bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of COVID-19 and effects of BNT162b2 on patient-reported outcomes: quality of life, symptoms, and work productivity among US adult outpatients
Authors: Di Fusco Manuela , Sun Xiaowu , Moran Mary M. , Coetzer Henriette , Zamparo Joann M. , Puzniak Laura , Alvarez Mary B. , Tabak Ying P. , Cappelleri Joseph C. 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Background
Although there is extensive literature on the clinical benefits of COVID-19 vaccination, data on humanistic effects are limited. This study evaluated the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on symptoms, Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and Work Productivity and Impairment (WPAI) prior to and one month following infection between individuals vaccinated with BNT162b2 and those unvaccinated.

Methods
Subjects with ≥ 1 self-reported symptom and positive RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 at CVS Health US test sites were recruited between 01/31/2022 and 04/30/2022. Socio-demographics, clinical characteristics and vaccination status were evaluated. Self-reported symptoms, HRQoL, and WPAI outcomes were assessed using questionnaires and validated instruments (EQ-5D-5L, WPAI-GH) across acute COVID time points from pre-COVID to Week 4, and between vaccination groups. Mixed models for repeated measures were conducted for multivariable analyses, adjusting for several covariates. Effect size (ES) of Cohen’s d was calculated to quantify the magnitude of outcome changes within and between vaccination groups.

Results
The study population included 430 subjects: 197 unvaccinated and 233 vaccinated with BNT162b2. Mean (SD) age was 42.4 years (14.3), 76.0% were female, 38.8% reported prior infection and 24.2% at least one comorbidity. Statistically significant differences in outcomes were observed compared with baseline and between groups. The EQ-Visual analogue scale scores and Utility Index dropped in both cohorts at Day 3 and increased by Week 4 but did not return to pre-COVID levels. The mean changes were statistically lower in the BNT162b2 cohort at Day 3 and Week 4. The BNT162b2 cohort reported lower prevalence and fewer symptoms at index date and Week 4. At Week 1, COVID-19 had a large impact on all WPAI-GH domains: the work productivity time loss among unvaccinated and vaccinated was 65.0% and 53.8%, and the mean activity impairment was 50.2% and 43.9%, respectively. Except for absenteeism at Week 4, the BNT162b2 cohort was associated with statistically significant less worsening in all WPAI-GH scores at both Week 1 and 4.

Conclusions
COVID-19 negatively impacted HRQoL and work productivity among mildly symptomatic outpatients. Compared with unvaccinated, those vaccinated with BNT162b2 were less impacted by COVID-19 infection and recovered faster.
Adaptive strategy in control of ectoparasitic infection in Eurasian tree sparrow
Authors: Singh Namram Sushindrajit , Dixit Anand Shanker , Khanikar Debashish 
Published: December 2022

AbstractBackgroundSelection pressure due to parasitic infestation puts adverse effects on birds’ fitness concerning survival and reproductive success. The present study was conducted on Eurasian tree sparrow at Shillong (25°34′ N,91°53′ E), India, for a year to examine ectoparasitic infestation byMyrsidea balatiandSturnidoecus ruficeps. The parameters on the annual prevalence of infestation, annual cycles of gonadosomatic index (GSI), molt, hematocrit percentage and the time spent in behavior display were recorded.ResultsThe infestation of both lice species ran parallel to GSI in both sexes of sparrow. Further, the intensity of infestation was higher in males. The increase in number of ectoparasites was found positively correlated with the increase in GSI in the birds. However, it was negatively correlated with feathers molt. Thus, the infestation of both parasites was maximum during the reproductive phase and minimum during the period when the birds were undergoing the process of molt. Seasonal variation in hematocrit percentage shows decline during high infection in females and during molt in both the sexes. The time spent in showing behavioral traits to limit infection was the longest during high infestation.ConclusionsWe conclude that the tree sparrow adopts various adaptive strategies like feathers molt and longer display of behavioral traits during their breeding and/or non-breeding seasons to control parasitic load and avoid energy conflict with high energy demanding processes like reproduction and molt.
The limits of internal devaluation: Switzerland during the great depression
Authors: Rosenkranz Peter , Straumann Tobias , Woitek Ulrich 
Published: December 2022

