bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cerebral blood flow in the paracentral lobule is associated with poor subjective sleep quality among patients with a history of methadone maintenance treatment
Authors: Sun Jiaxue , Lu Yi , Kong Deshenyue , Lin Wenhua , Du Jinze , Wang Guangqing , Ma Xingfeng , Li Congbin , Wang Kunhua , Zhu Mei , Xu Yu 
Published: August 2024

IntroductionSleep disorders are prevalent and significant among individuals receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MMT), adversely affecting their quality of life and treatment adherence. While cerebral blood flow (CBF) plays a crucial role in the development of various diseases, its relationship with sleep disorders remains uncertain. This observational study focuses on possible correlations between CBF and poor subjective sleep quality in MMT patients.MethodsA total of 75 participants with a history of MMT were recruited and assessed using pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging to determine CBF. A LAASO regression model was employed to identify the region of interest (ROI) most associated with sleep disturbance. The association between the CBF of the ROI and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was examined using regression analyses. Age, gender, BMI, history of hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and methadone withdrawal were included as covariates.ResultsAmong MMT patients with poor subjective sleep quality, significantly higher CBF was observed in the right paracentral lobule (56.1057 ± 11.1624 ml/100 g/min, p = 0.044), right cerebelum_3 (56.6723 ± 15.3139 ml/100 g/min, p = 0.026), right caudate nucleus (48.9168 ± 6.9910 ml/100 g/min, p = 0.009), and left caudate nucleus (47.6207 ± 6.1374 ml/100 g/min, p = 0.006). Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between CBF in the right paracentral lobule and the total PSQI score (β = 0.1135, p = 0.0323), with the association remaining significant even after adjustment for covariates (β = 0.1276, p = 0.0405).ConclusionMMT patients with poor subjective sleep quality exhibited significantly altered CBF in multiple brain regions. The association between increased CBF in the right paracentral lobule and subjective sleep quality in MMT patients could be crucial in understanding sleep disorders in individuals undergoing MMT.Clinical trial registrationhttps://www.chictr.org.cn/, identifier: ChiCTR2100051931.
Circulating micronutrient levels and respiratory infection susceptibility and severity: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Wei Zhengxiao , Xiong Qingqing , Liang Li , Wu Zhangjun , Chen Zhu 
Published: August 2024

BackgroundLimited and inconclusive data from observational studies and randomized controlled trials exist on the levels of circulating micronutrients in the blood and their association with respiratory infections.MethodsA Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was conducted to assess the impact of 12 micronutrients on the risk of three types of infections [upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI), and pneumonia] and their 14 subtypes. This study utilized a bidirectional MR approach to evaluate causal relationships and included a range of sensitivity analyses and multivariable MR to address potential heterogeneity and pleiotropy. The threshold for statistical significance was set at p &lt; 1.39 × 10−3.ResultsMeta-analysis revealed that higher levels of circulating copper were significantly associated with a reduced risk of URTI (odds ratio (OR) = 0.926, 95% CI: 0.890 to 0.964, p = 0.000195). Additionally, copper demonstrated a suggestive association with a reduced risk of LRTI (p = 0.0196), and Vitamin B6 was nominally associated with a reduced risk of pneumonia (p = 0.048). Subtype analyses further indicated several suggestive associations: copper reduces the risk of acute pharyngitis (p = 0.029), vitamin C increases the risk of critical care admissions for pneumonia (p = 0.032) and LRTI (p = 0.021), and folate reduces the risk of viral pneumonia (p = 0.042). No significant connections were observed for other micronutrients.ConclusionWe observed a genetically predicted potential protective effect of copper in susceptibility to upper respiratory infections. This provides new insights for further research into the role of micronutrients in the prevention and treatment of infection.
Intravoxel incoherent motion and enhanced T2*-weighted angiography for preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Ren Xue , Zhao Ying , Wang Nan , Liu Jiahui , Zhang Shuo , Zhuang Mingrui , Wang Hongkai , Wang Jixiang , Zhang Yindi , Song Qingwei , Liu Ailian 
Published: August 2024

