bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Advanced Oxidation Processes Using Zinc Oxide Nanocatalyst for Detoxification of Some Highly Toxic Insecticides in an Aquatic System Combined With Improving Water Quality Parameters
Authors: Massoud Ahmed , El-Mehasseb Ibrahim , Saad Allah Moustafa , Elmahallawy Ehab Kotb , Alsharif Khalaf F. , S. Ahmed Mohamed , Derbalah Aly Soliman 
Published: March 2022

Pesticides are among the major organic pollutants, and their random extensive applications threaten human health and ecosystems. Clearly, detoxification of toxic insecticides from the aquatic system remains a global priority. In the present study, a zinc oxide nanocatalyst was synthesized with suitable properties to achieve complete degradation of some insecticides (dimethoate and methomyl) from aqueous media. The ZnO catalyst was used in normal and in nano-size as a part of an advanced oxidation process in the presence of H2O2 and UV rays. The complete detoxification of the tested pesticides after treatment with the most effective process (ZnO(s)/H2O2/UV) was then examined by exploring the biochemical and histopathological changes in the liver and kidneys of treated rats compared to the control. The effect of water treatment by ZnO (nano)/H2O2/UV on the water quality parameters of treated water was also investigated. Interestingly, the present study reported that the degradation rates of the investigated insecticides were faster using the nano-sized ZnO catalyst than the regular ZnO catalyst. In this respect, complete decomposition of the tested insecticides (100%) under the ZnO(s)/H2O2/UV system was achieved after 320 min of irradiation. The half-lives of the tested insecticides under ZnO(c)/H2O2/UV were 43.86 and 36.28 for dimethoate and methomyl, respectively, while under the ZnO(c)/H2O2/UV system, the half-live values were 27.72 and 19.52 min for dimethoate and methomyl, respectively. On the other hand, there were no significant changes in the biochemical and histological parameters of rats treated with remediated water when compared to the control group. The treatment of water by zinc oxide nanocatalyst improved the quality of water parameters. Collectively, advanced oxidation processes using ZnO nanocatalyst can be considered as a promising treatment technology for the complete detoxification of methomyl and dimethoate in water. However, further research is warranted for the identification of the potential breakdown products.
Multi-Region Genomic Landscape Analysis for the Preoperative Prediction of Lymph Node Metastasis in Esophageal Carcinoma
Authors: Lin Shaofeng , Chen Yanping , Wang Jianchao , Cai Yibin , Chen Xiaohui , Chen Yuanmei , Shi Yi , Chen Gang , Zhu Kunshou 
Published: March 2022

Objective: Esophageal cancer is an aggressive malignant tumor, with 90 percent of the patients prone to recurrence and metastasis. Although recent studies have identified some potential biomarkers, these biomarkers’ clinical or pathological significance is still unclear. Therefore, it is urgent to further identify and study novel molecular changes occurring in esophageal cancer. It has positive clinical significance to identify a tumor-specific mutation in patients after surgery for an effective intervention to improve the prognosis of patients.Methods: In this study, we performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) on 33 tissue samples from six esophageal cancer patients with lymph node metastasis, compared the differences in the genomic and evolutionary maps in different tissues, and then performed pathway enrichment analysis on non-synonymous mutation genes. Finally, we sorted out the somatic mutation data of all patients to analyze the subclonality of each tumor.Results: There were significant differences in somatic mutations between the metastatic lymph nodes and primary lesions in the six patients. Clustering results of pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the metastatic lymph nodes had certain commonalities. Tumors of the cloned exploration results illustrated that five patients showed substantial heterogeneity.Conclusion: WES technology can be used to explore the differences in regional evolutionary maps, heterogeneity, and detect patients’ tumor-specific mutations. In addition, an in-depth understanding of the ontogeny and phylogeny of tumor heterogeneity can help to further find new molecular changes in esophageal cancer, which can improve the prognosis of EC patients and provide a valuable reference for their diagnosis.
Microvascular Changes After Conbercept Intravitreal Injection of PDR With or Without Center-Involved Diabetic Macular Edema Analyzed by OCTA
Authors: Lin Wei , Feng Meng , Liu Tingting , Wang Qingxu , Wang Wenqi , Xie Xiao , Li Wenhao , Guan Jitian , Ma Zhongyu , Liu Tong , Zhou Qingjun 
Published: March 2022

