bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pharmaco-therapeutic potentials of Mucuna pruriens (L.) in male infertility and associated sexual dysfunctions
Authors: Parveen Rehana , Baruah Himangshu , Bramhankar Rakesh , Munishwar Nisha 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Mucuna pruriens (L.) (MP), also known as Kapikacchu in Sanskrit, is a well-known medicinal plant, the seed of which is commonly used in traditional systems of medicine worldwide, mainly for treating male infertility and associated conditions. Infertility is a multifactorial disease process with several potential contributing causes, among which male factors contribute to almost 50% of cases of infertility, the causative factors of which can be counted from faulty lifestyle to stress factors. In Ayurvedic system of medicine, various formulations of MP are explained in Vajikarana (Aphrodisiac) context. In this review, Pubmed, Google Scholar, Scopemed, and other online databases, including fields of pharmacology, pharmacognosy, and health, and published chapters of both classical and contemporary books, were rationally scrutinized to find out the scope, research possibilities, and potential role in improving male infertility and associated sexual dysfunctions. After thorough scrutiny, it has been observed that MP has an action on multiple aspects of infertility like aging, depression, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and Parkinson’s disease due to the presence of a complex mixture of alkaloids (like L-DOPA and its metabolites) and its nutritional component, along with its antioxidant and adaptogenic properties, which raises hope for the researchers to explore the effect of the drug in more accurate and aggressive way to fulfill the demand of the global issue.
Use of ROC curve analysis for prediction gives fallacious results: Use predictivity-based indices
Authors: Indrayan A , Malhotra RK , Pawar M 
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACT
The area under the ROC curve is frequently used for assessing the predictive efficacy of a model, and the Youden index is commonly used to provide the optimal cut-off. Both are misleading tools for predictions. A ROC curve is drawn for the sensitivity of a quantitative test against its (1 – specificity) at different values of the test. Both sensitivity and specificity are retrospective in nature as these are indicators of correct classification of already known conditions. They are not indicators of future events and are not valid for predictions. Predictivity intimately depends on the prevalence which may be ignored by sensitivity and specificity. We explain this fallacy in detail and illustrate with several examples that the actual predictivity could differ greatly from the ROC curve-based predictivity reported by many authors. The predictive efficacy of a test or a model is best assessed by the percentage correctly predicted in a prospective framework. We propose predictivity-based ROC curves as tools for providing predictivities at varying prevalence in different populations. For optimal cut-off for prediction, in place of the Youden index, we propose a P-index where the sum of positive and negative predictivities is maximum after subtracting 1. To conclude, for correctly assessing adequacy of a prediction models, predictivity-based ROC curves should be used instead of the usual sensitivity-specificity-based ROC curves and the P-index should replace the Youden index.
Clinical value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography combined with computed tomography angiography in large-vessel vasculitis
Authors: Wang Rui , Zhang Jifeng , Wang Dongxue , Yang Funing , Li Ping 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of this study were to investigate the clinical application of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) combined with CT angiography (CTA) fusion images at diagnosis and assessment in large-vessel vasculitis (LVV).

MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Forty-six patients with LVV who underwent both 18F-FDG-PET/CT and CTA procedures were studied in the Second Hospital of Harbin Medical University from September 2019 to June 2022, and the clinical disease activity of patients was judged by the Physician Global Assessment. Clinical data, acute-phase reactants (APRs), and imaging data were collected. Meanwhile, the APRS must be obtained within 1 week of 18F-FDG-PET/CT. 18F-FDG-PET/CT was primarily used to evaluate LVV activity, while CTA was primarily used to observe morphological changes in arteries, including arterial wall thickening, narrowing, and corresponding complications. PET/CT images were evaluated by two nuclear medicine physicians, both of them unaware of the patients’ laboratory tests and clinical signs. Two nuclear medicine specialists evaluated the PET/CT images and PET/CTA images, who were blinded to the patients’ information. The concordance of two physicians in the LVV visual grading scale was studied by calculating the Cohen’s kappa index (k) which evaluates the power of concordance. The paired t-test was used to analyze the differences between PET/CTA images and PET/CT images.

RESULTS:
The sensitivity and specificity of the semi-quantitative analysis to assess LVV activity was 94.1% and 93.1%, respectively, when a cutoff of the mean SUVmax/SUVmeanliver of 1.15. It was found that the images obtained after delayed phase were clearer and the contrast between the arterial wall and the lumen was higher in 19 patients. We also concluded that PET/CTA examinations were able to detect more lesion sites compared to PET/CT examinations in 28 patients (P < 0.001), especially for patients with long-term treatment, and the interpretation of PET/CTA images took less time than PET/CT images(P < 0.001), ultimately achieving a shorter time, more comprehensive and accurate interpretation.

