bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of indocyanine green and blue-stained glue for preoperative localization for pulmonary nodules
Authors: Lin Jia , Zhang Jia , Wei Ning , Wu An-Le , Wang Long-Fei , Teng Fei , Xian Yu-Tao , Han Rui 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundIn patients with pulmonary nodules undergoing computed tomography (CT)-guided localization procedures, a range of liquid-based materials have been employed to date in an effort to guide video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) procedures to resect target nodules. However, the relative performance of these different liquid-based localization strategies has yet to be systematically evaluated. Accordingly, this study was developed with the aim of examining the relative safety and efficacy of CT-guided indocyanine green (IG) and blue-stained glue (BSG) PN localization.MethodsConsecutive patients with PNs undergoing CT-guided localization prior to VATS from November 2021 - April 2022 were enrolled in this study. Safety and efficacy outcomes were compared between patients in which different localization materials were used.ResultsIn total, localization procedures were performed with IG for 121 patients (140 PNs), while BSG was used for localization procedures for 113 patients (153 PNs). Both of these materials achieved 100% technical success rates for localization, with no significant differences between groups with respect to the duration of localization (P = 0.074) or visual analog scale scores (P = 0.787). Pneumothorax affected 8 (6.6%) and 8 (7.1%) patients in the respective IG and BSG groups (P = 0.887), while 12 (9.9%) and 10 (8.8%) patients of these patients experienced pulmonary hemorrhage. IG was less expensive than BSG ($17.2 vs. $165). VATS sublobar resection procedure technical success rates were also 100% in both groups, with no instances of conversion to thoracotomy.ConclusionsIG and BSG both offer similarly high levels of clinical safety and efficacy when applied for preoperative CT-guided PN localization, with IG being less expensive than BSG.
Development and validation of a nomogram to predict the risk factors of major complications after radical rectal cancer surgery
Authors: Lv Quan , Yuan Ye , Qu Shu-Pei , Diao Yu-Hang , Hai Zhan-Xiang , Xiang Zheng , Peng Dong 
Published: March 2024

PurposeThe aim of this study was to establish a validated nomogram to predict risk factors for major post-operative complications in patients with rectal cancer (RC) by analyzing the factors contributing to major post-operative complications in RC patients.MethodsWe retrospectively collected baseline and surgical information on patients who underwent RC surgery between December 2012 and December 2022 at a single-center teaching hospital. The entire cohort was randomly divided into two subsets (60% of the data for development, 40% for validation). Independent risk factors for major post-operative complications were identified using multivariate logistic regression analyses, and predictive models were developed. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) to assess predictive probability, calibration curves were plotted to compare the predicted probability of the nomogram with the actual probability, and the clinical efficacy of the nomogram was assessed using decision curve analysis (DCA).ResultsOur study included 3151 patients who underwent radical surgery for RC, including 1892 in the development set and 1259 in the validation set. Forty (2.1%) patients in the development set and 26 (2.1%) patients in the validation set experienced major post-operative complications. Through multivariate logistic regression analysis, age (p&lt;0.01, OR=1.044, 95% CI=1.016-1.074), pre-operative albumin (p&lt;0.01, OR=0.913, 95% CI=0.866-0.964), and open surgery (p&lt;0.01, OR=2.461, 95% CI=1.284-4.761) were identified as independent risk factors for major post-operative complications in RC, and a nomogram prediction model was established. The AUC of the ROC plot for the development set was 0.7161 (95% Cl=0.6397-0.7924), and the AUC of the ROC plot for the validation set was 0.7191 (95% CI=0.6182-0.8199). The predicted probabilities in the calibration curves were highly consistent with the actual probabilities, which indicated that the prediction model had good predictive ability. The DCA also confirmed the good clinical performance of the nomogram.ConclusionIn this study, a validated nomogram containing three predictors was created to identify risk factors for major complications after radical RC surgery. Due to its accuracy and convenience, it could contribute to personalized management of patients in the perioperative period.
Alpha 2-adrenoceptor participates in anti-hyperalgesia by regulating metabolic demand
Authors: Zhang Ke , Ren Yu-Qing , Xue Yan , Duan Dongxia , Zhou Tong , Ding Ying-Zhuo , Li Xiang , Gong Wan-Kun , Guan Jiao-Qiong , Ma Le 
Published: March 2024

