bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Astragalin Retards Atherosclerosis by Promoting Cholesterol Efflux and Inhibiting the Inflammatory Response via Upregulating ABCA1 and ABCG1 Expression in Macrophages
Authors: Zhao Zhen-Wang , Zhang Min , Wang Gang , Zou Jin , Gao Jia-Hui , Zhou Li , Wan Xiang-Jun , Zhang Da-Wei , Yu Xiao-Hua , Tang Chao-Ke 
Published: November 2020

Abstract:
Lipid metabolism disorder and inflammatory response are considered to be the major causes of atherosclerogenesis. Astragalin, the most important functional component of flavonoid obtained from persimmon leaves, has the hypolipidemic effects. However, it is unknown, how astragalin protects against atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to observe the effects of astragalin on cholesterol efflux and inflammatory response and to explore the underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that astragalin upregulated the expression of ATP-binding cassette transporters A1 and G1 (ABCA1 and ABCG1), promoted cholesterol efflux, and suppressed foam cell formation. Inhibition of the PPARγ/LXRα pathway abrogated the promotive effects of astragalin on both transporter expression and cholesterol efflux. In addition, treatment of astragalin markedly decreased the secretion of inflammatory factors, including interleukin 6, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, tumor necrosis factor α, and interleukin 1β. Mechanistically, astragalin upregulated ABCA1 and ABCG1 expression, which in turn reduced TLR4 surface levels and inhibited NF-κB nuclear translocation. Consistently, astragalin reduced atherosclerotic plaque area in apoE−/− mice. Taken together, these findings suggest that astragalin protects against atherosclerosis by promoting ABCA1- and ABCG1-mediated cholesterol efflux and inhibiting proinflammatory mediator release.
Effectiveness of Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic-Guided Meropenem Treatment in Critically Ill Patients: A Comparative Cohort Study
Authors: Aldaz Azucena , Idoate Grijalba Ana Isabel , Ortega Ana , Aquerreta Irene , Monedero Pablo 
Published: November 2020

Background:
The proper dosage of antibiotics is a key element in the effective treatment of infection, especially in critically ill patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of optimized meropenem regimens based on pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic criteria in patients admitted to the intensive care unit.

Methods:
This observational, naturalistic, retrospective, unicentric cohort study was performed between May 2011 and December 2017. The clinical and bacteriologic responses of 77 control intensive care unit patients receiving meropenem were compared with those of 77 propensity score–balanced patients who received meropenem dose adjusted by therapeutic drug monitoring. The primary end point of clinical response was a reduction at the end of treatment of at least 80% of the maximum procalcitonin (PCT) value recorded during the meropenem treatment.

Results:
The primary end point was met by 55 patients (71.4%) in the adjusted group compared with 41 (53.3%) patients in the control group (mean difference 18.1%, P = 0.02). Fifty-one patients (66.2%) in the adjusted group required a meropenem dose adjustment, being necessary in 46 of them (90.2%) to decrease the dose. The reduction of PCT was the greatest in the adjusted group compared with the unadjusted group (93% versus 85%, P = 0.004); a greater percentage of patients reached a PCT level < 0.5 ng/mL (63.6% versus 41.6%, P = 0.006), and there was a trend toward an improved bacteriologic response (relative risk = 1.27; 95% confidence interval: 0.92–1.56). There were no differences in early mortality or safety between groups.

Conclusions:
Adjustment of meropenem therapy by monitoring is a useful strategy for improving meropenem effectiveness in the treatment of infection in critically ill patients, with no impact on safety.
Relationship Between Amphetamine Concentrations in Saliva and Serum in Children and Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Wohkittel Christopher , Högger Petra , Fekete Stefanie , Romanos Marcel , Gerlach Manfred 
Published: November 2020

Background:
Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is a valid tool for the optimization of psychopharmacotherapy; however, in child and adolescent psychiatry, uncomfortable intravenous sample collection is the main challenge and restricts the use of TDM. Therefore, it is important to evaluate alternate specimens to facilitate TDM. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using saliva for the TDM of amphetamine in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Methods:
In this study, 28 patient samples (mean age, 11.3 years; boys, 23; and girls, 5) treated with lisdexamfetamine were included. The active compound amphetamine was extracted and derivatized before quantification by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Nonparametric Spearman rank correlations were used for correlation analyses; for clinical validation, Bland–Altman analysis was applied.

