bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A higher bacterial inward BCAA transport driven by Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is associated with lower serum levels of BCAA in early adolescents
Authors: Moran-Ramos Sofia , Macias-Kauffer Luis , López-Contreras Blanca E. , Villamil-Ramírez Hugo , Ocampo-Medina Elvira , León-Mimila Paola , del Rio-Navarro Blanca E. , Granados-Portillo Omar , Ibarra-Gonzalez Isabel , Vela-Amieva Marcela , Tovar Armando R. , Torres Nimbe , Gomez-Perez Francisco J. , Aguilar-Salinas Carlos , Canizales-Quinteros Samuel 
Published: September 2021

AbstractBackgroundElevations of circulating branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) are observed in humans with obesity and metabolic comorbidities, such as insulin resistance. Although it has been described that microbial metabolism contributes to the circulating pool of these amino acids, studies are still scarce, particularly in pediatric populations. Thus, we aimed to explore whether in early adolescents, gut microbiome was associated to circulating BCAA and in this way to insulin resistance.MethodsShotgun sequencing was performed in DNA from fecal samples of 23 early adolescents (10–12 years old) and amino acid targeted metabolomics analysis was performed by LC–MS/MS in serum samples. By using the HUMAnN2 algorithm we explored microbiome functional profiles to identify whether bacterial metabolism contributed to serum BCAA levels and insulin resistance markers.ResultsWe identified that abundance of genes encoding bacterial BCAA inward transporters were negatively correlated with circulating BCAA and HOMA-IR (P < 0.01). Interestingly,Faecalibacterium prausnitziicontributed to approximately ~ 70%of bacterial BCAA transporters gene count.Moreover,Faecalibacterium prausnitziiabundance was also negatively correlated with circulating BCAA (P = 0.001) and with HOMA-IR (P = 0.018), after adjusting for age, sex and body adiposity. Finally, the association betweenFaecalibacteriumgenus and BCAA levels was replicated over an extended data set (N = 124).ConclusionsWe provide evidence that gut bacterial BCAA transport genes, mainly encoded byFaecalibacterium prausnitzii, are associated with lower circulating BCAA and lower insulin resistance. Based on the later, we propose that the relationship betweenFaecalibacterium prausnitziiand insulin resistance, could be through modulation of BCAA.
The gut-microbiota-brain axis in autism: what Drosophila models can offer?
Authors: Salim Safa , Banu Ayesha , Alwa Amira , Gowda Swetha B. M. , Mohammad Farhan 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe idea that alterations in gut-microbiome-brain axis (GUMBA)-mediated communication play a crucial role in human brain disorders like autism remains a topic of intensive research in various labs. Gastrointestinal issues are a common comorbidity in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although gut microbiome and microbial metabolites have been implicated in the etiology of ASD, the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. In this review, we have summarized recent findings in human and animal models highlighting the role of the gut-brain axis in ASD. We have discussed genetic and neurobehavioral characteristics ofDrosophilaas an animal model to study the role of GUMBA in ASD. The utility ofDrosophilafruit flies as an amenable genetic tool, combined with axenic and gnotobiotic approaches, and availability of transgenic flies may reveal mechanistic insight into gut-microbiota-brain interactions and the impact of its alteration on behaviors relevant to neurological disorders like ASD.
Predicting progress in word learning for children with autism and minimal verbal skills
Authors: Brady Nancy C. , Kosirog Christine , Fleming Kandace , Williams Lindsay 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Background
Approximately 30% of children diagnosed with autism remain minimally verbal past age 5. Interventions are often effective in increasing spoken communication for some of these children. Clinical and research decisions would be facilitated by identifying early indicators of progress in interventions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between speech sound measures obtained from the early phases of treatment and later treatment outcomes in children with autism and minimal verbal skills.

Methods
Twenty-three children (18 boys) between 5 and 9 years of age participated. We compared scores reflecting the phonemic features of word attempts produced during probes, and the number of correct words after 4 weeks of intervention to later word learning outcomes.

Results
Correlational and hierarchical regression analyses showed that both predictors were positively correlated with outcomes, but the phonemic scores were more strongly related than number of correct words.

Conclusion
We conclude that phonemic scoring may be a useful measure to determine proximal gains in a spoken word learning intervention. Proximal measures are particularly helpful when trying to decide if the current course of intervention should be maintained or altered.

