bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Macroeconomic determinants of households' indebtedness in Portugal: What really matters in the era of financialisation?
Authors: Romão Ana , Barradas Ricardo 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe objective of this paper is to perform a time series econometric analysis in order to empirically assess the macroeconomic determinants and the corresponding drivers of Portuguese households' indebtedness in the period 1988 to 2016. During that period, the Portuguese economy experienced a process of financialisation that contributed to an increase in Portuguese households' indebtedness to unprecedented levels. The Portuguese households' indebtedness played a crucial role in the recent sovereign debt crisis. Based on the existing literature, we hypothesise that Portuguese households' indebtedness was due to seven macroeconomic determinants, notably housing prices, financial asset prices, the degree of personal income inequality, households' labour income, the importance of welfare state expenditures, the fraction of the working‐age population and the level of interest rates. Our findings reveal that the housing prices busts, financial asset prices, the degree of personal income inequality, households' labour income and the fraction of the working‐age population positively impact Portuguese households' indebtedness. Our findings also show that the increase in financial asset prices and the decline in housing prices were the main drivers of Portuguese households' indebtedness in the last few decades.
The impact of guardian's usage of the Internet on children's cognitive skills
Authors: Zhou Guangsu , Guo Keyi 
Published: September 2022

AbstractIn the digital age, the internet has become an essential source of information gathering and maintains a network of social contact. In this paper, we use microdata from the China Family Panel Studies to examine the effects of guardian's internet use on teenager's cognitive skills. Using mobile internet users and base station density as instruments, we found that guardian's internet use had a significant impact on teenager's cognitive abilities as measured by math and verbal tests. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the impact is more substantial for guardians in rural areas and less‐educated guardians. Further exploration of the mechanism shows that internet usage affects cognitive skills through monetary investment, time investment, and parental environment. The result suggests that promoting internet usage for less educated families in rural areas can potentially improve children's academic performance and decrease inequality across regions and generations.
Automated thermal imaging monitors the local response to cervical cancer brachytherapy
Authors: Hoffer Oshrit , Rabin Tatiana , Nir Rony‐Reuven , Brzezinski Rafael Y. , Zimmer Yair , Gannot Israel 
Published: September 2022

AbstractMalignant tumors have high metabolic and perfusion rates, which result in a unique temperature distribution as compared to healthy tissues. Here, we sought to characterize the thermal response of the cervix following brachytherapy in women with advanced cervical carcinoma. Six patients underwent imaging with a thermal camera before a brachytherapy treatment session and after a 7‐day follow‐up period. A designated algorithm was used to calculate and store the texture parameters of the examined tissues across all time points. We used supervised machine learning classification methods (K Nearest Neighbors and Support Vector Machine) and unsupervised machine learning classification (K‐means). Our algorithms demonstrated a 100% detection rate for physiological changes in cervical tumors before and after brachytherapy. Thus, we showed that thermal imaging combined with advanced feature extraction could potentially be used to detect tissue‐specific changes in the cervix in response to local brachytherapy for cervical cancer.
Theranostic‐guided corneal cross‐linking: Preclinical evidence on a new treatment paradigm for keratoconus
Authors: Lombardo Giuseppe , Bernava Giuseppe Massimo , Serrao Sebastiano , Lombardo Marco 
Published: September 2022

