bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Non-traditional Lipid Parameters as Potential Predictors of Asymptomatic Intracranial Arterial Stenosis
Authors: Guo Jiahuan , Wang Anxin , Wang Yu , Liu Xinmin , Zhang Xiaoli , Wu Shouling , Zhao Xingquan 
Published: September 2021

Background: Intracranial arterial stenosis (ICAS) is a common cause of stroke. Identifying effective predictors of ICAS that could be easily obtained in clinical practice is important. The predictive values of serum individual lipid parameters have been well-established. In recent years, several non-traditional lipid parameters demonstrated greater predictive values for cardiovascular disease and ischemic stroke than traditional individual lipid parameters. However, their effects on asymptomatic ICAS (aICAS) are less clear. Therefore, we sought to observe the effects of non-traditional lipid parameters on aICAS.Methods: We enrolled 5,314 participants from the Asymptomatic Polyvascular Abnormalities in Community study. Asymptomatic ICAS was detected by transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD). Non-traditional lipid parameters, including non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), the triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C), atherogenic coefficient (AC), atherogenic index of plasma, and Castelli's risk index (CRI) were measured. We used multivariable logistic analysis to assess the association of different lipid parameters with aICAS; a trend test and subgroup analyses were also performed.Results: In total, 695 of 5,314 participants had aICAS in this study. For the comparison of the highest to the lowest tertile, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% CIs) were 1.78 (1.39–2.27) (p trend &lt; 0.001) for non-HDL-C, 1.48 (1.18–1.85) (p trend = 0.004) for the AC, 1.48 (1.18–1.85) (p trend = 0.004) for CRI-I, and 1.34 (1.09–1.66) (p trend = 0.032) for CRI-II. Subgroup analyses showed significant interactions between the AC, CRI-I, and diabetes.Conclusions: This large community-based study showed that non-HDL-C, AC, CRI-I, and CRI-II were significantly associated with increased prevalence of aICAS.
Carotid Atheroinflammation Is Associated With Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Severity
Authors: Evans Nicholas R. , Tarkin Jason M. , Walsh Jessica , Chowdhury Mohammed M. , Patterson Andrew J. , Graves Martin J. , Rudd James H. F. , Warburton Elizabeth A. 
Published: September 2021

Background: Atherosclerosis is a systemic inflammatory disease, with common inflammatory processes implicated in both atheroma vulnerability and blood-brain barrier disruption. This prospective multimodal imaging study aimed to measure directly the association between systemic atheroma inflammation (“atheroinflammation”) and downstream chronic cerebral small vessel disease severity.Methods: Twenty-six individuals with ischemic stroke with ipsilateral carotid artery stenosis of &gt;50% underwent 18fluoride-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography within 2 weeks of stroke. Small vessel disease severity and white matter hyperintensity volume were assessed using 3-tesla magnetic resonance imaging also within 2 weeks of stroke.Results: Fluorodeoxyglucose uptake was independently associated with more severe small vessel disease (odds ratio 6.18, 95% confidence interval 2.1–18.2, P &lt; 0.01 for the non-culprit carotid artery) and larger white matter hyperintensity volumes (coefficient = 14.33 mL, P &lt; 0.01 for the non-culprit carotid artery).Conclusion: These proof-of-concept results have important implications for our understanding of the neurovascular interface and potential therapeutic exploitation in the management of systemic atherosclerosis, particularly non-stenotic disease previously considered asymptomatic, in order to reduce the burden of chronic cerebrovascular disease.
Effects of Molecular Distillation on the Chemical Components, Cleaning, and Antibacterial Abilities of Four Different Citrus Oils
Authors: Yang Feilong , Zhang Huijuan , Tian Guifang , Ren Wenbo , Li Juan , Xiao Hang , Zheng Jinkai 
Published: September 2021