Trial registration
https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/app/action/LoginUser?ts=2&cx=-jg9qo3.
Utilization of telemedicine to support caregivers of young children with ASD and their Part C service providers: a comparison of intervention outcomes across three models of service delivery
Authors: Corona Laura L. , Stainbrook J. Alacia , Simcoe Kathleen , Wagner Liliana , Fowler Bethena , Weitlauf Amy S. , Juárez A. Pablo , Warren Zachary 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Background
Families of young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently experience barriers to accessing evidence-based early intervention services. Telemedicine presents an opportunity to increase access to these services, particularly for families in rural and under-resourced areas. The present article describes a brief behavioral intervention and support model for families of young children with concerns for ASD. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this service model shifted to telemedicine-only service delivery, resulting in an opportunity to analyze intervention outcomes from services delivered either via traditional in-person visits, telemedicine-only sessions, or a hybrid model including both in-person and telemedicine sessions.

Methods
Data are presented for 115 families with toddlers 16-33 months of age who participated in a six-session behavioral intervention and support service model either in-person, through telemedicine, or through a hybrid service model. This intervention was available for families referred for ASD evaluation through the state Part C early intervention program. Intervention feasibility, fidelity of implementation, child outcomes, and stakeholder satisfaction are compared across service delivery models.

Results
Caregivers, behavioral consultants, and Part C early intervention providers reported satisfaction with services, regardless of service delivery model. Caregivers and consultants also reported positive child outcomes. Statistically significant differences emerged for caregiver- and consultant-reported child outcomes in some domains, with stakeholders in the telemedicine-only group reporting slightly less improvement, compared to stakeholders in the in-person-only group. Caregivers and consultants in the telemedicine-only group also provided qualitative feedback on benefits and challenges related to telemedicine services.

Conclusions
Both caregivers and behavioral consultants reported positive outcomes following a brief behavioral intervention and support model targeted at families of young children with concern for ASD. Stakeholders reported improvement in child behavior and satisfaction with services across in-person, telemedicine-only, and hybrid models of service delivery. These results suggest that telemedicine presents a promising opportunity for increasing service access. Additional research is needed to continue optimizing the experience of telemedicine-based service delivery for both families and intervention providers.
Neural correlates of schema-dependent episodic memory and association with behavioral flexibility in autism spectrum disorders and typical development
Authors: Cook Kevin M. , You Xiaozhen , Cherry Joseph Bradley , Merchant Junaid S. , Skapek Mary , Powers Meredith D. , Pugliese Cara E. , Kenworthy Lauren , Vaidya Chandan J. 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Background
Conceptual knowledge frameworks termed schemas facilitate memory formation and are posited to support flexible behavior. In adults, the medial temporal lobe (MTL) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) trade-off in supporting schema-based memory formation, such that encoding of subsequently remembered schema-congruent information relies on mPFC, whereas schema-incongruent information relies on MTL. Whether this is true in the immature brain and relates to behavioral flexibility is unknown. In this preliminary investigation, we aimed to replicate the adult findings in typically developing (TD) children and to investigate the relevance to behavioral flexibility by examining a disorder with pathognomonic behavioral rigidity, autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods
Children completed an associative subsequent memory paradigm, encoding object-scene pairs in an MRI scanner and subsequently completing a recognition test outside the scanner after a delay. Recognition performance was back sorted to construct remembered vs forgotten contrasts. One-way ANOVAS were conducted in MTL and mPFC masks for schema-congruency, followed by congruency by flexibility scores. Exploratory analyses were then conducted within the whole brain.

Results
As reported in adults, episodic memory was strongest for schema-congruent object-scene pairs, followed by intermediate pairs, and lowest for schema-incongruent pairs in both TD and ASD groups. However, the trade-off between mPFC and MTL in TD children differed from adult reports such that mPFC supported memory for intermediate schema-congruency and left anterior MTL supported memory for schema-congruent pairs. In ASD, mPFC engagement interacted with flexibility such that activation supporting memory for intermediate schema-congruency varied with parent-reported flexibility and was higher in those with more flexible behavior. A similar interaction was also observed in both the left dorsolateral and rostrolateral PFC in whole-brain analysis.

Conclusion
Our findings provide the first preliminary evidence for the association of schema-based episodic memory formation and behavioral flexibility, an executive function impaired in multiple developmental disorders. Upon replication, this line of research holds promise for memory-based interventions addressing executive problems of behavioral rigidity.
Combined endophthalmitis and orbital cellulitis in patients with corona virus disease (COVID-19)
Authors: Abdelkader Mohamed Farouk Sayed Othman , Elshafei Ahmed Mohamed Kamal , Nassar Mahmoud Mamdouh , Abu Elela Mostafa A. , Abdallah Raafat Mohyeldeen Abdelrahman 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Purpose
To document the presentation of unilateral combined endophthalmitis and orbital cellulitis in patients with COVID-19 infection and study their prognosis.