AbstractTheranostics is an emerging therapeutic paradigm of personalized medicine; the term refers to the simultaneous integration of therapy and diagnostics. In this work, theranostic‐guided corneal cross‐linking was performed on 10 human sclero‐corneal tissues. The samples were soaked with 0.22% riboflavin formulation and underwent 9 minutes UV‐A irradiance at 10 mW/cm2 using theranostic device, which provided both a measure of corneal riboflavin concentration and a theranostic score estimating treatment efficacy in real time. A three‐element viscoelastic model was developed to fit the deformation response of the cornea to air‐puff excitation of dynamic tonometry and to calculate the mean corneal stiffness parameter before and after treatment. Significant correlation was found between the theranostic score and the increase in mean corneal stiffness (R = 0.80; P < .001). Accuracy and precision of the theranostic score in predicting the induced corneal tissue stiffening were both 90%. The riboflavin concentration prior to starting the UV‐A photo‐therapy phase was the most important variable to allow corneal cross‐linking to be effective. Theranostic UV‐A light mediated imaging and therapy enables the operator to adopt a precise approach for achieving highly predictable biomechanical strengthening on individual corneas.
Incidence of Atypical Femoral Fractures in Patients on Osteoporosis Therapy—A Registry‐Based Cohort Study
Authors: Everts‐Graber Judith , Bonel Harald , Lehmann Daniel , Gahl Brigitta , Häuselmann HansJörg , Studer Ueli , Ziswiler Hans‐Rudolf , Reichenbach Stephan , Lehmann Thomas 
Published: September 2022

ABSTRACTAtypical femoral fractures (AFFs) have been reported in patients taking bisphosphonates (BPs) for osteoporosis therapy but also in patients with no exposure to these drugs. In contrast, less is known about the incidence of AFFs in patients taking denosumab. This registry‐based cohort study analyzed the incidence of AFFs in patients with suspected or confirmed osteoporosis who were included in the osteoporosis register of the Swiss Society of Rheumatology between January 2015 and September 2019. Statistical analyses included incidence rates, rate ratios, and hazard ratios for AFFs, and considered sequential therapies and drug holidays as time‐dependent covariates. Among the 9956 subjects in the cohort, 53 had subtrochanteric or femoral shaft fractures. Ten fractures occurred under BP or denosumab treatment and two under teriparatide therapy. Five fractures were classified as AFFs based on the revised American Society of Bone and Mineral Research case definition of AFFs from 2014. Three AFFs occurred in women being treated with denosumab at the time of diagnosis, all with prior BP use (10, 7, and 1 years, respectively). One AFF developed in a woman receiving ibandronate and one arose in a woman receiving glucocorticoids rather than antiresorptive therapy. The incidence of AFFs per 10,000 observed patient‐years was 7.1 in patients receiving denosumab and 0.9 in patients with BP‐associated AFFs, yielding a rate ratio of 7.9 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.63–413), p = 0.073. The risk of AFFs was not significantly higher in patients receiving denosumab therapy compared with BP therapy (hazard ratio = 7.07, 95% CI 0.74–68.01, p = 0.090). We conclude that the risk of AFFs is low in patients taking BPs, denosumab, or both sequentially. All three patients with AFFs under denosumab therapy had undergone prior BP therapy. © 2022 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Copper regulation disturbance linked to oxidative stress and cell death during Zika virus infection in human astrocytes
Authors: Puig‐Pijuan Teresa , Souza Leticia R. Q. , Pedrosa Carolina da S. G. , Higa Luiza M. , Monteiro Fabio Luis , Tanuri Amilcar , Valverde Rafael H. F. , Einicker‐Lamas Marcelo , Rehen Stevens Kastrup 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe Zika virus (ZIKV) caused neurological abnormalities in more than 3500 Brazilian newborns between 2015 and 2020. Data have pointed to oxidative stress in astrocytes as well as to dysregulations in neural cell proliferation and cell cycle as important events accounting for the cell death and neurological complications observed in Congenital Zika Syndrome. Copper imbalance has been shown to induce similar alterations in other pathologies, and disturbances in copper homeostasis have already been described in viral infections. Here, we investigated copper homeostasis imbalance as a factor that could contribute to the cytotoxic effects of ZIKV infection in astrocytes. Human induced pluripotent stem cell‐derived astrocytes were infected with ZIKV; changes in the gene expression of copper homeostasis proteins were analyzed. The effect of the administration of CuCl2 or a copper chelator on oxidative stress, cell viability and percentage of infection were also studied. ZIKV infection leads to a downregulation of one of the transporters mediating copper release, ATP7B protein. We also observed the activation of mechanisms that counteract high copper levels, including the synthesis of copper chaperones and the reduction of the copper importer protein CTR1. Finally, we show that chelator‐mediated copper sequestration in ZIKV‐infected astrocytes reduces the levels of reactive oxygen species and improves cell viability, but does not change the overall percentage of infected cells. In summary, our results show that copper homeostasis imbalance plays a role in the pathology of ZIKV in astrocytes, indicating that it may also be a factor accounting for the developmental abnormalities in the central nervous system following viral infection. Evaluating micronutrient levels and the use of copper chelators in pregnant women susceptible to ZIKV infection may be promising strategies to manage novel cases of congenital ZIKV syndrome.
Synthesis of 2‐amino‐4H‐chromenes and spirochromenes using basic ionic liquid, 2‐hydroxyethylammonium formate as green, stable, and reusable catalyst
Authors: Sanchooli Tazeh Kazem , Heydari Reza , Fatahpour Maryam 
Published: September 2022

