bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The contribution of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to forest dwellers in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh
Authors: Klate Akanksha , Sharma Shilpa² , Thakur³ Niyati , Sharma Ajit 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

The contribution of Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) have been acknowledged globally by the rural people for their role in collection of essential NTFPs, income generation, livelihood improvement and rural development. The potential of NTFP based bioeconomy has given new dimensions to forest dwellers, significantly affecting the economies of forest dwellers. Therefore present study investigates the livelihood contribution, quantity inequality and determinant socio-economic factors of NTFPs extraction in the Kinnaur district. A multistage random sampling technique was employed to collect data through participatory household-based surveys from different households. Compare to other income sources, such as crop production, livestock breeding, and off-farm activities, NTFPs accounted for the second largest income share of total household income. Despite the fact that wealthier households generated more NTFP income overall, our research shows that poorer households rely more on this source of income than do wealthy households. To assess and mitigate the inequality in the quantity of NTFPs collected by the forest dwellers, the Lorenz curve and Gini index were used. The Tobit model was also used to pinpoint the crucial variables influencing the collection of NTFPs.
Problematic Facebook use, psychological distress and well-being during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal investigation
Authors: Bonfanti Rubinia Celeste , Salerno Laura , Brugnera Agostino , Coco Gianluca Lo 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
The social isolation and the subsequent, increased use of Social Networking Sites due to the COVID-19 pandemic have had an impact on subjective well-being around the world. The present longitudinal study examined whether changes in psychological distress and well-being during the Italian second wave of the pandemic differ among people with different levels of Problematic Facebook Use (PFU). A total of 493 participants (Mage = 24.55±7.25; 80.3% females) completed measures of passive use of Facebook, social comparison orientation on Facebook, fear of missing out, psychological distress (depressive symptoms and fear of COVID-19 pandemic) and well-being across three waves. Latent class analysis (LCA) categorized participants into three groups with different PFU levels: Healthy users, Moderate PFU users, and High PFU users. Hierarchical Linear Modeling showed that the between-person level (class membership) accounted for most of the variability in psychological distress and well-being. No significant changes were found in psychological distress and well-being over time, but the High PFU users showed greater levels of psychological distress and lower levels of well-being at each time point. The findings of this study suggest that the relationship between PFU, psychological distress and well-being may reflect trait-like time-invariant differences between individuals rather than state-like changes.
Alanine-based spacers promote an efficient antigen processing and presentation in neoantigen polypeptide vaccines
Authors: Aguilar-Gurrieri Carmen , Barajas Ana , Rovirosa Carla , Ortiz Raquel , Urrea Victor , Clotet Bonaventura , Blanco Julià , Carrillo Jorge , Iglesia Nuria de la 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
Neoantigens are tumor-specific antigens that are mostly particular for each patient. Since the immune system is able to mount a specific immune response against these neoantigens, they are a promising tool for the development of therapeutic personalized cancer vaccines. Neoantigens must be presented to T cells by Antigen Presenting Cells (APC) in the context of MHC-I or MHC-II molecules. Therefore, the strategy of vaccine delivery may have a major impact on the magnitude and quality of T cell responses. Neoantigen vaccines are frequently administered as a pool of individual synthetic peptides that induce mainly CD4+ T cell responses. MHC-I-mediated presentation and the elicitation of CD8+ T cell responses may be improved using DNA or RNA sequences that code for a unique long polypeptide that concatenates the different neoantigens spaced by linker sequences. When administered this way, the selection of the spacer between neoantigens is of special interest, as it might influence the processing and presentation of the right peptides by APCs. Here, we evaluate the impact of such linker regions on the MHC-I-dependent antigen presentation using an in vitro assay that assesses the MHC-I presentation of SIINFEKL, a H-2Kb-restricted OVA peptide. Our results show that spacers used to generate epitope concatenates have a large impact on the efficiency of neoantigen processing and presentation by MHC-I molecules; in contrast, the peptide position and the flanking regions have a minimal impact. Moreover, linkers based on alanine residues promote a more efficient peptide presentation than the commonly used GGGS linker.
Improvement of Sleep Quality in Isolated Metastatic Patients with Spinal Cord Compression after Surgery
Authors: Cao Shuang , Xin Baoquan , Yu Yue , Peng Cheng , Zhu Chengzhang , Deng Mengqiu , Gao Xin , Chu Jianjun , Liu Tielong 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
Background
This study aimed to assess changes in quality of sleep (QoS) in isolated metastatic patients with spinal cord compression following two different surgical treatments and identify potential contributing factors associated with QoS improvement.
Methods
We reviewed 49 patients with isolated spinal metastasis at our spinal tumor center between December 2017 and May 2021. Total en bloc spondylectomy (TES) and palliative surgery with postoperative stereotactic radiosurgery (PSRS) were performed on 26 and 23 patients, respectively. We employed univariate and multivariate analyses to identify the potential prognostic factors affecting QoS.
