bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Contact tracing of syphilis-seropositive pregnant women and syphilis-infection among their male partners in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, China
Authors: Yan Rui-lin , Deng Bao-Qing , Wen Gui-Chun , Huang Li-Cheng , Li Li-Mei , Huang Zhi-Ming 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background Untreated male partners are critical source of maternal re-infection. Contact tracing is a good way to identify infection among partners and reduce risk of mother-to-child transmission related to maternal re-infection. This study aimed to analyze the current situation and related factors of contact tracing of syphilis-seropositive pregnant women and syphilis-infection among their male partners.Method Data of syphilis-seropositive pregnant women and their male partners attending clinics for syphilis-screening were obtained from the Shenzhen Program for Prevention of Congenital Syphilis. Contact tracing rate of syphilis-seropositive pregnant women and syphilis prevalence among male partners were counted, and related factors were also analyzed using a random-effects logistic regression model.Result Of the 1299 syphilis-seropositive pregnant women, 74.1% (963/1299) had their male partners receiving syphilis-screening and 19.1% (184/963) of male partners were syphilis-infected. For pregnant women, being divorced (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =0.39; 95%CI: 0.17-0.88), seeking for emergency services at their first antenatal clinics visit (AOR=0.59; 95%CI: 0.44-0.79), reporting willingness to notify partner (AOR=7.75; 95%CI: 4.73-12.70), and having a history of drug abuse (AOR=0.35; 95%CI: 0.13-0.93) were independently associated with successful contact tracing. For male partners, of minority nationality (AOR=4.15; 95%CI: 1.66-10.34), age of first sex>20(AOR=0.57; 95%CI: 0.37-0.87), reporting multi-partner (AOR = 1.60; 95%CI: 1.04-2.46), having a history of drug abuse (AOR=4.07; 95%CI: 1.31-12.64) were independently associated with syphilis-infection. In addition, pregnant women with TRUST titer ≥1:8 (AOR=2.81; 95%CI: 1.87-4.21), having a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes (AOR=1.70; 95%CI: 1.14-2.53), reporting multi-partners (AOR=0.43; 95%CI: 0.29-0.64) and reporting the current partner as the source of syphilis (AOR=5.05; 95%CI: 2.82-9.03) were independently associated with partners' syphilis-infection.Conclusion Contact tracing is feasible and effective in identifying syphilis-infected partners among syphilis-seropositive pregnant women. Contact tracing is associated with many factors such as women's marital status, services at their first antenatal clinics visit and willingness of partner notification. Partners' ethnicity, age of first sex, multi-partners and history of drug abuse as well as women's levels of TRUST titer were associated with partners' syphilis-infection.
Application of Dose-Volume Histogram Prediction in Biologically Related Models for Nasopharyngeal Carcinomas Treatment Planning
Authors: Cao Wufei , Zhuang Yongdong , Chen Lixin , Liu Xiaowei 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Purpose: In this study, we employed a gated recurrent unit (GRU)-based recurrent neural network (RNN) to predict the dose-volume histogram (DVH) and investigated the feasibility and usefulness of this method in biologically related models for nasopharyngeal carcinomas treatment planning.Methods and Materials: One hundred NPC patients were selected from a database containing clinical VMAT plans in recent two years; of these, the data from 80 patients were used to train the GRU-RNN, and the data of the other 20 patients were used for testing. For the prescribed doses of all the plans in 30 or 31 fractions, 70 Gy were delivered to PTV70 (the gross tumour volume with circumferential margin), 60 Gy were delivered to PTV60, 54 Gy were delivered to PTV54 and 66 Gy were delivered to PTV66 (lymph node gross tumour volume with circumferential margin). For each NPC patient, the DVHs of different organs at risk (OARs) were predicted by the trained GRU-based RNN using the information given by individual conformal beams. Based on the predictive DVHs, the equivalent uniform dose (EUD) were calculated, and directly applied as dose constrains in Treatment Planning optimization. The regenerated VMAT experimental plans (EPs) were evaluated by comparing them with the clinical plans (CPs).Results: For the 20 test patients, the regenerated EPs guided by the GRU-RNN predictive model achieved very good consistency relative to the CPs. The EPs showed better dose sparing for many OARs and significant differences were found in the maximum/mean doses to the brain stem, brain stem PRV, spinal cord, lenses, temporal lobes and parotids with P-values <0.05, respectively. On average, compared with the CPs, the maximum/mean doses to these OARs were altered by -3.44 Gy, -1.94 Gy, -1.88 Gy, 0.44 Gy, 1.98 Gy and -1.82 Gy, respectively.Conclusion: The GRU-RNN based DVH prediction method is capable of accurately and completely predicting the whole DVH for EUD calculation. The regenerated plans guided by the predictive EUD sparing were not inferior to the manual plans, indicating the great potential for improved planning and quality control in clinical applications.
