bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a real-time PCR assay performance to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis, rifampicin, and isoniazid resistance in sputum specimens: a multicenter study in two major cities of Indonesia
Authors: Parwati Ida , Chaidir Lidya , Yunus Muhammad , Montain Maya Marinda , Budhiarko Dini , Selasih Siti Fatimah , Ristandi Ryan Bayusantika , Rachman Rifky Waluyajati , Nurhayati Raden Desy , Pambudi Imran , Budiyati Akterono Dwi 
Published: May 2024

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) is one of the major global health issues due to its high mortality rate, especially in low- and middle-income countries. One of the key success points of the TB eradication program is early TB diagnosis, which requires rapid and accurate diagnostic testing. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a newly developed RT-PCR kit (Indigen MTB/DR-TB RT-PCR) in a routine TB clinical setting.MethodA multi-fluorescence RT-PCR assay was designed and developed to detect regions within IS6110, rpoB, katG, and inhA of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) genes. Sputum specimens were obtained from suspected TB patients who visited TB healthcare facilities in two major cities of Indonesia from September 2022 to May 2023. Specimens were assessed using Indigen MTB/DR-TB RT-PCR, acid-fast bacillus (AFB) smear microscopy, MTB culture, and drug susceptibility testing (DST) methods. Fisher’s exact test (χ2) was used to analyze the Indigen performance relative to culture methods.ResultThe performance of Indigen MTB/DR-TB RT-PCR to detect MTB was assessed using 610 sputum specimens obtained from suspected patients. The overall sensitivity and specificity were 94.12% (95% CI: 90.86–96.48%) and 98.32% (95% CI: 96.20–99.46%), respectively. When the analysis was performed on AFB smear-negative TB subjects (386 subjects), a lower sensitivity level was found at 78.57% (95% CI: 68.26–86.78%), while the specificity level remained similar at 98.34% (95% CI: 96.18–99.46%). The overall performance of Indigen MTB/DR-TB RT-PCR to detect MTB showed substantial agreement with the MTB culture method (kappa value 0.93). In comparison to DST, the sensitivity and specificity levels of Indigen to detect RIF resistance or INH resistance were 78.2% (95% CI: 61.8–90.2%) and 82.8% (95% CI: 64.2–94.2%), respectively, while the specificity level for both groups was at 100% (95% CI, 87.7–100%).ConclusionIndigen MTB/DR-TB RT-PCR demonstrated reliable performance for TB molecular diagnostic testing and can be implemented in routine TB diagnostic settings.
Curcumin in the treatment of inflammation and oxidative stress responses in traumatic brain injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Guo Jinfeng , Li Zhengjie , Yao Yun , Fang Lei , Yu Mingdi , Wang Zuhui 
Published: May 2024

Background and aimTraumatic brain injury (TBI), a leading cause of high morbidity and mortality, represents a significant global public health challenge. Currently, no effective treatment for TBI exists. Curcumin, an active compound extracted from the root of Curcuma longa, has demonstrated neuroprotective properties both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, it has shown potential in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation and enhancing redox balance. This paper conducts a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore curcumin’s role in TBI animal models extensively. The findings offer valuable insights for future human clinical trials evaluating curcumin as a therapeutic supplement or nutraceutical in TBI management.MethodsComprehensive literature searches were conducted across MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. These searches aimed to identify relevant manuscripts in all languages, utilizing the keywords “curcumin” and “traumatic brain injury.”ResultsThe final quantitative analysis included 18 eligible articles corresponding to animal studies. The analysis revealed that curcumin significantly reduced inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β (p = 0.000), IL-6 (p = 0.002), and TNF-α (p = 0.000), across various concentrations, time points, and administration routes. Additionally, curcumin markedly enhanced the activity of oxidative stress markers such as SOD (p = 0.000), Sir2 (p = 0.000), GPx (p = 0.000), and Nrf2 (p = 0.000), while reducing MDA (p = 0.000), 4-HNE (p = 0.001), and oxyprotein levels (p = 0.024). Furthermore, curcumin improved cerebral edema (p = 0.000) and upregulated neuroprotective factors like synapsin I (p = 0.019), BDNF (p = 0.000), and CREB (p = 0.000), without reducing mNSS (p = 0.144). About autophagy and apoptosis, curcumin increased the activity of Beclin-1 (p = 0.000) and Bcl-2 (p = 0.000), while decreasing caspase-3 (p = 0.000), the apoptosis index (p = 0.000), and P62 (p = 0.002).ConclusionCurcumin supplementation positively affects traumatic brain injury (TBI) by alleviating oxidative stress and inflammatory responses and promoting neuroprotection. It holds potential as a therapeutic agent for human TBI. However, this conclusion necessitates further substantiation through high-quality literature and additional randomized controlled trials (RCTs).Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/. The registration number of PROSPERO: CRD42023452685.
The different effects of a sensorimotor grounding on AoA between bilingual concepts
Authors: Xue Jin , Xie Dongcheng , Lu Xinyi , Niu Zihan , Marmolejo-Ramos Fernando 
Published: May 2024