Essential oils (EOs) from citrus fruits are excellent aromatic resources that are used in food, cosmetics, perfume, and cleaning products. EOs extracted from four citrus varieties, sweet orange, grapefruit, mandarin, and lemon, were separated into two fractions by molecular distillation. The composition, physicochemical properties, cleaning ability, and antimicrobial activity of each EO were then systematically evaluated. The relationships between each of the aforementioned characteristics are also discussed. In keeping with the principle of “like dissolves like,” most citrus EOs show better cleaning ability than acetone and all tend to dissolve the fat-soluble pigment. The key components of citrus EOs are 1-Decanol, α-terpineol, geraniol, and linalool for the inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, respectively. The findings of this study will be of significant importance for the effective utilization of citrus peel resources and in the development of future applications for citrus EOs.Chemical Compounds Studied in This Article: (+)-α-Pinene (PubChem CID: 6654); β-Phellandrene (PubChem CID: 11142); 3-Carene (PubChem CID: 26049); β-Myrcene (PubChem CID: 31253); D-Limonene (PubChem CID: 440917); γ-Terpinene (PubChem CID: 7461); Octanal (PubChem CID: 454); Decanal (PubChem CID: 8175); Linalool (PubChem CID: 6549); 1-Octanol (PubChem CID: 957); β-Citral (PubChem CID: 643779); α-Terpineol (PubChem CID: 17100); Hedycaryol (PubChem CID: 5365392); α-Citral (PubChem CID: 638011); 1-Decanol (PubChem CID: 8174); Geraniol (PubChem CID: 637566).
Inhibition of MIR4435-2HG on Invasion, Migration, and EMT of Gastric Carcinoma Cells by Mediating MiR-138-5p/Sox4 Axis
Authors: Gao Li-Fei , Li Wei , Liu Ya-Gang , Zhang Cui , Gao Wei-Na , Wang Liang 
Published: September 2021

BackgroundThe previous investigations have identified that long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) act as crucial regulators in gastric carcinoma. However, the function of lncRNA MIR4435-2HG in the modulation of gastric carcinoma remains elusive. Here, we aimed to explore the role of MIR4435-2HG in gastric carcinoma.MethodThe Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were applied to select the differently expressed lncRNAs in gastric carcinoma. The qRT-PCR was applied to analyze MIR4435-2HG expression in carcinoma tissues and cell lines. The effect of MIR4435-2HG on proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis of gastric carcinoma cells was detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, transwell assays, and flow cytometry in vitro. A subcutaneous tumor model was constructed to examine the tumor growth of gastric carcinoma cells after knocking out MIR4435-2HG. RNA immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporting assays were applied to evaluate the interaction of MIR4435-2HG, miR-138-5p, and Sox4.ResultsThe bioinformatics analysis based on TCGA and GEO databases indicated that MIR4435-2HG was obviously elevated in gastric carcinoma samples. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed that MIR4435-2HG was upregulated in clinical gastric carcinoma tissues and cells. The high expression of MIR4435-2HG is associated with the poor survival rate of patients. The knockout of MIR4435-2HG could repress the proliferation, invasion, migration, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and accelerate the apoptosis of gastric carcinoma cells. Moreover, the deletion of MIR4435-2HG was able to attenuate the tumor growth in vivo. Mechanically, we identified that MIR4435-2HG enhanced Sox4 expression by directly interacting with miR-138-5p as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) in gastric carcinoma cells, in which Sox4 was targeted by miR-138-5p.ConclusionMIR4435-2HG is elevated in gastric carcinoma cells and contributes to the growth, metastasis, and EMT of gastric carcinoma cells by targeting miR-138-5p/Sox4 axis. MIR4435-2HG may be applied as a potential therapeutic target in gastric carcinoma.
A Retrospective Study of Brain Metastases From Solid Malignancies: The Effect of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
Authors: Du Wei , Sirbu Cristian , Lucas B. Daniel , Jubelirer Steven J. , Khalid Ahmed , Mei Lin 
Published: September 2021

