bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Synergy of intermittent fasting and ferroptosis inhibition dampens ‘cytokine storm’
Authors: Wang Haiting , Chen Xuelian , Guo Li , Fan Chenyi , Ye Shuang , Chen Yi 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Background: As a prototypic cytokine storm syndrome (CSS), secondary haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH), or macrophage activation syndrome in the context of rheumatic disease, is characterized by profound hyperinflammation and multisystem dysfunction. Caloric restriction and intermittent fasting (IF) are known to ameliorate inflammatory response. However, their in vivo roles and mechanistic importance in CSS remain largely elusive. Herein, by using a Poly I:C and lipopolysaccharide sequential challenging HLH mice model, we explore the anti-inflammatory effect of IF.Findings: Compared to mice feeding with regular diet, IF treated HLH model showed improved survival and less systemic inflammation, as evidenced by alleviatived splenomegaly and acute lung injury and downregulated serum pro-inflammatory cytokines. Mechanistically, IF down-modulated glycolysis, the fueling process in cytokine storm. In addition, we underscored the relevance of ferroptosis, a special form of programmed cell death, to the HLH-related acute lung injury. Notably, combination of IF and ferroptosis inhibition synergistically provided robust protection against lethal HLH in mice. Conclusions: Our study revealed the nexus between hyperinflammation and tissue injury in cytokine storm, and highlighted that non-immunosuppressive metabolic modulations might have translational values in relevant diseases.
Regulation of the bE and bW Genes in Sporisorium scitamineum using Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized with Carissa Spinarum Extract
Authors: Nkhabindze Bongani Z. , Ateka Elijah , Earnshaw Diana , Wanyika Harrison N. 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Background: Sugarcane smut is a disease that is caused by the fungus Sporisorium scitamineum. This is a disease of economic importance in the sugarcane industry, because it can cause losses of up to 50%. Current management practices have shown to be ineffective in controlling the fungal disease and hence there is the need for the development of antifungal agents that are biocompatible, non-toxic, environmentally friendly and easy to develop. Biosynthesized silver nanoparticles have been found to possess antimicrobial properties, and have not been explored on S. scitamineum. Results: The synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Carissa spinarum yielded particles that were spherical, smooth and they had a size range from 3nm to 33nm in size. Optimization of the mixtures using ultraviolet-visual spectroscopy (UV-Vis) showed peaks in the range of 340nm to 450nm. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis identified proteins to be essential capping agents and reducing sugars were responsible for the reduction of the silver nitrate to nanoparticles and stabilizing the nanoparticles. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles had the highest antifungal activity at 5mg/ml, while the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungal concentration were 78µg/ml. The in-vivo assays showed a significant (at P=0.05) reduction of the pathogen biomass concentration on the plants that were treated with the nanoparticles when compared to the control plants. The application of 58.5µg/ml of the b-AgNPs to the S. scitamineum resulted to a significant (P=0.05) increase in expression of the bE and bW genes, while the treatment with 39 µg/ml significantly (P=0.05) increased the expression of the bE gene, but had no significant (P=0.05) change in the expression of the bW gene. Conclusion: Silver nanoparticles that were synthesized successfully using C. spinarum crude extract inhibited the growth of S. scitamineum both in-vitro and in-vivo. The silver nanoparticles had a regulatory effect on the expression of the bE and bW genes in the fungus.
Multimodal and hemispheric graph-theoretical brain network predictors of learning efficacy for frontal alpha asymmetry neurofeedback
Authors: Li Linling , Li Yutong , Li Zhaoxun , Huang Gan , Liang Zhen , Zhang Li , Wan Feng , Shen Manjun , Han Xue , Zhang Zhiguo 
Published: May 2022

