bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of drug-eluting bead with conventional transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Zhou Tan-Yang , Tao Guo-Fang , Zhou Guan-Hui , Zhang Yue-Lin , Zhu Tong-Yin , Chen Sheng-Qun , Wang Hong-Liang , Wang Bao-Quan , Jing Li , Chen Feng 
Published: May 2024

Background:
Drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) has shown efficacy for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT). However, whether DEB-TACE is superior to conventional TACE (cTACE) remains unclear.

Objective:
This randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of DEB-TACE versus cTACE in treating HCC with PVTT.

Methods:
The study was conducted at a tertiary care center in Southeast China. HCC patients with PVTT were randomized at a 1:1 ratio into the DEB-TACE or cTACE groups. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and the incidence of adverse events (AEs). An independent review committee assessed the radiologic response according to the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST). AEs were assessed by the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.0. Systemic therapies were not restricted.

Results:
Between September 2018 and July 2020, 163 patients were randomized to undergo DEB-TACE (n=82) or cTACE (n=81). Nine patients were excluded, and 154 patients were included in the final analysis; the median age was 55 years (range, 24–78 years), and 140 (90.9%) were male. The median PFS in the DEB-TACE group was 6.0 months (95% CI, 5.0–10.0) versus 4.0 months (95% CI, 3.0–5.0) in the cTACE group (hazard ratio, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.42–0.95; P=0.027). The DEB-TACE group showed a higher response rate [51 (66.2%) vs. 36 (46.8%); P=0.0015] and a longer median OS [12.0 months (95% CI, 9.0–16.0) vs. 8.0 months (95% CI, 7.0–11.0), P=0.039] than the cTACE group. Multivariate analysis showed that the treatment group, ALBI score, distant metastasis and additional TKIs were the four independent prognostic factors correlated with PFS. In addition, the treatment group, PVTT group and combination with surgery were independently associated with OS. AEs were similar in the two groups, and postembolization syndrome was the most frequent AE.

Conclusion:
DEB-TACE is superior to cTACE in treating HCC patients with PVTT, demonstrating improved PFS and OS with an acceptable safety profile, and may thus emerge as a promising treatment strategy for HCC patients with PVTT.

Trial registration:
Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1800018035.
Call for Action to Target Interhospital Variation in Cardiovascular Mortality, Readmissions, and Length-of-Stay
Authors: Van Wilder Astrid , Bruyneel Luk , Cox Bianca , Claessens Fien , De Ridder Dirk , Janssens Stefan , Vanhaecht Kris 
Published: May 2024

Background:
Excessive interhospital variation threatens healthcare quality. Data on variation in patient outcomes across the whole cardiovascular spectrum are lacking. We aimed to examine interhospital variability for 28 cardiovascular All Patient Refined-Diagnosis-related Groups (APR-DRGs).

Methods:
We studied 103,299 cardiovascular admissions in 99 (98%) Belgian acute-care hospitals between 2012 and 2018. Using generalized linear mixed models, we estimated hospital-specific and APR-DRG-specific risk-standardized rates for in-hospital mortality, 30-day readmissions, and length-of-stay above the APR-DRG-specific 90th percentile. Interhospital variation was assessed based on estimated variance components and time trends between the 2012–2014 and 2016–2018 periods were examined.

Results:
There was strong evidence of interhospital variation, with statistically significant variation across the 3 outcomes for 5 APR-DRGs after accounting for patient and hospital factors: percutaneous cardiovascular procedures with acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, hypertension, angina pectoris, and arrhythmia. Medical diagnoses, with in particular hypertension, heart failure, angina pectoris, and cardiac arrest, showed strongest variability, with hypertension displaying the largest median odds ratio for mortality (2.51). Overall, hospitals performing at the upper-quartile level should achieve improvements to the median level, and an annual 633 deaths, 322 readmissions, and 1578 extended hospital stays could potentially be avoided.