AbstractDuring the Great Depression, countries endowed with abundant gold reserves were not able to leave the gold standard and devalue their currencies until the mid-1930s. Instead, they were forced to go down the road of internal devaluation. We analyze the policies of the Swiss authorities by estimating a New Keynesian small open economy model. Our results show that the long adherence to the gold standard and the failure of internal devaluation imposed considerable costs on the Swiss economy. Moreover, counterfactual exercises suggest that a timely devaluation would have led to an early recovery from the Great Depression.
Comparison between thoracic paravertebral block and segmental thoracic spinal anesthesia in breast cancer surgery
Authors: Mazy Alaa , El-Domiaty Ashraf , Mageed Nabil Abdel , Motawi Abdel Aziz , Messeha Medhat 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Background
Thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) and segmental thoracic spinal anesthesia (STSA) can be used as sole anesthesia techniques alternative to general anesthesia for modified radical mastectomy in some critical patients. Both techniques were compared for efficacy and safety including detailed block characteristics, analgesia, patient’s and surgeon’s satisfaction, hemodynamics, respiration, and side effects.

Results
Both techniques were successful, but fentanyl requirements were higher in TPVB group. The sensory loss was faster, wider, and longer in STSA group; however, it was associated with more hypotension. There was no motor block in the upper or lower limbs in TPVB group, while all patients in STSA group showed ipsilateral handgrip affection and to less extent wrists and then elbow flexion. While the ipsilateral lower limbs motor block was partial and short. Postoperatively, there was no difference in analgesic requirements or side effects. Satisfaction was higher in STSA group.

Conclusions
Both TPVB and STSA were effective and safe as sole techniques for mastectomy providing adequate anesthesia with low complications, considerable analgesia, and satisfaction. Anesthesia was faster, wider, and longer in STSA group, with lower fentanyl requirements; however, it was associated with more hypotension.
Dietary enrichment of resistant starches or fibers differentially alter the feline fecal microbiome and metabolite profile
Authors: Lee Anne H. , Jha Aashish R. , Do Sungho , Scarsella Elisa , Shmalberg Justin , Schauwecker Amy , Steelman Andrew J. , Honaker Ryan W. , Swanson Kelly S. 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Background
Cats are strict carnivores but possess a complex gastrointestinal (GI) microbial community that actively ferments dietary substrates that are not digested and reach the colon. The GI microbiota responses to dietary inclusion of resistant starches versus fibers have not been tested in cats. Thus, our objective was to evaluate the effects of diets enriched in resistant starch or fibers on the fecal characteristics, microbiome, and metabolite profiles of cats. Twelve healthy adult domestic shorthair cats (age = 9.6 ± 4.0 year; body weight = 3.9 ± 1.0 kg) were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design to test diets that were enriched with: (1) resistant starch (ERS), (2) a fiber-prebiotic-probiotic blend (FPPB), or (3) a fiber-prebiotic-probiotic blend + immune-modulating ingredients (iFPPB). In each 28-day period, 22 days of diet adaptation was followed by fecal and blood sample collection. Fecal samples were used for shotgun metagenomic sequencing. In addition, fecal and blood metabolite measurements and white blood cell stimulation was performed to assess immune function.

Results
A total of 1690 bacterial species were identified, with 259 species differing between fiber-rich and ERS treatments. In comparison with fiber-rich treatments that increased diversity and promoted Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes populations, resistant starch reduced microbial diversity and fecal pH, led to a bloom in Actinobacteria, and modified Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes orthology (KO) terms pertaining to starch and sucrose metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis and metabolism, epithelial cell signaling, among others. Resistant starch also differentially modified fecal metabolite concentrations with relevance to GI and overall host health (increased butyrate; decreased propionate and protein catabolites - branched-chain fatty acids; phenols and indoles; ammonia) and reduced blood cholesterol, which correlated strongly with microbial taxa and KO terms, and allowed for a high predictive efficiency of diet groups by random forest analysis.

