bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Differences in tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte density and prognostic factors for breast cancer by patient age
Authors: Takada Koji , Kashiwagi Shinichiro , Asano Yuka , Goto Wataru , Morisaki Tamami , Shibutani Masatsune , Tanaka Hiroaki , Hirakawa Kosei , Ohira Masaichi 
Published: February 2022

AbstractBackgroundLymphocytes that surround cancer participate in tumor-related immune responses and are called tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Several recent reports suggest TILs index the tumor microenvironment and predict the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy. However, only few studies have studied the relationship between age and TILs. Aging reduces host immunity, and we predict that it may also affect TILs. Thus, we hypothesized that older breast cancer (BC) patients may have low TIL density than younger BC patients. Here, we retrospectively analyzed the differences in TILs by age and the therapeutic effects of preoperative chemotherapy (POC) in BC patients who were aged either less than 45 years or more than 60 years.MethodsWe retrospectively examined the data of 356 breast cancer patients who underwent POC, including 75 patients aged ≤ 45 years and 116 patients aged > 60 years. Using pre-treatment needle biopsy specimens, TIL density was compared for each age group by Student’st-test. After analyzing different factors that affect TIL density, prognostic factors were also examined.ResultsOlder patients with triple-negative BC had significantly lower TIL density than younger patients, while in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-enriched BC, TIL density was significantly higher in the younger age group than that in the older age group. In addition, younger patients with HER2-rich breast cancer showed significantly higher complete pathological response rates than older patients with HER2-rich BC. In addition, significant differences in overall survival were observed among these patients with triple-negative BC.ConclusionsOur study suggests that younger BC patients possess significantly higher TIL density than older patients. These differences may influence the therapeutic efficacy in highly immunogenic subtypes.
The neuroprotective mechanism of sevoflurane in rats with traumatic brain injury via FGF2
Authors: Wang Zhongyu , Wang Zhaoyang , Wang Anqi , Li Juan , Wang Junmin , Yuan Jingjing , Wei Xin , Xing Fei , Zhang Wei , Xing Na 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Background
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a kind of acquired brain injury, which is caused by external mechanical forces. Moreover, the neuroprotective role of sevoflurane (Sevo) has been identified in TBI. Therefore, this research was conducted to figure out the mechanism of Sevo in TBI via FGF2.

Methods
The key factors of neuroprotective effects of Sevo in TBI rats were predicted by bioinformatics analysis. A TBI model was induced on rats that then inhaled Sevo for 1 h and grouped via lentivirus injection. Modified Neurological Severity Score was adopted to evaluate neuronal damage in rats, followed by motor function and brain water content measurement. FGF2, EZH2, and HES1 expression in brain tissues was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining, and expression of related genes and autophagy factors by RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis. Methylation-specific PCR was performed to assess HES1 promoter methylation level, and ChIP assay to detect the enrichment of EZH2 in the HES1 promoter. Neuronal damage was assessed by cell immunofluorescence staining, and neuronal apoptosis by Nissl staining, TUNEL staining, and flow cytometry.

Results
Sevo diminished brain edema, improved neurological scores, and decreased neuronal apoptosis and autophagy in TBI rats. Sevo preconditioning could upregulate FGF2 that elevated EZH2 expression, and EZH2 bound to the HES1 promoter to downregulate HES1 in TBI rats. Also, FGF2 or EZH2 overexpression or HES silencing decreased brain edema, neurological deficits, and neuronal autophagy and apoptosis in Sevo-treated TBI rats.

Conclusions
Our results provided a novel insight to the neuroprotective mechanism of Sevo in TBI rats by downregulating HES1 via FGF2/EZH2 axis activation.
The STAT6 inhibitor AS1517499 reduces the risk of asthma in mice with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis by blocking the STAT6 signaling pathway
Authors: Li Xueying , Han Zhaoqing , Wang Feng , Qiao Jianou 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Background
Epidemiological studies have revealed a link between atopic dermatitis (AD) and asthma. AS1517499, a selective signal transducer and activation of transcription 6 (STAT6) inhibitor, has been shown to effectively block this connection. In this study, we further explored the underlying mechanism by constructing an AD mouse model.

