bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Humanin analog enhances the protective effect of dexrazoxane against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity
Authors: Lue Yanhe , Gao Chen , Swerdloff Ronald , Hoang James , Avetisyan Rozeta , Jia Yue , Rao Meng , Ren Shuxun , Atienza Vince , Yu Junyi , Zhang Ye , Chen Mengping , Song Yang , Wang Yibin , Wang Christina 
Published: May 2018

The chemotherapeutic effect of doxorubicin (Dox) is limited by cumulative dose-dependent cardiotoxicity in cancer survivors. Dexrazoxane (DRZ) is approved to prevent Dox-induced cardiotoxicity. Humanin and its synthetic analog HNG have a cytoprotective effect on the heart. To investigate the cardioprotective efficacy of HNG alone or in combination with DRZ against Dox-induced cardiotoxicity, 80 adult male mice were randomly divided into 8 groups to receive the following treatments via intraperitoneal injection: saline daily, HNG (5 mg/kg) daily, DRZ (60 mg/kg) weekly, Dox (3 mg/kg) weekly, DRZ + HNG, Dox + HNG, Dox + DRZ, and Dox + HNG + DRZ. Echocardiograms were performed before and at 4, 8, and 9.5 wk after the beginning of treatment. All mice were euthanized at 10 wk. In the absence of Dox, HNG, DRZ, or DRZ + HNG had no adverse effect on the heart. Dox treatment caused decreases in ejection fraction and cardiac mass and increases in cardiomyocyte apoptosis and intracardiac fibrosis. HNG or DRZ alone blunted the Dox-induced decrease in left ventricle posterior wall thickness and modestly ameliorated the Dox-induced decrease in ejection fraction. HNG + DRZ significantly ameliorated Dox-induced decreases in ejection function, cardiac fibrosis, and cardiac mass. Using a targeted analysis for the mitochondrial gene array and protein expression in heart tissues, we demonstrated that HNG + DRZ reversed DOX-induced altered transcripts that were biomarkers of cardiac damage and uncoupling protein-2. We conclude that HNG enhances the cardiac protective effect of DRZ against Dox-induced cardiotoxicity. HNG + DRZ protects mitochondria from Dox-induced cardiac damage and blunts the onset of cardiac dysfunction. Thus, HNG may be an adjuvant to DRZ in preventing Dox-induced cardiotoxicity. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Doxorubicin (Dox) is commonly used for treating a wide range of human cancers. However, cumulative dosage-dependent carditoxicity often limits its clinical applications. We demonstrated in this study that treating young adult male mice with synthetic humanin analog enhanced the cardiac protective effect of dexrazoxane against chemotherapeutic agent Dox-induced cardiac dysfunction. Thus, humanin analog can potentially serve as an adjuvant to dexrazoxane in more effectively preventing Dox-induced cardiac dysfunction and cardiomyopathy.
SHP-1 Acts as a Tumor Suppressor in Hepatocarcinogenesis and HCC Progression
Authors: Wen Liang-Zhi , Ding Kai , Wang Ze-Rui , Ding Chen-Hong , Lei Shu-Juan , Liu Jin-Pei , Yin Chuan , Hu Ping-Fang , Ding Jin , Chen Wan-Sheng , Zhang Xin , Xie Wei-Fen 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
Src homology region 2 (SH2) domain–containing phosphatase 1 (SHP-1, also known as PTPN6) is a nonreceptor protein tyrosine phosphatase that acts as a negative regulator of inflammation. Emerging evidence indicates that SHP-1 plays a role in inhibiting the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the role of SHP-1 in hepatocarcinogenesis remains unknown. Here, we find that levels of SHP-1 are significantly downregulated in human HCC tissues compared with those in noncancerous tissues (P &lt; 0.001) and inversely correlate with tumor diameters (r = −0.4130, P = 0.0002) and serum α-fetoprotein levels (P = 0.047). Reduced SHP-1 expression was associated with shorter overall survival of patients with HCC with HBV infection. Overexpression of SHP-1 suppressed proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumorigenicity of HCC cells, whereas knockdown of SHP-1 enhanced the malignant phenotype. Moreover, knockout of Ptpn6 in hepatocytes (Ptpn6HKO) enhanced hepatocarcinogenesis induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) as well as metastasis of primary liver cancer in mice. Furthermore, systemic delivery of SHP-1 by an adenovirus expression vector exerted a therapeutic effect in an orthotopic model of HCC in NOD/SCID mice and DEN-induced primary liver cancers in Ptpn6HKO mice. In addition, SHP-1 inhibited the activation of JAK/STAT, NF-κB, and AKT signaling pathways, but not the MAPK pathway in primary hepatocytes from DEN-treated mice and human HCC cells. Together, our data implicate SHP-1 as a tumor suppressor of hepatocarcinogenesis and HCC progression and propose it as a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target of HCC.
Significance: The nonreceptor protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 acts as a tumor suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Res; 78(16); 4680–91. ©2018 AACR.
Spatial Verification of Ensemble Precipitation: An Ensemble Version of SAL
Authors: Radanovics Sabine , Vidal Jean-Philippe , Sauquet Eric 
Published: May 2018