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of the combined application of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) and enhanced T2*-weighted angiography (ESWAN) for preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Materials and methods76 patients with pathologically confirmed HCC were retrospectively enrolled and divided into the MVI-positive group (n=26) and MVI-negative group (n=50). Conventional MRI, IVIM, and ESWAN sequences were performed. Three region of interests (ROIs) were placed on the maximum axial slice of the lesion on D, D*, and f maps derived from IVIM sequence, and R2* map derived from ESWAN sequence, and intratumoral susceptibility signal (ITSS) from the phase map derived from ESWAN sequence was also automatically measured. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to evaluate the ability for predicting MVI. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to screen independent risk predictors in clinical and imaging information. The Delong’s test was used to compare the differences between the area under curves (AUCs).ResultsThe D and D* values of MVI-negative group were significantly higher than those of MVI-positive group (P=0.038, and P=0.023), which in MVI-negative group were 0.892×10-3 (0.760×10-3, 1.303×10-3) mm2/s and 0.055 (0.025, 0.100) mm2/s, and in MVI-positive group were 0.591×10-3 (0.372×10-3, 0.824×10-3) mm2/s and 0.028 (0.006, 0.050)mm2/s, respectively. The R2* and ITSS values of MVI-negative group were significantly lower than those of MVI-positive group (P=0.034, and P=0.005), which in MVI-negative group were 29.290 (23.117, 35.228) Hz and 0.146 (0.086, 0.236), and in MVI-positive group were 43.696 (34.914, 58.083) Hz and 0.199 (0.155, 0.245), respectively. After univariate and multivariate analyses, only AFP (odds ratio, 0.183; 95% CI, 0.041–0.823; P = 0.027) was the independent risk factor for predicting the status of MVI. The AUCs of AFP, D, D*, R2*, and ITSS for prediction of MVI were 0.652, 0.739, 0.707, 0.798, and 0.657, respectively. The AUCs of IVIM (D+D*), ESWAN (R2*+ITSS), and combination (D+D*+R2*+ITSS) for predicting MVI were 0.772, 0.800, and, 0.855, respectively. When IVIM combined with ESWAN, the performance was improved with a sensitivity of 73.1% and a specificity of 92.0% (cut-off value: 0.502) and the AUC was significantly higher than AFP (P=0.001), D (P=0.038), D* (P=0.023), R2* (P=0.034), and ITSS (P=0.005).ConclusionThe IVIM and ESWAN parameters showed good efficacy in prediction of MVI in patients with HCC. The combination of IVIM and ESWAN may be useful for noninvasive prediction of MVI before clinical operation.
A joint learning framework for multisite CBCT-to-CT translation using a hybrid CNN-transformer synthesizer and a registration network
Authors: Hu Ying , Cheng Mengjie , Wei Hui , Liang Zhiwen 
Published: August 2024

BackgroundCone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a convenient method for adaptive radiation therapy (ART), but its application is often hindered by its image quality. We aim to develop a unified deep learning model that can consistently enhance the quality of CBCT images across various anatomical sites by generating synthetic CT (sCT) images.MethodsA dataset of paired CBCT and planning CT images from 135 cancer patients, including head and neck, chest and abdominal tumors, was collected. This dataset, with its rich anatomical diversity and scanning parameters, was carefully selected to ensure comprehensive model training. Due to the imperfect registration, the inherent challenge of local structural misalignment of paired dataset may lead to suboptimal model performance. To address this limitation, we propose SynREG, a supervised learning framework. SynREG integrates a hybrid CNN-transformer architecture designed for generating high-fidelity sCT images and a registration network designed to correct local structural misalignment dynamically during training. An independent test set of 23 additional patients was used to evaluate the image quality, and the results were compared with those of several benchmark models (pix2pix, cycleGAN and SwinIR). Furthermore, the performance of an autosegmentation application was also assessed.ResultsThe proposed model disentangled sCT generation from anatomical correction, leading to a more rational optimization process. As a result, the model effectively suppressed noise and artifacts in multisite applications, significantly enhancing CBCT image quality. Specifically, the mean absolute error (MAE) of SynREG was reduced to 16.81 ± 8.42 HU, whereas the structural similarity index (SSIM) increased to 94.34 ± 2.85%, representing improvements over the raw CBCT data, which had the MAE of 26.74 ± 10.11 HU and the SSIM of 89.73 ± 3.46%. The enhanced image quality was particularly beneficial for organs with low contrast resolution, significantly increasing the accuracy of automatic segmentation in these regions. Notably, for the brainstem, the mean Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) increased from 0.61 to 0.89, and the MDA decreased from 3.72 mm to 0.98 mm, indicating a substantial improvement in segmentation accuracy and precision.ConclusionsSynREG can effectively alleviate the differences in residual anatomy between paired datasets and enhance the quality of CBCT images.
Association between Ureaplasma urealyticum colonization and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Xianhong , Huang Xunbin , Zhou Qiujing , Kang Houxin , Qiu Huixian , Shi Lindong , Tang Hong , Zeng Shujuan 
Published: August 2024

BackgroundBronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most prevalent chronic lung disease in preterm infants. Studies have shown that Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) infection is linked to its pathogenesis. However, it remains controversial whether UU colonization in preterm infants increases the risk of developing BPD.ObjectiveThis study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the correlation between UU and BPD.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Wanfang Database, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Chinese Science and Technique Journal Database, and the China Biology Medicine disc from their inception to March 15, 2024. We included cohort and case-control studies investigating the association between UU infections and BPD in preterm infants, adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for quality assessment. The outcome was defined as the continued need for oxygen or respiratory support at 28 days after birth (BPD28) or at 36 weeks postmenstrual age (BPD36). Considering the potential publication bias in observational studies, we used a random-effects meta-analysis model, assessed heterogeneity (I2), performed subgroup analyses, evaluated publication bias, and graded the quality of evidence.ResultsThe meta-analysis included 36 cohort studies encompassing 5,991 participants. Among these, 20 reported on BPD28, 13 on BPD36, and 3 on both. The results indicated a significant association between UU colonization and BPD28 (odds ratio (OR): 2.26, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.78–2.85, P &lt; 0.00001, 23 studies, very low certainty of evidence) and BPD36 (OR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.47–3.07, P &lt; 0.0001, 16 studies, very low certainty of evidence).ConclusionThere is a correlation between UU colonization and the development of BPD in preterm infants. Future research should prioritize well-designed, large-scale, high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to comprehensively assess the risk of BPD in neonates following UU infection and to provide stronger evidence for clinical screening and prevention strategies to improve the prognosis of affected newborns.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/, identifier (CRD42024524846).
Neurological manifestations of immune origin after COVID-19 vaccination: retrospective case study
Authors: Granja López Juan , Estebas Armas Carlos , Lorenzo Dieguez Manuel , Puertas Muñoz Inmaculada , De Celis Ruiz Elena , Rigual Ricardo , Fernández-Fournier Mireya , Torres Iglesias Gabriel , Sánchez Velasco Sara , Tallón Barranco Antonio , Rogozina Olga , Ramírez Elena , González-Muñoz Miguel , Lacruz Ballester Laura 
Published: August 2024