Methods
Female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10/group). The AD mouse model was established by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene induction with repeated ovalbumin challenge. AS1517499 and corn oil were used as treatment interventions. The features of airway inflammation, remodeling, and hyperactivity were analyzed.

Results
Active use of AS1517499 in AD mice effectively reduced Th2-related cytokine levels, alleviated airway eosinophil and lymphocyte infiltration, and regulated GATA3/Foxp3 levels and subepithelial collagen deposition. These changes might be due to specific blockade of the STAT6 signaling pathway.

Conclusion
AS1517499 could partially block the association between AD and asthma by specifically inhibiting the STAT6 signaling pathway.
Observation on dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) welfare and husbandry practices among nomadic pastoralists
Authors: Dioli Maurizio 
Published: February 2022

AbstractAnimal welfare is an important topic for consideration within every livestock husbandry sector. Welfare frameworks have recently been developed for intensively and semi-intensively husbanded dromedaries. These do not fit the reality of dromedaries under pastoral husbandry, and no specific analysis exists on dromedary welfare when reared under pastoral nomadic conditions. This article examines the existing husbandry practices utilised by nomadic pastoralists with the aim of improving the understanding of dromedary welfare in a nomadic pastoral husbandry system.
The global environmental agenda urgently needs a semantic web of knowledge
Authors: Balbi Stefano , Bagstad Kenneth J. , Magrach Ainhoa , Sanz Maria Jose , Aguilar-Amuchastegui Naikoa , Giupponi Carlo , Villa Ferdinando 
Published: February 2022

AbstractProgress in key social-ecological challenges of the global environmental agenda (e.g., climate change, biodiversity conservation, Sustainable Development Goals) is hampered by a lack of integration and synthesis of existing scientific evidence. Facing a fast-increasing volume of data, information remains compartmentalized to pre-defined scales and fields, rarely building its way up to collective knowledge. Today's distributed corpus of human intelligence, including the scientific publication system, cannot be exploited with the efficiency needed to meet current evidence synthesis challenges; computer-based intelligence could assist this task. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based approaches underlain by semantics and machine reasoning offer a constructive way forward, but depend on greater understanding of these technologies by the science and policy communities and coordination of their use. By labelling web-based scientific information to become readable by both humans and computers, machines can search, organize, reuse, combine and synthesize information quickly and in novel ways. Modern open science infrastructure—i.e., public data and model repositories—is a useful starting point, but without shared semantics and common standards for machine actionable data and models, our collective ability to build, grow, and share a collective knowledge base will remain limited. The application of semantic and machine reasoning technologies by a broad community of scientists and decision makers will favour open synthesis to contribute and reuse knowledge and apply it toward decision making.
Effectiveness and sustainability of the WHO multimodal hand hygiene improvement strategy in the University Hospital Bouaké, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Müller Sophie Alice , N’Guessan Micheline , Wood Rebekah , Landsmann Lena , Rocha Carlos , Kouame Bléoué Jean , Djadji Dominique , Abrokwa Seth Kofi , Eckmanns Tim , Arvand Mardjan , Diané Bamourou , Borchert Matthias 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Introduction
The most frequent adverse events in healthcare are healthcare-associated infections, whose burden is highest in resource-limited settings. In addition, low resource settings often lack Hand Hygiene (HH) knowledge and reliable supply to disinfectant, a necessity emphasized by the past West African Ebola Epidemic and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. PASQUALE aims to increase patient safety by introducing the WHO multimodal HH strategy in the University Hospital Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire.

Methods
Assessment of HH knowledge, perception and compliance was performed 12 months before, right after the intervention and at a ten months interval using questionnaires for knowledge and perception and direct observation for compliance. The intervention consisted of a HH training and the introduction of local production of alcohol-based hand-rub. In the absence of a control group, the effectiveness of the intervention was assessed by a before-and-after study.

