bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genome-wide Association Study of Post COVID-19 Syndrome in a Population-based Study in Germany
Authors: Ruß Anne-Kathrin , Schreiber Stefan , Lieb Wolfgang , Vehreschild J. Janne , Heuschmann Peter U. , Illig Thomas , Appel Katharina S. , Vehreschild Maria J.G.T. , Krefting Dagmar , Reinke Lennart , Viebke Alin , Poick Susanne , Störk Stefan , Reese Jens-Peter , Zoller Thomas , Krist Lilian , Ellinghaus David , Foesel Bärbel U. , Gieger Christian , Lorenz-Depiereux Bettina , Witzenrath Martin , Anton Gabriele , Krawczak Michael , Heyckendorf Jan , Bahmer Thomas 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

If health impairments due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) persist for 12 weeks or longer, patients are diagnosed with Post-COVID Syndrome (PCS), or Long-COVID. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has largely subsided in 2024, PCS is still a major health burden worldwide, and identifying genetic modifiers of PCS remains of great clinical and scientific interest. We therefore performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of three recently developed PCS severity scores in 2,247 participants of COVIDOM, a prospective, multi-centre, population-based cohort study of SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals in Germany. Of the 6,383,167 single nucleotide polymorphisms included in the GWAS, various variants were found to be associated with at least one of the PCS scores, first and foremost variants in the olfactory receptor gene region. Impairment of smell and taste is a pathognomonic feature of both, acute COVID-19 and PCS, and our results suggest that this connection may have a genetic basis. Three other genotype-phenotype associations pointed towards an association between PCS and cellular virus repression (CHD6 gene region), activation of macrophages (SLC7A2) and the release of virus particles from infected cells (ARHGAP44). All other gene regions highlighted by our GWAS, however, did not immediately relate to pathophysiological processes currently discussed for PCS. Therefore, and because the genotype-phenotype associations observed in our GWAS were generally not very strong, the complexity of the genetic background of PCS appears to be comparable to that of most other multifactorial traits in human.
Digital Mammography Versus Contrast Enhanced Spectral Mammography in the Evaluation of Cases with Suspicious Breast Calcifications and Impact on Surgeon’s Decision.
Authors: Ibrahim Marwa Elsayed AbdelRahman , Elsayad Marwa Mohamed Taher , Helal Maha Hussein Mohamed , Othman Ahmed Gamal Eldeen , Omar Omar Hussein 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background: Digital mammography (DM) remains the gold standard for detecting breast microcalcifications, its ability to differentiate between benign and malignant types based solely on morphology and distribution can be limited. Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) emerges as a promising approach by incorporating pathological contrast enhancement, potentially leading to a more confident diagnosis compared to DM, and offering a faster and potentially more cost-effective alternative to breast magnetic resonance imaging.
Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study included 50 female patients with suspicious breast calcifications (BIRADS 4B, 4C, 4, or 5). CESM was performed, and images were analyzed for lesion characteristics. Histopathological results served as the gold standard for comparison, guiding surgical decisions and treatment plans.
Results: This study included 50 patients who had suspicious breast calcifications detected by DM, with 54 breast lesions. All patients performed DM and CESM. None of them had adverse reactions. Out of the 54 identified breast lesions, 19/54, 35% were benign and 35/54, 65% were malignant. The calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and total accuracy of DM were 91.4%, 70.8%, 62.7%, 93.9%, and 78% respectively as compared to 85.7%, 90.7%, 83.3%, 92.2%, and 89% for CESM. When adding CESM to DM the calculated diagnostic indices were raised to 100%, specificity was 90.7 %, PPV was 83.3% and NPV raised to 100%.
Conclusion: Combining CESM with DM while evaluating suspicious breast microcalcifications can increase both the sensitivity and specificity of cancer detection. CESM significantly influenced surgical decisions in cases where multicentricity was detected by CESM but missed in initial mammography reports, particularly in patients with dense breasts.