Normative Values for Potential Necrotizing Enterocolitis Biomarkers Across Gestational Ages
Authors: Shores Darla , Fundora Jennifer , Go Mitzi , Shakeel Fauzia , Brooks Sandra , Alaish Samuel M. , Yang Jun , Sodhi Chhinder P. , Hackam David J. , Everett Allen 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Serum biomarkers to aid diagnosis, such as intestinal fatty acid binding protein (IFABP) and calprotectin, are actively being investigated; however, the normative values of these markers among healthy premature and term infants remains unknown.Aims: We sought to identify normative values for the serum concentrations of IFABP and calprotectin across gestational (GA) and post-menstrual age.Methods: We collected serum from infants (24-40 weeks GA) in the first week of life and at multiple time points in a sub-cohort of premature infants (24-29 weeks GA), excluding sepsis or known intestinal disease. IFABP and calprotectin were measured using ELISA. Groups were compared with descriptive statistics and mixed effects linear regression.Results: 112 infants had specimens in the first week of life, and 19 premature infants had longitudinal specimens. IFABP concentration in the first week of life was low and did not differ across gestational ages. Longitudinally, IFABP increased 4% per day (P<0.001). Calprotectin concentration in the first week of life was more variable. An inverse relationship between day of life and calprotectin level was found in the longitudinal cohort (P <0.001).Conclusions: Serum IFABP and calprotectin fluctuate over time. Infants had low levels of IFABP during the first week of life, independent of gestational age, and levels increased longitudinally in premature infants. Calprotectin levels generally declined over time. Normative data for infants is necessary to establish meaningful cut-off levels for clinical use.
Competing Risk Nomograms Predicting Cause-specific Mortality and Competing Mortality in Patients with Lung Adenosquamous Carcinoma
Authors: Wu Xiao , Yu Wenfeng , Petersen RH , Sheng Hongxu , Wang Yiqing , Lv Wang , Hu Jian 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background Adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) is an uncommon histological subtype of lung cancer. The purpose of this study was to assess the cumulative incidence of lung cancer-specific mortality (LC-SM) and other cause-specific mortality (OCSM) for lung ASC patients, and construct the corresponding competing risk nomograms. Methods Data on 2,705 patients with first primary lung ASC histologically diagnosed during 2004 and 2015 were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Cumulative incidence function (CIF) was utilized to calculate the 3-year and 5-year probabilities of LC-SM and OCSM, and a competing risk model was built. Based on the model, we developed the competing risk nomograms, and the corresponding concordance indexes ( C -index) and calibration curves were derived to assess the model performance. Results The 3-year and 5-year cumulative mortalities were 49.6% and 55.8% for LC-SM, and 8.2% and 11.8% for OCSM, respectively. In multivariate analysis, increasing age, male sex, no surgery, and advanced T, N and M stage were related to a significantly higher likelihood of LC-SM, in contrast with increasing age and surgery served as predictors for an elevated risk of OCSM. The nomogram showed a good calibration, and the 5-year C-indexes for predicting probabilities of LC-SM and OCSM in the validation cohort were 0.79 and 0.63, respectively. Conclusions The competing risk nomogram displayed an excellent discrimination and calibration, especially for predicting LC-SM. With the aid of this individualized predictive tool, it is more expedient for clinicians to devise appropriate treatment protocols and follow-up schedules.