Results
Baseline knowledge score was 14/25, increased significantly to 17/25 (p < 0.001) upon first and decreased to 13/25 in second follow-up. Compliance showed a significant increase from 12.7% to 36.8% (p < 0.001) in first and remained at 36.4% in second follow-up. Alcohol-based hand-rub production and consumption almost doubled after first confirmed COVID-19 case in Côte d’Ivoire.

Conclusion
The WHO HH improvement strategy is an effective and pandemic-adaptable method to increase long-term HH compliance. This study emphasizes that the implementation of the strategy to build a robust system is of utmost importance.
Genetic, clinical, and biochemical aspects of patients with Alzheimer disease
Authors: El-Tallawy Hamdy Nageeb , Saadeldin Heba Mohamed , Ezzeldin Azza Mohamed , Tohamy Amal Mohamed , Eltellawy Sara , Bathalath Ali Mabrouk , Shehab Mohamed Mostafa 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Background
The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The clinical manifestations of AD are loss of memory that is progressive and deterioration in cognitive function. The objective of this study is to find patterns of AD among patients regarding clinical aspects, psychological aspects, and laboratory aspects, as well as to determine the role of some genes (APOE1, APOE2, and TMEM106B) in the pathogenesis of AD. In this case–control study, 40 patients with AD were recruited from the inpatient neurology departments and outpatient neurology clinics of the university hospitals in the period of January 1 to December 31, 2017. Furthermore, 40 cross-matched control patients underwent a complete history taking, neurological examination, brain MRI or CT, psychometric tests, thyroid function, and lipid profile measurements. Extracted DNA was quantified using a nanodrop analyzer (ND-1OOO) spectrophotometer for TMEM106B (rs1990622), APOE2 (rs429358), and APOE1 (rs7412).

Results
All subtypes of lipid profiles were significantly higher in patients with AD than the controls. There was a significant difference between the two groups regarding TMEM106B. There was an insignificant difference regarding thyroid hormones T3, T4, and TSH between patients and controls. There was no significant difference between AD patients and the control group regarding APOE-1 and APOE-2. Patients were worse than controls in tests of cognition, such as The Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) and auditory number and letter span test. In addition, AD patients had more depression than controls.

Conclusion
There may be a significant role of a high lipid profile and TMEM106B expression in the pathogenesis of AD.
Adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures among male medical students, Egypt
Authors: Ahmed Haytham Mahmoud 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Background
Adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures is essential for disease control especially given the lack of effective treatment at the time of data collection. Medical students’ adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures is highly important because they are at a higher risk of infection as they spend considerable time at hospitals for training. In addition, they will be responsible for disease fighting in the future. This study aimed to identify the adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures among the studied male students of Al-Azhar Faculty of Medicine, Egypt.

Methods
An online survey was conducted on a convenience sample of 537 male medical students of Al-Azhar University at the Cairo branch between March 2 and April 15, 2021, using an Arabic questionnaire constructed by Google form with link sharing to students’ groups on WhatsApp and face book applications.

Results
A total of 537 students voluntarily submitted their responses. Most of these students were aged between 18 and 20 years (62.4%), rural residents (62.9%), having family income of 5000 LE or less/month (64.2%), studying at the first, second, and sixth years (79.2%). The prevalence of adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures among studied students was 28.1% without significant difference in the students’ adherence status regarding age, residence, family income, studying year, or academic score. Wearing a face mask outside the house was practiced by 58% of students, avoiding hugging or kissing others (41.3%), and keeping a distance from others (20.7%).