CONCLUSION:
Although 18F-FDG-PET/CT can assess the activity of LVV, it is poor at observing morphological changes in arteries. The use of 18F-FDG-PET/CTA imaging scans in LVV can accurately assess disease activity while at the same time providing a comprehensive, accurate, and efficient determination of disease severity, allowing patients to receive comprehensive diagnostic information from PET/CTA examination.
A study to assess the help-seeking behavior of patients and their caregivers with mental health problems visiting a tertiary care center in Hyderabad
Authors: Archana R. , Kondaparthi Phanikanth , Boorla Vivaswan , Akula Vishal , George Reddy V. 
Published: May 2024

Background:
Various sources of help are available for mental health issues among the common public, such as faith healers, family physicians, religious heads, registered medical practitioners, private medical practitioners, or alternative medicine practitioners. Psychiatrists are usually the last resort and are least preferred due to stigma. This study was carried out to know the various help-seeking behaviors used by mentally ill subjects before visiting a mental hospital.

Aim:
The aim of this study was to assess the help-seeking behavior among psychiatric subjects visiting a mental hospital.

Study Setting and Design:
This was a cross-sectional study. 100 new subjects visiting the psychiatric out patient service at a tertiary care hospital in Hyderabad were interviewed on a semi-structured questionnaire for the various services utilized by them for their mental health problems.

Materials and Methods:
Institutional Ethics Committee approval was obtained for conducting this study. Participants who fulfilled the assessment criteria were taken up for the study and explained about the procedure and written informed consent was obtained. Intake pro forma was administered to record the sociodemographic details. Socioeconomic status was recorded using the modified Kuppuswamy scale.

Results:
Psychiatrists were the first choice in 47% of the cases, followed by nonpsychiatric physicians and religious faith healers. Important reasons to seek help from different sources included easy accessibility, belief in the system or particular healer, and good reputation. The mean expenditure per visit to service was the highest for the nonpsychiatric physician and the lowest for alternative system practitioners.

Conclusions:
In the present study, it was found that subjects sought help from a psychiatrist initially. Through this study, it was found that the maximum expenditure was incurred when initial contact was with a nonpsychiatric physician, and the least when initial contact was with a psychiatrist. The level of education among caregivers has a direct impact on choosing a psychiatrist for professional help above others as a first resort.
Phenomenology, clinical profile, and substance use of patients with unipolar and bipolar depression – A cross-sectional comparative study
Authors: Kathalingam Kanmani Veerappan , Thirumalai Ranganathan 
Published: May 2024

Background:
A comparison of the clinical course and symptom profile of unipolar (UP) and bipolar (BP) depression reveals many similarities as well as subtle differences between the two syndromes. Phenomenological and clinical features that would distinguish BP from UP depression can help in appropriate and early treatment. This could, in turn, influence the choice of treatment, clinical course, and outcomes. Misdiagnosing BP depression as a major depressive disorder early may result in manic switch and/or rapid cycling. Most of the published literature in this area is from the Western world. We, therefore, aimed to study phenomenology, clinical factors, and substance use among patients with BP and UP depression. This study would potentially contribute to the existing literature and help in better diagnosis and treatment.

Aim and Objectives:
The aim of this study was to assess the clinical profile and substance use among patients with UP and BP depression and to determine the predictors of bipolarity.

Materials and Methods:
Fifty patients with BP and 50 with UP depression who satisfied the International Classification of Diseases, tenth edition criteria were included in our study. We assessed our participants using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, and a self-designed, semi-structured pro forma for obtaining sociodemographic, clinical, and substance use profiles.

Results:
Younger males with a greater number of episodes, earlier onset of illness, greater number of hospitalizations, and higher psychotic symptoms were found in our BP depression group. Logistic regression identified male gender, family history of substance use, history of alcohol dependence, ideas of guilt, forgetfulness, psychomotor agitation, deliberate self-harm, delusion, and hallucinations as predictors of bipolarity (odds ratio = 2.97; 2.25; 9.06; 2.45; 2.43; 16.97; 7.11; 9.33; and 11.46, respectively).