Results:
The median amphetamine concentrations in saliva were 2.7 times higher (range 0.7–23.6) than those in serum (257.8 ng/mL versus 77.2 ng/mL; z = −4.51, P < 0.001). A strong positive linear correlation was observed between saliva and serum concentrations (ρ = 0.628, P < 0.001). The ratio of saliva-to-serum concentration was strongly pH dependent (ρ = −0.712, P < 0.001). Therefore, a transformation formula, factoring in salivary pH, to calculate serum concentrations from the measured saliva concentrations was applied. Theoretical and measured serum amphetamine concentrations were subjected to Bland–Altman analysis. Using an acceptance limit of 20%, only 21% (n = 6) of samples fulfilled this criterion.

Conclusions:
Amphetamine paired saliva-to-serum concentrations were highly variable and strongly affected by salivary pH, indicating that saliva is an inappropriate sampling matrix for TDM of amphetamine. Furthermore, Bland–Altman analysis did not support saliva as a suitable matrix for TDM.
Development and Validation of Hematocrit Level Measurement in Dried Blood Spots Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: van de Velde Daan , van der Graaf Jordy L. , Boussaidi Mariam , Huisman Ruud , Hesselink Dennis A. , Russcher Henk , Kooij-Egas Annelies C. , van Maarseveen Erik , de Winter Brenda C.M. 
Published: November 2020

Background:
Dried blood spots (DBSs) have gained recent popularity as a sampling method for therapeutic drug monitoring. For patients, DBS sampling has several advantages over venous blood sampling. However, technical issues primarily influenced by hematocrit levels, interfere with the implementation of this method in daily clinical practice. The results of concentration measurements of drugs that are influenced by hematocrit should be corrected for hematocrit levels. In this article, we developed a fast, nondestructive, near-infrared (NIR)-based method for measuring the hematocrit in DBSs.

Method:
Using a partial least squares algorithm, an NIR-based quantification method was developed for measuring hematocrit levels of 0.19–0.49 L/L. Residual venous blood of 522 patients was used to build this partial least squares model. The validity of the method was evaluated using 40 patient samples. DBSs were created by adding a small amount (50 µL) of blood on a Whatman filter paper and drying for 24 hours in a desiccator cabinet. The robustness was evaluated by measuring 24 additional samples with a high hemolysis, icterus, and lipemia (HIL) index. The hematocrit values obtained using a Sysmex XN hemocytometry analyzer were used as reference.

Results:
The difference between hematocrit measurements obtained with NIR spectroscopy and a hemocytometry analyzer was <15% for the 40 samples. The accuracy (≤9%) and precision (≤7%) for all the quality control samples were within the acceptance criteria of <15%. The intraassay and interassay coefficient of variability was ≤3% and ≤6%, respectively, for the different quality control levels. There were no deviations in the measurements for the samples with high HIL indices. The stability of hematocrit in DBS was up to 14 days for all levels.

Conclusions:
We developed and validated a hematocrit model using NIR spectroscopy. This nondestructive, accurate, and reproducible method has a short analysis time (51 seconds), and can be used to analyze DBS samples stored for up to 2 weeks in a desiccator cabinet.
Development and Validation of a Simple and Rapid Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Spectrometry Method for the Quantification of Hydroxychloroquine in Plasma and Blood Samples in the Emergency Context of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
Authors: Doudka Natalia , Giocanti Madeleine , Basso Manon , Ugdonne Renée , Barthelemy Karine , Lacarelle Bruno , Blin Olivier , Solas Caroline , Guilhaumou Romain 
Published: November 2020