Conclusion
Even though domestic cats and other carnivores evolved by eating low-carbohydrate diets rich in protein and fat, our results demonstrate that the feline microbiome and metabolite profiles are highly responsive to dietary change and in directions that are predictable.
Ocular trauma in the pediatric age group: a systematic review
Authors: Kaçer Emine Özdemir , Kaçer İlker 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Background
Ocular traumas are the leading cause of acquired unilateral blindness in the pediatric age group. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of pediatric ocular injuries, the etiological factors that cause them, and to make some preventive recommendations.

Methods
This was a retrospective observational study of pediatric ocular trauma (age < 18 years) presented to the pediatric emergency unit of our tertiary university hospital between January 2016 and December 2020. Demographic data such as age, gender, season, duration of admission, trauma etiology, and type of injury were recorded. Patients with missing medical records were excluded from the study.

Results
Two hundred two patients aged a mean of 107.4 ± 40.7 months including 87 females (43.07%) and 115 males (56.93%) were included in the study. Most of the patients (n = 135, 66.83%) were in the 7–11 years of age group. The vast majority of the study population lived in the urban area (n = 119, 58.91%). Most injuries were seen in the summer (n = 108, 53.47%). 59.41% of all patients had closed globe injuries. Hyphema (32.5%) and endophthalmitis (26.6%) were the most common in closed globe injuries. Of the open globe injuries, 39 were penetrating (47.5%), 12 were perforated (14.6%), and 23 were intraocular foreign body injuries (28%). It was determined that the places where the injury occurred were mostly in situations where family control was reduced, such as weddings, holidays, and playgrounds (80.69%). The most common causes of injury were toy guns (35.15%), stones (28.71%), and fireworks (16.34%).

Conclusion
This analysis is the first study to provide data on childhood ocular trauma in Aksaray. Most of the childhood ocular injuries can be prevented with simple precautions. For this purpose, effective and preventive strategies should be developed such as raising public awareness, providing parental control, and early intervention.
Improving shallow and deep seismic-while-drilling with a downhole pilot in a desert environment
Authors: Silvestrov Ilya , Bakulin Andrey , Aldawood Ali , Hemyari Emad , Egorov Anton 
Published: December 2022

Processing seismic data from drillbit-generated vibrations requires a reliable source signature for correlation and deconvolution purposes. Recently, a land field trial has been conducted in a desert environment. A memory-based downhole vibration accelerometer has been used together with a more conventional top-drive sensor to continuously record the pilot signal from 590 to 8600 ft (180–2621 m). Past results indicate that seismic-while-drilling (SWD) data processed using the top-drive accelerometer exhibit good quality in the middle sections of the well but a reduced signal-to-noise ratio for shallow and deep sections. One of the main challenges in using the downhole pilot is a substantial drift of the downhole clock time. To resolve it, a novel automated time-alignment procedure using the GPS-synchronized signal of the top-drive sensor as a reference is applied. The downhole recording provides a source signature of better quality. In shallow sections of the well, it helps to overcome the intense surface-related vibrational noise, whereas, in deeper sections, it provides a cleaner extraction of weaker signals from the polycrystalline diamond compact bits. Processing with the downhole pilot results in better surface seismic data quality than with a conventional top-drive sensor. Therefore, enabling the use of the synchronized downhole pilot signal is of crucial importance for SWD applications. Modern cost-effective near-bit vibrational sensors widely used for different nonseismic applications could be an effective acquisition solution, as shown in this study.
Measurement of speech in individuals with selective mutism: A systematic review
Authors: Toma Yuria , Matsuda Soichiro 
Published: December 2022