IntroductionPsycholinguistic studies have argued for the age of acquisition (AoA) of words as a marker of concept learning, showing that the semantic features of concepts themselves influence the age at which their labels are learned. However, empirical evidence suggests that semantic features such as imageability and linguistic phenomena such as frequency do not adequately predict AoA. The present study takes the developmental approach of embodied cognition and investigates the effects of sensorimotor experiences on the ease of acquisition of the concept acquired in bilinguals. Specifically, we investigated (1) whether the sensorimotor experience can explain AoA beyond frequency; (2) and whether these patterns are consistent across L1 Chinese and L2 English.MethodsWe conducted sensorimotor rating measures in both Chinese and English on 207 items in which Chinese-English bilingual adults were requested to evaluate the extent to which they experienced concepts by employing six perceptual senses and five effectors for actions located in various regions of the body. Meanwhile, data on AoA and frequency were collected.ResultsThe present study showed the sensorimotor experience was closely linked with AoAs in both languages. However, the correlation analysis revealed a trend of higher correlations between AoAs for the same concepts and L1 Chinese, relative to L2 English for the present Chinese-English bilinguals. Importantly, the hierarchical regression analysis demonstrated that after controlling for frequency, sensorimotor experience explained additional variance in L1 AoA. However, L2 sensorimotor experience did not explain the variance in L2 AoA. Sensorimotor experience explained more share of variance in L1 AoA but frequency accounted for more variance in L2 AoA.DiscussionThe findings suggest that concept acquisition should consider the grounding in appropriate sensorimotor experience beyond linguistic phenomena like frequency.
An audio-semantic multimodal model for automatic obstructive sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome classification via multi-feature analysis of snoring sounds
Authors: Qiu Xihe , Wang Chenghao , Li Bin , Tong Huijie , Tan Xiaoyu , Yang Long , Tao Jing , Huang Jingjing 
Published: May 2024

IntroductionObstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS) is a common sleep-related breathing disorder that significantly impacts the daily lives of patients. Currently, the diagnosis of OSAHS relies on various physiological signal monitoring devices, requiring a comprehensive Polysomnography (PSG). However, this invasive diagnostic method faces challenges such as data fluctuation and high costs. To address these challenges, we propose a novel data-driven Audio-Semantic Multi-Modal model for OSAHS severity classification (i.e., ASMM-OSA) based on patient snoring sound characteristics.MethodsIn light of the correlation between the acoustic attributes of a patient's snoring patterns and their episodes of breathing disorders, we utilize the patient's sleep audio recordings as an initial screening modality. We analyze the audio features of snoring sounds during the night for subjects suspected of having OSAHS. Audio features were augmented via PubMedBERT to enrich their diversity and detail and subsequently classified for OSAHS severity using XGBoost based on the number of sleep apnea events.ResultsExperimental results using the OSAHS dataset from a collaborative university hospital demonstrate that our ASMM-OSA audio-semantic multimodal model achieves a diagnostic level in automatically identifying sleep apnea events and classifying the four-class severity (normal, mild, moderate, and severe) of OSAHS.DiscussionOur proposed model promises new perspectives for non-invasive OSAHS diagnosis, potentially reducing costs and enhancing patient quality of life.
Case report: Massive hepatocellular carcinoma with complete response to the non-surgical systematic treatment strategy
Authors: Li Yun , Lai Yanzhen , Luo Xuqiang , Wu Jian , Wu Kunpeng , Ma Haiqing 
Published: May 2024