Conclusion
Students showed a low level of adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures among students. Also, there is no significant difference between students’ adherence status in relation to their socio-economic or academic variables. This unhealthy behavior increases the risk of infection among students. Also, students become a source of infection for their vulnerable contacts. More studies are needed to identify the real cause of this low level of adherence.
Diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound in evaluation of patients with obstructive jaundice: single-center experience
Authors: Abou Bakr Shereen , Elessawy Hagar , Ghaly Sameh , Elezz Muhammed Abo , Farahat Ahmed , Zaghloul Mariam Salah 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
Background/aims
We prospectively evaluated the role of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in detecting the cause of common bile duct (CBD) dilatation in patients in whom trans-abdominal ultrasound (TUS) could not demonstrate the cause of dilation as a proper second step in the diagnostic workup of patients with obstructive jaundice compared to magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP).

Methods
This study was conducted on patients with obstructive jaundice admitted to the inpatient ward or the outpatient endoscopy unit of Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI) during the period between January 2019 and August 2019. A patient with obstructive jaundice and TUS showed CBD dilatation with internal diameter ≥ 7 mm and biliary stricture.

Results
During the period between January 2019 and August 2019, 136 were recruited; 8 patients who were pregnant and 3 patients who had gastric bypass surgery were excluded. Sixty-five patients were diagnosed confidently by TUS as biliary stones and were excluded from the analysis. Sixty patients with obstructive jaundice and indefinite etiology on TUS were included in the final analysis. The final diagnosis of patients was 38 patients (63.33%) of malignant etiology [26 pancreatic cancer (43.33%), 4 cholangiocarcinoma (6.66%), and 8 with ampullary cancer (13.33%)] and 22 patients (36.67%) of benign etiology [10 calcular obstruction (16.66%), 8 benign stricture (13.33%), and 4 pancreatitis (6.66%)]. The sensitivity and specificity values for malignant stricture detected by EUS were 100% and 86.36%, respectively, with positive predictive value of 92.68%, negative predictive value of 100%, and accuracy of 95%, while MRI showed 82.14% sensitivity and 25% specificity with positive predictive value of 79.31 and accuracy of 69.4%. EUS supported correct diagnosis in 57 patients (95%: CI 86.08 to 98.96%) while MRI did it in 36 patients (69.44%: CI 51.89% to 83.65%).Only 43 (71.7%) patients needed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for management of obstructive jaundice, sparing 17 patients (28.3%) unnecessary invasive procedures.

Conclusions
EUS is a minimally invasive method with low incidence of complications with high diagnostic accuracy in patients with dilated CBD and normal MRCP.
Impact of COVID-19 on mental health research: is this the breaking point?
Authors: Sparasci Oli , Bhui Kamaldeep , Biswas Asit , Chamberlain Samuel , Dubicka Bernadka , Dudas Robert , Farooq Saeed , Ford Tamsin , Husain Nusrat , Jones Ian , Killaspy Helen , Lee William , Lingford-Hughes Anne , Mulholland Ciaran , Rubinsztein Judy , Shankar Rohit , Sharma Aditya , Sinclair Lindsey , Stone James , Young Allan 
Published: February 2022

SummaryThere are many structural problems facing the UK at present, from a weakened National Health Service to deeply ingrained inequality. These challenges extend through society to clinical practice and have an impact on current mental health research, which was in a perilous state even before the coronavirus pandemic hit. In this editorial, a group of psychiatric researchers who currently sit on the Academic Faculty of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and represent the breadth of research in mental health from across the UK discuss the challenges faced in academic mental health research. They reflect on the need for additional investment in the specialty and ask whether this is a turning point for the future of mental health research.
K-Ras and p53 mouse model with molecular characteristics of human rhabdomyosarcoma and translational applications
Authors: Nakahata Kengo , Simons Brian W. , Pozzo Enrico , Shuck Ryan , Kurenbekova Lyazat , Prudowsky Zachary , Dholakia Kshiti , Coarfa Cristian , Patel Tajhal D. , Donehower Lawrence A. , Yustein Jason T. 
Published: February 2022

