bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Expanding the swimmer’s itch pool of the Benelux: a first record of the neurotropic Trichobilharzia regenti and potential link to human infection
Authors: Schols Ruben , Smitz Nathalie , Vanderheyden Ann , Huyse Tine 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
Swimmer's itch, an allergic contact dermatitis caused by avian and mammalian blood flukes, is a parasitic infection affecting people worldwide. In particular, avian blood flukes of the genus Trichobilharzia are infamous for their role in swimmer’s itch cases. These parasites infect waterfowl as a final host, but incidental infections by cercariae in humans are frequently reported. Upon accidental infections of humans, parasite larvae will be recognized by the immune system and destroyed, leading to painful itchy skin lesions. However, one species, Trichobilharzia regenti, can escape this response in experimental animals and reach the spinal cord, causing neuroinflammation. In the last few decades, there has been an increase in case reports across Europe, making it an emerging zoonosis.

Methods
Following a reported case of swimmer’s itch in Kampenhout in 2022 (Belgium), the transmission site consisting of a private pond and an adjacent creek was investigated through a malacological and parasitological survey.

Results
Six snail species were collected, including the widespread Ampullaceana balthica, a well-known intermediate host for Trichobilharzia parasites. Shedding experiments followed by DNA barcoding revealed a single snail specimen to be infected with T. regenti, a new species record for Belgium and by extension the Benelux. Moreover, it is the most compelling case to date of the link between this neurotropic parasite and cercarial dermatitis. Additionally, an Echinostomatidae sp. and Notocotylus sp. were isolated from two other specimens of A. balthica. However, the lack of reference DNA sequences for these groups in the online repositories prevented genus- and species-level identification, respectively.

Conclusions
The presence of T. regenti in Belgium might have severe clinical implications and its finding highlights the need for increased vigilance and diagnostic awareness among medical professionals. The lack of species-level identification of the other two parasite species showcases the barcoding void for trematodes. Overall, these findings demonstrate the need for a Belgian framework to rapidly detect and monitor zoonotic outbreaks of trematode parasites within the One Health context.

Graphical Abstract
Nephrotic syndrome with rectus sheath hematoma: a case report
Authors: Fujii Ai , Matsuda Yuto , Yabe Tomohisa , Norifumi Hayashi , Fujimoto Keiji , Yamazaki Masahide , Yokoyama Hitoshi , Furuichi Kengo 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
Rectus sheath hematoma is a rare presentation often associated with abdominal trauma and anticoagulant therapy. Here, we present a patient with severe rectus sheath hematoma accompanied by nephrotic syndrome who achieved significant clinical improvement without the need for invasive treatment.

Case presentation
A 72-year-old Japanese woman was referred to our hospital for the treatment of nephrotic syndrome. She was receiving steroid and anticoagulant therapy. Then she had abdominal pain and she was diagnosed with spontaneous rectus sheath hematoma by abdominal computed tomography. She received transfusion and was managed conservatively with bed rest, which led to improvement in abdominal pain.

Conclusion
Despite the absence of trauma history, rectus sheath hematoma should be considered in patients at risk of vascular failure, including those receiving anticoagulant or steroid therapy, those who are elderly, and those with nephrotic syndrome.
Spontaneous knot formation complication of double J: two case reports
Authors: Kolu Ahmet Can , Akan Serkan 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
Use of ureteral stents has become an integral part of urological practice. However, it also brought with it many complications. Double J (DJ) stent knotting is a rare stent complication, and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. Although the exact cause is unknown and, in the literature, it is generally thought that knots occur due to traction. In this case report we present for the first time that spontaneous knots can occur due to ureteral peristalsis or ureteral anomalies.

Case presentation
Two patients (67 and 35 aged-Caucasian person) with ureteral stones who presented to the emergency department with colicky pain and had no previous history of urological surgery. We observed knot formation in the routine urinary system radiographs taken before stent removal in two patients whose ureters were observed to be narrow during endoscopic ureteral stone treatment. The stents were successfully removed using gentle traction under general anesthesia.