Conclusions:
Young male individuals with a history of substance use, psychotic symptoms, and psychomotor agitation should be carefully evaluated for bipolarity. We need prospective studies with a large sample size to identify early clinical markers of bipolarity.
A comparative study of expressed emotions in caregivers of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder
Authors: Katta Subhker , Rao Sireesha Srinivas , Boosa Raghuveer Raju , Elukapally Omesh , Molanguri Umashamkar , Bhavana Sai 
Published: May 2024

Background:
While expressed emotions (EEs) have been extensively explored in schizophrenia, there is a notable scarcity of literature concerning their study in bipolar affective disorder (BPAD). Few studies have directly compared EEs in these two psychiatric conditions. This research addresses this gap by examining the nuanced dynamics of emotional expression within familial and social contexts in both schizophrenia and BPAD. Hence, this study was done to investigate and compare the EEs in caregivers of patients with schizophrenia and BPAD.

Methodology:
Sociodemographic data were collected in intake pro forma from caregivers of outpatient and inpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and BPAD as per the International Classification of Diseases 10. Primary caregivers of patients who met inclusion criteria were administered the Family Emotional Involvement and Criticism Scale (FEICS). Patients were administered the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale to study psychopathology. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation (SD), and unpaired t-test were applied for continuous variables. Chi-square for categorical data, Spearman correlation test was used to study the correlation between the psychopathology of patients and EEs among caregivers.

Results:
The mean score of the perceived criticism subscale of FEICS of caregivers of BPAD was found to be 2.22 ± 0.68 SD and the emotional involvement subscale was 1.54 ± 0.58 SD. The mean score of the perceived criticism subscale of schizophrenia caregivers was 1.72 ± 0.73 and the emotional involvement subscale was 1.34 ± 0.471. The EE score across both perceived criticism and emotional involvement subscales was more in BPAD than in schizophrenia (P ≤ 0.001). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the YMRS score and perceived criticism subscale scores (P ≤ 0.001), and there was also a statistically significant positive correlation between PANSS scores and perceived criticism and emotional involvement subscales of EE (P ≤ 0.001). No association was found between the severity of EE and sociodemographic factors of caregivers.

Conclusions:
The presence of high scores of EE among caregivers of BPAD signifies psychopathology in the family. This calls for providing psychosocial measures for caregivers so that they can take care of their ill family members effectively.
Linguistic equivalence, internal consistency, and factor structure of the Telugu version of the PRIME Screen-Revised, a tool to screen individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis
Authors: Tikka Sai Krishna , Kusneniwar Govindrao N. , Agarwal Neeraj , D’Avossa Giovanni , Katshu Mohammad Zia Ul Haq 
Published: May 2024

Background:
Research from India studying individuals at high risk of psychosis is deemed necessary. The Prevention through Risk Identification, Management, and Education (PRIME) Screen-Revised (PS-R) is a commonly used tool to screen individuals at high risk of psychosis. We aimed to translate PS-R into Telugu and assess the linguistic equivalence, reliability (internal consistency), and factor structure of the PS-R, administered in a community youth sample.

Methodology:
PS-R was translated to Telugu by the standard “forward-translation-back-translation” method, and linguistic equivalence was assessed in 20 bilingual youth by Haccoun’s technique. Data for assessing reliability and factor structure were collected using a community-based household study conducted in the Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district of Telangana. Two villages from a rural area, Bommalaramaram, and two wards from an urban area, Bhongir, were chosen. Data from 613 (387 rural and 226 urban) youth aged 15–24 years were included in the analysis. Spearman–Brown coefficient was calculated as a measure of split-half reliability. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to measure its factor structure.

Results:
Linguistic equivalence was statistically confirmed using inter-version correlation coefficients. Spearman–Brown reliability coefficient was 0.774. Principal component analysis showed that 12 scale items were significantly loaded by 3 latent factors with eigenvalues of 3.105, 1.223, and 1.08, respectively. Factor solution showed that 6, 3, and 2 items correlated with the three factors, respectively.

Conclusions:
We conclude that the Telugu version of the PS-R is fairly reliable and valid for screening individuals at high risk for psychosis among community youth. The three factors represent “positive symptoms of schizophrenia and distress,” “positive schizotypy,” and “apophenia and magical foretelling.”
Placental thickness and its relationship to gestational age and fetal growth parameters in normal singleton pregnancies in the central region of Togo
Authors: Gbande Pihou , Tchaou Mazamaesso , Kafupi Pacifique Kwokwo , Sonhaye Lantam , Agoda-Koussema Lama Kegdigoma , Adjenou Komlanvi 
Published: May 2024