The Association Between Chronic Liver Disease and Osteoporosis in East Asian Populations: A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Wang Zhiyu , Qu Qi , Jiang Rui , Li Zhongshan , Ran Simiao 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background
Chronic liver disease is a widespread health problem globally, particularly common in East Asia. Osteoporosis (OP), as a common metabolic bone disease, has also gained increasing attention in aging societies. In recent years, studies have suggested a possible association between chronic liver disease and OP, but their causal relationship has not been fully or systematically studied.
Objective
To investigate the causal association between chronic liver disease and OP in East Asian populations using Mendelian randomization (MR) methods.
Methods
The datasets for chronic hepatitis B infection (CHB), chronic hepatitis C infection (CHC), and cirrhosis were sourced from the UK Biobank, while those for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and OP were from the Japan Biobank. All participants included were from East Asian populations. We first treated chronic liver disease as the exposure and OP as the outcome for MR analysis, and then performed a reverse analysis treating OP as the exposure and chronic liver disease as the outcome. The inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary method to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). MR-Egger and the weighted median method were used as supplementary approaches to assess the causal association between chronic liver disease and OP. Heterogeneity and pleiotropy tests were also performed to ensure the reliability of the results.
Results
The IVW method results indicated that CHB (ebi-a-GCST90018584) will increase the incidence of OP (bbj-a-137) (OR = 1.063, 95% CI: 1.015–1.112, p = 0.009), with no evidence of heterogeneity or pleiotropy. However, no causal association was found between CHC, cirrhosis, or HCC on OP. Reverse MR analyses did not reveal any significant causal effect of OP on chronic liver disease.
Conclusion
In East Asian populations, CHB will increase the incidence of OP. Therefore, CHB patients not only require long-term antiviral treatment to protect the liver but should also monitor their bone health over time to reduce the risk of OP, ultimately improving quality of life.
Deep Intravenous Sedation for Radical Inguinal Orchiectomies: A Retrospective, Single Centre Analysis
Authors: Lu Steven , Fidel Maximilian G. , Reynolds Kayla , Shah Jainik , Almuhanna Ahmed Mousa , Dhillon Harliv , Bard Robert , Pandian Alagarsamy , Nayak Jasmir G. , Patel Premal 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Purpose: This sought to evaluate whether performing radical inguinal orchiectomies (RIO) under deep intravenous sedation (DIVS) with an adjunct local anesthetic is safe and feasible.
Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of all patients receiving a RIO under DIVS at a single urologic ambulatory surgical centre between September 2022 and June 2024. Patients with an ASA score greater than 3 and/or receiving a RIO for reasons other than a suspected testicular tumour or refractory chronic orchialgia were excluded. Patient tolerability, lengths of stay, and pertinent surgical outcomes were collected and described descriptively.
Results: 40 patients with a mean age of 39.1 ± 13.8 were ultimately analyzed and described. All procedures were tolerated well intraoperatively and completed without any intraoperative complications. The mean operating time was 37.7 ± 13.3 (23-93) minutes, whereas the mean length of stay was 55.3 ± 18.4 (25-90) minutes postoperatively. Negative surgical margins were achieved in all patients with suspected tumours. Pain resolution was achieved in four out of six patients. Post-operatively, there were no complications related to the procedure, reported by the patient or on exam. Follow-up took place four to six weeks post-operatively; all patients reported no concerns regarding procedural intolerability.
Conclusion: This study successfully demonstrated that utilizing DIVS in combination with multimodal local anesthesia is safe, effective, and feasible in patients undergoing a RIO. Utilizing this approach can transition care into an outpatient centre, increase patient accessibility, and forego the risks associated with more invasive modalities while potentially facilitating more optimal OR resource use.
Retinal Vascular Hemodynamic Changes in Patients with Ischemic Stroke Investigated by Fundus Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging
Authors: Wu Xiao , Yu Yue , Hui Li , Sun Wei , He Aini , Zhao Benke , Yao Xuefan , Ren Qiushi , Song Haiqing 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the retinal hemodynamic changes in patients with ischemic stroke using fundus laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) and evaluate their microcirculatory impairment.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Neurology at Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University. An integrated retinal imaging instrument was employed to collect images of retinal vascular LSCI in patients with ischemic stroke, and the pulse wave waveform parameters were compared with healthy controls.
