bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of fertility treatment after radical trachelectomy for early stage cervical cancer
Authors: Kamijo Shintaro , Matsuda Risa , Yamada Mitsutoshi , Nishio Hiroshi , Iwata Takashi , Yamgami Wataru , Tanaka Mamoru 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background
Perinatal outcomes including miscarriage, chorioamnionitis, preterm premature rupture of membranes, and premature birth in patients who undergo radical trachelectomy (RT) are correlated with cervical stenosis, bleeding, and shortening; infertility treatment is necessary, and a relatively high proportion of patients achieve pregnancy post-RT. A decreased response to ovarian stimulation in in vitro fertilization (IVF) and decreased pregnancy rates per embryo transfer (ET) have been reported in patients post-RT. This study aimed to investigate clinical characteristics and IVF outcomes of patients post-RT.
Results
This retrospective cohort study included 41 patients who underwent IVF among 297 individuals who underwent RT for early-stage cervical cancer between January 2009 and December 2022. Participants were referred to our reproductive center for IVF after undergoing RT for early-stage cervical cancer at our gynecology department at Keio University. All patient medical records were analyzed for the following variables: tumor characteristics, postoperative treatment, intraperitoneal infection post-surgery, age at operation and initial oocyte retrieval, body mass index, serum anti-Müllerian hormone level, ovarian stimulation protocol, gonadotropin dose, trigger type, number of oocytes retrieved and cryopreserved, fertilization rate, number of frozen embryos, pregnancy outcomes, presence of cervical stenosis and cervical dilation, endometrial thickness at ET, and Towako® method utilization. Of 41 patients who underwent IVF, 68% achieved clinical pregnancies with 59% live births. Age at initial oocyte retrieval and number of oocytes retrieved were significantly different between clinical-pregnancy and non-clinical pregnancy groups and between live-birth and non-live birth groups. The live-birth group had fewer cases of cervical stenosis. Endometrial thickness at ET was also significantly different between live-birth and non-live birth groups, with an optimal 9.2-mm threshold for predicting pregnancy and live birth and an additional 7.5-mm threshold for live births.
Conclusions
Age at initial oocyte retrieval, endometrial thickness at ET with an optimal 9.2-mm threshold for predicting pregnancy and live birth and an additional 7.5-mm threshold for live births, and presence of cervical stenosis are factors potentially influencing IVF outcomes post-RT. These findings may serve as a reference for considering IVF post-RT and support the use of endometrial thickness as a predictive marker in assisted reproductive technology.
The level of non-adherence and its associated factors among adult HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy in Nyamasheke district, Rwanda: a cross-sectional study, 2023
Authors: Nkundabaza Christophe , Stamatakis Caroline , Mukamurigo Judith , Ndagijimana Albert 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been crucial in managing HIV, but its success heavily relies on patient adherence. In sub-Saharan African countries, including Rwanda, adherence remains a challenge. Moreover, adults living with HIV (ALHIV) account for the majority of clients on ART in Rwanda, with 3.80% of them in Nyamasheke district. However, information regarding adherence to ART among these ALHIV is limited. This study aimed to assess the level of non-adherence to ART and its associated factors among ALHIV in Nyamasheke district.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted in 22 randomly selected health facilities and included 416 participants. Data were collected through medical record reviews and interviews. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with non-adherence. Adherence was measured based on pill count. Odds ratio, 95% confidence interval and p-value were reported. Data were managed using MS Excel and analysed using Stata version 16.
Results
Of the 416 participants, 92.50% had past-month ART adherence level of 95% or higher. The following factors; age of 15–24 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 5.76, 95% CI: 1.68–19.73), shorter duration on ART (< 5 years) (AOR: 3.10, 95% CI: 1.11– 8.68), those who had treatment interruption (AOR: 4.08, 95% CI: 1.54–10.83), alcohol consumption (AOR: 4.42, 95% CI: 1.79–10.9), and forgetfulness (AOR: 4.53, 95% CI: 1.34–15.22) were significantly associated with non-adherence among ALHIV in Nyamasheke district.
