bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Black-blood Venous Imaging (BBVI): A Contrast-Free and High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Approach for Diagnosing IVCS – a Proof of Concept Study
Authors: Cheng Zhangbo , Wang Hang , Lin Shengmei , Yin Lei , Su Jiawei , Lei Yunhong , Lan Yongrong , Yan Jun , Han Tao , Ma Mingping , Xie Guoxi 
Published: September 2022

Background Iliac vein compression syndrome (IVCS) diagnosis heavily relies on an imaging test. However, non-invasive and contrast-free imaging test for the diagnosis of IVCS remains a big challenge. To address this issue, this prospective study aimed to assess the image quality and diagnostic performance of a magnetic resonance imaging technique, black-blood venous imaging (BBVI), in detecting IVCS by comparing it with contrast-enhanced computed tomography venography (CTV) and using invasive digital subtraction angiography (DSA) as the reference. Methods We enrolled 105 patients, and all patients underwent BBVI, CTV, and DSA examinations. We compared the consistency of CTV and BBVI image quality and their consistency in diagnosing the rate of iliac vein stenosis in IVCS patients. Using the consensus DSA as a reference, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of BBVI and CTV and their diagnostic agreement with DSA were calculated. Results BBVI demonstrated high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the diagnosis of IVCS, without contrast agents. BBVI and CTV are quite in diagnosis IVCS. Quite SE (67.8% vs 68.3%), SP (94.8% vs 94.8%), PPV (98.0% vs 98.0%), NPV (46.2% vs 46.9%) and ACC (75.3% vs 75.7%) were obtained by BBVI in comparison with CTV. Conclusion BBVI has comparable diagnostic performance with CTV. It may be a viable alternative to CTV techniques in screening the IVCS without contrast agents and free of ionizing radiation.
Antimicrobial Properties of Highly Elastic Conductive Poly(ethylene terephthalate)/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Fabrics
Authors: Varan Nilüfer Y , Altay Pelin , Çaydamlı Yavuz 
Published: September 2022

This research focused on understanding the microbe killing mechanism of the antimicrobial properties of highly elastic conductive poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) powernet fabrics with the help of electric fields and highly elastic structure. In this study, PET/MWCNT fabrics containing three different percentages of MWCNT were knitted and characterized with antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity, electromagnetic shielding properties, DSC analyses, stiffness tests, and pressure measurements using wireless pressure sensors. Results show that MWCNT has a statistically significant effect on antibacterial activity, cytotoxicity, electromagnetic shielding, stiffness, and exerted pressures. PET/MWCNT fabrics showed excellent antibacterial activity against tested germs; S. aureus and E. coli. A statistically significant increase in percentage reduction of bacteria was observed with the increase in carbon nanotube nanoparticle concentration, accompanied by a good laudering durability even after 20 washing cycle. In terms of cytotoxicity tests, all PET/MWCNT samples were found to have over 70% average relative cell viability, indicating that they are noncytotoxic without interrupting the cell line and primary cell growth in vitro. The materials have provided longer conductive networks and formed electromagnetic shielding at the range of 22.79 dB-25.77 dB at the frequency of 0–1.30 GHz. Moreover, MWCNT concentration did not lead to considerable changes in physical properties like stiffness and exerted pressure properties. Characterization analyses confirmed the changes in the chemical structure of the PET/MWCNT.
A qualitative systematic review and meta-aggregation of the experiences of men diagnosed with chronic lymphoedema
Authors: Cooper-Stanton Garry R , Gale Nicola , Sidhu Manbinder , Allen Kerry 
Published: September 2022

Background Lymphoedema is a chronic condition that is estimated to affect up to four people per 1000 of the UK population with this increasing with age. Men account for up to 20% of lymphoedema service caseloads with research focussing upon women affected. Aims To retrieve primary qualitative research on the experiences of men with chronic lymphoedema. Methods A qualitative review was undertaken using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) meta-aggregation method. A search strategy was applied to 12 databases, from inception to February 2021, with 22 studies identified and appraised. The findings were extracted and synthesised via the JBI approach. Results Four synthesised findings were identified: (1) The ‘New Norm’, how diagnosis led to men being faced with a ‘new version’ of themselves; (2) ‘Journey into the Unknown’ relates to the unforeseen diagnosis of the condition; (3) ‘Access’ – challenge in receiving a diagnosis, and support; and (4) ‘Personhood’ – the impact of the condition upon external constructs and relationships. Conclusions Men are faced with similar challenges as women coupled with societal expectations with respect to gender identity and expression. This leads to those wishing to engage with men to adopt ‘gender-based tailoring’ within healthcare services, information and support.
Why do so many pregnant women give up exercise? An Italian cross-sectional study
Authors: Skjold Ingvild , Benvenuti Maria Beatrice , Haakstad Lene AH 
Published: September 2022