Results
The total Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score improved significantly six months after surgery. Univariate analysis indicated that age, pain worsening at night, decrease in visual analog scale (VAS), increase in Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score (ECOG-PS), artificial implant in focus, and decrease in epidural spinal cord compression (ESCC) scale values were potential contributing factors for QoS. Multivariate analysis indicated that the ESCC scale score decreased as an independent prognostic factor.
Conclusions
Patients with spinal cord compression caused by the metastatic disease had significantly improved QoS after TES and PSRS treatment. Moreover, a decrease in ESCC scale value of > 1 was identified as a favorable contributing factor associated with PSQI improvement. In addition, TES and PSRS can prevent recurrence by achieving efficient local tumor control to improve indirect sleep. Accordingly, timely and effective surgical decompression and recurrence control are critical for improving sleep quality.
Incidence, predictors and outcomes of cardiac perforation during paediatric cardiac catheterization: A retrospective observational study from the Congenital Cardiac Interventional Study Consortium (CCISC)
Authors: McCrossan Brian Anthony , Karayiannis Steven , Shields Michael , Nykanen David , Forbes Thomas J. , Kobayashi Daisuke , Kenny Damien 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
Introduction
Cardiac perforation is a rare life-threatening complication of cardiac catheterization. There is very little published literature detailing risk factors for cardiac perforation and outcomes from this complication in children.
Materials and Methods
This was a retrospective study analyzing the cardiac catheterization case registry of the Congenital Cardiovascular Interventional Study Consortium. Children aged <18 years were included during the study period of 9 years (January 2009- December 2017). The primary outcome measures were incidence of cardiac perforation, risk factors for and outcomes of patients who experience cardiac perforation during cardiac catheterization.
Results
Cardiac perforation occurred in 50 patients from a total of 36,986 (0.14%). Cardiac perforation was more likely to occur in younger, smaller patients undergoing urgent /emergent and interventional procedures (p<0.01). Cardiac peroration risk was significantly different across diagnostic and procedure categories (p<0.01). Higher CRISP score (Area Under Curve [AUC] =0.87), lower age and procedure category (radio-frequency perforation of pulmonary valve, AUC =0.84) were independent predictors of cardiac perforation. Cardiac perforation was associated with a significantly higher rate of mortality (14%), further emergency procedure (42%), ECMO (14%) and cardiac arrest (6%), p<0.01.
Conclusions
Cardiac perforation during cardiac catheterization is a life-threatening complication with a range of associated secondary complications. Higher CRISP score, lower age and radio-frequency perforation of pulmonary valve are independent predictors.
Preoperative percent body fat in bioelectrical impedance analysis predicts pancreatic fistula after pencreaticoduodenectomy
Authors: Kimura Jiro , Sui Kenta , Tabuchi Motoyasu , Sakamoto Shinya , Murokawa Takahiro , Iwata Jun , Morita Sojiro , Iiyama Tastuo , Okabayashi Takehiro 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
Background
It is unclear which body composition affects postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after pancreaticoduodenectomy. In the present study, we evaluated the relationship between nutritional factors, body composition, and POPF.
Methods
This was a prospective observational cohort study. Patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy between March 2018 and July 2021 were included in this study. Preoperative body composition was measured using a bioelectrical impedance analyzer. In addition, the predictive factors for POPF were analyzed.
Results
The study included 143 patients. Among these patients, 31 had POPF (POPF group) and 112 did not (non-POPF group) after pancreaticoduodenectomy. For body composition, the percent body fat was significantly higher in the POPF group (26.90 vs 23.48, P = 0.022). Multivariate analysis revealed that alcohol consumption (odds ratio 2.71, P = 0.028), body mass index ≥ 25.0 kg/m2 (odds ratio 3.43, P = 0.01), albumin level (odds ratio 2.65, P = 0.028), and percent body fat (odds ratio 1.06, P = 0.032) were significantly independent predictive factors for POPF. When the patients were divided into three groups based on their percent body fat (< 25, 25–35, and ≥ 35), POPF occurred more frequently in the group with ≥ 35 percent body fat (47.1%) than in the < 25 group (15.5%) (P = 0.008).
Conclusion
Pancreaticoduodenectomy could be performed if it is technically and oncologically appropriate, and predictive factors for POPF, such as percent body fat, should be considered before proceeding to surgery (ClinicalTrials.gov trial registration no. NCT5257434).
Integrated Proteomics and Metabolomics to Study IgA Nephropathy on Early Stage and Identification of Biomarkers
Authors: Zhang Di , Li Yaohan , Liang Mingzhu , Liang Yan , Tian Jingkui , He Qiang , Jin Juan , Zhu Wei 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
Background
IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary chronic glomerulopathy globally. For IgAN diagnosis, kidney biopsy is still the standard method, which is invasive. And there are no effective plasma biomarkers for the disease at the early stage. The research aimed to find potential biomarkers for diagnosing IgAN.