IntroductionBrain metastases (BM) are associated with dismal prognosis, and there is a dearth of effective systemic therapy. In this study, patients with BM from multiple solid tumors were identified from TriNetX databases, their clinicopathological features were evaluated, and the effects of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy were assessed.MethodsVariables, including median overall survival (OS), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, primary diagnosis, and date of diagnosis, were retrieved from TriNetX, a real-world database. Kaplan-Meier plots and log-rank tests were applied to assess significance of differences in survival. Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) values were calculated. All patient data were deidentified.ResultsA total of 227,255 patients with BM were identified in the TriNetX database; median OS was 12.3 months from initial cancer diagnosis and 7.1 months from development of BM. OS of BM from nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), melanoma, and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) were 8.7, 14.7, 17.8, and 15.6 months, respectively. After matching patient baseline characteristics, OS of cohorts with or without exposure to ICIs was evaluated. For all types of cancer, median OS durations for the ICI and no-ICI cohorts were 14.0 and 7.9 months, respectively (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.85–0.91). More specifically, OS was remarkably prolonged in patients with NSCLC (14.4 vs. 8.2 months; HR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.82–0.90), TNBC (23.9 vs. 11.6 months; HR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.82–0.92), and melanoma (27.6 vs. 16.8 months; HR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.73–0.88) if patients had exposure to ICIs. In contrast, there was no significant difference in OS of patients with RCC treated with and without ICIs (16.7 vs. 14.0 months; HR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.86–1.10).ConclusionsOverall, BM indicates poor patient outcome. Treatment with ICIs improves survival of patients with NSCLC, TNBC, and melanoma and BM; however, no significant improvement was observed in RCC. Investigations to identify prognostic features, oncogenomic profiles, and predictive biomarkers are warranted.
Diagnostic Value of Delayed PET/MR in Liver Metastasis in Comparison With PET/CT
Authors: Zhou Nina , Meng Xiangxi , Zhang Yan , Yu Boqi , Yuan Jianmin , Yu Jiangyuan , Zhu Hua , Yang Zhi 
Published: September 2021

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the value of a delayed positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance (PET/MR) scan relative to a single positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan for liver metastasis detection.MethodsIn this study, 70 patients with solid malignancies and suspicious liver lesions undergoing 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose [(18F)FDG] PET/CT and subsequent delayed liver PET/MR scans were analyzed. The histopathological analysis and/or imaging follow-up were performed as the standard of reference. Lesion maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), diameter, and tumor to nontumor ratio (T/N) were measured. Lesion detection sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for both examinations.Results(1) The standard of reference revealed 208 liver lesions in 70 patients (metastasis in 56 patients with 196 lesions; benign in 14 patients with 12 lesions). Compared with PET/CT, PET/MR had higher accuracy (98.6% vs. 78.6%), sensitivity (98.2% vs. 76.8%), and specificity (100.0% vs. 85.7%) (2). The therapeutic strategies of 29 patients (41.4%) needed reconsideration after the additional PET/MR, including new metastases detected (13/70), new affected lobes identified (14/70), and false-positive corrected (2/70) (3). PET/MR detected significantly more metastases than PET/CT did, especially with small lesions. The SUVmax of the same lesion correlated well between the two acquisitions, while the delayed PET showed a higher T/N ratio.ConclusionsIn liver metastasis detection, the diagnostic value of the delayed PET/MR is validated to be superior to that of PET/CT, which may aid the clinical decision-making.
Factors Associated With Weight, Length, and BMI Change in Adolescents' Offspring in Their First Year of Life
Authors: Sámano Reyna , Chico-Barba Gabriela , Martínez-Rojano Hugo , Hernández-Trejo María , Birch Mery , López-Vázquez Maribel , García-López Gabriela Eurídice , Díaz de León Jesús , Mendoza-González Cynthia Vanessa 
Published: September 2021

