bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Immunotherapy is Associated with a Survival Benefit in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy for Metastatic&nbsp;Pancreas Cancer
Authors: Hue Jonathan J. , Bingmer Katherine , Sugumar Kavin , Markt Sarah C. , Rothermel Luke D. , Hardacre Jeffrey M. , Ammori John B. , Winter Jordan M. , Ocuin Lee M. 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Background: Immunotherapy (IT) has led to improved survival in several common cancers but success in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has been limited. We analyzed if combination IT-chemotherapy (IT-CT) is associated with improved survival compared to chemotherapy alone (CT) in patients with metastatic PDAC. Methods: The National Cancer Database (2004-2016) was queried for patients who were diagnosed with metastatic PDAC. Patients were categorized by treatment group: CT only and IT-CT. Patients were excluded if they received radiation or a surgical procedure. The primary outcome was overall survival.Results: A total of 59,289 patients were identified, of whom 58,947 (99.4%) received CT and 342 (0.6%) received IT-CT. The IT-CT group was younger, had fewer comorbidities, and was more often treated at an academic center. The utilization of multi-agent chemotherapy was similar between the groups. Median survival of patients treated with IT-CT was longer than CT alone (7.9 vs 6.3 months, p=0.005). On multivariable analysis, receipt of IT-CT was associated with a survival advantage as compared to CT (HR=0.86, 95% CI 0.76-0.97) when adjusting for demographics and type of chemotherapy regimen.Conclusions: In patients with metastatic PDAC, it appears that combination IT-CT may be associated with a survival advantage compared to CT alone.
Pedestrians in Iran: Determinants of Unsafe Traffic Behaviors of Pedestrians
Authors: Aghdam Fatemeh Bakhtari , Bazargani Homayoyn Sadeghi , Sarbakhsh Parvin , Pashaie Tahere , Ponent Koen , Nicknejad Maryam 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Background: Pedestrians are among the most vulnerable groups in traffic accidents. This study investigates the determinants of traffic behaviors of pedestrians. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the behavior of 600 pedestrians in the city of Urmia, northwestern Iran, was evaluated from May to October 2018, using a pedestrian traffic behavior questionnaire consisting of five dimensions: traffic violations, traffic distraction, adherence to traffic rules, aggressive behavior, and positive behaviors. Cluster sampling was conducted among 30% of the health centers in each district of the city. Thereafter, individuals were randomly selected from each center depending on the covered population. Results: Although 17% of the pedestrians demonstrated safe traffic behaviors, over 85% were distracted, more than 80% did not comply with traffic laws, the majority violated rules and displayed no positive traffic behaviors, and half of the participants were aggressive. Age, gender, marital status, education level, daily walking rate, and transportation mode were significant predictors of traffic behavior.Conclusion: Most pedestrians demonstrate unsafe traffic behaviors. The youth, those who were single, those with lower education, and those with less walking rate showcased higher unsafe behaviors. Training and intervention programs should be implemented to improve all domains of pedestrian traffic behaviors factoring in age and other predictors.