Abstract

Background
EEG neurofeedback using frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) has been widely used for emotion regulation training, but its effectiveness is controversial because some participants failed to learn self-regulation of FAA signals. It is desired to reveal neuroimaging predictors of learning ability in FAA neurofeedback, which cannot only improve our knowledge of the mechanisms of neurofeedback but can also enable personalized neurofeedback scheme. Previous studies have indicated that individual differences in neurofeedback training can be traced to neuroanatomical and neurofunctional baseline features. However, these studies only focused on regional measures of brain structure or function, and overlooked possible neural correlates of brain network measures. Besides, no neuroimaging predictors for FAA neurofeedback protocol have been reported so far.
Methods
The present study designed a single-blind pseudo-controlled FAA neurofeedback experiment and collected multimodal neuroimaging data (structural magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging, and resting-state functional MRI) from healthy participants before neurofeedback training. We assessed the learning performance for evoked EEG modulations during training (performance index L1) and at rest (performance index L2), and investigated performance related predictors based on a combined analysis of multimodal brain networks and graph-theoretical features.
Results
Participants from both real and sham groups could increase their FAA during training blocks by maintaining a positive emotional state, but only the real group showed a significant increase in FAA at rest. The predictors of learning performance were different for evoked EEG modulations during training blocks and at rests: L1 was correlated with the graph-theoretical metrics (normalized clustering coefficient and local efficiency) of the right hemispheric gray matter network and functional brain network, while L2 was correlated with the graph-theoretical metrics (local and global efficiency) of the whole-brain and left hemispheric functional brain network.
Conclusions
The individual differences in FAA neurofeedback learning could be explained with individual variation in structural/functional architecture, and the correlated global topological metrics of different learning performance indices showed different laterality of hemispheric brain networks. These results provided an insight into the neural correlates of inter-individual differences in neurofeedback learning.
Plasmacytoid Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder: a literature review and a Case Report
Authors: Zhong Rui , Qiu Yanfang , Jigang Shusan , Tang Fanfan , Shusuan Jiang , Hu Yina , Zou Yanhui , Wang Wei 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Data on the clinicopathological features or prognosis of plasmacytoid urothelial carcinoma (PUC) are limited. Herein, we report a single case of PUC among 4,331 bladder cancer patients treated in a tertiary cancer teaching cancer hospital January 2013 between December 2021. A 59-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of frequent and urgent urination and intermittent hematuria for more than 1 month and 10 days, respectively. Cystoscopy revealed obvious hematuria in the bladder and multiple cauliflower masses on the posterior and apical walls. The patient underwent radical cystectomy and ileal bladder replacement. Postoperatively, the patient was pathologically diagnosed with poorly differentiated carcinoma of the bladder (predominantly lymphomatoid and plasmacytoid variants) and died 4 months after diagnosis. In this case, the PUC exhibited aggressive growth with no early urinary tract symptoms, which appeared only when the tumor was large and ulcerated. Since most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, the prognosis is poor, therefore more aggressive treatment may be required. Clinicians can make a diagnosis based on typical image exams, histological features, clinical history, and immunohistochemical results. Gastric signet-ring cell carcinoma metastatic to the bladder should be excluded before diagnosis.
Validity of the premature ejaculation diagnostic tool and its association with International Index of Erectile Function ‑ 15 in patients with evidence-based-defined premature ejaculation.
Authors: Khan Haroon Latif , bhatti Shahzad , Babar Aleena , Younus Amna , Abbas Sana , Suhail Samina 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
The premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT) assesses premature ejaculation (PE). However, there is insufficient evidence about its validity in evidence-based‑ defined PE. The main aim of this study was to assess the validity of PEDT and its association with an international index of erectile function (IIEF-15) in Acquired premature ejaculation (APE) patients. A total of 50 men complaining of APE from Lahore institute of fertility and endocrinology, Hameed Latif Hospital, and 50 healthy control males without PE from a medical center were enrolled in this study. All individuals were asked to complete questionnaires including demographics, sexual history, and PEDT and IIEF‑ 15. The results of this research indicated men with APE showed higher PEDT scores (13.51 ± 3.04) and lower IIEF‑ 15 (39.45 ± 6.54) than men without PE (PEDT: 4.89 ± 2.14, IIEF‑ 15: 51.36 ± 2.36, P < 0.001 for both). Results also reported that a score of ≥ 8 indicated PE in Acquired premature ejaculation (APE) individuals by sensitivity and specificity analyses (sensitivity: 0.985; Specificity: 0.891). In APE men IIEF was negatively correlated to PEDT (adjust r = -0.311 P < 0.001) after adjusting for age. It was concluded that evidence-based‑ defined PE was diagnosed by PEDT. Moreover, PEDT was negatively related to IIEF-15 in APE men.
The historical perspective of flood occurrences in the Shire River basin, Malawi
Authors: HUSSEIN DANIEL 
Published: May 2022