BackgroundThe five-year recurrence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains as high as 70%. A complete clinical response has not been observed without surgical resection. Here, we report a rare case of clinical complete response and long-term survival in a patient with massive HCC receiving treatment with immunotherapy, anti-angiogenic therapy, and radiotherapy.Case descriptionA 38-year-old woman presented to our hospital for abdominal pain that persisted for 3 months. She was diagnosed as Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer(BCLC) stage A, with a Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) score of 3, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) staging systems stage IB. She refused surgical resection and trans-arterial chemoembolization and accepted a non-invasive systematic treatment strategy involving immunotherapy, anti-angiogenic therapy, and radiotherapy. Her tumor burden decreased, and she experienced partial response before radiotherapy. Following radiotherapy, she experienced a complete clinical response and has been alive for more than 36 months after her initial presentation. She is currently alive.ConclusionA non-invasive systematic treatment strategy is a potential radical treatment option for patients with massive HCC.
Disparities in time to treatment initiation for rectal cancer patients: an analysis of demographic and socioeconomic factors
Authors: Popp Reed , Bansal Shivam , Sharan Seema , Ahmed Syeda Hoorulain , Sukniam Kulkaew Belle , Raikot Swathi , Popp Kyle , Jiménez Paola Berríos , Manaise Harsheen Kaur , Kowkabany Gabrielle , Attwood Kristopher , Gabriel Emmanuel M. 
Published: May 2024

BackgroundThis study investigated demographic and socioeconomic factors contributing to disparities in the time to treatment for rectal cancer. Subgroup analysis based on age &lt; 50 and ≥ 50 was performed to identify differences in time to treatment among young adults (age &lt; 50) compared to older adults with rectal cancer.MethodsAn analysis was performed using data from the National Cancer Database, spanning from 2004 to 2019. The study encompassed 281,849 patients diagnosed with rectal cancer. We compared time intervals from diagnosis to surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, considering age, sex, race, and socioeconomic variables. Analyses were performed for the entire cohort and for two subgroups based on age (&lt; 50 and ≥ 50).ResultsOverall, Hispanic patients experienced longer times to surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy compared to non-Hispanic patients (surgery: 94.2 vs. 79.1 days, radiation: 65.0 vs. 55.6 days, chemotherapy: 56.4 vs. 47.8 days, all p &lt; 0.001). Patients with private insurance had shorter times to any treatment (32.5 days) compared to those with government insurance or no insurance (30.6 and 32.5 days, respectively, p &lt; 0.001). Black patients experienced longer wait times for both radiation (63.4 days) and chemotherapy (55.2 days) compared to White patients (54.9 days for radiation and 47.3 days for chemotherapy, both p &lt; 0.001). Interestingly, patients treated at academic facilities had longer times to treatment in surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy compared to those treated at comprehensive and community facilities. When analyzed by age, many of the overall differences persisted despite the age stratification, suggesting that these disparities were driven more by demographic and socioeconomic variables rather than by age.ConclusionSignificant differences in the time to treatment for rectal cancer have been identified. Hispanic patients, individuals lacking private insurance, Black patients, and patients receiving care at academic facilities had the longest times to treatment. However, these differences were largely unaffected by the age (&lt; 50 and ≥ 50) subgroup analysis. Further investigation into the causes of these disparities is warranted to develop effective strategies for reducing treatment gaps and enhancing overall care for rectal cancer patients.
A pilot study on interobserver variability in organ-at-risk contours in magnetic resonance imaging-guided online adaptive radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer
Authors: Kurokawa Marie , Tsuneda Masato , Abe Kota , Ikeda Yohei , Kanazawa Aki , Saito Makoto , Kodate Asuka , Harada Rintaro , Yokota Hajime , Watanabe Miho , Uno Takashi 
Published: May 2024