Objectives: To know the frequency and characteristics of neurological manifestations of probable immune origin occurring after exposure to COVID-19 vaccination. In addition, to pre-study the usefulness of the Spanish pharmacovigilance system and lymphocyte transformation test in establishing causality.Methods: Retrospective case study, including patients admitted to the Neurology department from January 2021 to May 2022 with a probable neuroimmune disorder. Demographic, clinical and COVID-19 vaccination antecedent data were collected from medical records.Results: From a total of 108 patients, 30 were excluded due to a different etiological diagnosis after follow-up. Thirty-six patients (46.2%) had received the COVID-19 vaccine in the previous 3 months (21.8% during the previous month). BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine was the most frequent in this group (63.9%). 69/108 were female and mean age 51.2 years (SD 22.59), with no significant difference with not recently-vaccinated (U-Mann Whitney, p = 0.256). The neurological syndromes found were (vaccinated/total): polyradiculoneuropathy (8/16), encephalitis (5/11), multiple sclerosis relapse (5/16), optic neuritis (1/4), myelitis (3/6), cranial neuropathy (6/10), aseptic meningitis (1/3) and others (7/11). Acute immunosuppressive treatment was administered in 61.1% of cases and 47.2% presented complete clinical improvement, without significant differences with non-vaccinated patients (chi-square, p = 0.570). Eleven vaccinated patients were studied in the pharmacovigilance office for possible adverse drug reaction. Causality according to the Spanish pharmacovigilance system (SPVS) algorithm was “Related” to COVID-19 vaccine (score ≥ 4) in 11 cases with positive in vitro study (lymphocyte transformation test) to polyethylene glycol-2000 and polysorbate-80 in 4 cases.Conclusion: Neuroimmune disorders appearing after administration of COVID-19 vaccine do not seem to present important differentiating clinical and/or evolutive features. Delayed hypersensitivity to vaccine excipients could be one of the pathophysiological mechanisms, and lymphocyte transformation test is a useful tool to identify it.
Combination of traditional Chinese medicine and standard biomedical treatment for rosacea: a systematic review and a meta-analysis
Authors: Yu Ruoxi , Li Shuyan , Yang Yuting , Xie Chunguang , Chen Qiu , Liu Ya , Peng Sihan 
Published: August 2024

BackgroundA combination of standard biomedical treatment and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been suggested as a therapeutic approach for rosacea that may significantly lower the recurrence rate and clinical symptom scores. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the impact of this combination treatment on clinical symptom and TCM syndrome scores, as well as on the scores of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), erythema index (EI), and interleukin 37 (IL-37) levels in patients with rosacea.MethodsThe PROSPERO registration number for the study is CRD42023472737. We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Wanfang Database, China Biomedical Medicine database (CBM), and the VIP information resource integration service platform (cqvip) databases for RCTs (published from the beginning to September 2023, regardless of the language used) that compared the traditional Chinese medicine and standard biomedical treatment combination treatment to conventional anti-rosacea treatments. Our primary outcomes comprised the clinical symptom and TCM syndrome scores, and the scores of Dermatology Life Quality Index, erythema index, and IL-37 levels. We used a random-effects model to evaluate the pooled data.ResultsWe identified 260 studies. Of these, 13 eligible studies were employed for analysis (N = 1,348 participants). Compared with other anti-rosacea treatments, the TCM and standard biomedical treatment combination treatment yielded an improved mean reduction in the clinical symptom score −2.24% [95% CI (–3.02 to −1.46), p &lt; 0.00001], TCM syndrome score −4.42 [95% CI (–5.33 to −3.50), p &lt; 0.00001], and the score of DLQI of −2.55 [95% CI (–3.73 to −1.36), p &lt; 0.00001], EI of −151.97 [95% CI (–276.59 to −27.36), p &lt; 0.00001], and IL-37 level −4.23 [95% CI (–4.95 to −3.51), p = 0.854], as well as in the overall effective rate risk ratio (RR) = 1.25 [95%CI (1.18, 1.32), p = 0.994] and the recurrence rate = 0.27 [95%CI (0.15, 0.46), p = 0.297].ConclusionThe TCM and standard biomedical treatment combination treatment can provide a better outcome, including a reduction in the TCM syndrome and clinical symptom scores, and in the scores of DLQI, EI, and IL-37. Hence, this combination is a viable and more effective therapeutic approach for rosacea. However, these results should be considered cautiously because of uncertain evidence and the low quality of the study reports considered in this meta-analysis.Systematic Review Registration:website, identifier CRD42023472737.
The critical role of glutamine and fatty acids in the metabolic reprogramming of anoikis-resistant melanoma cells
Authors: Peppicelli S. , Kersikla T. , Menegazzi G. , Andreucci E. , Ruzzolini J. , Nediani C. , Bianchini F. , Calorini L. 
Published: August 2024