Conclusions
We discussed the cause and solution of spontaneous knot formation. We emphasized the importance of the direct urinary system radiograph taken before DJ stent removal.
Familial primary calcific band-shaped keratopathy with late onset systemic disease: a case series and review of the literature
Authors: Abdi Parisa , Asadigandomani Hassan , Amirkhani Arman , Taghizadeh Sara , Nozarian Zohreh 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
Familial calcific band-shaped keratopathy (BSK) is a very rare disease, with no underlying cause. There is no underlying disease in this form of the disease. This article introduces a family with seven children, three of whom were diagnosed with familial primary calcific BSK. One of them developed a systemic disease 38 years after ocular manifestation.

Case presentation
In this case report, three Iranian siblings from a family with familial calcific band-shaped keratopathy (BSK) are introduced. Systemic and ocular examinations performed on these patients indicated the occurrence of chronic kidney disease in the older child, a 41-year-old woman, 38 years after ocular manifestation. The examinations conducted on the other two siblings revealed no pathological findings. The 41-year-old sister and 37-year-old brother underwent unilateral deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK), while the 33-year-old sister underwent bilateral superficial keratectomy (SK).

Conclusion
Considering the late onset of systemic disease in one of the siblings diagnosed with familial calcific band-shaped keratopathy (BSK), it is crucial to emphasize the necessity of long-term follow-up for these patients and their families.
Bioactive compounds from Withania somnifera dun and their toxicity against some piercing sucking pests
Authors: Ragab Amany , Taher Mohamed A. , El-Rafey Helmy H. , El-Rokh Ahmed Ramadan 
Published: March 2024

AbstractPiercing sucking pests are destructive to many strategic crops all over the world. Botanical pesticides can be used to control these pests. A new withanolide derivative 3 named sominone A ((20R,22R)-1α,3β,20,27-tetrahydroxywitha-5,24-dienolide) was isolated from the alkaloid fraction of the whole plant of Withania somnifera. In addition, there are three known compounds named withasomine 1, methyl isoferulate 2, and coagulin Q 4 were also isolated. The structures of isolated compounds were identified using different spectroscopic methods such as 1D, 2D NMR, and HRESIMS spectroscopy. The alkaloid fraction and the four isolated compounds were tested for their pesticidal activity against four piercing sucking pests (Aphis craccivora Koch, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius, Nezara viridula Linnaeus, and Tetranychus urticae Koch) that attack many strategic crops under laboratory conditions, along with azadirachtin (Okios 3.2% EC) as a positive control. The results showed that the alkaloid compound (withasomine 1) was the most toxic to A. craccivora, B. tabaci, N. viridula, and T. urticae, with LC50 values of 15.44, 36.61, 85.11, and 128.28 ppm, respectively, compared with the control. Withanolide compounds had moderate effects on all tested pests. Biochemical parameters of six enzymes; α-esterase, β-esterase, chitinase, acetylcholinesterase, glutathione-S-transferase, and peroxidase of A. craccivora were estimated at the LC50 value of the most potent compound, withasomine 1 and the values were 38.83, 72.86, 31.45, 506.4, 2.62, and 251.0, respectively. The results demonstrated that all enzymes activity levels were increased compared with the control except a remarkable inhibition in AChE enzyme level was observed compared with control. Therefore, the alkaloid fraction of W. somnifera is a promising extract that contains many active compounds that can be used as a natural pesticide against many harmful pests in agriculture crops.
Graphical Abstract
A review of the current status and progress in difficult airway assessment research
Authors: Chen Haoming , Zheng Yuqi , Fu Qiang , Li Peng 
Published: March 2024