Results: A total of 119 patients with 233 eyes in ischemic stroke group and 67 patients with 113 eyes in the healthy control group were enrolled. Among the fundus vascular waveform parameters, the Flow Acceleration Index (FAI) and Resistivity Index (RI) in ischemic stroke patients were higher than those in the healthy control group (p = 0.028 and 0.015, respectively), while the Blowout Time (BOT), Blowout Score (BOS) and Rising Rate (RR) were lower than those in the control group (pvalues of 0.021, 0.014, and 0.010, respectively). After correcting for confounders by multifactor logistic regression, BOT, RR, and RI (p values of 0.008, 0.020, and 0.049, respectively) remained statistically significant. Furthermore, most hemodynamic parameters in healthy controls showed significant correlations with age [FAI (r = 0.200, p = 0.041), BOT (r = -0.221, p= 0.020), BOS (r = -0.232, p = 0.014), RI (r = 0.218, p= 0.020)], whereas few indicators in ischemic stroke patients exhibited a correlation with age.
Conclusion: Retinal vascular elasticity in ischemic stroke patients is compromised, and the process of changing microcirculation hemodynamics with aging is disrupted. Retinal hemodynamic parameters may serve as potential indicators for evaluating microcirculatory injury in ischemic stroke patients.
Efficacy of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Risk Scoring Systems on Predicting Clinical Outcomes Among Emergency Unit Patients
Authors: ARIKOĞLU Sezer , TEZEL Onur , BÜYÜKTURAN Galip , BAŞGÖZ Bilgin Bahadır 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background
Gastrointestinal bleeding is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among emergency unit patients. Several scoring systems are verified for predicting hospitalization and mortality such as Glasgow Blatchford Bleeding Score (GBS), AIMS65 score, Rockall score (RS), and International Bleeding Risk Score (INBS; ABC score). The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and predictive value of these scoring systems.
Methods
Adult emergency unit patients with gastrointestinal bleeding were retrospectively enrolled. The age, gender, complaints at admission, vitals and examination results, laboratory findings, outcomes, blood transfusion status, and endoscopic interventions were all reported, and GBS, AIMS65, RS, and INBS (ABC) scores were calculated individually for all enrollies.
Results
A total of 311 patients were included. The median age of participants was 70 years (IQR (25–75%): 59–81), and 202 (65%) of them were male. The efficacy of all four scoring systems (GBS, AIMS65, RS, and INBS (ABC)) in predicting hospitalization, need of blood transfusion, determination of high- and low-risk patients, and mortality was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05 for all). ROC-AUC analysis was revealed that while GBS is the most beneficial in predicting hospitalization, INBS (ABC) has the best predictive value on mortality. Besides, the only scoring model with predictive value in determining the need for endoscopic intervention was RS (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
The present study showed that, among adult emergency unit patients with gastrointestinal bleeding, GBS, AIMS65, RS, and INBS (ABC) scores could successfully predict hospitalization, need of blood transfusion, determination of high- and low-risk patients, and mortality. However, the only scoring system that could be used to determine the need of endoscopic intervention is RS. Finally, we believe further studies with prospective enrollment would be beneficial for more accurate conclusions.
Does DBT affect emotional regulation and impulsivity from the beginning of implementation? A 3-year naturalistic study on transdiagnostic groups in addictology
Authors: DURPOIX Amaury , WEINER Luisa , PORCHE Christelle , WALTER Marie , SEVERAC François , WEIBEL Sébastien , D’USSEL Louis-Marie , LALANNE Laurence 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Introduction. Addictions and eating disorders are the 2 deadliest psychiatric disorders. Central processes in both disorders are emotional dysregulation and impulsivity, maladaptive emotion regulation strategies have an important role in the development and maintenance of eating disorders and addictions. The standard treatment for emotion regulation is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), its implementation is often a challenge but can be facilitated by transdiagnostic groups. As few data are available on these groups in addictology, the aim of our study was to check that emotional dysregulation and impulsivity are improved as soon as transdiagnostic DBT groups are implemented.
