bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Treatment Outcomes of Conjunctival Cyst Ablation by Pattern Scan Laser
Authors: Kang Hyunkyoo , Lee Shin-Hyo , Shin Hyun Jin 
Published: July 2024

Purpose:
To evaluate the effectiveness of conjunctival cyst ablation using pattern scan laser photoablation.

Methods:
Ninety-four cases of symptomatic conjunctival cysts were included. After staining the surface of a conjunctival cyst with a dark-purple marker pen, an incision was made into the conjunctival cyst using a 26-gauge needle. Low-energy photoablation using 3 × 3 grids of spots was then applied around the incision site for a mean of 50 times. The laser spots were 400 μm in size, the power delivered ranged from 400 to 450 mW, and the duration of each laser pulse was 80 ms.

Results:
During a mean follow-up period of 6.5 months (range 6–16 months), 84 cases of conjunctival cysts (89.4%) were successfully corrected by conducting either 1 or 2 laser sessions. The cyst was completely resolved after a single laser session in 74 cases (78.7%). There were 20 cases of recurrence, which involved fixed, thick, and large cysts. The conjunctival cyst recurred again after the second laser session in 2 of the 12 eyes in which the procedure was repeated. The remaining 8 cases were observed without additional treatment. No postoperative complications such as conjunctival scarring or persistent ocular irritation were observed.

Conclusions:
Pattern scan laser photoablation of a conjunctival cyst with the adjunctive use of cyst surface staining to increase the amount of thermal laser energy absorption is a simple and effective method for treating conjunctival cysts in an outpatient clinic.
Effect of carbon nanoparticle suspension injection versus indocyanine green tracer in guiding lymph node dissection during radical gastrectomy (FUTURE-01): a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Tian Yuan , Pang Yue , Yang Peigang , Guo Shuo , Ma Wenqian , Guo Honghai , Liu Yang , Zhang Ze , Ding Pingan , Zheng Tao , Li Yong , Fan Liqiao , Zhang Zhidong , Wang Dong , Zhao Xuefeng , Tan Bibo , Liu Yu , Zhao Qun 
Published: July 2024

Background:
Carbon nanoparticle suspension injection (CNSI) and indocyanine green (ICG) have both been applied intraoperatively to facilitate lymphatic mapping and postoperatively to sort lymph nodes (LNs) in gastric cancer patients. However, no study has compared the two tracers in gastric cancer patients.

Materials and methods:
This prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted from January 2022 to March 2023. Patients with potentially resectable gastric cancer (cT1-4a N0/+ M0) were randomized to the CNSI or ICG group.

Results:
This study enrolled 96 patients. Ninety patients were in the modified intention-to-treat population, including 46 patients [32 males and 14 females; mean (SD) age, 57.4 (9.4) years] in the CNSI group and 44 patients [31 males and 13 females; mean (SD) age, 60.8 (8.8) years] in the ICG group. The mean (SD) number of retrieved LNs was 69.8 (21.9) and 53.6 (17.2) in the CNSI and ICG groups, respectively (P<0.001). The mean (SD) number of retrieved micro-LNs was 19.9 (13.3) and 11.6 (9.9) in the CNSI and ICG groups, respectively (P=0.001). The mean (SD) number of metastatic LNs was 8.1 (11.9) and 5.2 (9.2) in the CNSI and ICG groups, respectively (P=0.19).

Conclusions:
Compared with ICG, CNSI can increase the number of LNs detected, especially micro-LNs. Both tracers have high diagnostic value for detecting metastatic LNs. CNSI-guided lymphography may be a superior method for improving the accuracy of LN dissection.
Added Value of a Robotic-assisted Bronchoscopy Platform in Cone Beam Computed Tomography-guided Bronchoscopy for the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Parenchymal Lesions
Authors: Shaller Brian D. , Duong Duy K. , Swenson Kai E. , Free Dwayne , Bedi Harmeet 
Published: July 2024