A new tool for predicting in-hospital mortality in Chinese older patients with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD): frailty index based on common laboratory tests (FI-Lab)
Authors: Gu Jinjin , Zheng Lijie , Liu Qiang 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Introduction: The exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD)is a common and fetal disease but with no ideal predictor of in-hospital mortality. Frailty prevails in older adults with AECOPD and can cause increased vulnerability to many adverse health outcomes including death. However, we know little about how frailty affects in-hospital mortality in older AECOPD patients. Objective: To explore the predictive validity of FI-Lab—an objective tool for assessing frailty including 21 routine blood tests plus systolic and diastolic blood pressure (a score between 0 and 1, a higher score indicates greater frailty)—for in-hospital mortality in patients with AECOPD. Methods: We reviewed the hospitalization records of older AECOPD inpatients from September 2016 to June 2019 at Zhenjiang First People's Hospital. We compared survivors to non-survivors. We used propensity score matching (PSM) to balance priori differences between survivors and non-survivors. Logistic regression analysis was used to select the associated predictors of in-hospital mortality. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated to estimate the area under the ROC curve (AUCs) for FI-Lab and DECAF(a commonly used predictor of AECOPD including dyspnea, eosinophilia, pulmonary consolidation, acidemia, and atrial fibrillation; a score between 1and 6; a higher score indicates poorer condition)in relation to mortality. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS for Windows, Version 23.0. Results: A total of 154 patients—77 survivors and 77 non-survivors—were included in the study finally. The mean age of these patients was 79.73 ± 8.38 years. Both of the mean DECAF score, the mean FI-Lab value of non-survivors were statistically higher than those of survivors(4.45 ± 0.80 versus 3.03 ± 0.90,P = 0.000; 0.51 ± 0.13 versus 0.29 ± 0.10,P = 0.000,respectively). Logistic regression analysis suggested that high DECAF grade and high FI-Lab grade were strong related factors of death in AECOPD patients (OR:5.620, 95%CI 2.811–11.236, P = 0.000; OR:8.705, 95%CI 3.646–20.782, P = 0.000, respectively). The DECAF scores of most non-survivors were ≥ 4༈n = 71,92.21%༉. FI-Lab value predicted in-hospital mortality at a cut-off value of 0.4388 with 70.1% sensitivity, 96.1% specificity, 0.675 Youden index. DECAF score predicted in-hospital mortality at a cut-off value of 3.5 with 92.2% sensitivity, 72.7% specificity, 0.649 Youden index. The areas under the ROC curves were 0.906 for FI-Lab and 0.870 for DECAF with no statistically significant༈P = 0.2991). Conclusions: FI-Lab has a slightly stronger screening ability than DECAF. FI-Lab is a simple, effective and objective indicator and can be quick to help clinicians to assess in-hospital mortality of AECOPD patients.
Two cases of sporadic intra-abdominal desmoid tumor with a very unusual onset
Authors: Kuwabara Hiroshi , Katayanagi Sou , Koganezawa Itsuki , Nakagawa Masashi , Katsumata Kenji , Tsuchida Akihiko , Kawachi Shigeyuki 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
BackgroundIntra-abdominal desmoid tumors are rare soft tissue tumors that arise mainly in the mesentery and pelvis. Causes include mutations in the APC gene, which is the causative gene of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), estrogen-associated changes after childbirth, and mechanical factors, such as history of abdominal surgery. However, there are cases of intra-abdominal desmoid tumors that develop in the absence of such causes, although they are rare, and diagnosis is often difficult from clinical findings. We encountered 2 cases of patients with sporadic intra-abdominal desmoid tumors with a very unusual onset.Case presentationThe first patient was a 51-year-old man. He presented to the clinic with sudden onset of abdominal pain, and was referred to our department because of a giant tumor detected on abdominal ultrasonography. Imaging diagnosis displayed a 19-cm tumor with internal tumoral hemorrhage, but no definitive diagnosis was made. Resection of the tumor was performed for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The second patient was a 41-year-old man. Right hydronephrosis was detected on abdominal ultrasonography at a medical check-up. We diagnosed invasion of the primary mesenteric tumor into the right ureter by diagnostic imaging, and performed ileocecal resection with partial right ureteral resection for a definitive diagnosis and therapeutic purposes. The tumors of both patients had developed from the ileal mesentery. Although the tumors were substantially different in their macroscopic morphology and progression pattern, they showed similar pathological characteristics, i.e., they consisted of bundles of collagen fibrils of spindle-shaped fibroblasts with low cell atypia, and were diagnosed to be desmoid tumors by positive immunohistochemical staining for β-catenin. Both patients had no susceptibility factors for desmoid tumors.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, there have been very few reports to date of sporadic intra-abdominal desmoid tumors that were diagnosed owing to acute abdominal pain caused by tumoral hemorrhage or asymptomatic ureteral obstruction. Intra-abdominal desmoid tumors can cause various symptoms depending on the location of their occurrence and their progression pattern and are often difficult to differentiate from other mesenchymal tumors on imaging findings. Diagnosis therefore requires experience and knowledge that is not bound by preconceptions.