Background: The main characteristic of selective mutism (SM) is the failure to speak in specific social situations. Thus, assessing speech across social contexts is important for confirming a diagnosis of SM and for differentiating it from other disorders. The purpose of this review was to organize how the core symptom of SM, a lack of speech in specific social situations, has been assessed in previous studies. Methods: A systematic search of articles was conducted in three databases, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and PubMed and reviews of surveys or experimental studies that reported empirical data on individuals with SM were performed. We excluded review, qualitative, epidemiological, and intervention studies. The study summarized the diagnostic criteria, methods of confirming SM diagnosis, distinction of SM from other disorders, and methods of speech assessment. Results: A total of 447 articles were screened, where 60 articles were considered eligible. The results demonstrate that different interviews and questionnaires were used to establish the diagnosis of SM. However, the majority of interviews and questionnaires lacked validation. Only two (2/60) articles used validated methods of speech assessment to confirm SM diagnosis. Moreover, a consensus was lacking on the assessment method for differentiating SM from other disorders across studies. Specifically, 17 studies measured speech and are not intended for diagnosis. The majority of studies (16/17) used the questionnaire to assess the severity of the SM condition, and only one study conducted behavioral observation. Assessment methods based on the measurement of speech in real-life situations for individuals with SM were not established. Conclusion: We have the limitation that we did not review intervention studies. However, this systematic review revealed the problem that speech assessment methods for surveys or experimental studies of SM were not established. Future studies should establish methods of speech assessment across social situations to assess SM symptoms.
A cross-sectional survey among parents to report challenges and barriers in the administration of drugs to children
Authors: AlKaddour Nour Aliyan , Shah Rawa Banoori , Gillani Syed Wasif , Sharafi Niloofar Hadi , Khan Aiman Fatima , Elshafie Riham Mohamed , Rathore Hassaan Anwer 
Published: December 2022

Background: Lack of knowledge among parents can result in inappropriate administration practices. After analyzing different studies among children, there was no data on challenges and barriers in the administration of drugs among children in this region because of the diverse environmental issues and challenges in the UAE. The objective of this study was to determine the reported administration practices of parents and challenges and barriers in the administration of drugs among children in UAE. Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted. A convenience sampling technique was used to collect the data. An online Raosoft® sample size calculator was applied (n = 248). The inclusion criteria were parents who had a child under 10 years of age and gave consent to participate in this study. Children with vision problems, cognitive/physical disabilities, and caregivers other than parents were excluded from this study. Results: The study reported response rate of 73.2%. The mean ± S.D age of the parents in years was 35.5 ± 7.8, and the mean ± S.D of children aged years was 2.60 ± 1.54. The majority of parents (83.9%) completing the survey were mothers and resided in the city (97.2%). When the children did not like taking tablet drugs 41.9% used multiple practices and 26.2% of parents reported treatment failure due to oral drug administration. Around 47.6% of those who were interviewed reported that their children had swallowing problems during the administration of oral medication. A total of 22.2% of parents reported that they gave drugs in doses higher than prescribed by the doctor to treat their children more quickly. Similarly, a total of 64.5% of the parents reported self-medication without consultation from a healthcare provider. Conclusions: The study concluded that there were inappropriate drug administration practices among parents. Parents reported administration of higher doses to treat their children quickly.
Mutation patterns of resistance genes for macrolides, aminoglycosides, and rifampicin in nontuberculous mycobacteria isolates from Kenya
Authors: Mwangi Zakayo , Naeku Grace , Mureithi Marianne , Onyambu Frank , Bulimo Wallace 
Published: December 2022

