abboud Mohamed , Hamdy Mohamed S. , Eissa Murad , Rabie Mohamed 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
The paper describes the synthesis of a novel nano-sized phosphine-free benzothiazole-based palladium(II) complexes from easily accessible starting materials and studies their efficiency as catalysts for Suzuki Miyaura cross coupling reaction using water as a solvent under microwaves irradiations. Structural elucidation of the novel nano-sized benzthiazole-based complexes was achieved by analytical and physical characterization tools. The catalytic activity of the novel nanocatalysts was invetigated for SMC of aryl halides with arylboronic acids using water as a solvent and under microwaves irradiation conditions as green mild reaction conditions.
Design, Synthesis, and biological evaluation of pyrazolo-benzothiazole derivatives as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Kumar Harish , Goyal Anju , Kumar Navneet , Garg Prabha 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative age related brain disease which diminishes learning and memory. Two common cholinesterases (ChEs), first acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and second one butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) are the main targets to treat this disease. In the current paper, six novel pyrazolo-benzothiazole analogs were systematically planned, synthesized, and biological tested for their ChEs activities, antioxidant, enzyme kinetic, self induced Aβ modulation, PAMPA-BBB, and docking and molecular simulation study. Among all derivatives,4a bearing 3,4-dimethoxypyrazolo-benzothiazole molecules was the potential inhibitor of AChE (IC50 = 8.69 ± 0.42 µM), Aβ modulator and good antioxidant. Docking studies also clearly revealed that compound 4a fit into the active sites of hAChE.
New diagnostic histopathological approach in the evaluation of Ki-67 in GEP-NETs
Authors: Faviana Pinuccia , Boldrini Laura , Gentile Carlo , Erba Paola Anna , Sammarco Enrico , Bartoli Francesco , Esposito Enrica , Galli Luca , Lippolis Piero Vincenzo , Bardi Massimo 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Introduction: Many studies over the past decade have shown that the Ki-67 index is a valuable biomarker for the diagnosis, classification of gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). In the present work, therefore, we have decided to evaluate the expression of Ki-67 based on the intensity of the stain, basing our hypothesis on the fact that the Ki-67 protein is continuously degraded during G0 and G1 and the production constantly increases from the start of the S phase until mitotic exit and therefore the longer a cell has spent hibernating, the lower its Ki-67 level will be when it re-enters the cell cycle. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a new immunohistochemical scoring method would be more effective in classifying NETs by reducing staining heterogeneity. Methods: 87 patients with GEP-NET were retrospectively analyzed. Along with the traditional Ki-67 rating, a new score based on the intensity of staining (semiquant Ki-67) was developed. The classification difference between the two methods was determined. Results: The classification of the classification changed significantly when the Ki-67 semi-quant index was used. The percentage of G1 patients increased from 18.4–60.9%, while the G2 patients decreased from 66.7–29.9% and the G3 patients also decreased from 14.9–9.2% %. Conclusions: The new analysis allowed to re-quantify the positive percentages of Ki-67, which can be used both as a marker of proliferation but also as a tool to map tumor dynamics that can influence the diagnosis and guide the choice of therapy.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated public health and social measures on emergency department utilization in Germany between March 2017 and June 2021
Authors: Schranz Madlen , Boender T. Sonia , Greiner Timo , Kocher Theresa , Wagner Birte , Greiner Felix , Bienzeisler Jonas , Diercke Michaela , Grabenhenrich Linus , Aigner Annette , Ullrich Alexander 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health and social measures, decreasing patient numbers have been described in various healthcare settings in Germany, including emergency care. This could be explained by changes in disease burden, e.g. due to contact restrictions, but could also be a result of changes in utilization behaviour of the population. To better understand those dynamics, we analysed routine data from emergency departments to quantify changes in consultation numbers, age distribution, disease acuity and day and hour of the day during different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We used interrupted time series analyses to estimate relative changes for consultation numbers of 20 emergency departments spread throughout Germany. For the study period of 06-03-2017 to 13-06-2021 four different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic were defined as interruption points. Results: The most pronounced decreases were visible in the first and second wave of the pandemic, with changes of -30.0% (95%CI: -32.2%; -27.7%) and -25.7% (95%CI: -27.4%; -23.9%) for overall consultations, respectively. The decrease was even stronger for the age group of 0-19 years, with -39.4% in the first and -35.0% in the second wave. Regarding acuity levels, consultations assessed as urgent, standard and non-urgent showed the largest decrease, while the most severe cases showed the smallest decrease.Conclusions: The number of emergency department consultations decreased rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, without extensive variation in the distribution of patient characteristics. Smallest changes were observed for the most severe consultations and older age groups, which is especially reassuring regarding concerns of possible long-term complications due to patients avoiding urgent emergency care during the pandemic.
