bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The relationship between fronto-striatal tractography and cortical morphometry changes in Huntington's Disease: Image-HD
Authors: Tan Brendan , Shishegar Rosita , Oldham Stuart , Fornito Alex , Poudel Govinda , Georgiou-Karistianis Nellie 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
This paper aimed to investigate the relationship between cortical folding and white matter integrity changes in Huntington’s disease. Cortical morphometry and tractography changes in three gyral based regions of interest (i.e., precentral, rostral middle frontal and superior frontal gyri) were examined. Neuroimaging data from the IMAGE-HD database comprised of 25 pre-symptomatic, 27 symptomatic and 25 healthy control individuals at three separate time points (baseline, 18-months, 30-months). Cortical morphometry measures of local gyrification index and cortical thickness were derived using Freesurfer 6.0’s longitudinal pipeline. Tractography integrity measures of fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity and radial diffusivity were obtained using MRTrix3. Gyral-based regions of interest were identified using the Desikan-Killiany Atlas. A hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to investigate whether baseline white matter tractography could predict cortical morphometry changes. We found baseline white matter integrity measures did not predict tractography changes in any of the regions of interest. A hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to investigate whether tractography or cortical morphometry changes could predict change in clinical measures (i.e., disease burden score and the Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale – total motor score) over and above group (i.e., clinical diagnosis) in the pre-symptomatic and symptomatic groups. Tractography and cortical morphometry changes did not significantly predict change in clinical measures over and above group. These findings suggest cortical morphometry changes in these brain regions may occur independently to the health of the cortico-striatal tracts leading to them. Furthermore, these changes appear to have no significant relationship to motor symptoms in HD or life-time disease exposure.
Diagnostic accuracy of atopy patch test in children with cow’s milk allergy
Authors: Kulalert Prapasri , Pongcharoen Padcha , Sritipsu Paskorn , Intraakhao Sukkrawan , Piriyanon Punnapat , Thaweekul Patcharapa , Nanthapisal Sira , Poachanukoon Orapan 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Background
The accuracy of an atopy patch test (APT) for fresh cow’s milk allergy is controversial. Few studies have focused on commercial extract solutions. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the APT in cow’s milk allergic children using fresh cow’s milk and commercial extracts of cow’s milk and its components including casein, α-lactalbumin, and β-lactoglobulin.
Methods
A prospective study was carried out in children with a history of cow’s milk allergy. Children underwent the skin prick test (SPT) and APT with fresh cow’s milk, powdered cow’s milk, and commercial extracts of cow’s milk, casein, α-lactalbumin, and β-lactoglobulin. Oral food challenge (OFC) was confirmed in all children.
Results
A total of 37 patients participated (mean age 13.14 ± 7.26 months). Only 5 (13.51%) patients had positive OFC to cow’s milk. The sensitivity of the APT using fresh cow’s milk was 40%, specificity was 65.6%, PPV was 15.4%, and NPV was 87.5%. The sensitivity of the APT using powdered cow’s milk was 40%, 60.7% for specificity, 15.4% for PPV, and 58% for NPV. The sensitivity and PPV of the APT using commercial solutions of cow’s milk, casein, α-lactalbumin, and β-lactoglobulin were zero. The specificities were 90.6%, 93.8%, 100%, and 100% for α-lactalbumin, cow’s milk, casein, and β-lactoglobulin, respectively. ​
Conclusions
APT using commercial solutions showed higher specificity than fresh milk. The specificity increased using a protein component allergen.
Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infection Prevention and Control Programs across Three Healthcare Levels: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Aika Isabel Naomi , Enato Ehijie 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Introduction: Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and infection prevention control (IPC) programs are proposed to address antimicrobial resistance. Nigeria’s 5-year action plan for these programs is due for implementation by 2022. The objective of this study was to examine the perspectives, barriers and facilitators of these programs among health care managers and the current state of these programs in the three levels of healthcare facilities in Benin City, Nigeria. Methods: Fourteen in-depth interviews were conducted among hospital manager across primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities. The interviews were guided by semi-structured questionnaire. Responses were audio-taped and hand written. Data were analyzed by transcribing recorded tapes into major themes. Results: Most of the participants viewed inappropriate prescribing as a problem both in the country and their facilities. None of the institutions have a formal AMS program (AMS), but participants believed that the presence of drug and therapeutic committee is a foundation for such a program. A majority of the participants acknowledged barriers to AMS to include lack of management backing, interprofessional rivalry, and poor laboratories. Only the tertiary institution has a formal IPC program. Some challenges to IPC across the healthcare institutions are inadequate waste disposal, lack of personal protective equipment and behavioral change among healthcare providers.Conclusion: There is no AMS program across all facilities studied, although some forms of IPC activities are present in all healthcare institutions, only the tertiary facility has a formal IPC program. Effort should be made to strengthen AMS and IPC in the study facilities.
Socio-economic disparities in female genital circumcision: finding from a case- control study
Authors: Laleh Shahla Shafaati , Roshanaei Ghodratollah , Soltani Farzaneh , Ghamari Fatemeh 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Background
Female genital circumcision is still one of the challenges in reproductive health. This study was conducted to investigate the socio-economic disparities in female genital circumcision in a Kurdish region of Iran.
Methods
We conducted a case-control study to assess the socio-economic factors associated with female genital circumcision. Using the available sampling method, 130 cases of circumcised girls and 130 controls without history of circumcision were enrolled. The demographic and circumcision information questionnaires were completed by self-report method. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square statistical methods as well as univariate and multivariate logistic regression models with a backward method at 95% confidence level.
Results
The chances of genital circumcision in girls under the age of 20 and then in the age group of 20 to 30 years were 5.77 and 8.55 times higher than those over 30 years, respectively. This chance in girls with elementary education was 6.6 times higher than those with a college education. The chances of girls being circumcised with mothers with elementary education were 5.75 times higher than girls with university-educated mothers. Also, the family history of circumcision increased the chance of female genital circumcision by 9.90 times.
Conclusion
The present study highlighted the importance of modifiable variable such as girls’ education as well as parents' education as predictors of female genital circumcision. Empowering women by creating opportunities for their education can lead to the success of global efforts to reduce and eradicate this health problem.
A unified Lyapunov function for optimizing synchronization of coupled heterogeneous oscillators
Authors: Lei Yong , Xu Xin-Jian , Wang Xiaofan , Zou Yong , Kurths Jürgen 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Synchronization of coupled oscillators is important for understanding collective dynamics of a variety of natural and artificial systems including Josephson junctions, neuronal networks, and power grids. Despite this ubiquity, it remains unclear how the interaction between oscillator’s dynamics and coupled structure either promotes or inhibits synchrony. Here, we introduce a unified Lyapunov function to Kuramoto systems such that it can be readily optimized to enhance synchrony of even heterogeneous oscillators on sparse networks. We demonstrate its efficacy in frequency allocation and network design on both synthetic network models and empirical power grids. This new criterion circumventes the calculation of the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the network Laplacian, and thus is a high efficient framework for optimizing synchronization of large oscillator networks.
Association between visceral adiposity index and bone mineral density: an NHANES study
Authors: Chen Shuai , Zhou Guowei , Sun Xiaohe , Jin Jie , Li Zhiwei 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Objectives:With the improvement of living standards and changes in dietary structure, the number of individuals with central obesity is increasing. Recent studies have indicated that visceral fat accumulation is closely linked to osteoporosis. Therefore, we aimed to explore the relationship between obesity status and bone density mineral (BMD) from a novel perspective of visceral adiposity.MethodsThe study included 9,016 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2010. The visceral adiposity index (VAI) was calculated by anthropometry parameters (body mass index and waist circumference) and functional parameters (triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Considering the complex survey design and sample weights, we employed multivariate linear regression models and smooth curve fittings to evaluate the correlation between VAI and BMD. For addressing the nonlinear relationship, we employed a two-piecewise regression to calculate the inflection points.ResultsAfter adjusting for multiple covariates, there was a significant positive correlation between VAI and lumbar spine, total femur, and femoral neck BMD. After converting VAI to a categorical variable (quartiles), participants in the highest VAI quartile had a 0.049g/cm2 higher BMD than those in the lowest VAI quartile (β =0.049, 95%CI: 0.040-0.057, P＜0.001). In subgroup analyses stratified by age, the relationship between VAI and lumbar BMD was an inverted U-shaped curve in the age ≤18 groups, with a point of inflection at 4.86. ConclusionsVAI was significantly positively correlated with lumbar BMD, demonstrating the complex relationship between visceral fat and bone metabolism. In addition, VAI may be used as a useful predictor of osteoporosis and provide new ideas for the evaluation and screening of osteoporosis.