Objective: Current exercise guidelines recommend women to exercise throughout pregnancy, and the benefits are well documented. Still, there is an increasing decline of exercise levels during pregnancy and a high percentage of them are sedentary. It is well established that individual attitudes and perception of barriers may influence the ability to engage in sufficient amount of exercise. This has, however, not been examined in an Italian pregnant population. Hence, the aims of the present study were to increase knowledge of facilitators and barriers to regular exercise in Italian pregnant women and to report their social support in regard to maternal exercise. Methods: Healthy, pregnant women (n = 513) were allocated from Fatebenefratelli San Giovanni Calibita, a public hospital in Rome, and four antenatal clinics in Rome and Modena. The participants completed a validated self-administrated questionnaire, the Physical Activity Pregnancy Questionnaire, in gestational week 36. In line with current American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines (2020), participants were categorized as “regular exercisers” (⩾150 min/week) and “not regular exercisers” (< 150 min/week). Results: Only 4.6% of the women engaged in regular physical activity/exercise in the third trimester. “Insufficient time” (54%) were the only barrier negatively associated with exercise. The facilitators “relaxation/recreation” (18%), “prevention of health complaints” (15%), “enjoyment” (10%), and “prevention of gestational weight gain” (4%) were associated with achieving the recommendations of exercise. This study found no association between achieving the recommendations and childhood exercise/having social modeling, or exercising network/milieu (p = 0.294 and p = 0.123). Nevertheless, exercising together with others was a significant predictor for regular maternal exercise (p < 0.001). Most women did not receive any advice on exercise during pregnancy from their doctor or midwife (60.0 %). Yet, those who received such advice were significantly more likely to exercise regularly compared to those who did not (75.0% vs 38.2%; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Italian pregnant women mainly reported internal facilitators for their willingness to participate in regular maternal exercise, while barriers were primarily related to inconveniences (such as insufficient time and difficulty combining with work/studies). The study addresses the positive association between achieving the recommended amount of exercise and social support in terms of exercising with others and getting advice from health professions. Because women respect their doctor and have regular prenatal checkups, this health care setting can play a pivotal role in the initiation and maintenance of exercise behavior during pregnancy.
Impact of malnutrition on the academic performance of school children in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zerga Aregash Abebayehu , Tadesse Sisay Eshete , Ayele Fanos Yeshanew , Ayele Segenet Zewdie 
Published: September 2022

Objective: This study aimed to identify the impact of malnutrition on the academic performance of children in Ethiopia. Method: The protocol of this study is registered in PROSPERO with a registration number CRD42021242269. A comprehensive search of studies from HINARY, MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, and Google was conducted. All published and unpublished studies conducted about the effect of any forms of malnutrition on academic performance of elementary school children in Ethiopia using the English language were included. Quality of the articles was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool. The pooled log odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was determined to identify the effect of malnutrition on academic performance. I-square statistics was applied to check the degree of heterogeneity between studies. The presence of publication or small study bias had been assessed by Funnel plots, Egger’s weighted regression test, and Begg’s rank correlation test. Result: A total of 10 studies were included in this study. The pooled prevalence of good academic performance among elementary school students in Ethiopia was 58% (95% confidence interval: 48%, 69%). Stunting (odds ratio = 0.48; 95% confidence interval: 0.30, 0.79), underweight (odds ratio = 0.38; 95% confidence interval: 0.27, 0.53), and iodine deficiency (odds ratio = 0.49; 95% confidence interval: 0.31, 0.78) had a significant association with the academic performance. Rural residence (odds ratio = 0.61; 95% confidence interval: 0.44, 0.83), being female (odds ratio = 0.53; 95% confidence interval: 0.37, 0.77), and uneducated parent (odds ratio = 0.51; 95% confidence interval: 0.44, 0.58) were also factors associated with good academic performance of primary school children in Ethiopia. Conclusion: This study concluded that malnutrition in the form of stunting, underweight, and iodine deficiency affected the academic performance of elementary school children in Ethiopia. So, the Ministry of Health worked better to strengthen the nutrition intervention at the critical periods of brain development.
Pyoderma Gangrenosum After Insertion of a Hemodialysis Catheter: Koebner Phenomenon, Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, and a Delay in Diagnosis
Authors: Alosaimi Majed M. , Sebzali Fatemah , Iqbal Ali , Rabbat Christian G. , Clase Catherine M. 
Published: September 2022