E-Cigarettes and Smoking Cessation in Adolescent Smokers: Do E-Cigarettes Reduce Harm or Not?
Authors: Lin Li-Yin , Chien Yu-Ning , Chen Yi-Hwa , Shean Russell , Wu Chi-Yi , Huan Shih-Chang , Chiou Hung-Yi 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Smokers of any age can reap substantial health benefits from quitting or reducing their smoking. E-cigarettes have been promoted as a potentially promising product for tobacco harm reduction because e-cigarettes deliver nicotine vapor without many of the hazardous chemical combustion byproducts produced by combustible cigarette smoking. However, there remains an ongoing debate on whether the use of e-cigarettes is effective in combustible cigarette smoking cessation or reduction. Our study uses data from the 2014 (baseline) and from the 2016 (follow-up) waves of the Taiwan Adolescent to Adult Longitudinal Study (TAALS), which is a large nationwide representative cohort study of health behaviors among adolescents in Taiwan. We analyzed the data using logistic regression and multivariable regression with a post-stratification weighting procedure. Among the 474 adolescent smokers at baseline, the use of e-cigarettes had no association with smoking cessation (aRR =0.99, 95% CI = 0.66, 1.50). Furthermore, the use of e-cigarettes was also not associated with change in combustible cigarette consumption among all adolescent smokers at follow-up (Coef.= 0.62, 95% CI= −36.85, 38.09). In summary, our findings suggest that e-cigarettes may not aid tobacco control among adolescent smokers. Policy makers should be cautious of the potential harms that e-cigarette may bring to young people when they are developing e-cigarette regulations.
Early cervical cancer and recurrence after minimally invasive surgery without uterine manipulator
Authors: D'ASTA MARCO , Gulino Ferdinando Antonio , ETTORE CARLA , Bonanno Giulia , ETTORE GIUSEPPE 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Objective: worldwide cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer and it is also the fourth cause of death among women, after breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and lung cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the long-term oncological safety of laparoscopic treatment without the use of a uterine manipulator for patients with early-stage cervical cancer.Materials and methods: a single-center retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of ARNAS Garibaldi Nesima on patients surgically treated for early cervical cancer from 2014 to 2017. Inclusion criteria included squamous or adenosquamous histotype, FIGO stage from Ia1 to Ib2, cancer size <4cm, ECOG status 0-1, and negative serum beta-HCG. The patients were divided into two groups: treatment with and without intra uterine manipulator.Results: seventy patients were identified but only thirty-one met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled. All patients underwent surgery: three patients with the uterine manipulator, twenty-eight without. Among the thirty-one patients enrolled, twelve women had cancer in situ (IA1), nineteen had an early-stage cervical cancer, in particular two cases of cervical cancer stage IA2, ten cases of cervical cancer stage IB1, and seven cases of cervical cancer stage IB2, according to the FIGO classification. At follow-up three cases of recurrence occurred, but the uterine manipulator was not used.Conclusion: After five years of follow-up, recurrence rates in patients treated with minimally invasive surgery are about 10%, but the use of uterine manipulator is not related to a higher level of recurrence rates.