Background:Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)-guided bronchoscopic sampling of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) is associated with superior diagnostic outcomes. However, the added value of a robotic-assisted bronchoscopy platform in CBCT-guided diagnostic procedures is unknown.Methods:We performed a retrospective review of 100 consecutive PPLs sampled using conventional flexible bronchoscopy under CBCT guidance (FB-CBCT) and 100 consecutive PPLs sampled using an electromagnetic navigation-guided robotic-assisted bronchoscopy platform under CBCT guidance (RB-CBCT). Patient demographics, PPL features, procedural characteristics, and procedural outcomes were compared between the 2 cohorts.Results:Patient and PPL characteristics were similar between the FB-CBCT and RB-CBCT cohorts, and there were no significant differences in diagnostic yield (88% vs. 90% for RB-CBCT,P=0.822) or incidence of complications between the 2 groups. As compared with FB-CBCT cases, RB-CBCT cases were significantly shorter (median 58 min vs. 92 min,P<0.0001) and used significantly less diagnostic radiation (median dose area product 5114 µGy•m2vs. 8755 µGy•m2,P<0.0001).Conclusion:CBCT-guided bronchoscopy with or without a robotic-assisted bronchoscopy platform is a safe and effective method for sampling PPLs, although the integration of a robotic-assisted platform was associated with significantly shorter procedure times and significantly less radiation exposure.
Effectiveness of Zhuang medicine medicated thread moxibustion on human xanthelasma – a case series
Authors: Jiang Yuan , Suriyonplengsaeng Chinnawut , Wu Mengyi , Lin Jinran , Liu Qingmei , Zhou Yinghui , Lin Jui-Ming , Meesin Saowaluck , Suwanchinda Atchima , Wu Wenyu , Thianthanyakij Traidit 
Published: July 2024

Rationale:
Xanthelasma, characterized by yellowish plaques around the eyelids due to lipid deposits, is typically treated through invasive methods like laser therapy or surgery, which often leads to scarring and dyspigmentation. This case series investigates the potential of Zhuang medicine medicated thread moxibustion as a less invasive alternative.

Patient Concerns:
Three female patients, aged 34, 45, and 55, presented with non-tender, soft yellow plaques near the medial canthi of both upper eyelids. The lesions varied in size and had been present for durations ranging from 6 months to 2 years. These patients expressed concerns about the pain and potential adverse reactions associated with conventional treatments, opting instead for an alternative approach.

Diagnoses:
Each patient was diagnosed with xanthelasma based on clinical evaluation. Standard diagnostic tests returned normal results, confirming the absence of underlying systemic issues.

Interventions:
The treatment regimen involved Zhuang medicine medicated thread moxibustion applied at 10-day intervals for a total of three sessions. This traditional method was selected due to its minimally invasive nature.

Outcomes:
After the first session, patients experienced mild edema, which resolved within 24 h. A significant reduction in the size of the plaques was observed after the second session, and by the third session, there was complete resolution of the plaques. Throughout the treatment and follow-up period of 3 months, no adverse reactions or recurrence of the xanthelasma was noted.

Lessons:
This case series suggests that Zhuang medicine medicated thread moxibustion could be a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of xanthelasma, avoiding the complications associated with more invasive conventional methods. Further research involving larger sample sizes is recommended to validate these preliminary findings and possibly integrate this method into broader clinical practice.
Lymph Node Yield is Associated with Improved Overall Survival and Increased Time to Recurrence in Node-Negative Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Following Neoadjuvant Therapy
Authors: Servin-Rojas Maximiliano , Fong Zhi Ven , Fernandez-Del Castillo Carlos , Lionetto Gabriella , Bolm Louisa , Fagenholz Peter J. , Ferrone Cristina R. , Rocha-Castellanos Dario M. , Lillemoe Keith D. , Qadan Motaz 
Published: July 2024

Objective:
To determine if lymph node yield (LNY) is associated with improved overall survival (OS) and time to recurrence (TTR) in patients with node-negative pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) treated with neoadjuvant therapy (NAT).

Background:
Lymph node yield has been associated with survival in solid gastrointestinal cancers, including PDAC.