Methods
Plasma samples of 33 early-stage IgAN patients who were not taking hormonal drugs and 20 healthy controls were collected for proteomic and metabolomic analysis. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was used to construct a binary logistic regression model by combining proteomic and metabolomic data. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, sensitivity, and specificity test were performed to assess the model's performance.
Results
Proteomic analysis of IgAN plasma revealed that the complement and the immune system were activated. And the metabolomic result showed that energy and amino acid metabolism were disordered in IgAN patients. Through machine learning, PRKAR2A, IL6ST, SOS1, and palmitoleic acid have been identified as potential biomarkers. Based on the AUC value for the training and test sets, the classification performance was 0.994 and 0.977, respectively. The AUC of the external validation of the four biomarkers was 0.91.
Conclusion
In this study, we applied proteomics and metabolomics techniques to analyze the plasma of IgAN patients and find biomarkers. PRKAR2A, IL6ST, SOS1, and palmitoleic acid were combined to serve as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of IgAN.
Diversity of Aquatic Macrophytes of Four Lakes of Holalkere, Chitradurga District, Karnataka, India
Authors: Mallappa Pallavi , Takrya Parameswara Naik 
Published: October 2022

AbstractThe present investigation concerns the diversity of aquatic macrophytes in different lakes of Holalkere, Chitradurga district of Karnataka. Lakes are the natural habitat of macrophytic plants. Macrophytes are the common features of an aquatic ecosystem. Aquatic macrophytes play a prominent role in water ecosystems. Aquatic macrophyte diversity and its role in understanding the lake ecosystem dynamics have tremendous significance. Species composition of aquatic macrophytes, seasonal distribution in four lakes in Holalkere viz. Gangasamudra lake, Gowdihalli lake, Talikatte lake and Kudineerakatte lake were studied during 2019–2021. Fifteen different species of aquatic macrophytes were recorded from the studied lakes which include One free-floating, Eight Submerged, and Six Emergent Macrophytes present in the lake basin.Hydrilla verticillate,Polygonum glabrum, Cyperus longus, and Ipomoea fistulosaoccur throughout the year. It indicates that aquatic macrophyte species are specific to environmental quality. The present findings revealed that the surface quality of the lakes is productive. The researches aiming to describe unknown species are still necessary.
The effect of intracranial arterial calcification on reperfusion therapy in acute stroke patients: a cohort study
Authors: Du Heng , Zheng Jianrong , Li Xuelong , Bos Daniel , Yang Wenjie , Cheng Yajing , Liu Cong , Wong Lawrence Ka Sing , Hu Jun , Chen Xiangyan 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
Background and purpose: Intracranial arterial calcification (IAC) has been found as a risk factor of ischemic stroke. However, the relationship between IAC patterns (intimal or medial) and clinical outcome of ischemic stroke remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the correlation between IAC patterns and the effects of reperfusion therapy among acute stroke patients.
Methods: Consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients who underwent reperfusion therapy were included. IAC was categorized as intimal or medial. Based on its involvement in arteries, IAC was further classified as diffuse or focal. Neurologic dysfunction before and after therapy was assessed by the National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS). Clinical outcome including favorable neurologic outcome (FNO) and early neurologic deterioration (END) were assessed within 10 days after reperfusion therapy.
Results: Of 130 patients, 117 had IAC. Intimal IAC was identified in 74.6% patients and medial IAC was present in 64.6% patients. Diffuse IAC was present in 31.5% patients. All diffuse IACs were medial pattern. Diffuse IAC was associated with higher baseline NIHSS (p=0.011) and less FNO (p=0.047). Compared with patients with focal or single diffuse IAC, patients with multiple diffuse IAC had higher baseline NIHSS (p=0.002) and less FNO (p=0.024). Multivariable linear regression (p<0.001) and logistic regression (p=0.027) suggested that multiple diffuse IAC was associated with higher baseline NIHSS and less FNO. No significant association was found between END and different IAC patterns.
Conclusions: Multiple diffuse medial IAC may predict severer neurologic dysfunction and a less favorable neurologic outcome after reperfusion therapy in acute stroke patients.
COVID-19 Case Numbers as a Function of Regional Testing Strategy, Vaccination Coverage, and Vaccine Type
Authors: Totolian Areg A. , Smirnov Viacheslav S. , Krasnov Alexei A. , Ramsay Edward S. , Dedkov Vladimir G. , Popova Anna Y. 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2019 has become a serious challenge for humanity almost everywhere globally. Despite active vaccination around the world, prevalence in different countries varies significantly as of May 2022. The reason may be a combination of demographic, immunological, and epidemiological factors.