Abstract:
Therapeutic drug monitoring of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been recommended to optimize the treatment of patients with COVID-19. The authors describe an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography tandem spectrometry method developed in a context of emergency, to analyze HCQ in both human plasma and blood samples. After adding the labeled internal standard and simple protein precipitation, plasma samples were analyzed using a C18 column. Blood samples required evaporation before analysis. The total chromatographic run time was 4 minutes (including 1.5 minutes of column equilibration). The assay was linear over the calibration range (r2 > 0.99) and up to 1.50 mcg/mL for the plasma samples (5.00 mcg/mL for the blood matrix). The limit of quantification was 0.0150 mcg/mL for plasma samples (0.05 mcg/mL blood matrix) with accuracy and precision ranging from 91.1% to 112% and from 0.750% to 11.1%, respectively. Intraday and interday precision and accuracy values were within 15.0%. No significant matrix effect was observed in the plasma or blood samples. This method was successfully applied to patients treated for COVID-19 infection. A simple and rapid ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography tandem spectrometry method adapted to HCQ therapeutic drug monitoring in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection was successfully developed and validated.
The Correlation Between Heart Failure and Gut Microbiome Metabolites
Authors: Chen Lina , Li Senhao , Ai Lanmu , Zhou Jun , Huang Junlin , Xu Feng , Zeng Xiangyuan , Han Jia , Yin Fangxue , Zhu Yixin , Xie Yifang 
Published: November 2020

Abstract
Heart failure (HF) is a global public health problem, with morbidity and mortality increasing year by year. The gut microbiome actively affects the physiological and pathological activities of the human body in a variety of ways. More and more studies have suggested a strong correlation between HF and gut microbiome metabolites. Our review summarizes the specific alteration of these metabolites and their connection to the progression of HF, aiming at considering new approaches toward regulating the gut microbiome and using its metabolic pathways to treat HF, potentially decreasing the morbidity and mortality of HF as well as improving prognosis.
The Effect of Tumor Size on Likelihood of Hearing Preservation After Retrosigmoid Vestibular Schwannoma Resection
Authors: Tawfik Kareem O. , Alexander Thomas H. , Saliba Joe , Mastrodimos Bill , Cueva Roberto A. 
Published: November 2020

Objectives:
1) Describe the effect of tumor size on the likelihood of hearing preservation after retrosigmoid approach for resection of vestibular schwannoma (VS).
2) Describe the effect of preoperative hearing status on the likelihood of hearing preservation.

Study Design:
Retrospective chart review.

Setting:
Tertiary referral center.

Patients:
Adult (18 years or older) patients underwent retrosigmoid VS resection and postoperative audiometry between 2008 and 2018 and had a preoperative word recognition score (WRS) of at least 50%. Patients with a history of neurofibromatosis 2, radiation, or previous resection were excluded.

Interventions:
All patients underwent retrosigmoid VS resection with attempted hearing preservation.

Main Outcome Measures:
WRS of at least 50%.

Results:
Data from 153 patients were analyzed. Mean age was 50.8 (±11.3) years and mean tumor size 14 (±6) mm. Hearing was preserved and lost in 64 (41.8%) and 89 (58.2%) patients, respectively. Hearing preservation rates were higher for intrameatal tumors than for tumors with extrameatal extension (57.6% versus 29.4%, p = 0.0005). On univariate and multivariate regression analysis, tumor size (per mm increase) was a negative predictor of hearing preservation (odds ratio [OR] 0.893, p = 0.0002 and 0.841, p = 0.0005, respectively). Preoperative American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery Hearing Class was also predictive of hearing preservation (p = 0.0044). Class A hearing (compared with class B hearing) was the strongest positive risk factor for hearing preservation (OR 3.149, p = 0.0048 and 1.236, p = 0.0005, respectively).

Conclusion:
Small tumor size and preoperative class A hearing are positive predictors of hearing preservation in patients undergoing the retrosigmoid approach for VS resection.
Skull Base Training and Mentorship
Authors: Haynes David S. , Roser Florian , Brackmann Derald E. , van Loveren Harry R. 
Published: November 2020

Objective:
To review teaching and mentoring techniques of experienced skull base surgeons and educators

Study Design:
Expert commentary.

Setting:
8th Quadrennial International Conference on vestibular schwannoma and other CPA tumors, panel on teaching, and mentoring.

Main Outcome Measures:
Experiences and opinions of experienced skull base surgeons, both neurosurgeons and neurotologists, presented and discussed at the conference.