Introduction: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) represent the sub-population of cells shed into the vasculature and able to survive in the bloodstream, adhere to target vascular endothelial cells, and re-growth into the distant organ. CTCs have been found in the blood of most solid tumor-bearing patients and are used as a diagnostic marker. Although a complex genotypic and phenotypic signature characterizes CTCs, the ability to survive in suspension constitutes the most critical property, known as resistance to anoikis, e.g., the ability to resist apoptosis resulting from a loss of substrate adhesion. Here, we selected melanoma cells resistant to anoikis, and we studied their metabolic reprogramming, with the aim of identifying new metabolic targets of CTCs.Methods: Subpopulations of melanoma cells expressing a high anoikis-resistant phenotype were selected by three consecutive rocking exposures in suspension and studied for their phenotypic and metabolic characteristics. Moreover, we tested the efficacy of different metabolic inhibitors targeting glycolysis (2DG), LDHA (LDHA-in-3), the mitochondrial electron transport chain complex I (rotenone), glutaminase (BPTES), fatty acid transporter (SSO), fatty acid synthase (denifanstat), CPT1 (etomoxir), to inhibit cell survival and colony formation ability after 24 h of rocking condition.Results:Anoikis-resistant cells displayed higher ability to grow in suspension on agarose-covered dishes respect to control cells, and higher cell viability and colony formation capability after a further step in rocking condition. They showed also an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition associated with high invasiveness and a stemness-like phenotype. Anoikis-resistant melanoma cells in suspension showed a metabolic reprogramming from a characteristic glycolytic metabolism toward a more oxidative metabolism based on the use of glutamine and fatty acids, while re-adhesion on the dishes reversed the metabolism to glycolysis. The treatment with metabolic inhibitors highlighted the effectiveness of rotenone, BPTES, SSO, and etomoxir in reducing the viability and the colony formation ability of cells capable of surviving in suspension, confirming the dependence of their metabolism on oxidative phosphorylation, using glutamine and fatty acids as the most important fuels.Discussion: This finding opens up new therapeutic strategies based on metabolic inhibitors of glutaminase and fatty acid oxidation for the treatment of CTCs and melanoma metastases.
Advancing biomedical applications: an in-depth analysis of silver nanoparticles in antimicrobial, anticancer, and wound healing roles
Authors: Jangid Himanshu , Singh Sudhakar , Kashyap Piyush , Singh Avtar , Kumar Gaurav 
Published: August 2024

Introduction: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have gained significant attention in biomedical applications due to their unique physicochemical properties. This review focuses on the roles of AgNPs in antimicrobial activity, anticancer therapy, and wound healing, highlighting their potential to address critical health challenges.Methods: A bibliometric analysis was conducted using publications from the Scopus database, covering research from 2002 to 2024. The study included keyword frequency, citation patterns, and authorship networks. Data was curated with Zotero and analyzed using Bibliometrix R and VOSviewer for network visualizations.Results: The study revealed an increasing trend in research on AgNPs, particularly in antimicrobial applications, leading to 8,668 publications. Anticancer and wound healing applications followed, with significant contributions from India and China. The analysis showed a growing focus on “green synthesis” methods, highlighting a shift towards sustainable production. Key findings indicated the effectiveness of AgNPs in combating multidrug-resistant bacteria, inducing apoptosis in cancer cells, and promoting tissue regeneration in wound healing.Discussion: The widespread research and applications of AgNPs underscore their versatility in medical interventions. The study emphasizes the need for sustainable synthesis methods and highlights the potential risks, such as long-term toxicity and environmental impacts. Future research should focus on optimizing AgNP formulations for clinical use and further understanding their mechanisms of action.Conclusion: AgNPs play a pivotal role in modern medicine, particularly in addressing antimicrobial resistance, cancer treatment, and wound management. Ongoing research and international collaboration are crucial for advancing the safe and effective use of AgNPs in healthcare.