Background: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) treatment constitutes a macrolide-based antibiotic regimen in combination with aminoglycosides for Rapid-Growing mycobacteria (RGM), and rifampicin for Slow-Growing mycobacteria (SGM). Mutations in the anti-NTM drug target regions promote NTM evolution to mutant strains that are insusceptible to NTM drugs leading to treatment failure. We, therefore, described the mutation patterns of anti-NTM drug target genes including rrl, rrs, and rpoB in NTM isolates from Kenya. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study that included 122 NTM obtained from the sputum of symptomatic tuberculosis-negative patients in Kenya. All the 122 NTM underwent targeted sequencing of the rrl gene. The 54 RGM were also sequenced for rrs, and the 68 SGM were sequenced for rpoB genes using ABI 3730XL analyzer. The obtained sequences were aligned to their wild-type reference sequences for each gene using Geneious then mutations were identified. Pearson chi-square at 95% confidence interval tested the association of NTM to mutation patterns for each gene. Results: Twenty-eight (23%) of the NTM harbored mutations associated with resistance to at least one of the macrolide-based therapy antibiotics. Twelve (10.4%) NTM comprising 7(58.3%) of RGM and 5(41.7%) of SGM had mutations in the rrl gene. For ten (83.3%) NTM, mutations were found at position 2058, while for two (16.6%) NTM, mutations were found at position 2059. Six (11.1%) of the 54 RGM exhibited mutations in the aminoglycoside target gene rrs at location 1408. Ten (14.7%) of the 68 SGM harbored mutations in the rpoB gene with 40 percent having mutations at codon 531. Conclusion: We demonstrated a significant level of mutations associated with drug resistance for macrolides, aminoglycosides, and rifampicin in NTM isolated from symptomatic TB negative patients in Kenya.
Enhancement of surface properties of polyetheretherketone implant material by fractional laser texturing
Authors: Tukmachi Mustafa S. , Abdul-Baqi Hikmat J. , Hussein Falah H. 
Published: December 2022

Background: Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a promising implant material due to its superior biomechanical strength. However, due to its hydrophobic nature and lack of cellular adhesion properties, it has poor integration with bone tissue. Methods: A fractional CO2 laser was used with various parameters for surface texturing of PEEK substrate to enhance its surface properties. An optical microscope and field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) were used to examine the surface morphology of untextured and laser-textured samples. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) was performed to determine the effect of the laser on the microstructure of PEEK. Surface microroughness, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and wettability were investigated. Results: There were significant increases in microroughness, nanoroughness, surface area ratio, and wettability after laser texturing with no change in the elemental composition. The best results were obtained by using 400 µs laser pulse duration with a dot separation distance of 0.2 mm and a 60° staggered dots pattern. Conclusions: Laser surface texturing of PEEK implant material by fractional CO2 laser is an easy and fast method of introducing patterned topographical features with no need for additional devices. With further investigations, this method of PEEK modification might have the potential to be used in the implant field.
Case Report: The effect of intravenous and oral antibiotics on the gut microbiome and breath volatile organic compounds over one year
Authors: Shahi Farah , Forrester Sarah , Redeker Kelly , Chong James P.J. , Barlow Gavin 
Published: December 2022

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global concern and better understanding of the gut microbiome, a known ‘amplifier’ of AMR, may allow future clinicians to tailor therapy to minimise this risk and offer a personalised medicine approach. To examine the gut microbiome, patients are required to provide faecal samples; more convenient and cheaper solutions need to be found.Methods: As part of a pilot study looking at how routes of administration affect the gut microbiome in NHS patients undergoing routine clinical management for infections, we hypothesised that effects on the gut microbiome varied with the route and metabolism of antibiotic used, and these changes may be reflected in breath metabolites. We present a case report of a patient with an unusual clinical history, alongside breath metabolite and gut microbiome data taken before, during and after antibiotic therapy over a period of one year.Results: We noted a shift in the dominantBacteroidesstrain in the patient’s gut microbiome between pre- and post-therapy samples, along with an alteration in the composition of breath metabolites.Conclusions: This study provides a framework for similar future work and highlights the need for further research on the relationships between changes in microbial gut communities and antimicrobial exposure, patient clinical status, and the metabolites of human breath.