Background: Young maternal age is associated with negative outcomes at birth and with offspring's growth. In low- and middle-income countries, adolescents' offspring growth little has been studied.Objective: To determine the association of maternal sociodemographic characteristics with weight, length, and BMI change in adolescents' offspring in their first year of life.Methods: This is a one-year follow-up study that included adolescent mothers and their offspring from 2010 to 2017. The infant anthropometric variables were performed at birth, 3, 6, and 12 months. Maternal health, pregnancy, and social variables were evaluated as well as birth outcomes. Crude, percentage, Z score, and percentile changes of weight, length, and BMI were evaluated from birth to 1-year-old. Statistical analyses were adjusted by maternal chronological age, socioeconomic status, breastfeeding duration, the timing of introduction of complementary feeding, among other variables.Results: We examined 186 dyads (mother-infant). The median maternal age was 15.5 years, and the mean pre-pregnancy BMI was 20. The mean gestational age was 39.1 weeks for infants, birth weight was 3,039 g, and length at birth was 49.5-cm. Maternal chronological age, the timing of introduction of complementary feeding, socioeconomic status, and maternal occupation were associated with offspring's weight gain at 12 months. Length gain was associated with exclusive breastfeeding. Socioeconomic status and occupation were associated with offspring's BMI change. When performing adjusted multivariable analyses, weight and length at birth were associated weight and BMI at 12 months.Conclusions: Weight at birth may negatively predict infant's weight and BMI changes at 12 months, while length at birth may positively predict the changes. Maternal chronological age, socioeconomic level, occupation, and the timing of the introduction of complementary feeding were associated with the weight change. Only exclusive breastfeeding was associated with length Z-score change in adolescents' offspring in their first 12-months of life.
Do Children With Constipation Have Increased Risk of Asthma? Real-World Data From a Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Huang Yen-Chu , Wu Meng-Che , Wang Yu-Hsun , Wei James Cheng-Chung 
Published: September 2021

Background: Asthma is one of the most burdensome childhood disorders. Growing evidence disclose intestinal dysbiosis may contribute to asthma via the gut-lung axis. Constipation can lead to alteration of the gut microbiota. The clinical impact of constipation on asthma has not been researched. Therefore, we aim to assess whether pediatric constipation influence the risk of developing asthma by a nationwide population-based cohort study.Methods: We analyzed 10,363 constipated patients and 10,363 individuals without constipation between 1999 and 2013 from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Analysis of propensity score was utilized to match age, sex, comorbidities, and medications at a ratio of 1:1. In addition, multiple Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the adjusted hazard ratio of asthma. Furthermore, sensitivity tests and a stratified analysis were performed.Results: After adjustment for age, sex, comorbidities, and medications, constipated patients had a 2.36-fold greater risk of asthma compared to those without constipation [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 2.36, 95% C.I. 2.04–2.73, p &lt; 0.001]. Furthermore, the severity of constipation is associated with an increased risk of asthma; the adjusted hazard ratio was 2.25, 2.85, and 3.44 within &lt; 3, 3–12, and ≥12 times of laxatives prescription within 1 year, respectively (p &lt; 0.001).Conclusion: Constipation was correlated with a significantly increased risk of asthma. Pediatricians should be aware of the possibility of asthma in constipated patients. Further research is warranted to investigate the possible pathological mechanisms of this association.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervenes Ventricular Remodeling Following Acute Myocardial Infarction: Evidence From 40 Random Controlled Trials With 3,659 Subjects
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Xiao , Liang Bo , Shao Chang-Le , Gu Ning 
Published: September 2021

Objectives: We intend to conduct a meta-analysis on the systematic evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of ventricular remodeling following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Our findings may provide certain references for the clinical treatment of ventricular remodeling.Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang Data, CQVIP, and CBM before 20 July 2020. Data were analyzed using a random/fixed-effect model. Primary outcomes included the effectiveness and TCM syndrome score (TCMSS). Secondary outcomes included 1) echocardiography data, including the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVi), left ventricular end-systolic volume index (LVESVi), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV), interventricular septum thickness (IVST), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), E/A, stroke volume (SV), and wall motion score (WMS); 2) serum indicators, including the B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and C-reactive protein (CRP) or high sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP); (3) major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and other adverse eventsResults: Forty RCTs involving 3,659 subjects were recruited. Our findings proved that a combination of TCM or TCM preparations with conventional Western medicine for preventing and reversing ventricular remodeling at post-AMI could remarkably enhance the total effectiveness and reduced TCMSS. Moreover, myocardial functions (LVEF, E/A, and SV), ventricular remodeling (LVEDVi, LVESVi, LVEDV, LVESV, LVEDD, LVESD, LVPWT, and WMS), serum levels of BNP and CRP, and MACE were significantly improved by the combination of TCM or TCM preparations with conventional Western medicine. Nevertheless, IVST and the incidence of other adverse events were comparable between control and experimental groupsConclusion: The combination of TCM or TCM preparations and conventional Western medicine can alleviate the process of ventricular remodeling, enhance cardiac function, and reduce the incidence of MACE in AMI patients.
The Prognostic Effect of Dexamethasone on Patients With Glioblastoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhou Lingling , Shen Yang , Huang Tingting , Sun Yangyang , Alolga Raphael N. , Zhang Gang , Ge Yuqiu 
Published: September 2021