Conclusions:
Analysis of interhospital variation highlights important outcome differences that are not explained by known patient or hospital characteristics. Targeting variation is therefore a promising strategy to improve cardiovascular care. Considering their treatment in multidisciplinary teams, policy makers, and managers should prioritize heart failure, hypertension, cardiac arrest, and angina pectoris improvements by targeting guideline implementation outside the cardiology department.
Arcus Experience: Bridging the Data Science Gap for Nurse Researchers
Authors: Flood Eloise L. , Schweig Lorene , Froh Elizabeth B. , Frankenberger Warren D. , Lebet Ruth M. , Chen-Lim Mei-Lin , Payton K. Joy , McCabe Margaret A. 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Background
For years, nurse researchers have been called upon to engage with “big data” in the electronic health record (EHR) by leading studies focusing on nurse-centric patient outcomes and providing clinical analysis of potential outcome indicators. However, the current gap in nurses’ data science education and training pose a significant barrier.

Objectives
We aimed to evaluate the viability of conducting nurse-led, big-data research projects within a custom-designed computational lab and examine the support required by a team of researchers with little to no big-data experience.

Methods
Four nurse-led research teams developed a research question reliant on existing EHR data. Each team was given its own virtual computational lab populated with raw data. A data science education team provided instruction in coding languages—primarily structured query language and R—and data science techniques to organize and analyze the data.

Results
Three research teams have completed studies, resulting in one manuscript currently undergoing peer-review and two manuscripts in progress. The final team is performing data analysis. Four barriers and four facilitators to big-data projects were identified.

Discussion
As the data-science learning curve is steep, organizations need to help bridge the gap between what is currently taught in doctoral nursing programs and what is required of clinical nurse researchers to successfully engage in big-data methods. Additionally, clinical nurse researchers require protected research time and a data science infrastructure that supports novice efforts with education, mentorship, and computational lab resources.
Reproductive Carrier Screening Results With Maternal Health Implications During Pregnancy
Authors: Souter Vivienne , Prigmore Brittany , Becraft Emily , Repass Elizabeth , Smart Trevor , Sanapareddy Nina , Schweitzer Melissa , Ortiz J. Bryce , Wang Yang , Benn Peter 
Published: May 2024

(Abstracted from Obstet Gynecol 2023;142:1208–1216
Mutations in a single gene (monogenetic) are significant contributors to neonatal and childhood morbidity and mortality. The incidence of these disorders in North America is ≥3.6 per 1000 births.
Medical Management of Ovarian Endometriomas
Authors: Eberle Alexa , Nguyen Dong Bach , Smith Jessica Papillon , Mansour Fady W. , Krishnamurthy Srinivasan , Zakhari Andrew 
Published: May 2024

(Abstracted from Obstet Gynecol 2024;143:53–66
Up to 1 in 10 women of reproductive age is affected by endometriosis, a condition that is characterized by endometrial-like tissue manifesting in the pelvis or abdomen external to the uterus. Approximately two-thirds of patients with endometriosis will experience endometriomas or cysts on the ovaries that are visible on ultrasonography; these cysts are correlated with higher pain levels and damage to healthy ovarian tissue.
Gestational Weight Change in a Diverse Pregnancy Cohort and Mortality Over 50 Years: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study
Authors: Hinkle Stefanie N. , Mumford Sunni L. , Grantz Katherine L. , Mendola Pauline , Mills James L. , Yeung Edwina H. , Pollack Anna Z. , Grandi Sonia M. , Sundaram Rajeshwari , Qiao Yan , Schisterman Enrique F. , Zhang Cuilin 
Published: May 2024

(Abstracted from Lancet 2023;402:1857–1865
Weight gain during pregnancy that exceeds the recommendations updated by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) in 2009 has been associated with greater postpartum weight retention. One systematic review of 9 studies found an association between excessive weight gain during pregnancy and postpartum weight retention of 3.06 kg at 3 years and 4.72 kg at 15 years.
A retrospective multidimensional comparison of microprocessor and mechanical knee users: Analysis of quality of life and satisfaction with the prosthesis
Authors: Cutti Andrea G , Morosato Federico , Gentile Cosimo , Teti Gregorio , Lettieri Emanuele , Gruppioni Emanuele 
Published: May 2024

Background:
Despite the demonstrated greater efficacy of microprocessor knees (MPK) over mechanical knees (MK), the latter is still widely used by persons with transfemoral amputation. Besides motivations related to local insurance policies, quality of life (QoL) and satisfaction with the prosthesis play a key role in user preference.