AbstractA difficult airway is a situation in which an anesthesiologist with more than 5 years of experience encounters difficulty with intubation or mask ventilation. According to the 2022 American Society of Anesthesiologists Practice Guidelines for the Management of Difficult Airway, difficult airways are subdivided into seven detailed categories. This condition can lead to serious adverse events and therefore must be diagnosed accurately and quickly. In this review, we comprehensively summarize and discuss the different methods used in clinical practice and research to assess difficult airways, including medical history, simple bedside assessment, comprehensive assessment of indicators, preoperative endoscopic airway examination, imaging, computer-assisted airway reconstruction, and 3D-printing techniques. We also discuss in detail the latest trends in difficult airway assessment through mathematical methods and artificial intelligence. With the continuous development of artificial intelligence and other technologies, in the near future, we will be able to predict whether a patient has a difficult airway simply by taking an image of the patient's face through a cell phone program. Artificial intelligence and other technologies will bring great changes to the development of airway assessment, and at the same time raise some new questions that we should think about.
Purification, structural characterization, and immunoregulatory activity of a polysaccharide from mulberry branch
Authors: Xiang Wei , Xu Li , Zheng Li , Zhang Qi-ao , Shi Xiaowen 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIn view of the fact that mulberry branch has not been effectively utilized and polysaccharide is one of the main active components in mulberry branch, this study aims to reveal the structure and immunomodulatory activity of its polysaccharide. A type of neutral polysaccharides, named mulberry branch polysaccharide-2 (MBP-2), was separated from mulberry branch using DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-100. As analyzed, they were mainly composed of glucose with a molecular weight of approximately 21.7 kDa. Methylation analysis demonstrated that MBP-2 primary contained a → 4)-α-d-Glcp-(1 → , α-d-Glcp-(1 → and → 4, 6)-α-d-Glcp-(1 → structure, which was validated by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In addition, cellular experiments indicated that MBP-2 significantly enhanced the production of NO, TNF-α and IL-6 in RAW264.7 cells, unraveling the potential immunoregulatory activity of MBP-2. Further analysis showed that MBP-2 exerted their immunoregulatory activity mainly via binding with TLR4 to activate the downstream TRIF-dependent signaling pathways.
Graphical Abstract
Case report: Glycaemic management and pregnancy outcomes in a woman with an insulin receptor mutation, p.Met1180Lys
Authors: Crowley Mairéad T. , Goulden Eirena , Sanchez-Lechuga Begona , Fleming Aileen , Kennelly Maria , McDonnell Ciara , Byrne Maria M. 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Background
Heterozygous insulin receptor mutations (INSR) are associated with insulin resistance, hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia in addition to hyperandrogenism and oligomenorrhoea in women. Numerous autosomal dominant heterozygous mutations involving the INSR β-subunit tyrosine kinase domain resulting in type A insulin resistance have been previously described. We describe the phenotype, obstetric management and neonatal outcomes in a woman with type A insulin resistance caused by a mutation in the β-subunit of the INSR.

Case presentation
We describe a woman with a p.Met1180Lys mutation who presents with hirsutism, oligomenorrhoea and diabetes at age 20. She has autoimmune thyroid disease, Coeliac disease and positive GAD antibodies. She is overweight with no features of acanthosis nigricans and is treated with metformin. She had 11 pregnancies treated with insulin monotherapy (n = 2) or combined metformin and insulin therapy (n = 9). The maximum insulin dose requirement was 134 units/day or 1.68 units/kg/day late in the second pregnancy. Mean birthweight was on the 37th centile in INSR positive offspring (n = 3) and the 94th centile in INSR negative offspring (n = 1).

Conclusion
The p.Met1180Lys mutation results in a phenotype of diabetes, hirsutism and oligomenorrhoea. This woman had co-existent autoimmune disease. Her insulin dose requirements during pregnancy were similar to doses observed in women with type 2 diabetes. Metformin may be used to improve insulin sensitivity in women with this mutation. Offspring inheriting the mutation tended to be smaller for gestational age.
mTOR inhibitor reduces nontumour-related death in liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Lincheng , Liu Peng , Zhuang Li , Ling Sunbin , Zhan Qifan , Zhou Wei , Su Renyi , Yin Lu , Que Qingyang , Hong Jiachen , Bao Jiaqi , Shao Chuxiao , Cai Jinzhen , Zheng Shusen , Xu Xiao 
Published: March 2024