Achieving objective response in treatment of non-resectable neuroendocrine tumors does not predict longer time to progression compared to achieving stable disease
Authors: Thiis-Evensen Espen , Poole Amalie Christine , Nguyen Hong-Thien Thi , Sponheim Jon 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background: There are several treatment modalities for unresectable neuroendocrine tumors. Traditionally, the aim of these treatments has been to reduce the tumor load; referred to as objective response (OR). Less emphasis has been put on inducing the tumors to stop growing without a reduction in total tumor load; termed as stable disease (SD). We wanted to investigate whether achieving OR compared to obtaining SD predicted a longer time to progression (TTP) in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (WHO Grade 1 and 2) treated with peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, chemotherapy or molecular targeted therapy. Methods : Patients treated with either peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) with 177 Lutetium-DOTA-octreotate, the chemotherapy combination streptozotocin/5-fluorouracil or everolimus were retrospectively assessed to evaluate the effect of the treatments on disease progression. We analyzed the TTP for patients for each treatment modality and compared the TTP between those who achieved OR and those who achieved SD. Results: Altogether 56 patients treated with PRRT, 32 treated with streptozotocin/5-fluorouracil and 52 treated with everolimus were included in the analyses. The median TTP for those treated with PRRT and achieving OR was 31 months, the TTP for those achieving SD was 43 months (p=0,2). For patients treated with streptozotocin/5-fluorouracil the results were: OR: 18 months, SD: 23 months (p=0,9) and for those treated with everolimus; OR: 9 months, SD: 20 months (p=0,5), respectively. We found no differences between patients achieving OR compared to SD regarding age, sex, stage, primary tumor location, Ki-67% or ongoing treatment with somatostatinanalogues. Conclusions: We found no treatment benefit with regard to TTP for our patients that experienced OR compared to those who achieved SD, but a trend toward longer TTP among patients with SD.
Assessment of the predictive role of oestrogen and progesterone receptor status in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy: A retrospective analysis for 689 patients
Authors: Ye Ying , Chen Rui , Fu Yong , Peng Yang , Qu Fanli , Tang Zhenrong , Zong Beige , Wang Yihua , Luo Feng , Liu S 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background : To explore the predictive indicators in hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer (BC) patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and to evaluate the value of quantitative oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) in predicting tumour response. Methods : Six hundred eighty-nine BC patients with HR-positive status who were treated with anthracycline, epirubicin and taxane NACT treatment were retrospectively analysed. Clinical and pathological features of the patients were used to evaluate the response to NACT. Results : Patients with larger tumour sizes ( OR 1.657 CI 1.186-2.313 p=0.003 ), those who were in a premenopausal status ( OR 1.458 CI 1.039-2.045 p=0.029 ) and those with higher Ki67 levels ( OR 1.735 CI 1.231-2.444 p=0.002 ) exhibited a better therapy response. Among the patients in the postmenopausal subgroup, a lower pretreatment ER or PR expression were associated with a reduction in tumour size, and the cut-off values for ER and PR were 87.5% and 65%, respectively ( p=0.006 and p=0.05 ). Decreased expression of ER and PR was also observed after NACT treatment ( p=0.028 and p<0.001, respectively ) but played only a predictive role in the Her-2-negative subgroup; the cut-off values for decreased ER and PR were 17.5% and 26.5%, respectively ( p=0.044 and p<0.001 ). Conclusions : Semiquantified pretreatment HR expression can be used to predict the response of NACT in postmenopausal BC patients. Decreased ER and PR expression is also associated with a reduction in tumour size in Her-2-negative subtypes treated with NACT.