PurposeDifferences in the contours created during magnetic resonance imaging-guided online adaptive radiotherapy (MRgOART) affect dose distribution. This study evaluated the interobserver error in delineating the organs at risk (OARs) in patients with pancreatic cancer treated with MRgOART. Moreover, we explored the effectiveness of drugs that could suppress peristalsis in restraining intra-fractional motion by evaluating OAR visualization in multiple patients.MethodsThis study enrolled three patients who underwent MRgOART for pancreatic cancer. The study cohort was classified into three conditions based on the MRI sequence and butylscopolamine administration (Buscopan): 1, T2 imaging without butylscopolamine administration; 2, T2 imaging with butylscopolamine administration; and 3, multi-contrast imaging with butylscopolamine administration. Four blinded observers visualized the OARs (stomach, duodenum, small intestine, and large intestine) on MR images acquired during the initial and final MRgOART sessions. The contour was delineated on a slice area of ±2 cm surrounding the planning target volume. The dice similarity coefficient (DSC) was used to evaluate the contour. Moreover, the OARs were visualized on both MR images acquired before and after the contour delineation process during MRgOART to evaluate whether peristalsis could be suppressed. The DSC was calculated for each OAR.ResultsInterobserver errors in the OARs (stomach, duodenum, small intestine, large intestine) for the three conditions were 0.636, 0.418, 0.676, and 0.806; 0.725, 0.635, 0.762, and 0.821; and 0.841, 0.677, 0.762, and 0.807, respectively. The DSC was higher in all conditions with butylscopolamine administration compared with those without it, except for the stomach in condition 2, as observed in the last session of MR image. The DSCs for OARs (stomach, duodenum, small intestine, large intestine) extracted before and after contouring were 0.86, 0.78, 0.88, and 0.87; 0.97, 0.94, 0.90, and 0.94; and 0.94, 0.86, 0.89, and 0.91 for conditions 1, 2, and 3, respectively.ConclusionButylscopolamine effectively reduced interobserver error and intra-fractional motion during the MRgOART treatment.
Advances in sequencing and omics studies in prostate cancer: unveiling molecular pathogenesis and clinical applications
Authors: Lu Bingnan , Liu Yifan , Yao Yuntao , Yang Tianyue , Zhang Haoyu , Yang Xinyue , Huang Runzhi , Zhou Wang , Pan Xiuwu , Cui Xingang 
Published: May 2024

BackgroundProstate cancer (PCa) is one of the most threatening health problems for the elderly males. However, our understanding of the disease has been limited by the research technology for a long time. Recently, the maturity of sequencing technology and omics studies has been accelerating the studies of PCa, establishing themselves as an essential impetus in this field.MethodsWe assessed Web of Science (WoS) database for publications of sequencing and omics studies in PCa on July 3rd, 2023. Bibliometrix was used to conduct ulterior bibliometric analysis of countries/affiliations, authors, sources, publications, and keywords. Subsequently, purposeful large amounts of literature reading were proceeded to analyze research hotspots in this field.Results3325 publications were included in the study. Research associated with sequencing and omics studies in PCa had shown an obvious increase recently. The USA and China were the most productive countries, and harbored close collaboration. CHINNAIYAN AM was identified as the most influential author, and CANCER RESEARCH exhibited huge impact in this field. Highly cited publications and their co-citation relationships were used to filtrate literatures for subsequent literature reading. Based on keyword analysis and large amounts of literature reading, ‘the molecular pathogenesis of PCa’ and ‘the clinical application of sequencing and omics studies in PCa’ were summarized as two research hotspots in the field.ConclusionSequencing technology had a deep impact on the studies of PCa. Sequencing and omics studies in PCa helped researchers reveal the molecular pathogenesis, and provided new possibilities for the clinical practice of PCa.
Is bone marrow biopsy and aspiration still mandatory when 18F-FDG PET/CT is available for the initial assessment of bone marrow metastasis in pediatric Ewing sarcoma?
Authors: Du Yifei , Zhao Zhenzhen , Yang Chao 
Published: May 2024