Objective:
The aim of this study is to compare QoL and satisfaction in a large sample of MPK and MK users and to assess how these outcomes are explained by clinical and demographic characteristics.

Study Design:
Retrospective study.

Methods:
The study was conducted on 75 MPK and 60 MK users. Quality of life was assessed using the EuroQoL Five Dimensions and the EuroQoL Visual Analog Scale questionnaires. Satisfaction was assessed with the Satisfaction with Prosthesis questionnaire. All 3 instruments were self-administered. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted thereafter.

Results:
The difference in satisfaction between MPK and MK users was not statistically significant. Significant differences were observed instead for QoL. From the univariate regression analysis, 6 factors were significant predictors of QoL and satisfaction. On multivariate analysis, the number of significant factors was reduced to 3, namely knee type, age at the first prosthesis, and experience with prosthesis. Type of knee and age at the first prosthesis significantly predicted QoL scores, explaining 12% of EuroQoL Five Dimensions and 25% of EuroQoL Visual Analog Scale variances. Age at the first prosthesis and experience with prosthesis predicted Satisfaction with Prosthesis scores in the multivariate model, explaining 25% of the variance.

Conclusions:
MPK affects QoL but not satisfaction, which is positively driven by patients’ experience with prosthesis and negatively affected by the age at the time of the first prosthesis.
Surgical Management of Postoperative Nipple Necrosis After Inverted Nipple Correction
Authors: Qi Fazhi , Zhang Feng , Zhang Yong , Torres-Guzman Ricardo , Chaker Sara C. , Lineaweaver William , Liu Jiaqi 
Published: May 2024

Introduction
The inverted nipple is a condition that affects approximately 10% of women and can have negative cosmetic and psychological implications. Surgical correction is a common approach to address this concern; however, this method can lead to complications, such as nipple necrosis. As comprehensive guidelines are currently lacking for postoperative nipple necrosis management, this study reports our experience in the management of postoperative nipple necrosis following initial attempt at surgical management.

Methods
A retrospective chart review was conducted and included female patients who experienced postoperative nipple necrosis after inverted nipple correction between 2018 and 2021. Cases of recurrent nipple retraction following partial necrosis and cases of complete nipple necrosis were evaluated. Recurrent nipple retraction was managed using various inverted nipple correction techniques, while complete necrosis required a modified C-V flap for nipple reconstruction.

Results
A total of 25 patients with a total of 42 affected nipples were included. Thirteen cases (26 nipples) experienced recurrent nipple retraction following partial necrosis, while 12 cases (16 nipples) exhibited complete necrosis. No significant predictive variables for these complications were found. Notably, all patients achieved successful healing following single-stage surgical repair. At 6 months postoperation, the treated nipples exhibited satisfactory healing and appearance and an absence of infection or papillary necrosis. Seven reconstructed nipples showed a mean loss of projection (2.7 ± 0.98) compared with only 2 nipples in the inverted nipple correction group.

Conclusions
Distinguishing between recurrent nipple retraction after partial necrosis and complete nipple necrosis is crucial and should be taken into consideration when managing patients following inverted nipple correction.
Out-of-Pocket Costs Among Commercially Insured Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity
Authors: Edwards Michael A. , Wall-Wieler Elizabeth , Liu Yuki , Zheng Feibi , Coviello Andrea 
Published: May 2024

Objective:
To determine out-of-pocket (OOP) costs 2 years after sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or initiating Ozempic for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity.

Background:
Individuals with obesity and T2D have a variety of treatment options. The risks and benefits of these treatment options are becoming more well-documented; however, the real-world patient costs of these options are not known.

Methods:
Adults with body mass index of 35 kg/m2 or higher and T2D who had an SG or used Ozempic were identified in the employer-based retrospective claims database Merative (previously Truven IBM Marketscan) from 2017 to 2021. SG cohort was defined as having an SG (without filling a prescription for Ozempic), and the Ozempic cohort was defined as continuously filling a prescription for Ozempic for at least 2 years (and not having any bariatric surgery). Individuals in each cohort were 1:1 propensity matched on demographics, obesity-related comorbidities, and baseline OOP costs. in the year before treatment. OOP costs were compared in the 2 years after treatment using paired t tests.