Expression and characterization of functional human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF165) in Kluyveromyces lactis
Authors: Ceylan Hülya Kuduğ , Tayhan Seçil Erden , Gökçe İsa 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Among the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family variants, the 165-amino acid isoform (VEGF165) is the best characterized and most potent endothelial cell mitogenic factor. It is known that VEGF165 mediates angiogenesis and has the potential for the therapeutic applications. In this study, the expression system of Kluyveromyces lactis that produces the recombinant human VEGF165 has been evaluated. The gene encoding human VEGF165 was successfully cloned in the pKLAC2 expression vector containing a strong LAC4 promoter, after which a pKLAC2-VEGF165 plasmid was constructed. After the transformation, the recombinant human vascular endothelial growth factor 165 (rhVEGF165) was expressed in K. lactis GG799 cells (~ 5.7 mg/L) confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting and downstream purification processed comprising ammonium sulphate precipitation and affinity chromatography. The biological activity of the purified rhVEGF165 was confirmed by the proliferation of the human umbilical vein-derived endothelial cells (HUVEC) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The K. lactis-derived rhVEGF165 exhibited a higher proliferative activity compared with a commercially available rhVEGF165 with a half-maximal effective concentration of 3.0. Cell migration analysis was conducted to evaluate the in vitro wound healing effect of the produced rhVEGF165 via a scratch assay. These findings indicate that K. lactis could be a suitable host for secreting bioactive human VEGF165 for therapeutic use.
Musculoskeletal disorders in sign language interpreters: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Lisboa Leandro Vieira , Nunes Sara Ribeiro , Oliveira Lorrane Caroline de , Chaveiro Neuma , Rodríguez-Martín Dolors 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
BackgroudFull physical, mental and social well-being is presented by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a definition for health. The relationship between "health" and "work" is present in an area known as "worker health", this area aims to promote, protect, recover and rehabilitate workers' health. It is known that different musculoskeletal disorders affect employees from the most diverse occupational groups due to their working hours, with high cognitive and physical demands according to the specificity of each labor branch. The sign language interpreter is a professional who develops his activities by carrying out communication between users of two different languages, auditory-oral and visual-gestural, due to the high cognitive and physical demand of these professionals during simultaneous interpretation, there are risks of developing disorders musculoskeletal.MethodsThe study will be conducted by two independent reviewers following the rules of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA), a search will be carried out in the main databases: LILACS; SciELO; ScienceDirect; Scopus Elsevier; PubMED; Web of Science for the selection of articles published until 2020. There will be no language or locale limitations. The assessment of methodological quality will be carried out using instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI).DiscussionThis systematic review aims to analyze the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in sign language interpreters from a systematic review.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO, CRD42020178849
Multimodal Imaging observation of Bietti crystalline dystrophy progression
Authors: Zhang Shengjuan , Li Qian , Wang Lifei , Peng XiaoYan 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Background

Bietti crystalline dystrophy (BCD) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder that causes progressive vision loss in patients. Here, we observed the imaging characteristics of BCD development using a multimodal imaging model.
Methods

Color fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence (FAF), infrared autofluorescence (IRAF), fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) were used for observation of 8 eyes of 4 patients (P1-P4) with BCD.