Rationale: Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare neutrophilic dermatosis. Misdiagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum as an infection is not uncommon. Pyoderma gangrenosum can be associated with Koebner phenomenon and rarely results in systemic inflammatory response syndrome and shock. Presenting concerns of the patient: A 61-year-old woman had recently started maintenance hemodialysis, using a tunneled catheter. She was admitted with fever and signs of inflammation at the catheter exit site and along the tunnel. Diagnoses: The initial diagnosis was catheter-related tunnel infection. The exit site broke down into a 5 cm × 5 cm lesion typical of pyoderma, and a new similar lesion developed at a subcutaneous injection site in her abdomen. Clinical diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum was made. She remained febrile despite broad antibiotic coverage and catheter removal and developed systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) that necessitated transfer to intensive care unit. Interventions: She responded well to fluids and intravenous steroids. Viral and bacterial cultures were negative throughout; echocardiography and computed tomography were unrevealing. Insertion of a new hemodialysis catheter was deferred as long as clinically possible, was undertaken while the patient was taking steroids, and was uncomplicated. Outcomes: She remained hemodynamically stable and was discharged after rehabilitation. Her wounds slowly granulated and healed. Steroids were tapered. Teaching points: To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a patient with pyoderma gangrenosum developing at the site of tunneled hemodialysis catheter. Our patient developed SIRS with no evidence of infection. We summarize 11 previous case reports of pyoderma leading to SIRS and responsive to steroids.
High volume retrograde portography for better discrimination of the portal vein during TIPS procedure
Authors: Altenbernd J , Zimmer S , Andrae L , Labonte B , Gruber J , Beier H , Abdulgader M , Buechter M , Forsting M , Theysohn J 
Published: September 2022

Background: Imaging of the portal vein prior to puncture for TIPS is essential. Purpose: With this study, we examined a modified retrograde portography with regard to the reliable representation of the portal vein. Material and Methods: Prospective evaluation of 65 TIPS interventions with regard to the delimitation of the portal vein and the exact parameters of retrograde portography such as catheter diameter and contrast medium volume per injection. Results: Retrograde portographies with a large-lumen catheter (10 F) and a large contrast medium volume (40 mL) were performed in 35/63 patients with significantly better delineation of the portal vein than when using 5 F catheters with 10 mL contrast medium. Conclusion: The so-called high volume retrograde portography leads to better delimitation of the portal vein during TIPS application.
Pattern changes of microbial communities in urban river affected by anthropogenic activities and their environmental driving mechanisms
Authors: Feng Weiying , Gao Jiayue , Wei Yimei , Liu Danni , Yang Fang , Zhang Qiuying , Bai Yangwei 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe microbial community structure of sediments in the Bahe River Basin, China was studied using a high-throughput sequencing platform and PCR amplification to investigate the pattern changes in microbial communities in urban rivers affected by anthropogenic activities and their environmental driving mechanisms. The results demonstrated that the average total nitrogen and total phosphorus in the sediments were 524 and 734 mg/kg, respectively. The T, COD and $${\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + }$$

NH

4

+

-N of the water and the moisture content of the sediments has significantly impacted on the microbial community structure. Twenty microbial species with a relative abundance > 1% in the sediments of the river were observed, accounting for 95–99% of the total microbial community. The primary species were Proteobacteria (13.86–69.14%), Firmicutes (1.45–58.33%), Chloroflexi (3.68–26.18%), Actinobacteria (2.7–21.51%), Acidobacteria (0.73–16.36%), Bacteroides (1.53–14.11%), and Thermodesulfobacteria (0.1–8.9%), accounting for over 90% of the total microbial community. At the class level, the primary species were γ-proteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Anaerolineae, Bacillus, Bacteroidota, Actinobacteriota, and Clostridia, accounting for over 70% of the total microbial community. Our results provide direct evidence for a link between microbial community structure and environment factors. This evidence demonstrates that sediment microorganisms can be applied to evaluate urban rivers pollution levels, which can provide a scientific basis for pollution control and management in the urban river affected by human activities.
Profiles of GPs with high and low self-reported physician empathy—personal, professional, and antibiotic prescribing characteristics
Authors: Kristensen Troels , Ejersted Charlotte , Ahnfeldt-Mollerup Peder , Søndergaard Jens , Charles Justin A. 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Background
General Practitioners’ (GPs) professional empathy has been hypothesized to have substantial impact on their healthcare delivery and medication prescribing patterns. This study compares profiles of personal, professional, and antibiotic prescribing characteristics of GPs with high and low empathy.

Methods
We apply an extreme group approach to a unique combined set of survey and drug register data. The survey included questions about demographic, professional, and antibiotic prescribing characteristics, as well as the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Health Professionals (JSE-HP) to assess self-reported physician empathy. It was sent to a stratified sample of 1,196 GPs comprising 30% of the Danish GP population of whom 464 (38.8%) GPs responded. GPs in the top and bottom decile of empathy levels were identified. All intra- and inter-profile descriptive statistics and differences were bootstrapped to estimate the variability and related confidence intervals.