Abstract

Apart from droughts and pollution, floods are one of the most serious climate-related dangers that afflict millions of people each year, resulting in thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in losses. Malawi’s River Shire basin is highly susceptible to flood disasters and subjected to great damage every year. The Shire River has caused suffering to people with its devastating floods throughout human history. Large floods have been occurring often especially in the Chikwawa district for the past half-century, with different degrees of scale and ferocity. The historical viewpoint of flood catastrophe risk events in the district, on the other hand, has received little attention. Therefore, the historical occurrence of floods in the Shire River basin of the Chikwawa district from 1980 to 2019 in order to establish the flood frequency, is discussed in this study. Content analysis of qualitative and quantitative data acquired via survey questionnaires (n = 270) and key informant interviews (n = 18) are both part of the techniques used. The results show that for the five-year periods (2015–2019), floods become more common in the district, with a distinct increase in respect of human losses, despite a decrease in precipitation amounts. As a result, the article's unique contribution is the identification of flood occurrence trends in the Chikwawa district to provide a scientific reference for flood management. Understanding the historical occurrence of Shire River floods is crucial for sustainable disaster risk mitigation measures.
Changes in the Moisture Contribution over Global Arid Regions
Authors: Wang Chenghai , Li Jiamin , Zhang Feimin , Yang Kai 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Arid regions have deficient precipitation, and the sources and transportation of water vapor for precipitation here are crucial. This study examined the major moisture contributions for six arid regions—China–Mongolia, North Africa, West Asia, West United States, South Africa, and Australia—classified as coastal and inland arid regions. The moisture contribution for precipitation is tracked by employing a Water Accounting Model, and moisture recycling was estimated. The moisture for precipitation in coastal arid regions originates mostly from the ocean, which is influenced by the atmospheric general circulation, particularly by the sinking branch of the Hadley cell. For inland arid region (China–Mongolia), the surrounding mountains with glacial and snow covers supply more than 150 mm of moisture in wet months. In arid regions, the moisture for precipitation is mostly transported by advection, and local hydrological recycling is secondary. The moisture available for precipitation in wet and dry months depends on the general circulation and ranges from 5 to 150 mm. Moisture transportation in wet months is more than 10 times that in dry months, and the sources differ greatly. The moisture transported into arid regions varies significantly due to global warming, and precipitation changes from −0.08 to −1.63 mm/a. Global land precipitation changed by −0.72 mm/a in the last three decades. The changes in the precipitation recycling ratio are −0.008 to −0.025%/a, which are lower than the change in global precipitation recycling ratio (−0.003%/a).
Modeling the Risk of Insulin Resistance in Borderline Personality Disorder with Romantic Pathological Jealousy in Females: A Lyfas Empirical Study
Authors: Chattopadhyay Subhagata , Das Rupam 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) with Romantic pathological jealousy (rPAJ) influences the heart rate variability (HRV) and its cardiovascular optical biomarkers (COBs), which the Lyfas mobile application captures through smartphones. The COBs surrogate insulin resistance (IR), a marker of cardiometabolic risks. The paper aims to non-invasively study the IR risk in BPD-rPAJ affected females. Personality-based Questionnaire (PBQ) and the Multidimensional jealousy scale (MDJS) and Lyfas tests were taken by the participants under psychologists’ supervision. The VO2Max (COB of heart-lung coherence after stressful exercise), LF/HF (COB of IR), and Arterial stiffness index (ASI), a marker of early vascular aging, are chosen as the IR biomarkers. HRVScore, SD1/SD2, and pNN50 are chosen as the mood, anxiety, and sleep (MAS) biomarkers. Finally, each of the MAS-IR COBs is regressed to examine the causality. The R2 value > = 25 is considered the significant causative. Furthermore, the relative risk (RR) is computed between significant MAS-IR COBs. The study observes that HRVScore and pNN50 possess high causal relationships with ASI (R2 = 47% and 25%, respectively). The RR shows an increased risk of premature arterial stiffness (PAS) with mood dysregulations (RR = 10.5, p 0.02) and sleep issues (RR = 135, p 0.19) when compared to the baseline population. The study concludes that mood dysregulations and poor sleep quality are associated with a high risk of IR in females suffering from BPD-rPAJ disorder. The onset of the deterioration of their arterial health starts as early as an average of five-and-a-half years.
Analysing the Efficiency of National and Sub-national health systems - A Systematic Review of Literature
Authors: Mbau Rahab , Musiega Anita , Nyawira Lizah , Tsofa Benjamin , Mulwa Andrew , Molyneux Sassy , Maina Isabel , Jemutai Julie , Normand Charles , Hanson Kara , Barasa Edwine 
Published: May 2022