AbstractIn this study, a number of 2‐amino‐4H‐chromenes and spirochromenes were fabricated in a one‐pot three‐component synthesis manner from commercially available chemicals including phloroglucinol, malononitrile, and aldehydes/isatines with acceptable and easy efficiencies. This methodology was performed in the presence of 2‐hydroxyethylammonium formate as an effective and reusable ionic liquid catalyst. Water was selected as the reaction medium and the reaction was carried out at ambient temperature to create an environmentally friendly route. Other salient features of this method include catalyst chemical stability, good yields, short reaction times, and a simple work‐up procedure.
Correlation of acetyl‐coenzyme A carboxylase 1 with Th17 and Th1 cells, serving as a potential prognostic biomarker for acute ischemic stroke patients
Authors: Jiang Jingjing , Meng Shifeng , Li Linlin , Duan Xinfei , Xu Haifa , Li Shurui 
Published: September 2022

AbstractBackgroundAcetyl‐coenzyme A carboxylase 1 (ACC1) regulates lipid homeostasis, T helper (Th) cell differentiation, oxidative stress, inflammation response, and neurological process, engaging in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) pathogenesis, while its clinical utility in AIS is unclear. Hence, this study intended to explore the correlation among blood ACC1, Th17, and Th1 cells, and ACC1’s potency as a prognostic biomarker for AIS management.MethodsACC1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 160 AIS patients and 30 controls were determined using RT‐qPCR; blood Th17 and Th1 cells in AIS patients were quantified by flow cytometry.ResultsACC1 was increased in AIS patients compared with controls (median (interquartile range): 2.540 (1.753–3.548) vs. 0.980 (0.655–1.743), p < 0.001), which exhibited a good value to reflect AIS risk with the area under the curve of 0.872 (95% CI: 0.805–0.939). Moreover, ACC1 was positively linked with Th17 (r = 0.374, p < 0.001) and Th1 (r = 0.178, p = 0.024) cells in AIS patients. Additionally, ACC1 (r = 0.328, p < 0.001), Th17 (r = 0.272, p = 0.001), and Th1 cells (r = 0.195, p = 0.014) were positively associated with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score in AIS patients. ACC1 high vs. low (p = 0.038) and Th17 high vs. low (p = 0.026) were related to shortened recurrence‐free survival (RFS) in AIS patients, while Th1 cells (p = 0.179) were not correlated with RFS. Whereas ACC1 (p = 0.248), Th17 (p = 0.079), and Th1 cells (p = 0.130) were not linked with overall survival (OS) in AIS patients.ConclusionCirculating ACC1 overexpression correlates with increased Th17, Th1 cells, NIHSS score, and shortened RFS in AIS patients.
LncRNA OR2A1‐AS1 index predicts survival in germinal center‐like diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma
Authors: Ye Shuting , Ying Weiwei , Lin Yi , Hou Zhengjun , Su Meiyun 
Published: September 2022

AbstractBackgroundDiffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a highly aggressive form of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) has been evaluated as prognostic markers in various carcinomas. However, the prognostic value of the lncRNA index in DLBCL has not been fully understood. Hence, this study aimed to identify the prognostic value of lncRNA olfactory receptor family 2 subfamily A member 1‐antisense RNA 1 (OR2A1‐AS1) in DLBCL.MethodsThe Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was used to obtain the GSE97336 dataset comprising lncRNA expression profiles. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (QRT‐PCR) was conducted to evaluate the expression of OR2A1‐AS1 in 98 cases of DLBCL.ResultsOR2A1‐AS1 expression was considerably reduced in DLBCL patients, reduced OR2A1‐AS1 expression was linked to a shorter overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) in DLBCL patients, especially those with the germinal center B‐cell‐like subtype (GCB). Multivariate analysis (MVA) revealed that the OR2A1‐AS1 index had prognostic significance. Patients with low OR2A1‐AS1 expression have a poor prognosis.ConclusionsOR2A1‐AS may represent an effective predictor of patients' outcomes with DLBCL.
Water T2 could predict functional decline in patients with dysferlinopathy
Authors: Moore Ursula , Caldas de Almeida Araújo Ericky , Reyngoudt Harmen , Gordish‐Dressman Heather , Smith Fiona E. , Wilson Ian , James Meredith , Mayhew Anna , Rufibach Laura , Day John W. , Jones Kristi J. , Bharucha‐Goebel Diana X. , Salort‐Campana Emmanuelle , Pestronk Alan , Walter Maggie C. , Paradas Carmen , Stojkovic Tanya , Mori‐Yoshimura Madoka , Bravver Elena , Pegoraro Elena , Mendell Jerry R. ,   The Jain COS Consortium, Bushby Kate , Blamire Andrew M. , Straub Volker , Carlier Pierre G. , Diaz‐Manera Jordi 
Published: September 2022

AbstractBackgroundWater T2 (T2H2O) mapping is increasingly being used in muscular dystrophies to assess active muscle damage. It has been suggested as a surrogate outcome measure for clinical trials. Here, we investigated the prognostic utility of T2H2O to identify changes in muscle function over time in limb girdle muscular dystrophies.MethodsPatients with genetically confirmed dysferlinopathy were assessed as part of the Jain Foundation Clinical Outcomes Study in dysferlinopathy. The cohort included 18 patients from two sites, both equipped with 3‐tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems from the same vendor. T2H2O value was defined as higher or lower than the median in each muscle bilaterally. The degree of deterioration on four functional tests over 3 years was assessed in a linear model against covariates of high or low T2H2O at baseline, age, disease duration, and baseline function.ResultsA higher T2H2O at baseline significantly correlated with a greater decline on functional tests in 21 out of 35 muscles and was never associated with slower decline. Higher baseline T2H2O in adductor magnus, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis were the most sensitive, being associated bilaterally with greater decline in multiple timed tests. Patients with a higher than median baseline T2H2O (>40.6 ms) in the right vastus medialis deteriorated 11 points more on the North Star Ambulatory Assessment for Dysferlinopathy and lost an additional 86 m on the 6‐min walk than those with a lower T2H2O (<40.6 ms). Optimum sensitivity and specificity thresholds for predicting decline were 39.0 ms in adductor magnus and vastus intermedius, 40.0 ms in vastus medialis, and 40.5 ms in vastus lateralis from different sites equipped with different MRI systems.ConclusionsIn dysferlinopathy, T2H2O did not correlate with current functional ability. However, T2H2O at baseline was higher in patients who worsened more rapidly on functional tests. This suggests that inter‐patient differences in functional decline over time may be, in part, explained by different severities of the active muscle damage, assessed by T2H2O measure at baseline. Significant challenges remain in standardizing T2H2O values across sites to allow determining globally applicable thresholds. The results from the present work are encouraging and suggest that T2H2O could be used to improve prognostication, patient selection, and disease modelling for clinical trials.
Learning outcomes of a mobile application for dental infection control education
Authors: Choi Eun‐Mi , Mun So‐Jung , Han Sun‐Young , Kang Jung‐Yun , Choi Ji‐Hea , Noh Hie‐Jin 
Published: September 2022