Patients and methods
This interventional case series study included 9 patients referred to the Ophthalmology Department, Minia University Hospital with unilateral combined endophthalmitis and orbital cellulitis between April 2020 and March 2021. In addition to the COVID-19 work-up, all patients were subjected to full ophthalmological evaluation and managed according to their ophthalmic and systemic disease.

Results
The patients were 5 females and 4 males. They had clinical, laboratory and imaging findings that confirmed COVID-19 infection. All patients had unilateral endophthalmitis with orbital cellulitis and profound visual loss in the affected eye. Three patients died due to respiratory failure, while 6 patients recovered systemically. The survived patients developed atrophia bulbi in 4 patients and in 2 patients, the globe retained normal size but with complete visual loss.

Conclusion
Combined endophthalmitis and orbital cellulitis can be one of the early presentations of patients with COVID-19 infection with poor visual prognosis.

Trial registration
Clinical registration: clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT04456556.
Acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE)
Authors: Testi Ilaria , Vermeirsch Sandra , Pavesio Carlos 
Published: September 2021

AbstractBackgroundAcute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE) is a rare inflammatory eye disease, affecting the inner choroid and the outer retina. Recent advances in multimodal imaging have been important in the understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease, allowing a better characterization of the morphology of this condition.MethodsNarrative review.ResultsIn this review, a comprehensive overview of clinical features, imaging findings, treatment management, and long-term outcomes of patients with APMPPE will be provided.ConclusionsAlthough APMPPE was originally believed to be a self-limited condition with a good prognosis, the disease can be recurrent and result in significant loss of vision function. Fundus imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis and management of the disease, allowing to evaluate response to treatment and onset of complications.
Male cancer patient sperm cryopreservation for fertility preservation: 10-year monocentric experience
Authors: Liu Xiao , Liu Bo , Liu Shasha , Xian Yang , Zhao Wenrui , Zhou Bin , Xiao Xiao , Wang Li , Zhu Xiaofang , Shu Bizhen , Jiang Min , Li Fuping 
Published: September 2021

AbstractBackgroundSperm cryopreservation, an effective method for preserving male fertility, is very advantageous for men suffering from cancer. Unfortunately, as both physicians and cancer patients are unaware of the possibilities for sperm cryopreservation, the data on evaluation of semen parameters and disposition of cryopreserved samples among Chinese cancer patients are scarce.ResultsMale tumours were classified into six major types, germ cell tumours (26 %), haematological neoplasms (28 %), head and neck cancers (19 %), thoracic tumours (4 %), abdominal tumours (10 %), and others (13 %). Haematological neoplasm was the most prevalent cancer among our cohort of patients who opted for sperm banking, followed by germ cell tumours. Patients with germ cell tumours had the lowest pre-thaw and post-thaw seminal sperm concentrations. We separately compared patients with testicular tumours, lymphoma, and leukaemia, and found that leukaemia patients had the lowest pre-thaw sperm concentrations. Most cancer patients (58 %) chose to keep their specimens stored, while 31 % chose to discard the specimens. Over the years, only 13 patients (4 %) returned to use their spermatozoa by assisted reproductive technology. Of the stored samples, patients with germ cell tumours constituted the highest proportion (29.3 %). Moreover, the percentage of haematological neoplasm patients who had no spermatozoa frozen was the highest (46.2 %).ConclusionsThe present data confirm the deleterious impact of various cancers on semen quality. Leukaemia was associated with the worst semen quality and the highest number of semen samples that could not be frozen. We suggest that sperm quality may have decreased even before anti-neoplastic treatment and that sperm banking before treatment should be strongly recommended for cancer patients. A sperm banking programme before gonadotoxic therapy requires close cooperation between assisted reproduction centres and cancer clinics.
Spinal versus general anesthesia for patients undergoing outpatient total knee arthroplasty: a national propensity matched analysis of early postoperative outcomes
Authors: Kendall Mark C. , Cohen Alexander D. , Principe-Marrero Stephanie , Sidhom Peter , Apruzzese Patricia , De Oliveira Gildasio 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Background
A comparison of different anesthetic techniques to evaluate short term outcomes has yet to be performed for patients undergoing outpatient knee replacements. The aim of this investigation was to compare short term outcomes of spinal (SA) versus general anesthesia (GA) in patients undergoing outpatient total knee replacements.

Methods
The ACS NSQIP datasets were queried to extract patients who underwent primary, elective, unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) between 2005 and 2018 performed as an outpatient procedure. The primary outcome was a composite score of serious adverse events (SAE). The primary independent variable was the type of anesthesia (e.g., general vs. spinal).