Abstract

Introduction
Health system efficiency is a priority concern for policy makers globally as countries aim to achieve universal health coverage. Efficiency analysis in the health sector has typically focused on the efficiency of healthcare facilities (hospitals, primary healthcare facilities), with few studies focusing on system level (national or sub-national) efficiency. We carried out a thematic review of literature that assessed the efficiency of health systems at the national and sub-national level.
Methods
We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Google, and Google scholar between 2000 and 2021 and a manual search of relevant papers’ reference lists. A total of 131 papers were identified. We analysed and synthesized data from the selected papers using a thematic approach.
Findings
There were more publications from high and upper middle-income countries (62%) than from low income and lower-middle income countries. There were also more publications focusing on national level (60%) compared to sub-national health systems efficiency. Only 5% of studies used either qualitative methods or mixed methods while 95% used quantitative approaches. Data envelopment analysis was the most common methodological approach used, followed by stochastic frontier analysis. A range of regression methods were used to identify the determinants of health system efficiency. While studies used a range of inputs, these generally considered the building blocks of health systems, health risk factors, and social determinants of health. Outputs used in efficiency analysis could be classified as either intermediate health outputs, single health outcomes or composite measures of health outcomes. Factors that were found to affect health system technical efficiency include demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population, macro-economic characteristics of the national and sub-national regions, population health and wellbeing, the governance and political characteristics of these regions, and health system characteristics.
Conclusion
This review highlights the limited evidence on health system efficiency in low- and middle-income countries. It also reveals the dearth of efficiency studies that use mixed methods approaches by incorporating qualitative inquiry. The review offers insights on the drivers of the technical efficiency of national and sub-national health systems, highlights potential targets for reforms to improve health system efficiency.
The Application of 5g and Artificial Intelligence Technology in the Innovation and Reform of College English Education
Authors: Guo Shanshan 
Published: May 2022

Abstract
Higher education is becoming increasingly competitive these days. Today's education revolves around students. All educational institutions are concentrating on improving quality and changing traditional higher education teaching methods. New-type classroom instruction has embraced a unique advancement opportunity with the arrival of the fifth generation (5G) era. It is critical to develop a teaching assistance system that makes use of high-speed network methodology and new-type display methodology. Current 5G-supported educational investigation focuses primarily on studies that look at 5G educational application conditions and those that look into the execution path for smart education, but a teaching assistance system depending on 5G interaction methodology is also needed. For the innovation and reform of higher education, this article combines soft computing techniques, artificial intelligence (AI), and 5G networks. This paper outlines the exact processes and measures for incorporating "5G" technology into higher education. This will aid higher education students in gaining a better comprehension of the subject and improving their logical reasoning abilities. Finally, a comparison experiment will be conducted to see how good this system is at learning AI knowledge when compared to standard learning approaches. The outcomes of the experiments are examined to show that employing this approach to gain AI knowledge is successful and improves students' enthusiasm in learning as well as their hands-on abilities.
Variación temporal del zooplancton durante 2017 y 2018 en el sureste de Isla Margarita, Venezuela
Authors: Gómez Gaspar Alfredo 
Published: May 2022