Results

Color fundus photography showed a decrease in the number of crystalline deposits in all 8 eyes. P1 and P2 showed expanded lesion and hypo-AF areas, and IRAF images revealed choroid macrovascularitis in the hypo-IRAF region. P1’s lesion edge showed hyper-AF and (fewer) hyper-IRAF spots. P2’s lesion edge showed hyper-AF but no hyper-IRAF spots. P3 and P4 showed patchy hypo-AF areas that were enlarged and partially merged together, as well as small numbers of hyper-AF spots, but no hyper-IRAF spots. FFA showed enlargement of the lesion area. P1 and P2 showed expanded hypo-fluorescence in the posterior pole. A mottled fluorescence around the hypo-fluorescence and at the periphery, expanding to the middle periphery. P3 both eyes contained a large hypo-fluorescence area around macular area and in the middle peripheral area, with mottled fluorescence in the macular area and the peripheral area. P4 showed slight residual mottled fluorescence, whereas the entire fundus showed a large area of choroid macrovascular fluorescence. P3 and P4 showed a significant reduction in the retinal mottled fluorescence area and more clearer choroid macrovascular fluorescence, similar to the early Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) images. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed retinal and choroidal thinning, progressive loss of the outer nuclear layer and ellipsoid zone (EZ), and shortening of the choroid macrovascular diameter.
Conclusions

BCD disease develops rapidly and can progress significantly in a short time in some cases. FAF, IRAF, and OCT are advantageous non-invasive models for detecting and assessing this disease.
Quality Of Life Using A Summary Score After Neoadjuvant Treatment And Surgery For Rectal Cancer.
Authors: Araujo Rodrigo Otavio de Castro , Vieira Fernando Meton , Ornellas Ana Paula , Torres Claudia Carrada , Martins Ivanir , Guaraldi Simone , Valadão Marcus Vinicius , Linhares Eduardo , Ferreira Carlos Gil , Thuler Luiz Claudio 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Introduction :Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (neoCRT) followed by surgery is the standard of care for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), and sphincter preservation is a desirable endpoint, but quality of life (QOL) is often impaired after treatment. Objective To evaluate QOL in five different moments of treatment in a randomized trial comparing two different neoadjuvant regimens. Methods Stage II and III rectal cancer patients were randomized to receive neoCRT with either capecitabine (Group 1) or 5-Fu and leucovorin (Group 2) concomitant to long course radiotherapy. EORTCs QLQ C30 and CR38 were applied before treatment (T0), after neoCRT (T1), after rectal resection (T2), early after adjuvant chemotherapy (T3), and one year after end of treatment or stoma closure (T4). Wexner scale was used for continence evaluation at T4. A C30 summary score (Geisinger et cols) was calculated to compare QOL results.Results 32 patients were assigned to Group 1and 31 to Group 2. QOL was improved comparing T0 to T1 (mean 80.5 vs 88.0, p<0.001), and decreased comparing T1 to T2 (mean 88.0 vs 80.4, p<0.001). No difference in QOL summary was detected comparing T2 to T3 (79.8 vs 82.4, p=0.194) or T3 to T4 (83.0 vs 83.0, p=0.993). No difference in QOL was detected comparing the two treatment groups as clinical response was comparable. Mean Wexner scale score was 9.2, and a score ≥10 correlated with symptoms of diarrhea and defecation problems at T4. Conclusion : QOL improved after neoCRT but worsened following rectal resection, with no significant recovery during follow-up. Capecitabine and 5-Fu/Lv were equivalent in neoadjuvant regimen. Incontinence was high after sphincter preservation. C30 summary score was useful to detect differences in overall Quality of Life in addition to C30 multiple item questionnaire.