Traffic Simulation and Losses Estimation in Stratospheric Drone Network
Authors: Kharchenko Volodymyr , Grekhov Andrii 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
The use of stratospheric drones for data transmission requires reliable two-way communication. In this regard, it is necessary to explore the possibilities of combining existing air and ground networks for effective interaction with stratospheric drones during heavy data traffic. This article focuses on calculating the packet loss and the impact of traffic parameters on communication with drones. For the first time, traffic characteristics of the complex network “Base Station - Stratospheric Drone – RPAS - Ground Cellular Network” are obtained. The original models are created based on MATLAB Simulink and NetCracker software. Packet loss dependences on the transaction size for different numbers of cellular users are estimated using NetCracker software. Average load dependences on the size of the transaction are obtained. Channels with different throughput are considered and the influence of channel loading on the bit error rate is studied. Data transmission is simulated using MATLAB Simulink depending on the signal-to-noise ratio, nonlinearity levels of the base station amplifier, types of signal modulation and diameters of base station antennas. Data obtained make it possible to predict the operation of stratospheric drones.
A comparison of silver nanoparticles made by green chemistry and femtosecond laser ablation and injected into a PVP/PVA/chitosan polymer blend
Authors: waly ahmed , abdelghany amr , tarabia ahmed 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Pristine samples of a polymer blend of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/ polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/ chitosan filled with different concentrations of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared using the casting method. The samples were then examined using various physical and antibacterial characterization techniques. Characterization studies showed that the blend provides a uniform and controlled distribution of AgNPs inside the polymeric matrix without the addition of any more stabilizers. The mean particle size for green and laser-ablated AgNPs was found to be 50 nm according to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies. Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) studies showed the presence of characteristic main peaks corresponding to the vibrational groups which characterize the prepared samples. The interactions between the AgNPs and the blend were marked by changes in the intensity of vibrational peaks and spectral positions. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the structural modification within the PVP/PVA/chitosan matrix because of AgNPs filling. The change in the absorbance has been studied with the help of measured ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis.) and therefore the optical band gap was calculated. The filling of AgNPs in the blend shows a broad peak at 427 nm because of the phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and its intensity increases with increasing filler concentration. The blend and the Ag-nanocomposite showed good antibacterial activity and caused a significant decrease in microbial growth (Escherichia coli) in 24 hours.
Ultrafast laser-driven topological spin textures on a 2D magnet
Authors: Santos Elton , Strungaru Mara , Augustin Mathias 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
The discovery of intrinsic magnetism in two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) materials has opened the possibility to explore fundamental interactions between light, electron and spins at the atomic limit towards novel device architectures\cite{huang2017layer,Gong2017,GuguchiaSciAdv,wahab2021quantum,GuguchiaSantos,Wahab21,CantosPrieto2021,Alliati20,Genome22}. Ultrafast laser excitations provide an efficient and low-power consumption alternative since different magnetic features such as topological spin states can be triggered and manipulated at the femtosecond (fs) regime \cite{Carbone18,Ezawa13,Raising07,Beaurepaire09,Koopmans2010}. However, it is largely unknown whether laser excitations already used in data information platforms can manipulate the magnetic properties of 2D vdW magnets. Here we show that ultrashort laser pulses (30$-$85 fs) can not only manipulate magnetic domains of recently exfoliated 2D CrCl$_3$ ferromagnets\cite{Mcquire17}, but also induce the formation and control of topological nontrivial meron and antimeron spin textures. We observed that both spin quasiparticles are created within $\sim$100 ps after the excitation which determines on-demand their formation following the energy deposition into the system. Both merons and antimerons appear during the thermal equilibration and can generate a rich dynamics through motion, collision and annihilation with emission of spin waves. Our findings highlight substantial opportunities of using photonic driving forces for the exploration of spin textures on 2D magnetic materials towards magneto-optical topological applications.