Results
A total of 353,970 patients who underwent TKA procedures were identified comprising of 6,339 primary, elective outpatient TKA procedures. Of these, 2,034 patients received GA and 3,540 received SA. A cohort of 1,962 patients who underwent outpatient TKA under GA were propensity matched for covariates with patients who underwent outpatient TKA under SA. SAE rates at 72 h after surgery were not greater in patients receiving GA compared to SA (0.92%, 0.66%, P = 0.369). In contrast, minor adverse events were greater in the GA group compared to SA (2.09%, 0.51%), P < 0.001. The rate of postoperative transfusion was greater in the patients receiving GA.

Conclusions
The type of anesthetic technique, general or spinal anesthesia does not alter short term SAEs, readmissions and failure to rescue in patients undergoing outpatient TKR surgery. Recognizing the benefits of SA tailored to the anesthetic management may maximize the clinical benefits in this patient population.
A cross-sectional analysis of health literacy: patient- versus family doctor-reported and associations with self-efficacy and chronic disease
Authors: Stock Stephanie , Altin Sibel , Nawabi Farah , Civello Daniele , Shukri Arim , Redaèlli Marcus , Alayli Adrienne 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Background
Adequate health literacy (HL) levels contribute to good health outcomes and successful disease self-management in patients with chronic disease. Hence, it is essential that family doctors recognize patients with inadequate HL in need of additional support. This study had two aims: (1) to assess and compare patient self-reported versus family doctor-rated HL estimates, and (2) to explore associations between patient-reported HL, self-efficacy and chronic diseases.

Methods
Participants in this cross-sectional survey were recruited through general practices in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Patient self-reported HL was measured using the European Health Literacy Survey-16. Family doctor-rated HL was measured with an adapted version of this instrument. Using crosstabulations patient-reported and family doctor-rated HL estimates were compared for 346 patient-family doctor pairs. Associations between HL, self-efficacy and chronic disease were investigated using regression analyses.

Results
Patient-reported and family doctor-rated HL estimates were concordant in 38% of all cases. On average family doctors rated their patients’ HL lower than patients rated their own HL. The lower average family doctor ratings were more pronounced when patients were older, male and had more than one chronic disease. Female family doctors rated HL of male patients lower than their male colleagues. Patient reported HL had a significant positive association with self-efficacy. Mediation analysis provided support that self-efficacy acts as mediator between HL and the number of chronic diseases.

Conclusions
Our study findings indicate a significant discrepancy between patients’ self-reported HL and externally rated HL by family doctors. A more systematic utilization of HL screeners might help reduce this discrepancy. At the same time, consideration should be given to enhancing communication training for family doctors and addressing critical HL skills in patient education.
Patients’ impressions of after-hours house-call services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: a questionnaire-based observational study
Authors: Morita Kojiro , Inokuchi Ryota , Jin Xueying , Ishikawa Masatoshi , Tamiya Nanako 
Published: September 2021

Abstract
Background
Access to healthcare has been strongly affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has raised concerns about the increased risk of delays in receiving medical care. This study aimed to assess the patients’ impressions of after-hour house-call (AHHC) medical services during the COVID-19 pandemic using a patient questionnaire.

Methods
This was a cross-sectional observational study of anonymized medical record data and internet-based questionnaires from patients who used AHHC medical services from April 2020 to January 2021. We summarized the patients’ impressions of AHHC medical services during the COVID-19 pandemic stratified by patient characteristics. The questions of the questionnaire were as follows: (i) Did you use the AHHC medical services because you suspected you had COVID-19 infection? (ii) Do you feel that the use of AHHC medical services has helped prevent transmission of COVID-19? (iii) What action would you have taken in the absence of AHHC medical services?

Results
A total of 1802 patients responded to the questionnaire (response rate: 11.3%).
First, 700 (40.8%) of the responders indicated that they had used AHHC medical services because of suspicion of COVID-19. Second, most responders (88.8%) felt that AHHC medical services prevented transmission of COVID-19. Third, 774 (43.0%) of the responders considered that they would have visited an emergency department or called an ambulance if AHHC medical services had not been used. Furthermore, 411 (22.8%) of the responders indicated that they would remain at home or wait until working hours if AHHC medical services were not available despite having a condition that required emergency attention.

Conclusions
AHHC medical services may be one of the strategies for those who refrain from seeking healthcare services, thus reducing the risk of delayed hospital visits during emergencies. Furthermore, AHHC medical services may also contribute to preventing transmission of COVID-19 by avoiding contact with other patients in the hospital.