En el sureste de isla Margarita (Venezuela), durante dos años (2017 y 2018), se estudió la abundancia del zooplancton en dos estaciones fijas a cinco millas de la costa. Se recolectaron muestras nocturnas (7:00-8:00 p.m; total: 72) utilizando una red con diámetro de 1,7 m y longitud de 3,5 m (abertura de malla de 400 micras), arrastrada horizontalmente durante 20 minutos a profundidad de 10-15 m. La temperatura varió entre 24,3 y 29,1 °C; la salinidad, entre 35,12 y 37,68, y el oxígeno disuelto, entre 3,38 y 4,72 mL/L. No se determinó diferencia estadística entre estaciones en la abundancia del zooplancton, pero sí entre los años (p<0,01). La abundancia en densidad del zooplancton varió entre 26,84 y 398,09 ind/m3; su biomasa seca, entre 0,12 y 5,05 mg/m3, y el volumen sedimentado, entre 0,01 y 0,72 mL/m3. La abundancia promedio anual en 2017 fue de 110,33±94,36 ind/m3; la biomasa seca fue de 0,88 ± 0,74 mg/m3, y el volumen sedimentado, de 0,10±0,09 mL/ m3, mientras que en 2018 los registros fueron de 128,97± 87,13 ind/m3, 1,37±1,15 mg/m3 y 0,20±0,17 mL/m3 respectivamente. Estos valores son intermedios entre periodos de menor abundancia del zooplancton (años 2002-2004 y 2014-2016) y el de mayor abundancia durante los años de la crisis sardinera (2005-2013). Los años 2017 y 2018 fueron de transición entre esos periodos.
Clinical Evidence of Interaction between Nutraceutical Supplementation
and Platinum-based Chemotherapy
Authors: Cocetta Veronica , Tinazzi Mattia , Giacomini Isabella , Rosato Benedetta , Ragazzi Eugenio , Berretta Massimiliano , Montopoli Monica 
Published: May 2022

Abstract:
Platinum agents, which include cisplatin, oxaliplatin and carboplatin, are chemotherapeutic
drugs that represent the first-line treatment for different types of solid tumors,
such as ovarian, head and neck, testicular, and bladder cancers. Their beneficial effect
is limited by the onset of drug resistance and severe toxicities, involving mainly ototoxicity,
neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Recent studies highlight the supplementation
of herbal products, vitamins and minerals with antioxidant properties to prevent and protect
from side effects. In particular, the introduction of nutraceuticals associated with chemotherapy
has improved the patients’ quality of life. However, if from one side, complementary
and alternative medicine ameliorates chemotherapeutics-induced toxicities, from
the other side, it is important to take into consideration the possible interference with
drug metabolism. This review aims to consider the current literature focusing on clinical
trials that report an association between nutraceutical supplementation and platinum-
based chemotherapy to prevent toxicities, highlighting both beneficial and side effects.
8-oxoguanine DNA Glycosylase (OGG1) may be a Diagnostic Indicator of
Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR)
Authors: Wu Gengxiang , Yang Jing , Xia Jing , Wang Zehao , Zou Wen , Jin Wenyi 
Published: May 2022

Background:
Oxidative/antioxidant imbalance is considered a causal cause of diminished
ovarian reserve (DOR). 8-oxyguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) has been reported to act as an antioxidant
by binding non-catalytically to oxidation-induced DNA damage in the promoter region.

Objective:
This study aimed to evaluate serum OGG1 concentrations in patients with or without
DOR and to explore the clinical value of OGG1 as a novel diagnostic indicator for DOR.

Methods:
Sixty-four women with DOR and seventy-eight women with normal ovarian reserve
(NOR) from the reproductive medical center of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University were included.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to determine serum OGG1
levels in patients on 2-5 days of the menstrual cycle. Data regarding the enrolled patients were also
obtained from the database of the hospital, including age, body mass index (BMI), anti-Müllerian
hormone (AMH), etc.

Results:
OGG1 levels were increased in the DOR group (2.08 ± 0.70 vs 1.46 ± 0.47 nmol/L,
P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with AMH levels (Spearman r = -0.586, P < 0.001). After adjusting
for age and BMI, a negative association between OGG1 and AMH remained (β = -0.619, P
< 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that a cut-off value of 1.765 nmol/L had an appropriate sensitivity
(81.30%) and specificity (76.90%) for discriminating individuals with and without DOR,
with the area under the curve (95% CI) of 0.870 (0.814 to 0.926), P < 0.001.

Conclusion:
We determined that serum OGG1 levels might be suggested as a new diagnostic indicator
for DOR.