Loss of survival advantage for deficient mismatch repair in patients with advanced colorectal cancer may be caused by changes in prognostic value of CD8+T cell expression
Authors: Wang Bingyan , Li Fei , Guo Limei , Lu Siyi , Ma Junren , Ma Yanpeng , Meng Yan , Wang Junwei , Zhou Xin , Fu Wei 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background: Patients with stage II deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) show a better prognosis than patients with colorectal cancer with proficient mismatch repair (pMMR). However, this beneficial effect is decreased in advanced stages of the disease. This study was conducted to investigate the prognostic value of dMMR and alterations in the tumour microenvironment. Methods: This was a matched retrospective cohort study. Thirty-two patients with stage III&IV dMMR matched with 32 patients with stage I&II dMMR and 64 patients with pMMR were evaluated. Immunohistochemistry analysis was performed for the 64 patients with dMMR to explore the expression and prognostic effect of CD3, CD4, CD8, and PD-L1. Results: Patients with stage III-IV dMMR showed no advantage in overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) compared to patients with pMMR (P = 0.244, P = 0.667). No expression differences in CD3, CD4, CD8, and PD-L1 at the centre of the tumour (CT) or invasive margin (IM) were found between patients with stage I&II and stage III&IV dMMR. High CD3 expression at the CT and high CD3 an CD4 expression at the IM improved both OS and DFS. High CD8 expression showed opposite prognostic value in patients with stage I&II and III&IV dMMR. A similar tendency was observed for PD-L1 expression. Conclusion: Patients with stage III-IV dMMR showed no prognostic advantage over patients with pMMR. Expression of CD3, CD4, CD8, and PD-L1 was similar between stage I&II and III&IV dMMR CRC. High CD3 expression at the CT and high CD3 and CD4 expression at the IM can significantly improve patient prognosis. The opposite prognostic tendency of CD8 and PD-L1 for patients with stage I&II and III&IV dMMR may be relevant to CD8+T cell exhaustion and functional changes at inhibitory immune checkpoints. Keywords: colorectal cancer, deficient mismatch repair, tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte, PD-L1, prognosis
Comparison of non-schistosomal colorectal cancer and schistosomal colorectal cancer
Authors: Wang Weixia , Lu Kui , Wang Limei , Jing Hongyan , Pan Weiyu , Huang Sinian , Xu Yanchao , Bu Dacheng , Cheng Meihong , Liu Jing , Liu Jican , Shen Weidong , Zhang Yingyi , Yao Junxia , Zhu Ting 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Aim The purpose of this study was to compare clinicopathological features of patients with non-schistosomal and schistosomal colorectal cancer to explore the prognostic role of schistosoma infection in colorectal cancer(CRC). Methods 354 cases of CRC were retrospectively analyzed in a tissue microarray format. Survival curves were constructed by using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were performed to identify associations with outcome variables. Results Patients with schistosomiasis (CRC-S) were significantly older ( P <0.001) and were mostly in stage III and IV tumors ( P <0.001) than patients without schistosomiasis (CRC-NS). However, there were no significant difference between CRC-S and CRC-NS patients in other clinicopathological features. Overall, CRC-S patients were associated with adverse overall survival upon K-M analysis ( P =0.0239). By univariate and multivariate analysis, CRC-S patients were significantly correlated with OS ( P =0.041), but it was not an independent prognostic factor. In addition, age( P =0.013), gender ( P =0.008), tumor differentiation ( P =0.018) and invasive depth ( P =0.013) were all independent predictors. When patients were stratified according to clinical stage and lymph node metastasis state, the prognostic role was not consistent. In patients with stage III-IV tumors and with lymph node metastasis, schistosomiasis, gender and invasive depth were independent predictors, but not in patients with stage I-II tumors and in patients without lymph node metastasis. Conclusion Schistosomiasis is an unfavorable factor for OS and could be considered to refine risk stratification and provide better risk-oriented treatment for CRC patients with different clinical stage or lymph node metastasis state.
