bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Robotic complete mesocolic excision with central vascular ligation for right colonic tumours – a propensity score-matching study comparing with standard laparoscopy
Authors: Khan J S , Ahmad A , Odermatt M , Jayne D G , Ahmad N Z , Kandala N , West N P 
Published: February 2021

Abstract

Background
Laparoscopic complete mesocolic excision (CME) of the right colon with central vascular ligation (CVL) is a technically demanding procedure. This study retrospectively evaluated the feasibility, safety and oncological outcomes of the procedure when performed using the da Vinci® robotic system.

Methods
A prospective case series was collected over 3 years for patients with right colonic cancers treated by standardized robotic CME with CVL using the superior mesenteric vessels first approach. The CME group was compared to a 2 : 1 propensity score-matched non-CME group who had conventional laparoscopic right colectomy with D2 nodal dissection. Primary outcomes were total lymph node harvest and length of specimen. Secondary outcomes were operative time, postoperative complications, and disease-free and overall survival.

Results
The study included 120 patients (40 in the CME group and 80 in the non-CME group). Lymph node yield was higher (29 versus 18, P = 0.006), the specimen length longer (322 versus 260 mm, P = 0.001) and median operative time was significantly longer (180 versus 130 min, P &lt; 0.001) with robotic CME versus laparoscopy, respectively. Duration of hospital stay was longer with robotic CME, although not significantly (median 6 versus 5 days, P = 0.088). There were no significant differences in R0 resection rate, complications, readmission rates and local recurrence. A trend in survival benefit with robotic CME for disease-free (P = 0.0581) and overall survival (P = 0.0454) at 3 years was documented.

Conclusion
Robotic CME with CVL is feasible and, although currently associated with a longer operation time, it provides good specimen quality, higher lymph node yield and acceptable morbidity, with a disease-free survival advantage.
Proteomic analyses identify major vault protein as a prognostic biomarker for fatal prostate cancer
Authors: Ramberg Håkon , Richardsen Elin , de Souza Gustavo A , Rakaee Mehrdad , Stensland Maria Ekman , Braadland Peder Rustøen , Nygård Ståle , Ögren Olov , Guldvik Ingrid J , Berge Viktor , Svindland Aud , Taskén Kristin A , Andersen Sigve 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
The demographic shift toward an older population will increase the number of prostate cancer cases. A challenge in the treatment of prostate cancer is to avoid undertreatment of patients at high risk of progression following curative treatment. These men can benefit from early salvage treatment. An explorative cohort consisting of tissue from 16 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy, and were either alive or had died from prostate cancer within 10 years postsurgery, was analyzed by mass spectrometry analysis. Following proteomic and bioinformatic analyses, major vault protein (MVP) was identified as a putative prognostic biomarker. A publicly available tissue proteomics dataset and a retrospective cohort of 368 prostate cancer patients were used for validation. The prognostic value of the MVP was verified by scoring immunohistochemical staining of a tissue microarray. High level of MVP was associated with more than 4-fold higher risk for death from prostate cancer (hazard ratio = 4.41, 95% confidence interval: 1.45–13.38; P = 0.009) in a Cox proportional hazard models, adjusted for Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessments Post-surgical (CAPRA-S) score and perineural invasion. Decision curve analyses suggested an improved standardized net benefit, ranging from 0.06 to 0.18, of adding MVP onto CAPRA-S score. This observation was confirmed by receiver operator characteristics curve analyses for the CAPRA-S score versus CAPRA-S and MVP score (area under the curve: 0.58 versus 0.73). From these analyses, one can infer that MVP levels in combination with CAPRA-S score might add onto established risk parameters to identify patients with lethal prostate cancer.
Language Proficiency Entails Tuning Cortical Activity to Second Language Speech
Authors: Lizarazu Mikel , Carreiras Manuel , Bourguignon Mathieu , Zarraga Asier , Molinaro Nicola 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Cortical tracking of linguistic structures in speech, such as phrases (&lt;3 Hz, delta band) and syllables (3–8 Hz, theta band), is known to be crucial for speech comprehension. However, it has not been established whether this effect is related to language proficiency. Here, we investigate how auditory cortical activity in second language (L2) learners tracked L2 speech. Using magnetoencephalography, we recorded brain activity from participants listening to Spanish and Basque. Participants were Spanish native (L1) language speakers studying Basque (L2) at the same language center at three different levels: beginner (Grade 1), intermediate (Grade 2), and advanced (Grade 3). We found that 1) both delta and theta tracking to L2 speech in the auditory cortex were related to L2 learning proficiency and that 2) top-down modulations of activity in the left auditory regions during L2 speech listening—by the left inferior frontal and motor regions in delta band and by the left middle temporal regions in theta band—were also related to L2 proficiency. Altogether, these results indicate that the ability to learn an L2 is related to successful cortical tracking of L2 speech and its modulation by neuronal oscillations in higher-order cortical regions.
Strategies and Progress in CXCR4-Targeted Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Therapeutic Development
Authors: Huang Lina S M , Snyder Evan Y , Schooley Robert T 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), has been a global public health challenge for several decades. The majority of HIV infection is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), which enters and infects a host cell via the cell surface proteins of CD4 as the primary receptor, and chemokine receptors CXCR4 or CCR5 as the coreceptor–then undergoing replication using the cell’s intracellular machinery. Whereas many drugs targeting CCR5-mediated entry or HIV-1 replication via reverse transcriptase or proteases have long been used clinically, agents targeting CXCR4 are yet to be advanced to clinical application. Here in this review we highlight some of the strategies for and progress made in the discovery of novel small molecules, peptides, and larger molecules that target CXCR4, and their future prospects for translation into the clinic as a new class of anti-HIV therapeutics.
Persistence of Antibodies to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Relation to Symptoms in a Nationwide Prospective Study
Authors: den Hartog Gerco , Vos Eric R A , van den Hoogen Lotus L , van Boven Michiel , Schepp Rutger M , Smits Gaby , van Vliet Jeffrey , Woudstra Linde , Wijmenga-Monsuur Alienke J , van Hagen Cheyenne C E , Sanders Elisabeth A M , de Melker Hester E , van der Klis Fiona R M , van Binnendijk Robert S 
Published: February 2021