AbstractSpatial verification methods able to handle high-resolution ensemble forecasts and analysis ensembles are increasingly required because of the increasing development of such ensembles. An ensemble extension of the structure–amplitude–location (SAL) spatial verification method is proposed here. The ensemble SAL (eSAL) allows for verifying ensemble forecasts against a deterministic or ensemble analysis. The eSAL components are equal to those of SAL in the deterministic case, thus allowing the comparison of deterministic and ensemble forecasts. The Mesoscale Verification Intercomparison over Complex Terrain (MesoVICT) project provides a dataset containing deterministic and ensemble precipitation forecasts as well as a deterministic and ensemble analysis for case studies in summer 2007 over the greater Alpine region. These datasets allow for testing of the sensitivity of SAL and eSAL to analysis uncertainty and their suitability for the verification of ensemble forecasts. Their sensitivity with respect to the main parameter of this feature-based method—the threshold for defining precipitation features—is furthermore tested for both the deterministic and ensemble forecasts. Our results stress the importance of using meaningful thresholds in order to limit any unstable behavior of the threshold-dependent SAL components. The eSAL components are typically close to the median of the distribution of deterministic SAL components calculated for all combinations of ensemble members of the forecast and the analysis, with considerably less computational time. The eSAL ensemble extension of SAL can be considered as a relevant summary measure that leads to more easily interpretable SAL diagrams.
Image-guided vacuum-assisted breast biopsy in the diagnosis of breast microcalcifications
Authors: Liu Jun , Huang Linping 
Published: May 2018

Objective The present study was performed to assess the accuracy and clinical value of image-guided vacuum-assisted breast biopsy in the diagnosis of mammography-detected breast microcalcifications. Methods This prospective study involved 100 patients with suspicious mammography-detected microcalcifications who underwent image-guided vacuum-assisted breast biopsies from January 2013 to October 2016. Stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (SVAB) was performed in 64 patients, and ultrasound (US)-guided vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (US-VAB) was performed in 36 patients in whom application of SVAB was difficult. The microcalcifications were detectable by mammography or US. The mean follow-up duration was 32 months (range, 9–57 months). The biopsy results were correlated with the pathological examination results. Results The positive predictive value of microcalcifications detected by mammography and US in the diagnosis of breast cancer was 37.0% (37/100) and 52.8% (19/36), respectively. The negative predictive value of microcalcifications detected by US in the diagnosis of breast cancer was 71.9% (46/64). No recurrence was observed in the 37 patients with breast cancer. No evidence of malignancy was found among the 63 patients with benign lesions. Conclusion Image-guided vacuum-assisted breast biopsy is accurate and minimally invasive. It can be used as a safe approach for diagnosis in patients with breast microcalcifications.
Current Research Status of Palliative Care in Mainland China
Authors: Wang Tao , Molassiotis Alex , Chung Betty Pui Man , Tan Jing-Yu 
Published: May 2018

Objectives: This study aimed to obtain an overview of the current research status of palliative care in Mainland China and identify research directions for future studies by characterizing palliative care studies conducted among patients with any life-limiting illness in Mainland China and published in a peer-reviewed journal before November 2016. Methods: A review guide with 7 categories was initially developed based on existing international palliative care definitions and guidelines through content analysis. Ten databases were used to identify relevant studies from the inception of online cataloging to November 2016. Studies conducted in Mainland China and their research topic that fell within one of the categories of the review guide were included for further analysis. Descriptive analysis was adopted to summarize the relevant findings. Results: 54 studies found to be relevant were included for the analysis. Three studies on “palliative care education and training” (category 1) asserted that education and training programs were scant in Mainland China and that only 1 program had been devised within the health-care context of Shanghai. Five studies on “palliative care screening and timely identification” (category 2) highlighted the absence of early screening criteria or checklists and referral procedures for palliative care. Thirty-one studies on “palliative care needs assessment (n = 12/31) and implementation (n = 19/31)” (category 3) were identified, and various methodological flaws were observed in most of these included studies. Twelve studies on “advanced decision-making” (category 4) were identified, all of which focused on investigating the attitudes of patients with cancer, their families, and/or health-care professionals toward advanced decision-making only. The percentage of patients, family members, and health-care professionals who held positive attitudes toward advanced decision-making were varied and suboptimal, particularly for family members (51.4%-58.0%). Five studies on “caring for patients at the end of life” (category 5) were identified, and the experience of health-care professionals in caring for those patients was explored. No studies relating to “death and bereavement care” (Category 6) and “psychological support for palliative care providers” (Category 7) were identified. Conclusion: The current research status of palliative care in Mainland China remains at an early stage with minimal palliative care services used. Although several knowledge gaps were identified, the first step, which should be addressed, is assessing the palliative care needs. An appropriate and ongoing needs assessment could provide important information for constructing comprehensive education and training programs of palliative care, identifying prognostic factors of timely palliative care referral, and developing evidence-based and tailored palliative care services.
Incidence of arterial catheter complications: a retrospective study of 35 cats (2010–2014)
Authors: Mooshian Shaina , Deitschel Sarah J , Haggerty Jamie M , Guenther Christine L 
Published: May 2018