AbstractPurpose/objectivesThis study aimed to apply and verify the effectiveness of a mobile‐based dental infection control education application to enable students majoring in dental hygiene to learning dental infection control education without time and space constraints.MethodsThis study used a nonequivalent control group pretest–posttest design to examine differences in learning outcomes between an experimental group that learned through the mobile application and a control group that learned with handouts. The Infection Prevention and Control Mobile Application (IPC App) and handouts were developed by referring to the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control in Dental Settings. Both the experimental and control groups were guided to perform self‐regulated learning, where they independently led and managed their learning for two weeks. The study was conducted at the D university college with 42 students from the second grade in the Department of Dental Hygiene from August to October 2021. Differences in knowledge, self‐efficacy, and summative evaluation were analyzed using an independent samplet‐test and repeated measures analysis of variance (p < 0.05).ResultsThe findings confirmed that the experimental group who learned through the IPC mobile application had improved their knowledge and indicated a higher summative evaluation than the control group that learned via learning documents (p < 0.05).ConclusionsOwing to the high accessibility and repeatability of the learning content, the mobile application recommended in this study may serve as an effective self‐directed learning tool for students to gain knowledge on the standard precautions for dental infection control.
Exploring why religious faith may distinguish faith‐based from non‐faith‐based NGOs: Theoretical insights from Cambodia
Authors: Frame John 
Published: September 2022

AbstractFaith‐based and non‐faith‐based non‐governmental organisations (NGOs) are significant service providers in the developing world, yet limited research has compared these organisations, especially in the context of Southeast Asia. This paper explores a theoretical concept related to why religious faith may distinguish Christian faith‐based organisations (FBOs) from non‐faith‐based NGOs. Qualitative data were analysed from 41 interviews across 13 Christian FBOs and 12 non‐faith‐based NGOs working with women and children in Cambodia who have been (or were at risk of being) sexually exploited, trafficked or involved in sex work. Faith was found to distinguish FBOs from non‐faith‐based NGOs in all four of the dimensions comparatively examined in the study: (1) goals and missions, (2) motivations, (3) approaches to care and (4) conceptions of success. It is argued that the contrasts between these two types of organisations, in terms of faith, are related to the combination of both the infusion of faith in FBOs and factors related to the development context in which these organisations worked, a theoretical concept posited as Context‐Infusion Convergence.
Alternative sources of valine and isoleucine for prompt reduction of plasma leucine in maple syrup urine disease patients: A case series
Authors: Ziadlou Maryam , MacDonald Anita 
Published: September 2022

AbstractIn maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), leucine (Leu) accumulation, and its metabolites cause brain toxicity, and at diagnosis rapid plasma Leu reduction is essential. Valine (Val) and isoleucine (Iso) supplements are necessary to promote anabolism and enable prompt reduction of plasma Leu. Val/Iso supplements are unavailable in Iran, so an alternative source was necessary. An emergency protocol was developed using an unconventional source of Val and Iso to prompt reduction of high plasma Leu levels during an acute metabolic crisis to prevent brain encephalopathy and neurological sequelae. Five children with classical MSUD were referred aged 1–25 months, with a prolonged high plasma Leu of more than 1500 μmol/L and acute symptoms (irritability, poor feeding, and hypotonia). Initially, breast milk/regular infant formula was stopped. Val and Iso were given in calculated amounts from a Leu‐free formula containing Iso/Val (Xleu Maxamaid, Nutricia Ltd.) to promote anabolism. It was prescribed for a controlled and limited time with a branched chain amino acid (BCAA) free formula. Frequent amino acid monitoring was conducted. Natural protein was re‐added after normalizing plasma Leu. Plasma Leu declined by a median (range) of 1677 (1501–1852) μmol/L within 3–4 days of intervention. The median follow‐up time was 24 months (range: 14–32) and patients showed improvement in motor and cognitive skills after normalizing plasma Leu (75–200 μmol/L). Most had improvement in their head circumference (n = 4). Due to the unavailability of individual Val/Iso supplements, a Leu‐free formula rapidly lowered plasma Leu concentrations during acute crisis, to prevent cerebral edema and brain damage in MSUD.