The purpose
of this study was to analyze the relationship between COVID-19 prevalence in the population and the types of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines used in different countries globally, taking into account demographic and epidemiological factors.
Materials and methods
An initial database was created of demographic and immunoepidemiological information about the COVID-19 situation in 104 countries, collected from published official source and repository data. The baseline included for each country: population size and density; SARS-CoV-2 testing coverage; vaccination coverage; prevalence; as well as a list of vaccines that were used, including their relative share among all vaccinations. Subsequently, the initial data set was stratified by population and vaccination coverage. The final data set was subjected to statistical processing both in general and taking into account population testing coverage.
Results
After formation of the final data set (including 53 countries), it turned out that reported COVID-19 case numbers correlated most strongly with testing coverage and the proportions of vaccine types used, specifically: mRNA (V1); vector (V2); peptide/protein (V3); and whole-virion/inactivated (V4). Due to the fact that an inverse correlation was found between 'reported COVID-19 case numbers' with V2, V3 and V4, these three vaccine types were also combined into one analytic group, 'non-mRNA group' vaccines (Vnmg). When the relationship between vaccine type and prevalence was examined, minimum prevalence was noted at V1:Vnmg ratios (%:%) from 0:100 to 30:70. Maximum prevalence was seen with V1:Vnmg from 80:20 to 100:0. On the other hand, we have shown that the number of reported COVID-19 cases in different countries largely depends on testing coverage. To offset this factor, countries with low and extremely high levels of testing were excluded from the data set; it was then confirmed that the largest number of reported COVID-19 cases occurred in countries with a dominance of V1 vaccines. The fewest reported cases were seen in countries with a dominance of Vnmg vaccines.
Conclusion
In this paper, we have shown for the first time that the level of reported COVID-19 prevalence depends not only on SARS-CoV-2 testing and vaccination coverage, which is quite logical, but also on the vaccine types used. With the same vaccination level and testing coverage, those countries that predominantly use vector and whole-virion vaccines feature prevalence that is significantly lower than countries that predominantly use mRNA vaccines.
A non-linear generalization of latticized optimization problems subjected to continuous max-t-norm fuzzy relational inequalities
Authors: Ghodousian Amin , Rad Babak Sepehri , Ghodousian Oveys 
Published: October 2022

Abstract
Recently, the latticized linear programming problems subjected to max-min and max-product fuzzy relational inequalities (FRI) have been studied extensively and have been utilized in many interesting applications. In this paper, we introduce a new generalization of the latticized optimization problems whose objective is a non-linear function defined by an arbitrary continuous s-norm (t-conorm), and whose constraints are formed as an FRI defined by an arbitrary continuous t-norm. Firstly, the feasible region of the problem is completely characterized and two necessary and sufficient conditions are proposed to determine the feasibility of the problem. Also, a general method is proposed for finding the exact optimal solutions of the non-linear model. Then, in order to accelerate the general method, five simplification techniques are provided that reduce the work of computing an optimal solution. Additionally, a polynomial-time method is presented for solving general latticized linear optimization problems subjected to the continuous FRI. These special cases of the primal problem give some extensions of the result in Yang. Et. al., where the latticized linear programming subjected to max-product FRI is considered. Moreover, an application of the proposed non-linear model is described where the objective function and the FRI are defined by the well-known Lukasiewicz s-norm and product t-norm, respectively. Finally, a numerical example is provided to illustrate the proposed algorithm.
Computational Approaches in the Discovery and Development of Therapeutic
and Prophylactic Agents for Viral Diseases
Authors: Gaurav Anand , Agrawal Neetu , Al-Nema Mayasah , Gautam Vertika 
Published: October 2022

Abstract:
Over the last two decades computational technologies have always played a crucial role in anti-viral drug development. Whenever a virus spreads and becomes a threat to global health it brings along the challenge to develop new therapeutics and prophylactics. Computational drug and vaccine discovery have evolved at a breakneck pace over the years. Some interesting examples of computational drug discovery are anti-AIDS drugs, where HIV protease and reverse transcriptase have been targeted by agents developed using computational methods. Various computational methods that have been applied to anti-viral research include, ligand-based methods that rely on known active compounds i.e., pharmacophore modeling, machine learning or classical QSAR; structure-based methods that rely on an experimentally determined 3D structure of the targets i.e., molecular docking and molecular dynamics and methods for development of vaccines such as reverse vaccinology; structural vaccinology and vaccine epitope prediction. In this review we summarize these approaches as they were applied to battle viral diseases and underscore their importance for anti-viral research. We discuss the role of computational methods in the development of small molecules and vaccines against, human immunodeficiency virus, yellow fever, human papilloma virus, SARS-CoV-2, and other viruses. Various computational tools available for abovementioned purposes have been listed and described. A discussion on application of artificial intelligence-based methods for antiviral drug discovery has also been included.