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of complications associated with arterial catheterization in cats in a veterinary hospital, and to document which factors may increase the incidence of complications. Methods Medical records at a referral veterinary hospital were retrospectively reviewed to identify cats that had an arterial catheter placed between January 2010 and October 2014. Results Thirty-five cats having 38 arterial catheters were included in the study. There was a relatively high incidence of minor complications (23.7%), with the most common being catheter occlusion. The incidence of major arterial catheter complications was low (2.63%). Duration of catheter use was positively correlated to the incidence of complications. There was also a significant correlation between catheters used for intensive care unit monitoring and incidence of complications. All cats with catheter complications survived to discharge. Conclusions and relevance The low incidence of major arterial catheter complications in this population of cats illustrates that arterial catheterization is a safe monitoring and diagnostic tool. The duration of catheter placement is significantly associated with the incidence of catheter complications.
Emerging Topics and Innovative Methodologies in Cannabis Research
Authors: Albright Victoria A , Johnson Eric Otto 
Published: May 2018

Aims And Scope: Cannabis use is ascendant in our society, affecting the health of our citizens, our social norms and social structures, and our economies. This special issue brings together a diverse set of research manuscripts that push the borders of our understanding of burgeoning cannabis use and displays innovative methods developed to study these phenomena.
Health-Related Quality of Life after Restorative Proctocolectomy: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Helavirta I. , Hyöty M. , Oksanen P. , Huhtala H. , Haapamäki J. , Aitola P. 
Published: May 2018

Background and Aims: Patients undergoing restorative proctocolectomy have often suffered from active ulcerative colitis which should be remembered when assessing quality of life after operation. The aim of this study was to explore health-related quality of life after restorative proctocolectomy in those with poor or good pouch function and to compare that to patients with active or inactive ulcerative colitis and to the general population. Material and Methods: Altogether, 282 restorative proctocolectomy patients were investigated. The control group comprised 408 ulcerative colitis patients from the local register. Generic 15D and disease-specific inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire health-related quality of life instruments were used. Population-based data were available for 15D. Pouch function was evaluated with Öresland score and colitis activity with simple clinical colitis activity index. Results: 15D results showed that patients with good pouch function had health-related quality of life similar to that of the general population. Health-related quality of life with inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire was equally good in patients with good pouch function (n = 131; 70%) and inactive colitis (n = 95; 63%), and equally impaired in patients with poor pouch function (n = 56; 30%) and active colitis (n = 18; 12%). Conclusion: The majority of patients had health-related quality of life comparable to that in general population. Most patients with active ulcerative colitis are likely to improve their health-related quality of life after successful surgery. These findings are important when informing colitis patients about life after surgery.
The incidence and impact of implantable cardioverter defibrillator shocks in the last phase of life: An integrated review
Authors: Stoevelaar Rik , Brinkman-Stoppelenburg Arianne , Bhagwandien Rohit E , van Bruchem-Visser Rozemarijn L , Theuns Dominic AMJ , van der Heide Agnes , Rietjens Judith AC 
Published: May 2018

Background:Although the implantable cardioverter defibrillator is successful in terminating life threatening arrhythmias, it might give unwanted shocks in the last phase of life if not deactivated in a timely manner.Aims:This integrated review aimed to provide an overview of studies reporting on implantable cardioverter defibrillator shock incidence and impact in the last phase of life.Methods and results:We systematically searched five electronic databases. Studies reporting on the incidence and/or impact of implantable cardioverter defibrillator shocks in the last month of life were included. Fifteen studies were included. Two American studies published in 1996 and 1998 reported on the incidence of shocks in patients who died non-suddenly: incidences were 24% and 33%, respectively, in the last 24 hours, and 7% and 14%, respectively, in the last hour of life. Six American studies and one Danish study published between 1991–1999 reported on patients dying suddenly: incidences were 41% and 68% in the last 24 hours and 22–66% in the last hour. Four American studies and two Swedish studies published between 2004–2015 did not distinguish the cause of death: incidences were 17–32% in the last month, 3–32% in the last 24 hours, and 8% and 31% in the last hour of life. Three American studies published between 2004–2011 reported that shocks in dying patients are painful and distressing for patients, and distressing for relatives and professional caregivers.Conclusion:If the implantable cardioverter defibrillator is not deactivated in a timely manner, a potentially significant proportion of implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients experience painful and distressing shocks in their last phase of life.
Men’s Preconception Health: A Primary Health-Care Viewpoint
Authors: O’Brien Anthony Paul , Hurley John , Linsley Paul , McNeil Karen Anne , Fletcher Richard , Aitken John Robert 
Published: May 2018