AbstractSirolimus is a regularly applied immunosuppressant for patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sirolimus not only significantly inhibits HCC recurrence but also protects renal function. However, the improvement effect of sirolimus on nontumour-related death in patients is still unknown. The aim of our study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of sirolimus on nontumour-related deaths. In this study, we retrospectively enrolled 403 LT patients with HCC from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2018. The median follow-up time was 47.1 months. The patients were divided into the sirolimus group (N = 184) and the sirolimus-free group (N = 219). There were no significant differences between the sirolimus group and the sirolimus-free group in survival (P = 0.054). In transplant patients who exceeded the Milan or Hangzhou criteria, the sirolimus group achieved higher survival than the sirolimus-free group (P = 0.005; P = 0.02). Moreover, multivariate analysis showed that sirolimus strongly reduced the hazard ratio (HR) for nontumour-related death in LT patients who exceeded the Milan (HR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.18–1; P = 0.05) or Hangzhou criteria (HR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.08–0.89; P = 0.032). HCC recurrence increased the risk of nontumour-related death. In conclusion, sirolimus-based immunosuppression can significantly reduce nontumour-related death in LT patients who exceed the criteria for transplantation. In addition, this finding will further promote the application of sirolimus after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.
SGLT2 Inhibitors vs GLP-1 Receptor Agonists and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Diabetes With/Without Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Chan Yi-Hsin , Chao Tze-Fan , Chen Shao-Wei , Lee Hsin-Fu , Li Pei-Ru , Yeh Yung-Hsin , Kuo Chi-Tai , See Lai-Chu , Lip Gregory Y H 
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Context
The coexistence of diabetes mellitus and atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with substantial risks of adverse cardiovascular events.

Objective
The relevant outcomes associated with the use of a sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) vs glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) with/without concomitant AF remain unknown.

Methods
In this nationwide retrospective cohort study from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, there were 344 392 and 31 351 patients with T2D without AF, and 11 462 and 816 T2D patients with AF treated with SGLT2is and GLP-1RAs, respectively, from May 1, 2016, to December 31, 2019. Patients were followed from the drug index date until the occurrence of study events, discontinuation of the index drug, or the end of the study period (December 31, 2020), whichever occurred first. We used propensity score–stabilized weight to balance covariates across the 2 medication groups.

Results
The incidence rate of all study outcomes in patients with concomitant AF was much higher than in those without concomitant AF. For the AF cohort, SGLT2i vs GLP-1RA was associated with a lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure (HF) (2.32 vs 4.74 events per 100 person-years; hazard ratio [HR] 0.48, 95% CI 0.36-0.66), with no benefit seen for the non-AF cohort (P for homogeneity &lt; .01). SGLT2i vs GLP-1RA was associated with a lower risk of composite kidney outcomes both in the AF (0.38 vs 0.79 events per 100 person-years; HR 0.47; 95% CI 0.23-0.96) and the non-AF cohorts (0.09 vs 0.18 events per 100 person-years; HR 0.53; 95% CI 0.43-0.64). There were no significant differences in the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in those who received SGLT2i compared with GLP-1RA for the AF or non-AF cohorts.

Conclusion
Considering the high risk of developing HF and/or high prevalence of concomitant HF in patients with concomitant diabetes and AF, whether SGLT2is should be the preferred treatment to GLP-1RAs for such a high-risk population requires further investigation.
Making Known Again: The Rhetorical Function of Anagnorisis in Georges Perec'sLa disparition
Authors: Picherit Hervé , Thompson Jason C. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThis article proposes that the main trope of Georges Perec's novel, La disparition (1969), is anagnorisis, or a scene of literary recognition. Though Perec borrows a classical trope described by Aristotle, his novel stands out in that it is not a character that the reader must recognize but an unexpected and unannounced void, namely, the absence of the letter E from the entire text. Framing this exercise in literary constraint as a modernist mystery novel, Perec aligns the stakes of noticing, or not noticing, his missing letter with postwar debates about literature's capacity to help us understand existence. On the one hand, Perec decries the inability of traditional literature to capture the complexity of a post-Holocaust world. On the other hand, he deplores the literary nihilism he attributes to the nouveau roman movement. It is to escape this impasse that Perec embarks on his mission to renew anagnorisis and, more broadly, literary meaning-making. To do so, he sets in place new forms whose ultimate purpose is to help us begin to recognize the profound meaning of the absences left behind by the traumas of the twentieth century.
Does the Wim Hof Method have a beneficial impact on physiological and psychological outcomes in healthy and non-healthy participants? A systematic review
Authors: Almahayni Omar , Hammond Lucy 
Published: March 2024