Results
61% of GPs in the top decile of the empathy score were female. GPs in this decile reported the following person-centered factors as more important for their job satisfaction than the bottom decile: The Patient-physician relationship, interaction with colleagues, and intellectual stimulation. High-empathy scoring GPs prescribed significantly less penicillin than the low-empathy GPs. This was true for most penicillin subcategories. There were no significant differences in age, practice setting (urban vs. rural), practice type (partnership vs. single-handed), overall job satisfaction, or GP’s value of prestige and economic profit for their job satisfaction. The intra profile variation index and confidence intervals show less prescribing uncertainty among GPs with high empathy.

Conclusions
This study reveals that high empathy GPs may have different personal, professional, and antibiotic prescribing characteristics than low empathy GPs and have less variable empathy levels as a group. Furthermore, person-centered high empathy GPs on average seem to prescribe less penicillins than low empathy GPs.
Pyroptosis related genes signature predicts prognosis and immune infiltration of tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Fang Guoxu , Zhang Qinghua , Fan Jianhui , Li Haitao , Ding Zongren , Fu Jun , Wu Yijun , Zeng Yongyi , Liu Jingfeng 
Published: September 2022

AbstractLittle is known on the relationship between the expression of pyroptosis related genes (PRGs) and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, a specific PRGs prognostic model was developed with an aim to improve therapeutic efficiency among HCC patients. In total, 42 PRGs that were differentially expressed between HCC tissues and adjacent tissues and we exhibited the mutation frequency, classification, the location of copy number variation (CNV) alteration and the CNV variation frequency of PRGs. Two clusters were distinguished by the consensus clustering analysis based on the 42 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). There were significant differences in clinical features including T stage, grade, gender, and stage among different clusters. Kaplan–Meier curve analysis showed that cluster 1 had a better prognosis than cluster 2. The prognostic value of PRGs for survival was evaluated to construct a multigene signature using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort. Based on the univariate analysis and multivariate analysis, a 10-gene signature was built and all HCC patients in the TCGA cohort were divided into low-risk group and high-risk group. HCC patients in the high-risk group showed significantly lower survival possibilities than those in the low-risk group (P < 0.001). Utilizing the median risk score from the TCGA cohort, HCC patients from International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC)-LIRI-JP cohort and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort (GSE14520) were divided into two risk subgroups. The result showed that overall survival (OS) time was decreased in the high-risk group. Combined with the clinical characteristics, the risk score was an independent factor for predicting the OS of HCC patients. Then, ROC curve and survival analysis were performed to evaluate the prognostic prediction value of the model. Finally, we constructed a PRGs clinical characteristics nomogram to further predict HCC patient survival probability. There were significant differences in immune cell infiltration, GSEA enrichment pathway, IC50 of chemotherapeutics, PRGs mutation frequency between high-risk group and low-risk group. This work suggests PRGs signature played a crucial role in predicting the prognosis, infiltration of cancer microenvironment, and sensitivity of chemotherapeutic agents.
Associations between maternal vitamin D status and porcine litter characteristics throughout gestation
Authors: Stenhouse Claire , Hurst Emma , Mellanby Richard J. , Ashworth Cheryl J. 
Published: September 2022

AbstractEmerging evidence suggests an important role of vitamin D in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy, and the regulation of foetal growth across mammalian species. However, the temporal changes in maternal vitamin D status throughout gestation in the pig and the relationship between maternal vitamin D status and litter characteristics of interest across gestation remain poorly understood and under-investigated. The abundance of 25(OH)D in maternal plasma was quantified by HPLC–MS/MS at gestational days (GD) 18, 30, 45, 60 and 90 (n = 5–11 gilts/GD). Maternal plasma 25(OH)D concentrations significantly increased between GD18 and GD30 (P < 0.05). The relationship between maternal vitamin D metabolite concentrations and litter characteristics of interest including gilt weight, ovulation rate, mean litter weight, number of live foetuses, percentage prenatal survival, and sex ratio of the litter was assessed. Maternal 25(OH)D (P = 0.059) concentrations tended to be positively associated with percentage prenatal survival on GD60. On GD90, maternal 25(OH)D (P < 0.05) concentrations were inversely associated with gilt weight. Maternal plasma 25(OH)D concentrations were inversely associated with the percentage of male foetuses in the litter on GD90 (P < 0.05). This study has provided novel insights into temporal changes in maternal vitamin D status throughout gestation and the relationship between maternal vitamin D status and the economically important litter characteristics of gilt weight, percentage prenatal survival and percentage of male foetuses in the litter. Improving the understanding of the role of vitamin D across important developmental timepoints in relation to foetal growth is essential to improve reproductive success in livestock species.