PurposeTo investigate the intravitreal injection of conbercept as a treatment strategy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) with or without center-involved diabetic macular edema (CI-DME) and evaluate its effect on the microvascular changes in the eyes.MethodsIn this prospective study, 43 patients including 29 cases (56 eyes) in CI-DME with PDR patients, and 14 cases (26 eyes) in the non-center involving diabetic macular edema (NCI-DME) with PDR patients were involved in this study. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), foveolar avascular zone (FAZ), and macular capillary vessel density (VD) of the superficial retinal capillary plexus (SCP) and deep retinal capillary plexus (DCP) were assessed before and after conbercept treatments for 1, 3, or 6 months.ResultsThe BCVA was significantly increased after conbercept treatment in the eyes of CI-DME patients. After 6 months of treatment with the conbercept, microvascular density of the inferior area in SCP and the central fovea area in DCP increased significantly, regardless of the central fovea involvement. The effect of the conbercept treatment on the VD of NCI-DME was higher than that of CI-DME. Then, after 6 months of treatment, the CRT of patients with CI-DME and NCI-DME were decreased significantly.ConclusionsIn this study, an intravitreal injection of conbercept significantly improved vision, alleviated macular edema in patients with DME. Conbercept treatment also altered the microvascular density in the retina.
Cerebral Blood Flow and its Connectivity Deficits in Patients With Lung Cancer After Chemotherapy
Authors: Zhang Yujie , Shang Song’an , Hu Lanyue , You Jia , Gu Wei , Muthaiah Vijaya Prakash , Chen Yu-Chen , Yin Xindao 
Published: March 2022

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) and CBF connectivity in the chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment of patients with lung cancer by using arterial spin labeling.Methods: Pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling perfusion magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological tests were performed for 21 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who had received chemotherapy CT (+) and 25 non-small cell lung cancer patients who need chemotherapy but did not yet received CT (-). The CT (+) group previously received platinum-based therapy for 3 months to 6 months (the time from their first chemotherapy to the MRI scan). Group comparisons were performed in the regional normalized CBF and CBF connectivity, and the relationship between the regional normalized CBF and cognitive impairment were detected.Results: The CT (+) group exhibited higher CBF in the left insula, right caudate, right superior occipital gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus (STG), and right middle frontal gyrus (MFG). MoCA scores as well as the memory scores were negatively correlated with the increased CBF in the right MFG (r = −0.492, p = 0.023; r = −0.497, p = 0.022). Alterations in the CBF connectivity were detected only in the CT (+) group between the following: right MFG and the right precentral gyrus; the right caudate and the right lingual gyrus; right caudate and right precuneus; left STG and the bilateral MFG; and the left STG and the right middle cingulum.Conclusion: These findings indicated that chemotherapy is associated with abnormalities in the CBF and connectivity alterations, which may contribute to the cognitive impairment in patients with lung cancer.
Correlation Between Different Sagittal Parameters in Patients With Degenerative Kyphosis
Authors: Liang Yan , Xu Shuai , Guo Chen , Mao Keya , Liu Haiying 
Published: March 2022