Methods:
Patients with pathological T stage I-III, node-negative (N0), PDAC treated with NAT followed by pancreatoduodenectomy were identified in the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) pancreatectomy database and the National Cancer Database (NCDB). A cutoff point of 22 nodes was identified in the NCDB using the point with the optimal (log-rank test) split. Overall survival and TTR were evaluated using univariate and multivariable analyses.

Results:
In the MGH cohort, 233 node-negative patients following NAT were included. A LNY ≥ 22 was associated with prolonged median OS (59 months vs. 25 months, P<0.001) and prolonged TTR (32 months vs. 14 months, P=0.019). On multivariable analysis, LNY was an independent predictor of survival (HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-0.99, P=0.034) per sampled node. In the NCDB, 2,029 node-negative patients following NAT were included. A LNY ≥ 22 was associated with prolonged median OS (49 months vs. 33 months, P<0.001). On multivariable analysis, LNY was an independent predictor of survival (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98-0.99, P<0.001) per sampled node.

Conclusion:
Lymph node yield was associated with improved oncologic outcomes in patients treated with NAT followed by pancreatoduodenectomy in two independent datasets. Responsible mechanisms by which LNY impacts the outcomes of node-negative patients following NAT warrant further exploration.
Comparative Analysis of Performance of Large Language Models in Urogynecology
Authors: Yadav Ghanshyam S. , Pandit Kshitij , Connell Phillip T. , Erfani Hadi , Nager Charles W. 
Published: July 2024

Importance
Despite growing popularity in medicine, data on large language models in urogynecology are lacking.

Objective
The aim of this study was to compare the performance of ChatGPT-3.5, GPT-4, and Bard on the American Urogynecologic Society self-assessment examination.

Study Design
The examination features 185 questions with a passing score of 80. We tested 3 models—ChatGPT-3.5, GPT-4, and Bard on every question. Dedicated accounts enabled controlled comparisons. Questions with prompts were inputted into each model’s interface, and responses were evaluated for correctness, logical reasoning behind answer choice, and sourcing. Data on subcategory, question type, correctness rate, question difficulty, and reference quality were noted. The Fisher exact or χ2 test was used for statistical analysis.

Results
Out of 185 questions, GPT-4 answered 61.6% questions correctly compared with 54.6% for GPT-3.5 and 42.7% for Bard. GPT-4 answered all questions, whereas GPT-3.5 and Bard declined to answer 4 and 25 questions, respectively. All models demonstrated logical reasoning in their correct responses. Performance of all large language models was inversely proportional to the difficulty level of the questions. Bard referenced sources 97.5% of the time, more often than GPT-4 (83.3%) and GPT-3.5 (39%). GPT-3.5 cited books and websites, whereas GPT-4 and Bard additionally cited journal articles and society guidelines. Median journal impact factor and number of citations were 3.6 with 20 citations for GPT-4 and 2.6 with 25 citations for Bard.

Conclusions
Although GPT-4 outperformed GPT-3.5 and Bard, none of the models achieved a passing score. Clinicians should use language models cautiously in patient care scenarios until more evidence emerges.
Deviation from the recommended schedule: optimal dosing interval for a two-dose vaccination programme
Authors: Wang Zhen , Röst Gergely , Moghadas Seyed M. 
Published: July 2024

Optimizing vaccination impact during an emerging disease becomes crucial when vaccine supply is limited, and robust protection requires multiple doses. Facing this challenge during the early stages of the COVID-19 vaccine deployment, a pivotal policy question arose: whether to administer a single dose to a larger proportion of the population by deferring the second dose, or to prioritize stronger protection for a smaller subset of the population with the established dosing interval from clinical trials. Using a delay-differential model and considering waning immunity and distribution capacity, we compared these strategies. We found that the efficacy of the first dose significantly influences the impact of delaying the second dose. Even for a relatively low efficacy of the first dose, a delayed strategy may outperform vaccination with the recommended dosing interval in reducing short-term hospitalizations and deaths despite increase in infections. The optimal delay, however, depends on the specific outcome measured and timelines within which the vaccination strategy is evaluated. We found transition lines for the relative reduction of infection, hospitalization and death below which vaccination with the recommended schedule is the preferred strategy. In a realistic parameter space, our results highlight scenarios in which the conclusions of previous studies are invalid.
Atypical contribution of caspase-3 to melanoma cancer cell motility by regulation of coronin 1B activity
Authors: Berthenet Kevin , Diazzi Serena , Jamard Catherine , Stopa Kinga , Dragan Stefan , Fanfone Deborah , Nguyen Trang , Al Nathalie , Virard Francois , Meurette Olivier , Popgeorgiev Nikolay , Hernandez-Vargas Hector , Ablain Julien , Ichim Gabriel 
Published: July 2024