The perceptions of medical specialists on the influence of Electronic Medical Record use on the quality of hospital care.
Authors: poelgeest rube van , Schrijvers Guus , Boonstra Albert , Roes Kit 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background: Numerous publications show that Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems may provide an important contribution to increasing the quality and effectiveness of care. There are indications that particularly the medical specialist plays an important role in the implementation of EMR systems in hospitals. Our goal in this study is to answer the question: which positive or negative factors influence, in the perception of medical specialists, the relation between the EMR use and the quality of medical care?Methods: To answer this question, a qualitative study was conducted in the period August until October 2018. Semi-structured interviews of around 90 minutes were held with twelve medical specialists of twelve different Dutch hospitals. For the analysis of the answers, we used the classification of factors that can influence the implementation of EMR systems based on a previously published taxonomy.Results: The participating interviewees were experienced medical specialists. Their experience within the hospitals concerned varies between 5 and 27 years. There is a spread across different types of hospitals and specialisms. When the answers received are categorised using a previously published taxonomy, the medical specialist considered technical factors the most significant barriers for EMR use to have a positive effect on quality of care, followed by the suboptimal change processes surrounding implementation. The categories ‘social’ and ‘psychological’ and ‘time’ come in at a shared third place. On the positive side, they also identified potential technical facilitators, particularly in the assured availability of information to all health professionals involved in the care of a patient. They see promise in using EMRs for medical decision support to improve quality of care, but consider these capabilities currently lacking.Conclusions: In comparison with the paper record, the interviewed medical specialists consider the digitalised record a great leap forward. Every involved health professional can access the patient data if desired at any time they need it. However, in practice, real quality improvement lags behind as long as, for instance, no one uses decision support no one uses decision support, good integrated analytic tools are missing, and the organisation of care is not adapted to these new possibilities.
Discriminative Validity of the Core Outcome Set Functional Independence in a Population of Older Adults
Authors: Dockx Yvonne , Molenaar Esther , Barten Di-Janne , Veenhof Cindy 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background In line with current healthcare policy, clinicians are challenged to support older adults to maintain a certain level of Functional Independence (FI). FI is defined as functioning physically safely and independent from another person, within one’s own context”. A Core Outcome Set was developed to measure FI. The purpose of this study was to assess discriminative validity of the Core Outcome Set FI in a population of Dutch older adults (> 65 years) with different levels of FI. Secondary objective was to assess to what extent the underlying domains ‘coping’, ‘empowerment’ and ‘health literacy’ contribute to the Core Outcome Set FI in addition to the domain ‘physical capacity’ in a population of Dutch older adults.Methods A population of 200 community-dwelling older adults and older adults recruited in residential care facilities were evaluated by the Core Outcome Set FI. The Core Outcome Set FI contains measurements on the four domains of FI: physical capacity, coping, empowerment and health literacy. Because no gold standard for FI exists, a proxy indicator was used as reference variable: group membership based on help needed in (instrumental) activities of daily living ((i)ADL) and living situation (three groups). Ordinal logistic regression was used with main outcome prediction accuracy of the Core Outcome Set FI on the proxy indicator for FI.Results The model based on the Core Outcome Set FI had an overall prediction accuracy of 68%. For older adults living at home and depending on help in (i)ADL, prediction accuracy was 58%. Only physical capacity measured with Short Physical Performance Battery was significantly associated with group membership. Adding health literacy with coping or empowerment to a model with physical capacity improved the model significantly (p<0.01).Conclusions Although the overall discriminative validity of the Core Outcome Set FI is moderate, determining the level of Functional Independence in community-dwelling older adults who receive help from others is still a challenge. Context-related factors, like the presence of a spouse, also may be a determining factor in this population. It is recommended to include context-related factors in further research on determining FI in subgroups of older people.