Conclusion
The overall level of adherence was lower than the World Health Organization (WHO) standard, highlighting the importance of addressing the associated factors to improve adherence rates and treatment outcomes. The study emphasizes the need for more intensive counselling and regular follow-up, particularly for younger HIV patients, patients during their early stages on medication, ALHIV with treatment interruption, forgetfulness, and those who consume alcohol.
Ranking the Attribution of High-Risk Genotypes among Women with Cervical Precancers and Cancers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Ningbo, China
Authors: Chen Shimin , Shangying HU , Jian YIN , Wenying YU , ZHANG Xun , DENG Xi , Huaxin DING , ZHANG Jinyu , Yan SONG , Qiming WANG , Liang CHEN , Feng GUO , Susanne HARTWIG , Fanghui ZHAO 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background:
The region-specific importance of carcinogenic HPV genotypes is required for optimizing HPV-based screening and promoting appropriate multivalent HPV prophylactic vaccines. This information is lacking for Ningbo, one of the first cities of China's Healthy City Innovation Pilot Program for Cervical Cancer Elimination. Here, we investigated high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) genotype-specific distribution and attribution to biopsy-confirmed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+) before mass vaccination in Ningbo, China.
Methods:
A total of 1393 eligible CIN2+ archived blocks (including 161 CIN2, 1107 CIN3, and 125 invasive cervical cancers [ICC]) were collected from 2017 to 2020 in Ningbo. HR-HPV DNA was genotyped using the SPF10-DEIA-LiPA25 version 1 detection system and the SureX HPV 25X Genotyping Kit. Genotype-specific attribution to CIN2+ was estimated using a fractional contribution approach.
Results:
Ranking by the attributable proportions, HPV16 remained the most important genotype in both cervical precancers and cancers, accounting for 36.8% of CIN2, 53.2% of CIN3, and 73.3% of ICC cases. Among cervical precancers, HPV52 (17.3% in CIN2, 12.7% in CIN3) and HPV58 (13.9%, 14.9%) ranked second and third, while HPV33 (8.3%, 7.9%) and HPV31 (6.5%, 4.1%) ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. However, among ICCs, HPV18 (5.7%) accounted for the second highest proportion, followed by HPV33 (5.4%), HPV58 (4.0%), and HPV45 (3.2%). HPV18/45 together accounted for 46.8% of adenocarcinomas, which was slightly lower than that of HPV16 (47.7%). The remaining HR-HPV genotypes (HPV35/39/51/56/59/66/68) combined accounted for only 6.7% of CIN2, 2.9% of CIN3, and 4.2% of ICC.
Conclusions:
With Ningbo’s strong medical resources, it will be important to continue HPV16/18 control efforts, and could broaden to HPV31/33/45/52/58 for maximum health benefits. However, different strategies should be proposed for other HR-HPV genotypes based on their lower carcinogenic risks.
On the detection of population heterogeneity in causation between two variables: Finite mixture modeling of data collected from twin pairs.
Authors: Vinh Philip , Verhulst Brad , Dolan Conor V , Neale Michael C , Maes Hermine HM 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Causal inference is inherently complex, often dependent on key assumptions that are sometimes overlooked. One such assumption is the potential for unidirectional or bidirectional causality, while another is population homogeneity, which suggests that the causal direction between two variables remains consistent across the study sample. Discerning these processes requires meticulous data collection through an appropriate research design and the use of suitable software to define and fit alternative models. In psychiatry, the co-occurrence of different disorders is common and can stem from various origins. A patient diagnosed with two disorders might have one recognized as primary and the other as secondary, suggesting the existence of two types of comorbidity within the population. For example, in some individuals, depression might lead to substance use, while in others, substance use could lead to depression. Identifying the primary disorder is crucial for developing effective treatment plans. This article explores the use of finite mixture models to depict within-sample heterogeneity. We begin with the Direction of Causation (DoC) model for twin data and extend it to a mixture distribution model. This extension allows for the calculation of the likelihood of each individual’s data for the two alternate causal directions. Given twin data, there are four possible pairwise combinations of causal direction. Through simulations, we investigate the Direction of Causation Twin Mixture (mixCLPM) model’s potential to detect and model heterogeneity due to varying causal directions.