Abstract

Background
Assessing the duration of immunity following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a first priority to gauge the degree of protection following infection. Such knowledge is lacking, especially in the general population. Here, we studied changes in immunoglobulin isotype seropositivity and immunoglobulin G (IgG) binding strength of SARS-CoV-2–specific serum antibodies up to 7 months following onset of symptoms in a nationwide sample.

Methods
Participants from a prospective representative serological study in the Netherlands were included based on IgG seroconversion to the spike S1 protein of SARS-CoV-2 (N = 353), with up to 3 consecutive serum samples per seroconverted participant (N = 738). Immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin A (IgA), and IgG antibody concentrations to S1, and increase in IgG avidity in relation to time since onset of disease symptoms, were determined.

Results
While SARS-CoV-2–specific IgM and IgA antibodies declined rapidly after the first month after disease onset, specific IgG was still present in 92% (95% confidence interval [CI], 89%–95%) of the participants after 7 months. The estimated 2-fold decrease of IgG antibodies was 158 days (95% CI, 136–189 days). Concentrations were sustained better in persons reporting significant symptoms compared to asymptomatic persons or those with mild upper respiratory complaints only. Similarly, avidity of IgG antibodies for symptomatic persons showed a steeper increase over time compared with persons with mild or no symptoms (P = .022).

Conclusions
SARS-CoV-2–specific IgG antibodies persist and show increasing avidity over time, indicative of underlying immune maturation. These data support development of immune memory against SARS-CoV-2, providing insight into protection of the general unvaccinated part of the population.