WITHDRAWN: Genome-Wide DNA Methylome and Whole-Transcriptome Landscapes of Spontaneous Intraductal Papilloma in Tree Shrews (Tupaia Belangeri)
Authors: Liu Chengxiu , Han Yuanyuan , Tong Pinfen , Kuang Dexuan , Li Na , Lu Caixia , Sun Xiaomei , Wang Wenguang , Dai Jiejie 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
BackgroundBreast intraductal papilloma (IP) is mainly caused by the abnormal proliferation of ductal epithelial cells. Tree shrews are a potential animal model for studying breast tumours. However, little is known about the transcriptome and DNA methylome landscapes of breast IP in tree shrews. In this work, we performed whole-genome DNA methylation and transcriptome analyses of breast IPs and normal mammary glands in tree shrews.ResultsDNA methylation profiles with a single-base resolution were generated via whole-genome bisulphate sequencing (WGBS) in both the IP and Control groups of tree shrews. This provided a genome-wide perspective regarding the epigenetic regulation of protein-coding genes in breast IP in tree shrews. The methylation levels at CG sites were considerably higher than those at CHG and CHH sites, and methylation levels were highest in gene body regions. We identified 3486, 82 and 361 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in CG, CHG, and CHH contexts, respectively, and 701 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) were found. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis identified 62 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 50 long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and 32 circular RNAs (circRNAs) in IPs compared with normal mammary glands. Correlation analysis between the DNA methylation and transcriptome data showed that 25 DMGs were also DEGs, among which the expression levels of 9 genes were negatively correlated with methylation levels in gene body regions. Importantly, integrated analysis identified three genes, PDZK1, ATP2B4 and LCP1, that could be used as candidates for further studying breast IP in tree shrews.ConclusionsOverall, this research provides the comprehensive landscape of the transcriptome and DNA methylome of spontaneous IP in tree shrews and highlights candidate genes for eliciting tumorigenesis. These results contribute to the application of tree shrews as an animal model of breast tumours.
Association of 45-bp ins/del polymorphism of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) and susceptibility to nonalcoholic fatty liver and type 2 diabetes mellitus in North-west of Iran
Authors: Rezapour Salehe , Khosroshahi Shiva Ahdi , Farajnia Hadi , Mohseni Fatemeh , Khoshbaten Manouchehr , Farajnia Safar 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Objective: Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) plays a crucial role in energy homeostasis via regulation of insulin secretion, free fatty acid concentrations, and lipid metabolism. This study aimed to investigate the association of 45-bp ins/del polymorphism of UCP2 with susceptibility to NAFLD (Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease) and T2DM (Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus). DNA was extracted from the white blood cells of the subjects, and the gene polymorphism was determined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). In this study, 72 patients with NAFLD, 71 healthy individuals as control, 80 patients with T2DM, and 77 healthy controls were enrolled in the study.Results: A higher prevalence of insertion/insertion genotype was observed in T2DM patients compared to the controls (p- value˂ 0.05). But, there was no difference in genotype distribution between NAFLD patients and controls (p-value> 0.05). NAFLD patients with D/D, D/I genotype had higher triglyceride, ALT, and AST levels; however, their HDL levels were lower than healthy controls. Patients with T2DM with D/D or D/I genotype also had significantly higher fasting serum glucose (FSG). While we found an association between the 45bp I/D polymorphism in 3ʹUTR of UCP2 and T2DM, no any correlation between this polymorphism and NAFLD was identified.
The relationship between energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII) with quality of life and inflammatory markers among overweight and obese Iranian women: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ghodoosi Nasim , Arghavani Hana , Mirzababaei Atieh , Yekaninejad Mir Saeed , Keshavarz Seyed Ali , Imani Hossein , Shiraseb Farideh , Mirzaei Khadijeh 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate associations between Energy-Adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index (EDII) with quality of life and serum inflammatory markers.Results: This cross-sectional study was performed on 280 adult healthy overweigh and obese aged between 18 and 50 years old that was selected from 20 various health centers by a multistage cluster random sampling method. The mean age of the study participants was 36.30±8.05 years. Analyses were performed using multivariable linear regression, adjusting for age, weight, physical activity, smoking status, economic status, and employment status. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that E-DII were significantly associated with certain the quality of life criteria, such as physical function, mental health, and vitality (β = 5.58, 95% CI 0.72, 10.43, p = 0.024, β = 16.88, 95% CI 10.75, 23, p < 0.0001 and β = 14.29, 95% CI 9.48, 20.36, p < 0.0001, respectively). No significant associations were observed between EDII and serum level hs-CRP. It was found that dietary inflammatory potential decreased some quality of life measurements and levels in overweight and obese Iranian women.