MiRNA signatures related to invasiveness and recurrence in patients with non-functioning pituitary adenomas
Authors: Nikolova Emiliya , Nankova Anelia , Kalenderova Silvia , Georgieva Bilyana , Hadzhiyanev Asen , Bichev Stoyan , Savov Alexey , Todorova Albena , Mitev Vanyo , Elenkova Atanaska 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Purpose: The aim of the present work was to analyse and identify differentially expressed miRNAs in Bulgarian patients with non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA). The relationship between deregulated miRNAs and tumor size, invasiveness, and recurrence was determined.Methods: Twenty patients with NFPAs were selected and fresh pituitary tumor tissues were collected. RNA containing miRNAs were isolated using miRNAeasy mini kit and analysed with LNA miRNA Cancer Focus PCR Panel (Qiagen) by quantitative real-time PCR. Results: Three miRNAs (miR-210-3p, miR-149-3p and miR-29b-3p) were deregulated in invasive compared to non-invasive NFPAs. Differential expression of 4-miRNA signature - miRNA-17, miR-19, miR-106a and miR-20 was informative as a recurrence biomarker. ROC analysis showed that the selected miRNAs could be used as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis and therapy monitoring of NFPAs.Conclusion: In this pilot study, we selected a unique miRNA expression profile correlating with NFPA invasiveness and recurrence. Moreover, some of the selected miRNAs are reported for the first time in patients with NFPAs and might elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in pituitary pathogenesis. The selected miRNAs showed a promising biomarker potential and could be studied for future miRNAs-based anti-NFPAs therapy.
Nurses' perception of the quality of procedural sedation in children comparing different pharmacological regimens
Authors: Curatola Antonietta , D’Agostin Martina , Favaretto Elena , Vittori Giada , Vidonis Viviana , Strajn Tamara , De Vita Nicole , Saccari Alessia , Barbi Egidio , Wiel Luisa Cortellazzo 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Purpose
Nurses play a pivotal role during pediatric procedural sedation and their perspective is an important indicator of the quality of care. The aim of this study is to examine nurses’ satisfaction comparing four different pharmacological regimens used for pediatric sedation outside of the operating room.
Methods
A prospective observational study was conducted in a third level pediatric teaching hospital, involving all the nurses with experience in the field of pediatric procedural sedation. A 13-items survey was used to assess the level of nurses’ satisfaction for the quality of sedation with four different analgesic-sedative drugs.
Results
Fifty-one questionnaires were completed by pediatric nurses with a median length of experience of 10 years. Regarding the overall quality of the sedation, the highest median satisfaction scores were observed for propofol (8, IQR 7–9), dexmedetomidine (8, IQR 6–8) and midazolam (8, IQR 7–9). Ketamine (5, IQR 3–7) displayed the lowest score. When asked to rate their level of perceived safety, nurses gave high scores to all the four drugs studied, with no statistically significant difference between them. Non-pharmacological techniques during procedural sedation were judged as important by 38 (74.5%) nurses.
Conclusions
According to this sample of pediatric nurses, the best quality of procedural sedation in children outside of the operating room is obtained with propofol, dexmedetomidine and midazolam. During procedural sedation, nurses feel overall safe regardless of the pharmacological regimen used. Moreover, they highlighted the relevance on non-pharmacological approaches in the preparation of the child for the procedure.