Results:
A total of 302 SGs were matched to 302 Ozempic patients (mean age: 50, mean baseline body mass index: 40, 41% males). OOP health care costs were similar for the SG ($2267) and Ozempic ($2131) cohorts 1 year after the index date (difference = $136, P = 0.19). OOP health care costs were significantly lower in the SG cohort ($1155 vs $2,084, P < 0.01) 2 years after the index date.

Conclusions:
Within 2 years of starting treatment, OOP health care costs were significantly lower among individuals who had a SG versus those treated with Ozempic.
Acute drug induced parkinsonian akinesia is associated with reduced rate and increased regularity of neuronal activity in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus of unanesthetized rats
Authors: Lu Xiaodong , Wickens Jeffery R. , Hyland Brian I. 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus of the brainstem is important for a wide range of functions, including sensorimotor integration and regulation of locomotion and discrete forelimb movements. Evidence suggests it is structurally disordered as part of the neuropathology of the movement disorder Parkinson’s disease. To assess whether neuronal activity is also affected in parkinsonian model animals we used single neuron recordings in free moving rats to determine the effects of acute drug-induced parkinsonism on the firing rate of the neurons. Acute parkinsonian akinesia was associated with reduction in resting firing rate and increased firing regularity, consistent with reduced excitability in this state.
In Parkinson’s disease, affective and chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms are associated with neuronal damage markers
Authors: Al-Hakeim Hussein Kadhem , Khudhair Hayder Naji , Ranaei-Siadat Sayed-Omid , Fatemi Fataneh , Mirzajani Fateme , Niu Mengqi , Maes Michael 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBackgroundParkinson’s disease (PD) is frequently accompanied by mood and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) symptoms. It is unknown whether immune activation and insulin resistance (IR) or brain injuries impacts the severity of affective and CFS symptoms due to PD.AimsTo examine whether immune, IR, and/or brain injury biomarkers determine affective and CFS symptoms due to PD.MethodsUsing a case (70 PD patients) control (60 healthy controls) study design, we assessed affective and CFS symptoms, measured the peripheral immune-inflammatory response system (IRS) using interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10, zinc, and calcium levels, the Homeostasis Model Assessment 2 insulin resistance (HOMA2IR) index, and serum brain injury markers including S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), phosphorylated tau217 (pTau217), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).ResultsPD patients showed increased affective and CFS scores, IRS activation, HOMA2IR, NSE, GFAP, pTau217, and S100B levels as compared to controls. A large part (52.5%) of the variance in the mood+CFS score was explained by the regression on NSE, S100B, HOMA2IR index, interleukin-10 (IL-10) (all positively) and calcium (inversely). The HOMA2IR and IRS indices were significantly associated with all 4 brain injury biomarkers. A large part of the variance in the latter markers (37.0%) was explained by the cumulative effects of the IRS and HOMA2IR indices.DiscussionRS activation and IR in patients with PD contribute to damage to glial cell projections and type III intermediate filament, which in turn contribute to affective and CFS symptoms.
Spatially tuneable multi-omics sequencing using light-driven combinatorial barcoding of molecules in tissues
Authors: Battistoni Giorgia , Torres-Garcia Sito , Sia Chee Ying , Corriero Silvia , Boquetale Carla , Williams Elena , Alini Martina , Hemmer Nicole ,   IMAXT consortium, Balasubramanian Shankar , Nicholson Benjamin Czech , Hannon Gregory J. , Bressan Dario 
Published: May 2024