Conclusions:
Obtaining surgical mastery is essential for the teachers of skull base surgery. Hard work and practice with immediate and constant feedback on performance is an essential component to success. Creating a patient-centered culture that encourages academic achievement is an accelerator for success of a training program. Both the mentor and the mentee must play an intentional and active role to maximize learning.
Epidemiology and Diagnostic Characteristics of Vestibular Schwannomas—Does Gender Matter?
Authors: Reznitsky Martin , Petersen Mette Marie Babiel Schmidt , West Niels , Stangerup Sven-Eric , Cayé-Thomasen Per 
Published: November 2020

Introduction:
A number of epidemiological studies have reported data on, e.g., tumor size and hearing at diagnosis for patients with a vestibular schwannoma (VS), whereas only a few have touched upon the potential significance of sex. The aim of this report is thus to present gender-specific data on incidence and age, tumor localization, tumor size, and hearing loss at diagnosis.

Material and Methods:
Since 1976, various data for all patients diagnosed with a sporadic VS in Denmark have been entered prospectively into a national database. Data on sex, incidence, age, tumor localization, tumor size, and hearing (discrimination) were extracted for the period 1976 to 2015.

Results:
Over the 40 years, 3,637 cases were diagnosed, of which 1,804 were women (50%) and 1,833 men (50%). For both sexes, an increasing incidence of tumors with a steadily decreasing size was found. Age was increasing and hearing at diagnosis was increasingly better.
Previously, women had more extrameatal and thus larger tumors. During the most recent decade, more tumors were found in men and hearing at diagnosis was better for women, whereas age and tumor size were comparable.

Conclusion:
The data on gender-specific epidemiology and diagnostic characteristics show varying trends over the 40-year-period spanned. For both sexes, an increasing incidence of tumors with a steadily decreasing size was found. Age is increasing and hearing at diagnosis is increasingly better. More extrameatal and thus larger tumors were previously found in women. Contemporarily, more vestibular schwannomas are found in men and diagnostic hearing is better in women.
Precision medicine approach to dialysis including incremental and decremental dialysis regimens
Authors: Murea Mariana 
Published: November 2020

Purpose of review
Conventional standardization of haemodialysis for treatment of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is predicated upon the fixed construct of one disease stage and one patient category. Increasingly recognized are subgroups of patients for whom less-intensive haemodialysis, such as incremental or decremental haemodialysis, could be employed.

Recent findings
Almost 30% of patients with incident ESKD have clinical and residual kidney function (RFK) parameters that could accommodate less-intensive haemodialysis. In one study, patients with incident ESKD and substantial RKF treated with low-dose haemodialysis had similar mortality rate as those treated with standard-dose haemodialysis, adding to the evidence that endogenous kidney function -- when present -- can complement less-intensive haemodialysis schedules. Hazards related to incremental haemodialysis include insidious development of fluid overload and higher rates of fluid removal. Finally, deintensification of haemodialysis treatment could be employed in patients with ESKD who seek conservative care.

Summary
A shift in approach to ESKD from a dichotomous frame -- disease presence versus absence -- to stages of dialysis-dependent kidney disease, each stage associated with attuned haemodialysis intensity, has been proposed. Haemodialysis standardization and personalization -- often considered mutually exclusive -- can be combined in incremental haemodialysis. Data from ongoing and future randomized clinical trials, comparing less-intensive with standard haemodialysis schedules, are required to change practice.
Twelve-Month Analysis of Nonattendance for Initial Assessment in a Resident Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic
Authors: ZHANG XUEFENG , FELICI JENNA , GANDER HEATHER , MUBARIZ ABDUL R. , SCHANZER BELLA 
Published: November 2020

Objective:
The objective of this study was to identify the factors associated with missed initial psychiatric assessments among new patients in an outpatient setting.

Methods:
A 12-month analysis of no-show rates for initial assessments during an entire academic year of residency (July 2017 to June 2018) was conducted based on sex, age, status of insurance coverage, and length of waiting time for an appointment.