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between different sagittal parameters and identify the fitting formula of spino-pelvic parameters in patients with degenerative kyphosis (DK).Summary of BackgroundSagittal balance is increasingly recognized as a predictor of clinical outcomes in patients with DK, while the relationship between different sagittal parameters in patients with DK remains unidentified.MethodsA retrospective study with 279 participants was conducted. There were 168 DK patients which were divided into a sagittal balance group (SB:52 cases) and sagittal imbalance (SIB:116 cases). Radiographic measurements included thoracolumbar kyphosis (TLK), lumbar lordosis (LL), thoracic kyphosis (TK), pelvic incidence (PI), and pelvic tilt (PT). The correlations were analyzed between different sagittal parameters.ResultsThere were significant differences between the SB and SIB groups in terms of TLK, LL, PI-LL, PT, SVA, sacral slope (SS), and TK. For patients with DK, the LL was correlated with PT and TK. The linear regression was LL = 22.76−0.28 × PT + 0.62 × TK. In the SB group, TK was the influencing factor for LL and the linear regression analysis showed that LL = 33.57 + 0.33 × TK. While in the SIB group, PT and TK were in synergistic effect with PI-LL, the linear regression analysis showed that LL = 22.76−0.28 × PT + 0.62 × TK.ConclusionFrom the present study, we can see that LL has a significant correlation with PT and TK in patients with DK, while in SB, the LL was only correlated with TK. Therefore, the correction of LL in a different group should be calculated to avoid the incidence of proximal junction kyphosis (PJK).
Establishment and Validation of a Novel MRI Radiomics Feature-Based Prognostic Model to Predict Distant Metastasis in Endemic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Authors: Li Hao-Jiang , Liu Li-Zhi , Huang Ying , Jin Ya-Bin , Chen Xiang-Ping , Luo Wei , Su Jian-Chun , Chen Kai , Zhang Jing , Zhang Guo-Yi 
Published: March 2022

PurposeWe aimed to establish a prognostic model based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics features for individual distant metastasis risk prediction in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).MethodsRegression analysis was applied to select radiomics features from T1-weighted (T1-w), contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (T1C-w), and T2-weighted (T2-w) MRI scans. All prognostic models were established using a primary cohort of 518 patients with NPC. The prognostic ability of the radiomics, clinical (based on clinical factors), and merged prognostic models (integrating clinical factors with radiomics) were identified using a concordance index (C-index). Models were tested using a validation cohort of 260 NPC patients. Distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were calculated by using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by using the log-rank test.ResultsIn the primary cohort, seven radiomics prognostic models showed similar discrimination ability for DMFS to the clinical prognostic model (P=0.070-0.708), while seven merged prognostic models displayed better discrimination ability than the clinical prognostic model or corresponding radiomics prognostic models (all P&lt;0.001). In the validation cohort, the C-indices of seven radiomics prognostic models (0.645-0.722) for DMFS prediction were higher than in the clinical prognostic model (0.552) (P=0.016 or &lt;0.001) or in corresponding merged prognostic models (0.605-0.678) (P=0.297 to 0.857), with T1+T1C prognostic model (based on Radscore combinations of T1 and T1C Radiomics models) showing the highest C-index (0.722). In the decision curve analysis of the validation cohort for all prognostic models, the T1+T1C prognostic model displayed the best performance.ConclusionsRadiomics models, especially the T1+T1C prognostic model, provided better prognostic ability for DMFS in patients with NPC.
Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma: Active Surveillance Against Surgery. Considerations of an Italian Working Group From a Systematic Review
Authors: Orlando Giuseppina , Scerrino Gregorio , Corigliano Alessandro , Vitale Irene , Tutino Roberta , Radellini Stefano , Cupido Francesco , Graceffa Giuseppa , Cocorullo Gianfranco , Salamone Giuseppe , Melfa Giuseppina 
Published: March 2022