Clinical Trials Registration
NL8473 (the Dutch trial registry).
Predicting the EQ-5D utilities from the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire in patients with heart failure
Authors: Thomas Merrill , Jones Philip G , Cohen David J , Suzanne Arnold V , Magnuson Elizabeth A , Wang Kaijun , Thourani Vinod H , Fonarow Gregg C , Sandhu Alexander T , Spertus John A 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIntroductionEvaluation of health status benefits, cost-effectiveness, and value of new heart failure therapies is critical for supporting their use. The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) measures patients’ heart failure-specific health status but does not provide utilities needed for cost-effectiveness analyses. We mapped the KCCQ scores to EQ-5D scores so that estimates of societal-based utilities can be generated to support economic analyses.MethodsUsing data from two US cohort studies, we developed models for predicting EQ-5D utilities (3L and 5L versions) from the KCCQ (23- and 12-item versions). In addition to predicting scores directly, we considered predicting the five EQ-5D health state items and deriving utilities from the predicted responses, allowing different countries’ health state valuations to be used. Model validation was performed internally via bootstrap and externally using data from two clinical trials. Model performance was assessed using R2, mean prediction error, mean absolute prediction error, and calibration of observed vs. predicted values.ResultsThe EQ-5D-3L models were developed from 1000 health status assessments in 547 patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), while the EQ-5D-5L model was developed from 3925 patients with HFrEF. For both versions, models predicting individual EQ-5D items performed as well as those predicting utilities directly. The selected models for the 3L had internally validated R2 of 48.4–50.5% and 33.7–45.6% on external validation. The 5L version had validated R2 of 57.7%.ConclusionMappings from the KCCQ to the EQ-5D can yield the estimates of societal-based utilities to support cost-effectiveness analyses when EQ-5D data are not available.
Polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, ischaemic ventricular fibrillation, and torsade de pointes: importance of the QT and the coupling interval in the differential diagnosis
Authors: Rosso Raphael , Hochstadt Aviram , Viskin Dana , Chorin Ehud , Schwartz Arie Lorin , Tovia-Brodie Oholi , Laish-Farkash Avishag , Havakuk Ofer , Gepstein Lior , Banai Shmuel , Viskin Sami 
Published: February 2021

Abstract

Aims
Distinctive types of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) respond differently to different forms of therapy. We therefore performed the present study to define the electrocardiographic characteristics of different forms of polymorphic VT.

Methods and results
We studied 190 patients for whom the onset of 305 polymorphic VT events was available. The study group included 87 patients with coronary artery disease who had spontaneous polymorphic VT triggered by short-coupled extrasystoles in the absence of myocardial ischaemia. This group included 32 patients who had a long QT interval but nevertheless had their polymorphic VT triggered by ectopic beats with short coupling interval, a subcategory termed ‘pseudo-torsade de pointes] (TdP). For comparison, we included 50 patients who had ventricular fibrillation (VF) during acute myocardial infarction (‘ischaemic VF’ group) and 53 patients with drug-induced TdP (‘true TdP’ group). The QT of patients with pseudo-TdP was (by definition) longer than that of patients with polymorphic VT and normal QT (QTc 491.4 ± 25.2 ms vs. 447.3 ± 55.6 ms, P &lt; 0.001). However, their QT was significantly shorter than that of patients with true TdP (QTc 564.6 ± 75.6 ms, P &lt; 0.001). Importantly, the coupling interval of the ectopic beat triggering the arrhythmia was just as short during pseudo-TdP as during polymorphic VT with normal QT (359.1 ± 38.1 ms vs. 356.6 ± 39.4 ms, P = 0.467) but was much shorter than during true TdP (581.2 ± 95.3 ms, P &lt; 0.001).