Results:
The average no-show rate was 22.3%, with no significant difference on the basis of sex (male 21.4% vs. female 22.9%). A 2-fold higher no-show rate (43.5%) was seen in the youngest age group (18 to 30 y of age), whereas an age-dependent higher show rate was noted in patients older than 30 years of age. A higher percentage of no-shows was found in patients without insurance (35.9%) compared with those who had commercial insurance (18.8%) or Medicare/Medicaid (20.9%). A seasonal pattern of no-shows was found around the December holiday period. A lower (November 17.8%) and the lowest (January 11.9%) no-show rates were followed by the peak no-show rate (February 29.3%). There was a 9.0% no-show rate when there was a 1-week waiting period before the appointment; however, the no-show rate was 3 times higher when there was a 1-month waiting period (28.6%), and ∼4 times higher with a 3-month waiting period (36%).

Conclusions:
Younger age, lack of insurance, major holidays, and longer waiting periods before the appointment were associated with nonattendance for the initial assessment in this outpatient resident clinic. This information can be helpful in developing interventions to improve attendance for the first step in engaging in psychiatric care.
Noviherbaspirillum aerium sp. nov., isolated from air
Authors: Xue Han , Piao Chun-gen , Lin Ying-hua , Bian Dan-ran , Li Yong 
Published: November 2020

A Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped, motile with polar flagella and pale-orange bacterium, designated strain 122213-3T, was isolated from air, collected at the foot of the Xiangshan Mountain, located in Beijing, PR China. Optimal growth occurred at 28 °C, at pH 7 and in the presence of 0–1 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that 122213-3T clustered with species of the genus

Noviherbaspirillum

and formed a distinct sublineage, showing highest similarities to

Noviherbaspirillum malthae

CC-AFH3T (96.88 %),

Noviherbaspirillum massiliense

JC206T (95.78 %) and

Noviherbaspirillum aurantiacum

SUEMI08T (95.78 %). The predominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C16 : 1
ω6c and/or C16 : 1
ω7c), summed feature 8 (C18 : 1
ω7c and/or C18 : 1
ω6c) and C16 : 0. The predominant quinone was ubiquinone 8 (Q-8). The polar lipids comprised phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, unidentified phospholipid and two unidentified polar lipids. The polyamine pattern showed the presence of putrescine as the major polyamine, with minor amounts of 2-hydroxyputrescine. The DNA G+C content was 60.1 mol%. The phylogenetic analysis and physiological and biochemical data showed that strain 122213-3T should be classified as representing a novel species in the genus

Noviherbaspirillum

, for which the name Noviherbaspirillum aerium sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of N. aerium is 122213-3T (=CFCC 14286T=LMG 30131T).
Practical probabilistic and graphical formulations of long-read polyploid haplotype phasing
Authors: Shaw Jim , Yu Yun William 
Published: November 2020

AbstractResolving haplotypes in polyploid genomes using phase information from sequencing reads is an important and challenging problem. We introduce two new mathematical formulations of polyploid haplotype phasing: (1) the min-sum max tree partition (MSMTP) problem, which is a more flexible graphical metric compared to the standard minimum error correction (MEC) model in the polyploid setting, and (2) the uniform probabilistic error minimization (UPEM) model, which is a probabilistic analogue of the MEC model. We incorporate both formulations into a long-read based polyploid haplotype phasing method calledflopp. We show that flopp compares favorably to state-of-the-art algorithms—up to 30 times faster with 2 times fewer switch errors on 6x ploidy simulated data.
Adult Neurogenesis in Peripheral Nervous System
Authors: Liu Yisheng , Gu Xiaosong 
Published: November 2020

AbstractAlthough postnatal neurogenesis has been discovered in some regions of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), only indirect evidences indicated that some progenitors in the adult sciatic nerve and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) serve as a source of newly born sensory neurons. Here, we report the discovery of neurons and neuronal stem cells in the adult rat sciatic nerve. Lineage tracing detected a population of sciatic nerve neurons as progeny of adult neuronal stem cells. With the further finding of labeled DRG neurons in adult transgenic rats with local sciatic nerve staining, we propose a model of adult neurogenesis in the sciatic nerve in which neuronal stem cells in sciatic nerve mature as sensory neurons in adults along the sciatic nerve to DRG. This hypothesis provides a new way to understand sensory formation in adults. Those neuronal stem cells in the sciatic nerve may help to therapy of nerve trauma and disease in the future.