Association of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (NHHR) with gout prevalence: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Guo Xia , Chu Haoxuan , Xu Hanchi , Wang Shipeng , He Jiahuan , Wang Yushi 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background
The non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (NHHR), which stands for the proportion of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), is a strong lipid marker that is linked to atherogenic features. The aim of the research was to investigate the potential association between NHHR and the prevalence of gout.
Methods
This study investigated the correlation between NHHR levels and gout by analyzing information gathered by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a research study conducted in the United States from 2007 to 2018. NHHR is a mathematical formula that calculates the ratio of non-HDL-C to HDL-C. Gout assessment was conducted through a questionnaire. Multifactorial logistic regression analysis, subgroup analysis, and smoothed curve fitting were employed in this study.
Results
The study included 30,482 subjects. The fully adjusted models showed that for each unit rise in NHHR in continuous variables, there was an 11% higher likelihood of gout prevalence (OR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.07–1.15). The analysis of the NHHR quartile variable revealed that those in the highest quartile of NHHR had a notably greater risk of developing gout in comparison to with people in the lowest quartile. (Q4 vs. Q1, OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.21–1.68). The subgroup analyses yielded consistent results across categories, indicating a substantial positive correlation between NHHR and gout. Interaction tests showed that gender, race, level of education, marital relationship, PIR, hypertension, BMI, smoking habits, and diabetes had no discernible effect on this association. The p-values for all the interactions were more than 0.05. Nevertheless, the relationship between NHHR and gout was substantially affected by the age of the participants (interaction p-value < 0.05).
Conclusion
Among adults in the United States, elevated NHHR levels are correlated with an increased odds of gout prevalence. Effectively managing NHHR levels may reduce the occurrence of gout.
Hubert-LSTM: A Hybrid Model for Artificial Intelligence and Human Speech
Authors: BAIAS Antonio-Cristian 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Speech emotion recognition (SER) is a critical component of human-computer interaction, facilitating seamless communication between individuals and machines. In this paper, we propose a hybrid model, integrating Hubert, a cutting-edge speech recognition model, with LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory), known for its effectiveness in sequence modeling tasks, to enhance emotion recognition accuracy in speech audio files. We explore the Ryerson Audio-Visual Database of Emotional Speech and Song (RAVDESS) for our investigation, drawn by its complexity and open accessibility. Our hybrid model combines the semantic features extracted by Hubert with LSTM’s ability to capture temporal relationships in audio sequences, thereby improving emotion recognition performance. Through rigorous experimentation and evaluation on a subset of actors from the RAVDESS dataset, our model achieved promising results, outperforming existing approaches, with a maximum accuracy of 89.1%.
Exploring CHIT1 and YKL-40 in tuberculous pleural effusion: insights and implications
Authors: Przysucha Natalia , Paplińska-Goryca Magdalena , Górska Katarzyna , Misiukiewicz-Stępień Paulina , Mlącki Michał , Cyran Agata , Krenke Rafal 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background and objective: Chitinases and chitinase-like proteins are thought to be involved in the pathophysiology of lung diseases. The study was designed to evaluate the significance of chitotriosidase (CHIT1) and YKL-40 in tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE), to identify the cellular sources of these proteins in pleural fluid, and to assess the diagnostic performance of chitinases as potential biomarkers of TPE.
Methods: This retrospective, single-centre study included 66 patients with pleural effusion of different origins: malignant pleural effusion (MPE), TPE, parapneumonic pleural effusion (PPE), and pleural transudate (TE). YKL-40 and CHIT1 protein levels were measured in pleural effusions, while YKL-40 and CHIT1 expression was evaluated by the immunohistochemical staining in tuberculoid granulomas.