IntroductionActive surveillance is considered a viable option for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. Since the last decade of the 20th century, this method has spread from Japan to other countries, but has not yet been fully accepted and validated by the major Western Scientific Societies. In 2016, a systematic review on the results of active surveillance was published, based on two articles that showed encouraging results. Other reviews published subsequently, were mainly based on articles from the Far East. The aim of this review is to assess the most recent results published from 2017 to 2020 on this subject.Materials and MethodsA systematic literature search was performed on MEDLINE via PUBMED, Web of Science, and Scopus according to PRISMA criteria. The MESH terms “papillary thyroid microcarcinoma” and “active surveillance” were adopted. Tumor progression, secondary localizations, and quality of life were the main benchmarks.ResultsNine studies met the inclusion criteria. The increase in volume ranged from 2.7% and 23.2%; the occurrence of lymph node metastases from 1.3% to 29%; QoL was improved in both articles that addressed this topic. The level of evidence is considered low due to the retrospective and uncontrolled nature of most of the studies included in the review.ConclusionThe evidence from the literature currently available on AS falls into two strands: a robust data set from the Japanese experience, and an initial experience from Western countries, whose data are still limited but which show a lack of substantial alerts against this practice. Further data is useful to validate the spread of Active Surveillance.
Experience in the Treatment of Sexual Dysfunction in Women of Reproductive Age with Androgen Deficiency
Authors: Семенюк Л.Н. , Демьяненко Л.В. 
Published: March 2022

Целью исследования было улучшение сексуального здоровья женщин репродуктивного возраста с андрогеновым дефицитом путем устранения атрофических изменений слизистой вульвы и влагалища, используя плазму, обогащенную факторами роста. В исследовании было выделено 2 группы: 1-я группа (20 человек) – пациентки, получавшие стандартное лечение согласно протоколу Ассоциации эндокринологов от 2015 года и плазмотерапию плазмой, обогащенной факторами роста (PRGF), и 2-я группа (18) – получавшие только стандартную терапию. Пациенткам 1-й группы проводилась инъекционная плазмотерапия PRGF трехкратно с разницей в 3 недели. После проведенной терапии и анализа показателей как анкетирования, так и рН и кольпоцитологии можно сделать вывод, что добавление в схемы лечения пациенток с андрогеновой недостаточностью инъекционной терапии PRGF приводит к излечению явлений атрофического кольпита (p<0,05) и улучшению состояния сексуального здоровья (p<0,05).
The aim of the study was to improve the sexual health of women of reproductive age with androgen deficiency by eliminating atrophic changes in the mucosa of the vulva and vagina using plasma enriched with growth factors. The study identified 2 groups: the 1st group (20 people) patients who received standard treatment according to the protocol of the Association of Endocrinologists from 2015 and plasma therapy with plasma enriched with growth factors (PRGF) and the 2nd group (18) who received only standard therapy. Group 1 patients were injected with PRGF three times with 3 weeks difference. After the therapy and analysis of the indicators, both the questionnaire and the pH and colpocytology, it can be concluded that the addition of PRGF injection to the treatment regimen of patients with androgen deficiency leads to the cure of atrophic colpitis (p<0.05) and to an improvement in sexual health (p<0.05).
Credit economy of banks during SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Brukwicka Irena , Dudzik Iwona 
Published: March 2022

Each pandemic is the greatest potential, negative and global risk, especially when it is connected with high morbidity and mortality. There are also negative social and economic effects associated with a pandemic. The world is fighting nowadays against the COVID-19 pandemic, which is caused by SARS-CoV-2. Thus, there is high concern about the global economy. In the opinion of some analysts, COVID-19 will contribute to the global recession.
It is worth emphasizing that the Polish Financial Supervision Authority, the Financial Stability Committee, as well as the National Bank of Poland undertake actions focused on introduction of measures aimed at maintaining the availability of credit for entrepreneurs. At the same time, the Polish Bank Association (ZBP) initiated some facilitations for bank customers with regard to paying off liabilities, as well as extending the period of the loan itself (A. Sieroń, 2021).
For those involved in observation of central banks activities, it is obvious that the monetary policy reaction to the situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic is dictated by many reasons, and thus, is considered to be exceptional. The purpose of this analysis is to examine in a systematic manner some of the aspects of the above unique situation and to make some comments. The observations described in the paper result only from information relating to the initial reactions of banks to the situation connected with the COVID-19 pandemic. It would be wrong to say that banks can be considered completely safe today. New economic and social events could contribute to the inefficiency of this sector. One of such event is the COVID-19 pandemic. In the long run, there may be more risks of this kind.
Limitations of the framework to address value for money risk in the European unit-linked market
Authors: Dimitrov Stanislav 
Published: March 2022