AbstractRecent studies have unveiled unexpected connections between cell death and cell motility. While traditionally recognized for their pro-apoptotic roles, caspases have emerged as regulators of physiological processes beyond cell death, including cellular differentiation and motility. In some particularly aggressive cancers like melanoma, caspase-3, a prominent executioner caspase, is unexpectedly and inexplicably highly expressed. Here, we describe a novel non-apoptotic role for caspase-3 in melanoma cell motility. Through comprehensive molecular and cellular analyses, we demonstrate that caspase-3 is constitutively associated with the cytoskeleton and crucially regulates melanoma cell migration and invasionin vitroandin vivo. Mechanistically, caspase-3 interacts with and modulates the activity of coronin 1B, a key regulator of actin polymerization, thereby promoting melanoma cell motility, independently of its apoptotic protease function. Furthermore, we identify specificity protein 1 (SP1) as a transcriptional regulator ofCASP3expression, and show that its inhibition reduces caspase-3 expression and impairs melanoma cell migration. Overall, this study provides insights into the multifaceted roles of caspase-3 in cancer progression, highlighting its relevance as a novel target for anti-metastatic therapies.
Distinct neutrophil effector functions in response to different isolates ofLeishmania aethiopica
Authors: Adem E. , Cervera E. Cruz , Yizengaw E. , Takele Y. , Shorter S. , Cotton J.A. , Getti G. , Kropf P. 
Published: July 2024

ABSTRACTBackgroundIn Ethiopia, cutaneous leishmaniasis is mainly caused byLeishmania(L.)aethiopicaparasites and presents in three main clinical forms. It is still not clear if the host immune response plays a role in the development of these different presentations. Since neutrophils are likely to be one of the first immune cells present at the site of the sand fly bite, we set up anin vitromodel of infection of neutrophils withL. aethiopicaand assessed neutrophil effector functions. We used freshly isolated clinical isolates and one isolate that has been kept in culture for decades.ResultsOur results showed by flow cytometry that up to a quarter of neutrophils were associated withL. aethiopica; and confocal microscopy demonstrated that all isolates can be internalised. The clinical isolates ofL. aethiopicaassociated more efficiently with neutrophils than the long-term culturedL. aethiopica.At 18hrs, two distinct populations of neutrophils were identified that associated withL. aethiopica, CD15highand CD15lowneutrophils.Our results also showed that all parasites induced apoptosis inL. aethiopica-associated neutrophils.Moreover, our results showed that after 2 hrs,L. aethiopica-associated neutrophils upregulated their production of ROS, but to a greater extent with the long-term culturedL. aethiopica. After 18 hrs of incubation, CD15lowparasite+showed an impaired ability to produce ROS as compared to CD15highparasite+.ConclusionUsing thisin vitromodel, our results show that differentL. aethiopicaparasite isolates, most notably long-term cultured parasites, impacted differently on neutrophil effector functions.
Investigating Ligand-Mediated Conformational Dynamics of Pre-miR21: A Machine-Learning-Aided Enhanced Sampling Study
Authors: Aureli Simone , Bellina Francesco , Rizzi Valerio , Gervasio Francesco Luigi 
Published: July 2024

AbstractMicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-coding RNA strands that regulate the activity of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) by affecting the repression of protein translation, and their dysregulation has been implicated in several pathologies. miR21 in particular has been implicated in tumourigenesis and anticancer drug resistance, making it a critical target for drug design. miR21 biogenesis involves precise biochemical pathways, including the cleavage of its precursor, pre-miR21, by the enzyme Dicer. The present work investigates the conformational dynamics of pre-miR21, focusing on the role of adenine29 in switching between Dicer-binding-prone and inactive states. We also investigated the effect of L50, a cyclic peptide binder of pre-miR21 and a weak inhibitor of its processing. Using time series data and our novel collective variable-based enhanced sampling technique OneOPES, we simulated these conformational changes and assessed the effect of L50 on the conformational plasticity of pre-miR21. Our results provide insight into peptide-induced conformational changes and pave the way for the development of a computational platform for the screening of inhibitors of pre-miR21 processing that considers RNA flexibility, a stepping stone for an effective structure-based drug design, with potentially broad applications in drug discovery.TOC Graphic
The Potent PHL4 Transcription Factor Effector Domain Contains Significant Disorder
Authors: Fonda Blake D. , Murray Dylan T. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe phosphate-starvation response transcription-factor protein family is essential to plant response to low-levels of phosphate. Proteins in this transcription factor (TF) family act by altering various gene expression levels, such as increasing levels of the acid phosphatase proteins which catalyze the conversion of inorganic phosphates to bio-available compounds. There are few structural characterizations of proteins in this TF family, none of which address the potent TF activation domains. The phosphate-starvation response-like protein-4 (PHL4) protein from this family has garnered interest due to the unusually high TF activation activity of the N-terminal domain. Here, we demonstrate using solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements that the PHL4 N-terminal activating TF effector domain is mainly an intrinsically disordered domain of over 200 residues, and that the C-terminal region of PHL4 is also disordered. Additionally, we present evidence from size-exclusion chromatography, diffusion NMR measurements, and a cross-linking assay suggesting full-length PHL4 forms a tetrameric assembly. Together, the data indicate the N- and C-terminal disordered domains in PHL4 flank a central folded region that likely forms the ordered oligomer of PHL4. This work provides a foundation for future studies detailing how the conformations and molecular motions of PHL4 change as it acts as a potent activator of gene expression in phosphate metabolism. Such a detailed mechanistic understanding of TF function will benefit genetic engineering efforts that take advantage of this activity to boost transcriptional activation of genes across different organisms.SignificanceTranscription factor proteins upregulate genes and are essential to concerted biological response to environmental conditions like stress or low nutrient availability. In this work, we show the activating effector domain of the potent PHL4 transcription factor protein is primarily disordered, without well-defined secondary structure, and that the isolated effector domain behaves similarly in isolation as it does in the full-length protein. Our finding is consistent with protein transcription factors often having regions of disorder within their functional activator domains.
Highly multiplexed cytokine analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage and plasma reveals age-related dynamics and correlates of inflammation in children
Authors: Shanthikumar Shivanthan , Gubbels Liam , Davies Karen , Walker Hannah , Wong Anson Tsz Chun , Levi Eric , Saffery Richard , Ranganathan Sarath , Neeland Melanie R. 
Published: July 2024

ABSTRACTDespite the central role of cytokines in mediating inflammation that underlies a range of childhood diseases, cytokine testing remains primarily limited to research settings and surrogate markers of inflammation are often used to inform clinical diagnostic and treatment decisions. There are currently no reference ranges available for cytokines in healthy children, either systemically (in blood) or at sites of disease (such as the lung). In our study, we aimed to develop an openly accessible reference of cytokines in the airways and blood of healthy children spanning 1 to 16 years of age. We examined how cytokine concentration changes during childhood and assessed whether a core set of cytokine markers could be used to indirectly evaluate the response of a broad spectrum of inflammatory analytes. To develop our reference, a total of 78 unique analytes were measured in cell-free bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and plasma from 78 children. We showed that age profoundly impacts soluble immune analyte concentration in both sample types and identified a highly correlative core set of 10 analytes in BAL and 11 analytes in plasma capable of indirectly evaluating the response of up to 34 inflammatory mediators. This study addresses an urgent need to develop reference ranges for cytokines in healthy children to aid in diagnosis of disease, to determine eligibility for, and to monitor the effects of, cytokine-targeted monoclonal antibody therapy.