Color Stability and Surface Roughness of Ormocer- vs Methacrylate- Based Single Shade Composite in Anterior Restoration
Authors: Ebaya Maha Mohamed , El-Haliem Huda Abed , Ali Ashraf Ibrahim , Mahmoud Salah Hasab 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Background: The blending ability of universal shade composites and their stability in the oral environment are of great concern in restoring anterior teeth. This study aims to evaluate and compare the color stability and surface roughness of two single-shade composite restorations, ormocer-based composite (OBC) and methacrylate resin-based composite (RBC), after storing them in different staining media.Materials and Methods: In this study, two universal shade composite restorative materials were tested: a nanohybrid OBC (Admira fusion X-tra, Voco) and a supra-nanofilled RBC (Omnichroma, Toukyama). In total, 60 cylindrical centralized cavities (diameter: 5 mm, depth: 2 mm) were prepared in sound extracted-human central incisors and divided into two equal groups according to the restorative material used (n=30). According to the storage media, the teeth of each group were divided into three subgroups (n=10): artificial saliva, black tea, and cola. The restoration color was evaluated for all teeth at baseline and after four weeks of storage. The color stability (∆ E) was measured using a reflective spectrophotometer (X-Rite, model RM200QC, Neu-Isenburg, Germany). The surface roughness (Ra) was evaluated using three-dimensional optical profilometry (Wyko, Model NT 1100, Veeco, Tucson, USA). Additionally, the extracted data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), one-way ANOVA and Student's t- test. Results: In the baseline evaluation, there were no statistically significant differences with respect to color matching or surface roughness results between the two studied restorative materials. However, the differences were statistically significant after storing them in different media. Conclusion: Universal composites showed satisfactory color matching with different teeth colors and accepted surface smoothness, whereas the aging procedure exerted a negative effect on their color stability and surface characteristics.
Clonal integration facilitates the invasion of two root-suckering plants (Rorippa amphibia and Rorippa sylvestris) in a water-heterogeneous environment
Authors: Shao MeiNi , Wang QiuLi , Yan Biyu , Xu YuFeng , Ma Yongsheng , Xu ShuJun , Qu Bo 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Environmental heterogeneity is common in nature. Clonal integration is an important trait that allows clonal plants to grow in resource-heterogeneous environments. The aim of this work was to study the effects of clonal integration on the growth and propagation of two root-suckering plant species under water-heterogeneous conditions and to elucidate their adaptive strategy to water stress. Two root-suckering plants of the genus Brassicaceae, Rorippa amphibia and Rorippa sylvestris, have invaded Liaoning Province, China. The greenhouse pot experiments were performed in the research center of the Shenyang Agricultural University. Mother and daughter fragments collected from these two plants were grown under either well-watered or water-limited conditions to mimic the homogeneous and heterogeneous water condition. Morphological traits (root-shoot ratio, the number of new shoots, etc.) and the biomass of mother and daughter fragments were measured. The results showed that clonal integration did not occur under water-homogeneous conditions. However, under water-heterogeneous conditions, clonal integration transported the resources from resource-rich environments to resource-defficient environments. When the resources were re-allocated, clonal integration increased the root-shoot ratio and the number of new shoots on daughter fragments, which facilitated the spread of the plants. At low water availability, R. sylvestris had higher root-shoot ratios and more new shoots on daughter fragments than R. amphibia, suggesting that R. sylvestris had higher invasibility than R. amphibia. The findings enhanced our understanding of how clonal integration facilitates the invasion of root-suckering plants in resource-heterogeneous environments and provided insights into management measures for invasive alien species.