PurposeTo compare the diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) and bone marrow biopsy and aspiration (BMBA) for evaluating bone marrow metastases (BMM) in newly diagnosed pediatric Ewing sarcoma (ES).Material and methodsTo assess the diagnostic accuracy of 18F-FDG PET/CT against BMBA for marrow infiltration in ES patients, a retrospective analysis encompassed 103 ES patients from the Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, spanning nine years, who underwent both 18F-FDG PET/CT and BMBA at the point of diagnosis.ResultsThe median age of this study was 9.3(15 days to 17.1 years), 52(50.5%) patients were male. Among the cohort, 8 subjects received a BMM diagnosis via marrow cytology or histopathology, concomitant with positive 18F-FDG PET/CT findings. An additional 4 patients were identified with BMM solely through 18F-FDG PET/CT. No cytologically or histologically positive BMM were found in PET/CT-negative patients. Therefore, within this selected sample group, the 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging technique exhibited sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 95.8%. The five-year overall survival rate decreased from 57.5% among the entire cohort of patients to a mere 30% for individuals suffering from BMM.ConclusionGiven these findings, the prevailing reliance on BMBA warrants reevaluation when 18F-FDG PET/CT is available, potentially heralding a shift towards less invasive diagnostic modalities in the management of ES.
Epidemiology of the non-head and neck sebaceous carcinoma and implications for distant metastasis screening
Authors: Chen Xi , Hao Yangyang , Chou Mengwei , Yang Jianqiang 
Published: May 2024

IntroductionExtraocular sebaceous carcinoma (SC), particularly those outside the head and neck region, is rare and not well-described.PurposeThis study aimed to explore the epidemiology and identify the prognostic factors of non-head and neck SC, describe the possible relevant factors of distant metastasis, and provide implications for distant metastasis screening.MethodsData from the 17 registries in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database were retrospectively collected for patients with SC outside the head and neck from 2000 through 2020. Overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were the primary endpoints. Survival analysis was conducted through Kaplan–Meier curves, and multivariate analysis was carried out using Cox proportional hazard models.ResultsA total of 1,237 patients with SC outside the head and neck were identified. The mean age at diagnosis of the entire patient cohort was 67.7 years (30 to 90+ years), and the mean tumor size was 2.2 cm (0.1–16 cm). Patients with distant disease experienced the lowest OS (mean, 29.5 months) than those with localized disease and regional disease (p &lt; 0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that age, tumor size, and stage were independent determinants of OS; age, stage, and primary site were independent determinants of DSS. Tumor grade and lymph node status had less prognostic value for survival. Undifferentiated tumors have a trend toward distant metastasis, especially those at the primary site of the trunk.ConclusionThe prognosis of the non-head and neck SC is excellent, while the survival of distant disease is very poor. Distant metastasis screening can be considered for undifferentiated tumors, especially those located in the trunk region with large tumor sizes.
Nomogram built based on machine learning to predict recurrence in early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with ablation
Authors: Zhang Honghai , Sheng Shugui , Qiao Wenying , Sun Yu , Jin Ronghua 
Published: May 2024

IntroductionTo analyze the risk factors affecting recurrence in early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with ablation and then establish a nomogram to provide a clear and accessible representation of the patients’ recurrence risk.MethodsCollect demographic and clinical data of 898 early-stage HCC patients who underwent ablation treatment at Beijing You’an Hospital, affiliated with Capital Medical University from January 2014 to December 2022. Patients admitted from 2014 to 2018 were included in the training cohort, while 2019 to 2022 were in the validation cohort. Lasso and Cox regression was used to screen independent risk factors for HCC patients recurrence, and a nomogram was then constructed based on the screened factors.ResultsAge, gender, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage, tumor size, globulin (Glob) and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) were finally incorporated in the nomogram for predicting the recurrence-free survival (RFS) of patients. We further confirmed that the nomogram has optimal discrimination, consistency and clinical utility by the C-index, Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC), calibration curve and Decision Curve Analysis (DCA). Moreover, we divided the patients into different risk groups and found that the nomogram can effectively identify the high recurrence risk patients by the Kaplan-Meier curves.ConclusionThis study developed a nomogram using Lasso-Cox regression to predict RFS in early-stage HCC patients following ablation, aiding clinicians in identifying high-risk groups for personalized follow-up treatments.