Introduction:Accurate determination of gestational age (GA) is necessary for qualitative obstetric care, and ultrasound fetal biometry parameters are used when the last menstrual period is not known. The aim of this study was to measure by ultrasound the placental thickness (PT) and correlate it with GA and fetal growth parameters.Population and Methods:This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the Radiology and Medical Imaging Department of Sokode Regional Hospital. All low-risk pregnancies from the 11thweek were included. Excel and R 4.2.2 software were used. A significance level of 5% was established for the statistical tests.Results:A total of 256 pregnancies were recorded. The mean of PT was 29.89 ± 7.42 mm. The mean of PT in the first, second, and third trimesters was 13.50 ± 3.67 mm, 24.61 ± 4.12 mm, and 34.65 ± 4.17 mm, respectively. There was a strong positive linear correlation between PT and GA (r= 0.87,P< 0.00001) and between PT and estimated fetal weight (EFW) (r= 0.80,P< 0.00001). The linear relationship between PT and GA could be expressed by the equation: GA = 0.894*PT-0.103. Similarly, the linear relationship between PT and EFW could be expressed by the equation EFW = 127.314*PT-2563.561. There was a strong linear correlation between PT and parameters such as biparietal diameter (r= 0.88,P< 0.00001), head circumference (r= 0.89,P< 0.00001), and femur length (r= 0.89,P< 0.00001).Conclusions:This study demonstrated a correlation between PT and fetal growth parameters, suggesting that PT can be utilized to monitor fetal growth.
Construction of a Multicellular Communication Network Model for Cell Co-Culture Technology and Evaluation of Its Simulation Capability
Authors: Geng Yuan-Yuan , Wei Chao , Chen Guo-Fei , Zhang Bai-Xia 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Objective:
Cell co-culture technology has been widely used to analyze the effects of drugs on cell proliferation and the expression of some proteins in cells, especially in the field of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM); however, the interactions between cells and the transmission of TCM effects between cells have not been adequately studied.

Materials and Methods:
Using data on gene transcription regulation, biological response, signal channel, and cell-specific expression protein, we built a network for cell types based on entity grammar. Through the correspondence and location information of signal molecules and receptors, type-specific networks of single cells were connected and a multicellular network of smooth muscle cells, neurons, and vascular endothelial cells was constructed. The mechanism of action of nimodipine was analyzed based on the multicellular communication network and its simulation capability was evaluated.

Results:
The outputs generated by the model developed in this study showed that nimodipine inhibited smooth muscle contraction, due to the overload of Ca2+ and the toxicity of excitatory amino acids, and protected neurons and vascular endothelial cells by supporting cell proliferation and inhibiting cell apoptosis. These results were consistent with the known mechanism of nimodipine action, thus confirming that the multicellular network can be used to study the transmission of drug effects among cells.

Conclusions:
This study lays a foundation for the analysis of the transmission of drug effects in multi-cells, tissues, organs, and other spatial scales through multicellular co-culture experiments, based on a multicellular communication network. In addition, it provides a biological network model for the analysis of TCM action mechanisms.
Inhibiting Effect and Mechanism of Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf on Intestinal Fibrosis of CCD-18Co Cells
Authors: Cui Qin-Dan , Shen Li-Dan , Bai Yuan , Azhar Muhammad , Deng Jun , Huang Xian-Ju , Tong Hai-Ying 
Published: May 2024

Objective:
The objective of the study was to explore the potential signaling mechanism of Aconitum tanguticum (Maxim.) Stapf (ATS) and its impact on intestinal fibrosis in vitro.

Methods:
Network pharmacology was used to screen the active components of ATS and predict their potential targets in intestinal fibrosis. The protein–protein interaction network graph was constructed using drug–disease intersection targets retrieved from the Search Tool for Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins database. The network diagram was analyzed using Cytoscape 3.6.1’stopology function. The gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were conducted using the database for annotation, visualization, and integrated discovery platform. Intestinal fibroblast model in vitro was constructed using transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced CCD-18Co cells. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the network pharmacology-predicted antifibrotic signaling pathway of ATS and the traditional antifibrotic signaling pathway.

Results:
Network pharmacology revealed that there were 19 active components in ATS, suggesting that ATS could be involved in the regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1), PIK3CA, MAPK3, and other important targets that are present in cancer pathways, including proteoglycans, influenza A, and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathways. The results of quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) demonstrated that 0.1–1 μg/mL ATS may suppress tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1, collagen I, and alpha-smooth muscle actin expression levels. The expression of the TGF-β/suppressor of the mother against decapentaplegic (Smad) and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways was controlled by ATS. In addition, ATS inhibited the PI3K/Akt pathway by reducing the expression of MAPK1, HSP90AA1, and PIK3CA.

Conclusions:
It has been confirmed that ATS is a multipathway and multitarget treatment for intestinal fibrosis. This study suggested that ATS might alleviate intestinal fibrosis by blocking both the TGF-β/Smad and the PI3K/Akt pathway.