Expression of stem cell biomarkers Bmi1 and KLF4 in osteosarcoma and its clinical significance
Authors: Chen Shiwei , Wu Taiyong , Ning Simin , Wu Zhuangzhuang , Jin Wenxuan , Li Pengcui 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Objective
To observe the expression of osteosarcoma stem cell biomarkers Bmi1 and KLF4 in osteosarcoma tissues and explore their value in the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of osteosarcoma.
Methods
Using retrospective research methods, 51 patients (28 males and 23 females) with osteosarcoma who were surgically resected and diagnosed by pathology in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from October 2009 to July 2019 were used as the experimental group. The age of cases varies from 10 to 67 (average 27.04) years old, and bone tissues adjacent to the tumor were taken from 10 samples as the normal control group. Immunohistochemical method was used to assess the expression levels of Bmi1 and KLF4 in 51 patients with osteosarcoma and 10 cases of paraneoplastic bone tissue specimens. Chi-square test was applied to analyze the relationship between the expression of Bmi1 and KLF4 and the clinical pathological data of patients. Correlation analysis was analyzed by the number of connections. The survival rate of patients was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The log rank univariate analysis and Cox regression multivariate analysis were carried out to evaluate the prognostic value.
Results
The positive expression rates of Bmi1 and KLF4 in the osteosarcoma group were 78.43% (40/51) and 80.39% (41/51), respectively, and in the bone tissue group were both 3/10. The difference of the positive expression rates of Bmi1 and KLF4 in the osteosarcoma group and bone tissue group was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In osteosarcoma group, the expression levels of Bmi1 and KLF4 were positively correlated (R = 0.399, P < 0.01). Bmi1 protein-positive, KLF4 protein-positive, and Bmi1 and KLF4 protein double-positive expression were statistically significant in Enneking surgical staging, lung metastasis, and pathological typing (all P < 0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference between different ages, genders, local recurrences, and tumor sizes (all P > 0.05).
Conclusion
The expression of Bmi1 and KLF4 in osteosarcoma tissue was significantly higher than that in surrounding bone tissues, and their positive expression is a risk factor for the prognosis of patients with osteosarcoma.
Effect of acetylcholine deficiency on neural oscillation in a brainstem-thalamus-cortex model related with Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Yang Hao , Yang XiaoLi , Yan SiLu , Sun ZhongKui 
Published: June 2022

Abstract
Previous works imply that involving brainstem in neuropathological studies of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is of clinically significant. Abnormality of cholinergic system also underlies the neurodegeneration during AD. This work constructs a comprehensive neural mass model for cholinergic neuropathogenesis that involves brainstem, thalamus and cortex, wherein how acetylcholine deficiency in AD affects neural oscillation of the model output is systematically explored from the perspective of neurocomputation. By decreasing synapse connectivity parameters in direct cholinergic pathway from brainstem to thalamus and indirect glutamatergic synapse pathway from cortex to brainstem to mimic the pathological condition of reduced acetylcholine release in patients with AD, the property of neural oscillation in this model is numerically investigated by means of power spectrum in frequency domain and amplitude distribution in time domain. Simulated results demonstrate that decreasing synapse connectivity whether in the direct cholinergic pathway or the indirect glutamatergic synapse pathway can alter the neural oscillation significantly in three aspects: it induces an obvious decrease of dominant frequency; it leads to a degraded rhythmic activity in alpha frequency band as well as an enhanced rhythmic activity in theta frequency band; it results in reduced oscillation amplitude of the model output. These results are agreement with the characteristic of electrophysiological EEG measurement recorded in AD, especially support the hypothesis that cholinergic deficiency is a promising pathophysiological origin of EEG slowing in AD. Our analysis indicates that targeting the cholinergic system may have potential prospects in early diagnosis and treatment of AD.