Optimization of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Rectal Cancer Using the Deep Learning Approach
Authors: Kubota Shunsuke , Wakiya Taiichi , Morohashi Hajime , Miura Takuya , Kanda Taishu , Ichiyama Sotaro , Soma Kenji , Matsuzaka Masashi , Sasaki Yoshihiro , Sakamoto Yoshiyuki , Hakamada Kenichi 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
To optimize the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), this study aimed to develop a therapeutic response prediction model with NAC for rectal cancer (RC). Three courses of S-1 and oxaliplatin (SOX) NAC were administered before rectal surgery. We prospectively collected the dataset for the prechemotherapy arterial phase of enhanced computed tomography (CT) images from 57 RC patients undergoing rectal surgery after NAC. The therapeutic response to NAC had been pathologically confirmed. We established three prediction labels: poor response, marked response, and complete response (CR). We built a CT patch-based predictive model using a residual convolutional neural network and used 3-fold cross-validation. Of the 57 patients, pathological CR was observed in 9 (15.8%). A total of 4,607 patches were extracted from the segmented tumor area of each patient. The accuracy of the model for predicting pathological CR was 99.9% for the training dataset. In the validation dataset, the accuracy was 94.9%. Furthermore, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.949. Likewise, in the prediction of marked and poor response, the models demonstrated high accuracy (93.6% and 93.3%, respectively) and high AUC (0.966 and 0.976, respectively). Our CT-based deep learning model exhibited high predictive performance in projecting therapeutic response to SOX NAC.
Public Cord Blood Banks as a source of starting material for clinical grade HLA-homozygous induced pluripotent stem cells.
Authors: Alvarez-Palomo Belen , Veiga Anna , Raya Angel , Codinach Margarita , Torrents Silvia , Verdugo Laura Ponce , Rodriguez-Aierbe Clara , Cuellar Leopoldo , Alenda Raquel , Arbona Cristina , Hernández-Maraver Dolores , Fusté Cristina , Querol Sergi 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Background: The increasing number of clinical trials for induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cell therapy products makes the production on clinical grade iPSC more and more relevant and necessary. Cord blood banks (CBB) are an ideal source of young, HLA-typed and virus screened starting material to produce HLA-homozygous iPSC lines for wide immune-compatibility allogenic cell therapy approaches. The production of such clinical grade iPSC lines (haplolines) involves particular attention to all steps since donor informed consent, cell procurement and a GMP-compliant cell isolation process.Methods: Homozygous cord blood (CB) units were identified and quality verified before recontacting donors for informed consent. CD34+ cells were purified from the mononuclear fraction isolated in a cell processor, by magnetic microbeads labelling and separation columns.Results: We obtained a median recovery of 20.0% of the collected pre-freezing CD34+, with a final product median viability of 99.1% and median purity of 83.5% of the post-thawed purified CD34+ population.Conclusions: Here we describe our own experience, from unit selection and donor reconsenting, in generating a CD34+ cell product as a starting material to produce HLA-homozygous iPSC following a cost-effective and clinical grade-compliant procedure. These CD34+ cells are the basis for the Spanish bank of haplolines envisioned to serve as a source of cell products for clinical research and therapy.
Higher Education's Influence on Social Networks and Entrepreneurship in Brazil
Authors: Reddy Michelle , Nardelli Júlio C. , Pereira Yuri L. , Oliveira Leonardo B. , Silva Thiago H. , Vasconcelos Marisa , Horowitz Mark 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Developing and middle-income countries increasingly emphasize higher education and entrepreneurship in their long-term development strategy. Thus, our work focuses on the influence of higher education institutions (HEIs) on startup ecosystems in Brazil, an emerging economy. As traditional data to perform this type of study, such as surveys, are challenging to get, we propose an alternative approach. Given the growing capability of social media databases such as Crunchbase and LinkedIn to provide startup and individual-level data, we draw on computational methods to mine data for social network analysis. Our approach enables different types of analysis. First, we describe regional variability in entrepreneurial network characteristics. Then we examine the influence of elite HEIs in economic hubs on entrepreneur networks. Second, we investigate the influence of the academic trajectories of startup founders, including their courses of study and HEIs of origin, on the fundraising capacity of startups. We find that HEI quality and the maturity of the ecosystem influence startup success. We also observe that elite HEIs have a powerful influence on local entrepreneur ecosystems. Surprisingly, while the most nationally prestigious HEIs in the South and Southeast have the longest geographical reach, their network influence remains local. Our approach can be helpful, especially in countries with limited studies of the interaction between startups and institutional factors supporting them.