Background: Dexamethasone (DEX) is widely adopted to reduce tumor-associated edema in glioblastoma (GBM) patients despite its side effects. However, the benefits of using DEX in GBM patients remains elusive.Methods: In this study, we performed a comprehensive meta-analysis to address this concern. We searched the relevant studies from PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases, and then applied random or fixed-effects models to generate estimated summary hazard radios (HRs) and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Moreover, subgroup and sensitivity analysis were conducted and publication bias were further evaluated.Results: Ten articles with a total of 2,230 GBM patients were eligible according to the inclusion criteria. In the assessment of overall survival (OS), meta-analysis data revealed that DEX was significantly associated with the poor prognosis of GBM patients (HR=1.44, 95% CI=1.32−1.57). In the progression-free survival (PFS), the pooled results indicated that the use of DEX can increase 48% death risk for GBM patients (HR=1.48, 95% CI=1.11−1.98). Subgroup analyses revealed that DEX was associated with poorer outcome of GBM in subgroup of newly diagnosed patients and GBM patients treated with ≥ 2mg/day. Sensitivity analyses showed that no study changed the pooled results materially for both OS and PFS analyses. The funnel plot had no obvious asymmetry.Conclusion: Our findings partly confirmed that use of DEX was associated with poor treatment outcome in GBM patients. To reach a definitive conclusion, large samples from multi-centers are urgent to address this concern.
Mechanism of Paeoniflorin on ANIT-Induced Cholestatic Liver Injury Using Integrated Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology
Authors: Chen Lisheng , Zhao Xu , Wei Shizhang , Ma Xiao , Liu Honghong , Li Jianyu , Jing Manyi , Wang Min , Zhao Yanling 
Published: September 2021

Background: Paeoniflorin (PF), the major active compound isolated from the roots of Paeonia lactiflora Pall., has been used in the treatment of severe hepatic diseases for several decades and displays bright prospects in liver protective effect. However, its biological mechanism that regulates bile acid metabolism and cholestatic liver injury has not been fully elucidated. Our study aims to investigate the mechanism by which PF in the treatment of cholestatic liver injury using a comprehensive approach combining metabolomics and network pharmacological analysis.Methods: The hepatoprotective effect of PF against cholestasis liver injury, induced by α-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT), was evaluated in rats. The serum biochemical indices including ALT, AST, TBA, TBIL, ALP, ALB, and the pathological characteristics of the liver were analyzed. Moreover, UHPLC-Q-TOF was performed to explore the feces of rats with ANIT-induced cholestatic liver injury treated with PF and the potential biomarkers were screened by metabolomics. The targets for the regulation of potential biomarkers by PF were screened by network pharmacology, and then the relevant key targets were verified by immunohistochemical and western blotting methods.Results: PF significantly improved serum indexes and alleviated liver histological damage. Metabolomics analyses showed that the therapeutic effect of PF is mainly associated with the regulation of 13 metabolites involved in 16 metabolic pathways. The “PF-targets-metabolites” interaction network was constructed, and then five key targets including CDC25B, CYP2C9, MAOB, mTOR, and ABCB1 that regulated the potential biomarkers were obtained. The above five targets were further verified by immunohistochemistry and western blotting, and the results showed that PF significantly improved the expression of key proteins regulating these biomarkers.Conclusion: Our study provides direct evidence for the modulatory properties of PF treatment on ANIT-induced cholestatic liver injury using metabolomics and network pharmacology analyses. PF exhibits favorable pharmacological effect by regulating related signal pathways and key targets for biomarkers. Therefore, these findings may help better understand the complex mechanisms and provide a new and effective approach to the treatment of cholestatic liver injury.