The purpose of this article is to theoretically explore men’s preconception health as a mechanism to enhance fertility, as well as the health and well-being of the subject and his descendants. Premorbid risk factors and behaviors associated with stress, environmental toxins, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of exercise/obesity, and the use of illicit drugs are all known to affect fecundity. While there are many health clinics available to women, where advice in areas such as postnatal care of the newborn, family planning, and couples fertility is provided, there are few, if any, equivalent health clinics available to men. Additionally, getting men to attend primary health-care services has also been continuously problematic, even in the context of there being a clearly discernible need for treatment. It is argued in this article that an impetus is required to encourage men to focus on and improve their preconception health and to utilize primary health-care services to take action. An assertive men’s preconception health outlook can positively influence the conjugal relationship, fathering, male self-esteem, and continued good health. Using the sometimes complex concept of preconception health as a motivating factor for healthy lifestyle adaptation has the potential to improve male fertility outcomes and general health and well-being, as well as the health of future generations.
Chronic pain and associated factors in Maputo, Mozambique: a pilot study
Authors: Walters Camila B , Schwalbach Teresa , Sevene Esperança , Walters Jenna , Jackson Tracy , Hiremath Girish , Moon Troy D , McQueen KA Kelly 
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Studies estimate that 20% of adults suffer from chronic pain. A meta-analysis in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) found 34% had chronic pain. There are few studies on pain prevalence gathered in Africa. This study surveyed the capital city of Mozambique. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study employed in a community setting. The Vanderbilt Global Pain Survey comprised questions on the behaviour and attitudes of respondents regarding pain, including previously validated metrics: the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule, the Brief Pain Inventory, Widespread Pain Index and Symptom Severity Score, and the Michigan Body Map. Results: Ninety-seven surveys were completed out of 100. Pain every day lasting for more than 6 months in their lifetime was reported as 39.2% (CI: 29.4–49.6), and 52% of respondents had pain the day of the interview. However, the pain resulted in little difficulty with activities of daily living and maintaining relationships (61%–89%). Although none reported mental health disorders, 53.6% had experienced a traumatic event in their life, with 45.2% having related nightmares, anxiety, or fear. Most respondents (99%) would take oral medication if it helped their pain, with a large proportion willing to spend significant money for these (49% would pay >US$40) and willing to travel long distances to get help (55.2% would travel >40 kilometer). Conclusion: The prevalence of chronic pain in Maputo, Mozambique is similar to the average for LMICs. Trends in high-income countries suggest that multimodal pain management and multidisciplinary treatments may improve optimal pain control in LMICs.
Comparison of Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion With a Stand-Alone Interbody Cage Versus a Conventional Cage-Plate Technique: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Cheung Zoe B. , Gidumal Sunder , White Samuel , Shin John , Phan Kevin , Osman Nebiyu , Bronheim Rachel , Vargas Luilly , Kim Jun S. , Cho Samuel K. 
Published: May 2018

Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Objective: Compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with a stand-alone interbody cage versus a conventional cage and anterior cervical plate technique. Methods: A systematic Medline search was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library Database of Systematic Reviews. Search terms included “anterior cervical discectomy and fusion,” “cage,” and “bone plates,” or variations thereof. Only studies involving a direct comparison of ACDF with a stand-alone cage versus a cage and plate were included. From the selected studies, we extracted data on patient demographics, comorbidities, surgical risk factors, and pre- and postoperative radiographic findings. A meta-analysis was performed on all outcome measures. The quality of each study was assessed using the Downs and Black checklist. Results: Nineteen studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients who underwent ACDF with a cage-only technique had significantly lower rates of postoperative dysphagia and adjacent segment disease compared with patients who underwent ACDF with a cage-plate technique. However, patients who underwent ACDF with a cage-plate technique had better radiographic outcomes with significantly less subsidence and better restoration of cervical lordosis. There were no other significant differences in outcomes or postoperative complications. Conclusions: ACDF with a cage-only technique appears to have better clinical outcomes than the cage-plate technique, despite radiographic findings of increased rates of subsidence and less restoration of cervical lordosis. Future randomized controlled trials with longer term follow-up are needed to confirm the findings of this meta-analysis.