Results: The highest levels of CHIT1 and YKL-40 were found for TPE 70.51 ng/ml (49.65-136.98 ng/ml) and 569.84 ng/ml (530.32-706.01 ng/ml), respectively. The amount of YKL-40 in TPE was significantly higher than in PPE [387.98 ng/ml (262.94-539.09 ng/ml),(p<0.01)] and TE [(254.95 ng/ml (188.93-334.1 ng/ml), (p<0.001)]. A strong positive correlations between YKL-40 level in TPE and the percentage of macrophages (r=0.73, p=0.003) and adenosine deaminase activity (r=0.82, p<0.001) were demonstrated. Pleural YKL-40 (higher than 500 ng/ml) could be helpful in differentiating between tuberculosis vs. non-tuberculosis effusions (sensitivity 78.85%, specificity 85.7%, and AUC of 0.85). We revealed a clearly detectable expression of YKL-40 in the tuberculoid granulomas, whereas the presence of CHIT1 in this material was negligible.
Conclusion: Our study showed that YKL-40 but not CHIT-1 may contribute to the pleural inflammatory response associated with tuberculosis.
Neutrophil chemotaxis score and chemotaxis-related genes have the potential for clinical application to prognosticate the survival of patients with tumours
Authors: Yang Yunxi , Yang Jun , Li Linbin , Shao Yiming , Liu Lu , Sun Bingwei 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

As frontline cells, the precise recruitment of neutrophils is crucial for resolving inflammation and maintaining the homeostasis of the organism. Increasing evidence suggests the pivotal role of neutrophil chemotaxis in cancer progression and metastasis. Here, we collected clinical data and peripheral blood samples from patients with tumours to examine the alterations in the neutrophil quantity and chemotactic function using the Cell Chemotaxis Analysis Platform (CCAP). Transcriptome sequencing data of pan-cancer were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression model, a total of 29 genes were selected from 155 neutrophil- and chemotaxis-related genes to construct the ChemoScore model. Meanwhile, nomogram-based comprehensive model was established for clinical application. Furthermore, immunofluorescence staining was employed to assess the relationship between the neutrophils infiltrating and the survival outcomes of tumours. In this observational study, the chemotactic function of neutrophils in patients was notably diminished. The establishment and validation of ChemoScore suggested neutrophil chemotaxis to be a risk factor in most tumours, whereby higher scores were associated with poorer survival outcomes and were correlated with various immune cells and malignant biological processes. Moreover, IF staining of tumour tissue substantiated the adverse correlation between neutrophil infiltration and the survival of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (P = 0.0002) and colon adenocarcinoma (P = 0.0472). Taken together, patients with tumours demonstrated a decrease in chemotactic function. ChemoScore potentially prognosticates the survival of patients with tumours. Neutrophil chemotaxis provides novel directions and theoretical foundations for anti-tumour treatment.
Which voxel-wise resting state fMRI metric is the most discriminatory for concussion? A secondary analysis.
Authors: Sharma Bhanu , Nowikow Cameron , Zhu Calvin , Noseworthy Michael D 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Background Concussions are among the most common sport-related injuries. While symptoms remain the most widely studied outcome, other measures such as resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) are being increasingly studied to better understand the neurophysiology of concussion. The basis for rsfMRI is the temporal blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal, which shows complex changes in brain activity over the course of a scan. The BOLD signal can be operationalized in many ways, which effects how the data are analyzed and interpreted. It is therefore important for neuroimaging researchers to understand which rsfMRI metric is most discriminatory between concussion subjects and healthy controls, as such knowledge may aid in the design of future studies. The primary purpose of our study was to employ a random forest approach to determine which BOLD signal metric (of which we selected six) was most discriminatory between concussion subjects and healthy controls. As a secondary objective, we aimed to understand which anatomical regions of interest in the brain were most discriminatory between these two groups.Methods We performed a secondary data analysis of prospectively collected concussion data (n = 28), alongside healthy control data retrieved through an open-source neuroimaging repository (n = 379). After pre-processing data in CONN 21a, six BOLD metrics were computed: mean, standard deviation, Lyapunov exponent, sample entropy, amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF), and fractional ALFF (fALFF). Using a 60/20/20 (training/testing/validation) split of the data, random forest models were built using 'scikit-learn' and 'imbalanced-learn' to determine which metrics and anatomical regions of interest were most discriminatory between concussion and healthy subjects.Results We found that ALFF was the most discriminatory BOLD metric, with an ROC AUC = 0.993. With respect to regions of interest, we found that the BOLD signal from the cerebellum, vermis, and putamen (left) were most often discriminatory.Conclusions Our study provides concussion neuroimaging researchers with insight into which rsfMRI metrics may be discriminatory between groups, as well as which anatomical regions may help distinguish between concussion and healthy subjects. This may inform the design of new research studies that take aim at assessing or monitoring concussion using rsfMRI.Trial registration: Not applicable.