ABSTRACT
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children, with overall long-term survival rates of ∼65-70%. Thus, additional molecular insights and representative models are critical for identifying and evaluating new treatment modalities. Using MyoD-Cre-mediated introduction of mutant K-RasG12D and perturbations in p53, we developed a novel genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM) for RMS. The anatomic sites of primary RMS development recapitulated human disease, including tumors in the head, neck, extremities and abdomen. We confirmed RMS histology and diagnosis through Hematoxylin and Eosin staining, and positive immunohistochemical staining for desmin, myogenin, and phosphotungstic acid–Hematoxylin. Cell lines from GEMM tumors were established with the ability to engraft in immunocompetent mice with comparable histological and staining features as the primary tumors. Tail vein injection of cell lines had high metastatic potential to the lungs. Transcriptomic analyses of p53R172H/K-RasG12D GEMM-derived tumors showed evidence of high molecular homology with human RMS. Finally, pre-clinical use of these murine RMS lines showed similar therapeutic responsiveness to chemotherapy and targeted therapies as human RMS cell lines.
Cross-sectional assessment of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Goel Sagar , Kamath Surendra Umesh , Annappa Rajendra , Krishnamurthy Sunil Lakshmipura , Jain Manesh , Thakkar Samarth , Damsas Lulu , Banerjee Sayak , Divakar Prajwal Madapura 
Published: February 2022

Background:Osteoarthritis (OA) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are prevalent in India. However, there is dearth of literature among Indians studying the relationship between the two. This study was carried out to assess various cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in patients with knee OA with an objective to investigate their association, screening and management. Methods: In total, 225 patients were included in this cross-sectional study. Participants were diagnosed with knee OA on the basis of the Kellgren and Lawrence (K-L) classification of their radiograph. Participants were also assessed for CV risk factors; age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, smoking. Joint British Society QRisk3 calculator (JBS3) a comprehensive risk score calculator as well as a screening tool, which produces three more variables, namely 10-years risk of developing CVD, physiological heart age and life expectancy, was used. Chi Square, Fishers exact test and one-way ANOVA tests were used to compare the categorical and quantitative variables, respectively.. Multiple regression analysis was done to adjust the multiple con-founders and determine their significance.Results: Patients with severe knee OA had a statistically significantly higher prevalence of CV risk factors (p<0.05). Grade 4 knee OA patients were found to have a mean JBS3 risk of 38%, heart age of 82 years and life expectancy of 77 years as compared to grade 2 patients who had a mean JBS3 risk of 11%, heart age of 63 years and life expectancy of 82 years. Conclusions: Our study concluded that there is a strong relation between knee OA and CVD, with CV risk score being positively correlated to the severity of OA.
Numerical model for enhancing stimulated Brillouin scattering in optical microfibers
Authors: Yeap Soon Heng , Emami Siamak Dawazdah , Abdul-Rashid Hairul Azhar 
Published: February 2022

Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) is useful, among others for generating slow light, sensing and amplification. SBS was previously viewed as a poor method due to the limitation on optical power in high-powered photonic applications. However, considering the many possible applications using SBS, it is now of interest to enhance SBS in areas of Brillouin frequency shift together with Brillouin Gain. A numerical model, using a fully vectorial approach, by employing the finite element method, was developed to investigate methods for enhancing SBS in optical fiber. This paper describes the method related to the numerical model and discusses the analysis between the interactions of longitudinal, shear and hybrid acoustic modes; and optical modes in optical fiber. Two case studies were used to demonstrate this. Based on this numerical model, we report the influence of core radius, clad radius and effective refractive index on the Brillouin frequency shift and gain. We observe the difference of Brillouin shift frequency between a normal silica optical fiber and that of a microfiber - a uniformed silica fiber of a much smaller core and cladding dimensions where nonlinearities are higher. Also observed, the different core radii used and their respective Brillouin shift. For future work, the COMSOL model can also be used for the following areas of research, including simulating “surface Brillouin shift” and also to provide in-sights to the Brillouin shift frequency vB of various structures of waveguides, e.g circular, and triangular, and also to examine specialty fibers, e.g. Thulium and Chalcogenide doped fibers, and their effects on Brillouin shift frequency.