Savings in the unit-linked products are increasing across the European Union member-states. In environment of low interest rates and increased capital requirements for traditional life insurance products the supply of the unit-linked insurances is rapidly growing. The last year sold unit-linked life insurances in Bulgaria are four times more than five years earlier.
Unit-linked life insurance consists of insurance part and asset management part. The investment result from the insurance is usually born by the insured. The investment performance is related to the performance of the financial markets.
The growing acceptance of unit-linked products are posing questions of adequate information to consumers, the balance between the price and the benefits of the products, the related risks and the proper rights of the insured.
All these specifics raise questions whether the insured are well informed when buying the insurance and whether the client’s needs and preferences are matched with the proposed product. These questions lead to the asking what value is receiving the client for the money spent – value for money effect and risks.
In the European Union there is no common framework on the assessment of the effectiveness of the product. The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority is proposing framework to address value for money risk in the European unit-linked market.
The study finds out that the design of the product is of great importance for the value for money effect for the insured. The life insurance activity in the European Union follows strict and profound regulations both for the life insurance companies and for the life insurance products. That is why additional framework is not the most necessary step. The European Union needs Savings plan that encourages saving in the member states, increases the insurance coverage, increases the accumulated assets and improves the efficiency of the personal savings and investment products.
Values of the managers within their environments
Authors: Esmerova Emanuela , Stojcevska Ivana 
Published: March 2022

Values are the base for understanding attitudes, perception, personality and motivation of individuals affecting their behavior. The system of values determines individual’s priority in accordance with their relative importance.
We should consider that the individual tends through his/her life to keep and to preserve the values acquired from his/her early age. It is about attitudes to values of what is right and what isn’t, what is moral and what isn’t. The attitudes of values are tightly related to the age, or to the period of individual’s growing and his/her creation as a person.
This could be a kind of explanation why older generations of employees have different attitude to proper working than the younger generations. All of this could be of help for the managers to be able to predict the attitudes of values according to the age, and these attitudes shall be mainly focused to the way of working. They should also be able to direct these attitudes to more general issues related to the company’s working acquiring support from their employees. Unless the managers fail to implement this in their daily work, the undertaken activities will not be favorable.
The system of values for managers is comprised by their personal values, some of them acquired and some of them could be from birth and he tends to obey them. Personal values determine the person himself, his/her capacity, characteristics, moral and authority. The values, throughout the system of values, could describe anything that the mangers are trying to achieve through their work and their attitude of behavior at work.
Long-term North–South Asymmetry of the Heliospheric Current Sheet
Authors: Vokhmyanin Mikhail , Zolotova Nadezhda 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
In this paper, we evaluate the heliospheric current sheet (HCS) north–south asymmetry using the ecliptical sector structure of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) reconstructed since the second half of the 19th century. During the last five solar cycles, the inferred IMF polarities fairly reproduce the observed dominance of the sectors with the polarity of the northern solar hemisphere, i.e., the prolonged southward shift of the HCS. For the presatellite era, we found that the northward shift of the HCS was more common in cycles 10, 15, and 17–19, and the southward HCS shift was more common in cycles 9, 11–14, and 16. We also analyzed the north–south asymmetry in sunspot group numbers since 1749 and found that the northern hemisphere dominated in cycles 2–3, 7–9, and 15–20, and the southern hemisphere activity was stronger in cycles 4, 9–14, and 21–24. Moreover, other solar phenomena bear similar long-term asymmetry variations. The regularity of these variations is not clear. According to the available proxies of the solar data, the dominance of the northern hemisphere is found in the ascending phase of the secular solar cycle, and the dominance of the southern hemisphere coincides with the descending phase.