Method. Eight two-month cycles of transdiagnostic DBT groups were led between 2021 and 2023. The 35 participants had substance addiction (89%), behavioral addiction (14%), or eating disorder (20%). Other psychiatric comorbidities, especially borderline personality disorder (42.9%), were also present. The evolution of questionnaires completed by the participants and the attrition rate were analyzed.
Results. The average dropout rate was 21%. During DBT, the improvement reached high effect sizes for emotional dysregulation (d=0.9), positive cognitive emotional regulation (d=0.978) and negative cognitive emotional regulation (d=1.04), and medium effect sizes for impulsivity (d=0.586) and mindfulness (d=0.766). Depending on the cycle, clinical outcomes ranged from 0% to 31% improvement in emotional dysregulation and from 12% to 100% retention. An association was found between attrition rate and therapists' level of experience (effect size = 0.320, p=.001).
Discussion. While we know the effectiveness of DBT on emotional dysregulation and impulsivity, two particularly important functions in addictology, we found that their improvement can occur as soon as this therapy is implemented despite challenges present. These results suggest that transdiagnostic format, which is a solution to facilitate DBT implementation, preserves the effects of DBT. In addictology, few therapies address emotional regulation and impulsivity: CBT is less suitable for severe cases because change and acceptance skills are not dialectically balanced, and pharmacotherapy does not act on limbic system by top-down mechanisms because it does not teach skills. Therefore, to improve emotion regulation of patients with addictions, it is necessary to study solutions more often to facilitate implementation of DBT such as transdiagnostic groups.
Survival analysis in bloodstream infection patients
Authors: Qiangsheng Feng , Xiaoqin Ha , Yuejuan Song 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Objective To determine the risk factors that affect the mortality of patients with bloodstream infections in critical care settings.
Methods The 2789 BSIs patient data were collected which were diagnosed by positive blood culture from 2013 to 2023 in our hospital, the pathogen, underlying disease, and infection source by cox survival analysis.
Results The 2789 BSIs patient average mortality was 32.27%, 28day survival rate was 0.636 ± 0.012. E. coli was the most frequent pathogen accounting for 31.70% overall, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae and S. aureus accounting for 14.33% and 11.26% respectively. Cancers were the frequent underlying disease accounting for 15.63% overall, followed by hematologic malignancy and uremia accounting for 14.49% and 6.10%respectively. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) were the first infection source accounting for 17.0% overall, followed by cholecystitis and cholangitis, pulmonary infection, and catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CABSIs) which accounted for 12.7%,11.9%, and 11.0% respectively. The mortality risk factors in BSIs patients were ICU, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), Co-pathogen very significant difference (p<0.01). Cox survival analysis in BSIs patients were pathogen of Candida, infection source of pulmonary infection, abdominal sepsis, intracranial infection, and enterogenic sepsis, underlying disease of cancers, hematologic malignancies, cerebrovascular disease, multiple traumas, pulmonary diseases, and digestive tract damage OR was <1.00, and p-value<0.01(95% confidence interval).
Conclusion Factors affecting the survival of BSIs patients were pathogen of Candida, infection source of pulmonary infection, abdominal sepsis, intracranial infection, and enterogenic sepsis, underlying disease of cancers, hematologic malignancies, cerebrovascular disease, multiple trauma, pulmonary diseases, and digestive tract damage.
Loeffler endocarditis presenting with large biventricular thrombi: a case report
Authors: Haif Motasem H. M. , Hirbawe Ansam Adnan , Muhtaseb Rahaf Haitham , Ibdah Mohammad G. , Kharouf Karmil Said , Abbasi Mohammad Ahmed , Al-Karaja Layth , Eqtait Izzeddin Ghazi , Natsheh Ashraf Khalil 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Background:
Loeffler endocarditis, a rare cardiac manifestation of hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES), results from chronic hypereosinophilia and associated tissue damage. Cardiac involvement in HES is linked to poor prognosis, especially in advanced stages. Due to its rarity outside tropical and subtropical regions, Loeffler endocarditis often poses a diagnostic challenge.