Conclusions
The coupling interval helps discriminate between polymorphic VT that occurs despite a long QT interval (pseudo-TdP) and polymorphic arrhythmias striking because of a long QT (true TdP).
Electrocardiographic recognition of benign and malignant right ventricular arrhythmias
Authors: Lee John , Adeola Oluwaseun , Garan Hasan , Stevenson William G , Yarmohammadi Hirad 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
Ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) can originate from different anatomical locations of the right ventricle. Ventricular arrhythmias originating from right ventricle have unique electrocardiographic (ECG) characteristics that can be utilized to localize the origin of the arrhythmia. This is crucial in pre-procedural planning particularly for ablation treatments. Moreover, non-ischaemic structural heart diseases, such as infiltrative and congenital heart diseases, are associated with the VAs that exhibit particular ECG findings. This article comprehensively reviews discriminatory ECG characteristics of VAs in the right ventricle with and without structural right ventricular diseases.
Early signaling pathways mediating dormant cyst formation in terrestrial unicellular eukaryoteColpoda
Authors: Matsuoka Tatsuomi 
Published: February 2021

AbstractDormant (resting) cyst formation (encystment) in unicellular eukaryotes is the process of a large-scale digestion of vegetative cell structures and reconstruction into the dormant form, which is performed by cell signaling pathways accompanied by up- or down-regulation of protein expression, and by posttranslational modification such as phosphorylation. In this review, the author describes the morphogenetic events during encystment of Colpoda and the early molecular events in the Ca2+/calmodulin-triggered signaling pathways for encystment, based mainly on our research results of the past 10 years; especially, the author discusses the role of c-AMP dependently phosphorylated proteins (ribosomal P0 protein, ribosomal S5 protein, Rieske iron–sulfur protein, actin and histone H4) and encystment-dependently upregulated (EF-1α-HSP60, actin-related protein) and downregulated proteins (ATP synthase β-chain). In addition, the roles of AMPK, a key molecule in the signaling pathways leading to Colpoda encystment, and differentially expressed genes and proteins during encystment of other ciliates are discussed.
The Gene Expression Deconvolution Interactive Tool (GEDIT): accurate cell type quantification from gene expression data
Authors: Nadel Brian B , Lopez David , Montoya Dennis J , Ma Feiyang , Waddel Hannah , Khan Misha M , Mangul Serghei , Pellegrini Matteo 
Published: February 2021

Abstract

Background
The cell type composition of heterogeneous tissue samples can be a critical variable in both clinical and laboratory settings. However, current experimental methods of cell type quantification (e.g., cell flow cytometry) are costly, time consuming and have potential to introduce bias. Computational approaches that use expression data to infer cell type abundance offer an alternative solution. While these methods have gained popularity, most fail to produce accurate predictions for the full range of platforms currently used by researchers or for the wide variety of tissue types often studied.

Results
We present the Gene Expression Deconvolution Interactive Tool (GEDIT), a flexible tool that utilizes gene expression data to accurately predict cell type abundances. Using both simulated and experimental data, we extensively evaluate the performance of GEDIT and demonstrate that it returns robust results under a wide variety of conditions. These conditions include multiple platforms (microarray and RNA-seq), tissue types (blood and stromal), and species (human and mouse). Finally, we provide reference data from 8 sources spanning a broad range of stromal and hematopoietic types in both human and mouse. GEDIT also accepts user-submitted reference data, thus allowing the estimation of any cell type or subtype, provided that reference data are available.

Conclusions
GEDIT is a powerful method for evaluating the cell type composition of tissue samples and provides excellent accuracy and versatility compared to similar tools. The reference database provided here also allows users to obtain estimates for a wide variety of tissue samples without having to provide their own data.
Advanced three-dimensional electromagnetic modelling using a nested integral equation approach
Authors: Chen Chaojian , Kruglyakov Mikhail , Kuvshinov Alexey 
Published: February 2021