A nested case-control study of plasma-based extracellular vesicles biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Yang Li , He Liang , Wang Yali , Xuan Cheng , Yu Caiyan , Yan Jing 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Determining a non-invasive, serum-based diagnostic panel for early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) will play a significant role in the prevention and treatment of AD. The emerging role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in intercellular communication has stimulated renewed interest in exploring the potential application of EVs as tools for early diagnosis in AD. We retrospectively identified 2 diagnostic groups of 50 individuals, 25 AD and 25 were healthy controls. Plasma neuron-derived extracellular vesicles (NDEVs) were isolated, characterization and high throughput analysis were conducted. ROC curve analysis was used to determine the performance of the EVs biomarkers and diagnosis models. In the screening of significantly different proteins, the expression change (FC) > 2.0 times (up-regulated greater than 2.0 times or down-regulated less than 0.5 times) and P value < 0.05 (T-test) were used as criteria to obtain the up-regulated and down-regulated EVs proteins between comparison groups. In this study, 8 EVs protein biomarkers were screened, including Fibrinogen-like protein 1 (FGL1), Glucosidase 2 subunit beta (PRKCSH), Phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinase type-2 alpha (PIP4K2A), cDNA FLJ78516 (FLJ78516), Ras GTPase-activating protein 3 (RASA3), Nck-associated protein 1 (NCKAP1), Hematopoietic progenitor cell antigen CD34 (CD34), and Angiopoietin-1 (ANGPT1). Among them, FGL1, PRKCSH and PIP4K2A are up-regulated EVs biomarkers, and the other 5 are down-regulated ones. Our study developed an approach including of EVs protein biomarkers, that could be used to distinguish AD from control candidates, thus providing an additional approach that can be used to complement classical diagnosis methods.
Simulation and Training for Pediatric Colorectal Surgery and Anorectal Malformation: A Scoping review
Authors: Sharma Shilpa , Sarkar Asia 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Purpose: To study the published literature for various models used for simulation and training in the field of pediatric colorectal surgery.
Method: A PubMed search was conducted for studies of simulation models in anorectal malformation on 24 March 2024 with the search words ‘simulation pediatric colorectal surgery’ followed by another search on ‘simulation AND anorectal malformation’ that gave 22 and 14 results respectively (total 36). After removing 4 duplicate publications, 12 were found relevant to simulation and training in colorectal diseases. One publication relevant to the topic was added from literature, 13 articles were studied.
Results: Of these 5;1;4;3 were on Inanimate models; Animate model; 3D reconstructions; Training. Simulation models are available for Posterior sagittal anorectoplasty. The same inanimate model was used in 5 articles. The animate model was based on a chicken cadaver. 3D models have been made for personalized preoperative assessment and to understand the imaging in anorectal malformation. One 3D model was made by regeneration of organoid epithelium. Training modules were made to evaluate surgical dissection, standardize surgical techniques and improve proficiency.
Conclusions:Simulation models are an important tool for teaching the steps of surgery and discussing the nuances of operative complications amongst mentors and peers. With advances in this field, the development of high-fidelity models, more training modules and consensus on surgical techniques will benefit surgical training.