Case Presentation:
We report the case of a 28-year-old female with a history of asthma and idiopathic eosinophilia who presented with severe abdominal pain. She was initially misdiagnosed with cholecystitis. Subsequent investigations excluded secondary causes of eosinophilia, leading to the diagnosis of Loeffler endocarditis characterized by large biventricular thrombi. The patient was treated with high-dose corticosteroids.
Discussion:
This case highlights the importance of considering Loeffler endocarditis in patients presenting with compatible imaging and laboratory findings, even in regions where the condition is rare and often overlooked. Prompt recognition and diagnosis are crucial for initiating appropriate therapy and potentially improving outcomes in affected individuals.
Early Detection of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Evidence of a Favourable Prognostic Impact in a Comparative Analysis of Screen-Detected versus Symptomatic Cases
Authors: Castellano Isabella , Rousset Stefano , Casella Denise , Cappella Giulia , Borella Fulvio , Rosa Martina Di , Cassoni Paola , Catalano Alberto , Ferrante Gianluigi , Giordano Livia 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Purpose
Mammographic screening is effective in reducing breast cancer mortality, but the impact of screening on triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) outcomes remains debated. This study aims to determine if screen detection is an independent prognostic factor for TNBCs and to analyse the radiological and pathological differences between screen-detected and symptomatic TNBCs.
Methods
This retrospective cohort study analysed 353 histologically confirmed TNBC cases diagnosed between 2013 and 2020 at a single institution in Turin, Italy. Cases were categorized into screen-detected and symptomatic groups based on initial presentation. Clinical, radiological and pathological characteristics as well as disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between groups. Statistical analyses included Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazard models, adjusting for several clinical and biological variables.
Results
50.1% of cases were screen-detected and 49.9% were symptomatic. Screen-detected cases were more commonly T1 or T2 (96.6% vs 75%, p < 0.001), node negative (62.4% vs 48%, p = 0.007) and diagnosed at a lower stage (85.4% vs 63.8%, p < 0.001), with better DFS and OS. Detection method was not an independent prognostic factor, while stage at diagnosis, vascular invasion, histologic type and tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILS) were more significant predictors of prognosis. Radiological and biological features were similar between the two groups.
Conclusions
TNBCs correlate with favourable pathological features and improved survival outcomes in univariate analyses, but these benefits diminish when accounting for traditional prognostic factors. Hence, the better prognosis observed among screen-detected cases is more likely due to stage shift rather than tumour biology.
Identification of the central artery using three-dimensional digital subtraction angiography-magnetic resonance fusion image
Authors: Yamaoka Yoko , Hiramatsu Masafumi , Sugiu Kenji , Hishikawa Tomohito , Haruma Jun , Nishi Kazuhiko , Ebisudani Yuki , Edaki Hisanori , Kimura Ryu , Masato Kawakami , Date Isao 
Published: December 2024

Abstract

Purpose: Conventionally, identification of the central artery involves invasive techniques. This study aimed to evaluate the identification of the central artery on three-dimensional (3D)- and two-dimensional (2D)- digital subtraction angiography (DSA) images based on fusion images created using 3D-DSA and magnetic resonance image (MRI) as a less invasive technique.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 65 cases in which the central sulcus could be detected among the cases that underwent 3D-DSA and high-resolution MRI. We fused 3D-DSA and MRI to identify the central artery on 3D- and 2D-DSA images. To devise an index to identify the central artery using only the 2D-DSA lateral view, we traced each central artery and calculated the distance from several anatomical landmarks. Using the created index, we evaluated the identification rate using or not using the index for three neurosurgical fellows.
Results: We succeeded in fusing 3D-DSA and MRI for all 65 cases. We were able to detect the central artery in 64 (98%) cases in 3D- and 2D-DSA. We created the index of the central artery in the 2D-DSA lateral view in the range of 12 to 60 mm dorsally from the intersection of the straight line connecting the anterior skull base and the internal occipital prominence with the vertical line drawn down from the coronal suture. Comparing using and not using this index, the identification rate of the central artery improved using the index.
Conclusion: 3DDSA-MR fusion images are useful for identifying the central artery with less invasiveness compared to conventional methods.