SUMMARY
Most of the existing 3-D electromagnetic (EM) modelling solvers based on the integral equation (IE) method exploit fast Fourier transform (FFT) to accelerate the matrix–vector multiplications. This in turn requires a laterally uniform discretization of the modelling domain. However, there is often a need for multiscale modelling and inversion, for instance, to properly account for the effects of non-uniform distant structures and, at the same time, to accurately model the effects from local anomalies. In such scenarios, the usage of laterally uniform grids leads to excessive computational loads, in terms of both memory and time. To alleviate this problem, we developed an efficient 3-D EM modelling tool based on a multinested IE approach. Within this approach, the IE modelling is first performed at a large domain and on a (laterally uniform) coarse grid, and then the results are refined in the region of interest by performing modelling at a smaller domain and on a (laterally uniform) denser grid. At the latter stage, the modelling results obtained at the previous stage are exploited. The lateral uniformity of the grids at each stage allows us to keep using the FFT for the acceleration of matrix–vector multiplications. An important novelty of the paper is the development of a ‘rim domain’ concept that further improves the performance of the multinested IE approach. We verify the developed tool on both idealized and realistic 3-D conductivity models, and demonstrate its efficiency and accuracy.
Isostasy with Love – I: elastic equilibrium
Authors: Beuthe Mikael 
Published: February 2021

SUMMARY
Isostasy explains why observed gravity anomalies are generally much weaker than what is expected from topography alone, and why planetary crusts can support high topography without breaking up. On Earth, it is used to subtract from gravity anomalies the contribution of nearly compensated surface topography. On icy moons and dwarf planets, it constrains the compensation depth which is identified with the thickness of the rigid layer above a soft layer or a global subsurface ocean. Classical isostasy, however, is not self-consistent, neglects internal stresses and geoid contributions to topographical support, and yields ambiguous predictions of geoid anomalies. Isostasy should instead be defined either by minimizing deviatoric elastic stresses within the silicate crust or icy shell, or by studying the dynamic response of the body in the long-time limit. In this paper, I implement the first option by formulating Airy isostatic equilibrium as the linear response of an elastic shell to a combination of surface and internal loads. Isostatic ratios are defined in terms of deviatoric Love numbers which quantify deviations with respect to a fluid state. The Love number approach separates the physics of isostasy from the technicalities of elastic-gravitational spherical deformations, and provides flexibility in the choice of the interior structure. Since elastic isostasy is invariant under a global rescaling of the shell shear modulus, it can be defined in the fluid shell limit, which is simpler and reveals the deep connection with the asymptotic state of dynamic isostasy. If the shell is homogeneous, minimum stress isostasy is dual to a variant of elastic isostasy called zero deflection isostasy, which is less physical but simpler to compute. Each isostatic model is combined with general boundary conditions applied at the surface and bottom of the shell, resulting in one-parameter isostatic families. At long wavelength, the thin shell limit is a good approximation, in which case the influence of boundary conditions disappears as all isostatic families members yield the same isostatic ratios. At short wavelength, topography is supported by shallow stresses so that Airy isostasy becomes similar to either pure top loading or pure bottom loading. The isostatic ratios of incompressible bodies with three homogeneous layers are given in analytical form in the text and in complementary software.
Measurement of population mental health: evidence from a mobile phone survey in India
Authors: Coffey Diane , Hathi Payal , Khalid Nazar , Thorat Amit 
Published: February 2021

Abstract
In high-income countries, population health surveys often measure mental health. This is less common in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including in India, where mental health is under-researched relative to its disease burden. The objective of this study is to assess the performance of two questionnaires for measuring population mental health in a mobile phone survey. We adapt the Kessler-6 screening questionnaire and the World Health Organization’s Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ) for a mobile phone survey in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra. The questionnaires differ in the symptoms they measure and in the number of response options offered. Questionnaires are randomly assigned to respondents. We consider a questionnaire to perform well if it identifies geographic and demographic disparities in mental health that are consistent with the literature and does not suffer from selective non-response. Both questionnaires measured less mental distress in Maharashtra than in Bihar and Jharkhand, which is consistent with Maharashtra’s higher human development indicators. The adapted SRQ, but not the adapted Kessler-6, identified women as having worse mental health than men in all three states. Conclusions about population mental health based on the adapted Kessler-6 are likely to be influenced by low response rates (about 82% across the three samples). Respondents were different from non-respondents: non-respondents were less educated and more likely to be female. The SRQ’s higher response rate (about 94% across the three states) may reflect the fact that it was developed for use in LMICs and that it focuses on physical, rather than emotional, symptoms, which may be less stigmatized.