Introduction
Wim Hof, also known as the iceman, developed a method called Wim Hof Method (WHM) which he claims to have several benefits on physical and mental health. The aim of this systematic review is to identify and synthesise the results of the studies conducted on WHM on physiological and psychological health-related outcomes.

Materials and methods
This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews. The protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), registration number CRD42022333209. Medline and Web of Science were searched and included studies from January 1, 2014, to July 4, 2022. Studies were included if they met the predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria included RCTs and cohort studies published in peer-reviewed journals, studies conducted on healthy individuals and people with pre-existing medical conditions (adolescents and adults over the age of 14), studies that included all three pillars (breathing, cold exposure, and commitment) of the WHM, and studies that only focused on Wim Hof breathing method (WHBM). Exclusion criteria included studies that discussed WHM but are not original experimental research or are not peer-reviewed, studies that included children under the age of 14, and studies that used methods similar to WHM, but not actually WHM, such as tummo meditation. The articles were assessed for risk of bias using RoB 2.0 and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) tools. The effects of WHM were categorised into physiological or psychological related outcomes and narrative synthesis was conducted.

Results
Nine papers were included in this review which consisted of eight individual trials. The findings suggest that the WHM may reduce inflammation in healthy and non-healthy participants as it increases epinephrine levels, causing an increase in interleukin-10 and a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, effect of WHBM on exercise performance showed mixed findings. Effects on respiratory parameters of minute ventilation, tidal volume, and breathing frequency were mixed following bouts of exercise.

Conclusion
Taken together, the findings of this review show promising use of WHM in the inflammatory response category. The focus of future studies should further investigate the benefits of WHM in non-healthy participants with inflammatory disorders and explore the use of Wim Hof breathing method to enhance exercise performance.
Speeding genomic island discovery through systematic design of reference database composition
Authors: Yu Steven L. , Mageeney Catherine M. , Shormin Fatema , Ghaffari Noushin , Williams Kelly P. 
Published: March 2024

Background
Genomic islands (GIs) are mobile genetic elements that integrate site-specifically into bacterial chromosomes, bearing genes that affect phenotypes such as pathogenicity and metabolism. GIs typically occur sporadically among related bacterial strains, enabling comparative genomic approaches to GI identification. For a candidate GI in a query genome, the number of reference genomes with a precise deletion of the GI serves as a support value for the GI. Our comparative software for GI identification was slowed by our original use of large reference genome databases (DBs). Here we explore smaller species-focused DBs.

Results
With increasing DB size, recovery of our reliable prophage GI calls reached a plateau, while recovery of less reliable GI calls (FPs) increased rapidly as DB sizes exceeded ~500 genomes; i.e., overlarge DBs can increase FP rates. Paradoxically, relative to prophages, FPs were both more frequently supported only by genomes outside the species and more frequently supported only by genomes inside the species; this may be due to their generally lower support values. Setting a DB size limit for our SMAll Ranked Tailored (SMART) DB design speeded runtime ~65-fold. Strictly intra-species DBs would tend to lower yields of prophages for small species (with few genomes available); simulations with large species showed that this could be partially overcome by reaching outside the species to closely related taxa, without an FP burden. Employing such taxonomic outreach in DB design generated redundancy in the DB set; as few as 2984 DBs were needed to cover all 47894 prokaryotic species.

Conclusions
Runtime decreased dramatically with SMART DB design, with only minor losses of prophages. We also describe potential utility in other comparative genomics projects.