AbstractMapping the molecular identities and functions of cells within their spatial context is key to understanding the complex interplay within and between tissue neighbourhoods. A wide range of methods have recently enabled spatial profiling of cellular anatomical contexts, some offering single-cell resolution. These use different barcoding schemes to encode either the location or the identity of target molecules. However, all these technologies face a trade-off between spatial resolution, depth of profiling, and scalability. Here, we presentBarcoding byActivatedLinkage of Indexes (BALI), a method that uses light to write combinatorial spatial molecular barcodes directly onto target molecules in situ, enabling multi-omic profiling by next generation sequencing. A unique feature of BALI is that the user can define the number, size, and shape, and resolution of the spatial locations to be interrogated, with the potential to profile millions of distinct regions with subcellular precision. As a proof of concept, we used BALI to capture the transcriptome, chromatin accessibility, or both simultaneously, from distinct areas of the mouse brain in single tissue sections, demonstrating strong concordance with publicly available datasets. BALI therefore combines high spatial resolution, high throughput, histological compatibility, and workflow accessibility to enable powerful spatial multi-omic profiling.
MEM-based pangenome indexing fork-mer queries
Authors: Hwang Stephen , Brown Nathaniel K. , Ahmed Omar Y. , Jenike Katharine M. , Kovaka Sam , Schatz Michael C. , Langmead Ben 
Published: May 2024

AbstractPangenomes are growing in number and size, thanks to the prevalence of high-quality long-read assemblies. However, current methods for studying sequence composition and conservation within pangenomes have limitations. Methods based on graph pangenomes require a computationally expensive multiple-alignment step, which can leave out some variation. Indexes based onk-mers and de Bruijn graphs are limited to answering questions at a specific substring lengthk. We present Maximal Exact Match Ordered (MEMO), a pangenome indexing method based on maximal exact matches (MEMs) between sequences. A single MEMO index can handle arbitrary-length queries over pangenomic windows. MEMO enables both queries that testk-mer presence/absence (membership queries) and that count the number of genomes containingk-mers in a window (conservation queries). MEMO’s index for a pangenome of 89 human autosomal haplotypes fits in 2.04 GB, 8.8×smaller than a comparable KMC3 index and 11.4×smaller than a PanKmer index. MEMO indexes can be made smaller by sacrificing some counting resolution, with our decile-resolution HPRC index reaching 0.67 GB. MEMO can conduct a conservation query for 31-mers over the human leukocyte antigen locus in 13.89 seconds, 2.5x faster than other approaches. MEMO’s small index size, lack ofk-mer length dependence, and efficient queries make it a flexible tool for studying and visualizing substring conservation in pangenomes.
Determinants of infant formula feeding in Debre Berhan city: A community-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Zekarias Fitsum , Gashu Alemtsehaye , Damtew Agmasie , Amera Michael , Mulugeta Besufikad , Hailemeskel Solomon 
Published: May 2024

AbstractIntroductionExclusively breastfed infants experience more rapid growth in the first 6 months than other infants. This is because exclusive breastfeeding offers infants a food source (breast milk) that is packed with essential nutrients, immune-boosting elements, and other biologically active compounds crucial for optimal growth and development. However, owing to the increasingly expanding market for breast milk substitutes, the duration of breastfeeding is declining worldwide.ObjectiveTo assess the determinants of infant formula feeding among mothers of infants aged 0-6 months in Debre Berhan city, 2023Methods and MaterialsBetween the 10thand 20thof May 2023, a total of 656 mothers were selected by employing a multistage sampling technique. The data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, and the results are presented using frequencies, percentages, and graphs. In addition, bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were employed to identify predictors of infant formula feeding. According to the multivariable logistic regression models, variables with a p value less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant predictors of infant formula feeding, and the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) was used to indicate the degree of association between the predictor variables and infant formula feeding.ResultsAccording to our study, 39.7% of the mothers in Debre Berhan city practiced infant formula feeding. In addition, mothers who were aged 25-34 years [AOR = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.26–5.70] or 35-45 years [AOR = 4.74, 95% CI: 1.86–12.1], primipara [AOR = 4.48, 95% CI: 2.69–7.45], had received antenatal care (ANC) [AOR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.74–5.06], had delivered through the caesarian section (C/S) [AOR = 4.28, 95% CI: 2.12–8.65], not aware of the risks of infant formula feeding [AOR = 7.26, 95% CI: 4.09–12.85], or who had initiated breastfeeding after an hour of birth [AOR = 5.27, 95% CI: 3.14–8.85] were more likely to feed their babies infant formula.ConclusionOur findings suggest a high prevalence of infant formula feeding in Debre Berhan city, and the majority of the factors that lead to infant formula feeding are modifiable if proper interventions are implemented.