The α2-adrenoceptor agonist dexmedetomidine is a commonly used drug for sedatives in clinics and has analgesic effects; however, its mechanism of analgesia in the spine remains unclear. In this study, we systematically used behavioural and transcriptomic sequencing, pharmacological intervention, electrophysiological recording and ultrasound imaging to explore the analgesic effects of the α2-adrenoceptor and its molecular mechanism. Firstly, we found that spinal nerve injury changed the spinal transcriptome expression, and the differential genes were mainly related to calcium signalling and tissue metabolic pathways. In addition, α2-adrenoceptor mRNA expression was significantly upregulated, and α2-adrenoceptor was significantly colocalised with markers, particularly neuronal markers. Intrathecal dexmedetomidine suppressed neuropathic pain and acute inflammatory pain in a dose-dependent manner. The transcriptome results demonstrated that the analgesic effect of dexmedetomidine may be related to the modulation of neuronal metabolism. Weighted gene correlation network analysis indicated that turquoise, brown, yellow and grey modules were the most correlated with dexmedetomidine-induced analgesic effects. Bioinformatics also annotated the involvement of metabolic processes and neural plasticity. A cardiovascular–mitochondrial interaction was found, and ultrasound imaging revealed that injection of dexmedetomidine significantly enhanced spinal cord perfusion in rats with neuropathic pain, which might be regulated by pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (pdk4), cholesterol 25-hydroxylase (ch25 h) and GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (gch1). Increasing the perfusion doses of dexmedetomidine significantly suppressed the frequency and amplitude of spinal nerve ligation-induced miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents. Overall, dexmedetomidine exerts analgesic effects by restoring neuronal metabolic processes through agonism of the α2-adrenoceptor and subsequently inhibiting changes in synaptic plasticity.
Impaired amygdala astrocytic signaling worsens neuropathic pain-associated neuronal functions and behaviors
Authors: Mazzitelli Mariacristina , Ponomareva Olga , Presto Peyton , John Julia , Neugebauer Volker 
Published: March 2024

Introduction: Pain is a clinically relevant health care issue with limited therapeutic options, creating the need for new and improved analgesic strategies. The amygdala is a limbic brain region critically involved in the regulation of emotional-affective components of pain and in pain modulation. The central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) serves major output functions and receives nociceptive information via the external lateral parabrachial nucleus (PB). While amygdala neuroplasticity has been linked causally to pain behaviors, non-neuronal pain mechanisms in this region remain to be explored. As an essential part of the neuroimmune system, astrocytes that represent about 40–50% of glia cells within the central nervous system, are required for physiological neuronal functions, but their role in the amygdala remains to be determined for pain conditions. In this study, we measured time-specific astrocyte activation in the CeA in a neuropathic pain model (spinal nerve ligation, SNL) and assessed the effects of astrocyte inhibition on amygdala neuroplasticity and pain-like behaviors in the pain condition.Methods and Results: Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, astrocytic marker) immunoreactivity and mRNA expression were increased at the chronic (4 weeks post-SNL), but not acute (1 week post-SNL), stage of neuropathic pain. In order to determine the contribution of astrocytes to amygdala pain-mechanisms, we used fluorocitric acid (FCA), a selective inhibitor of astrocyte metabolism. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed from neurons in the laterocapsular division of the CeA (CeLC) obtained from chronic neuropathic rats. Pre-incubation of brain slices with FCA (100 µM, 1 h), increased excitability through altered hyperpolarization-activated current (Ih) functions, without significantly affecting synaptic responses at the PB-CeLC synapse. Intra-CeA injection of FCA (100 µM) had facilitatory effects on mechanical withdrawal thresholds (von Frey and paw pressure tests) and emotional-affective behaviors (evoked vocalizations), but not on facial grimace score and anxiety-like behaviors (open field test), in chronic neuropathic rats. Selective inhibition of astrocytes by FCA was confirmed with immunohistochemical analyses showing decreased astrocytic GFAP, but not NeuN, signal in the CeA.Discussion: Overall, these results suggest a complex modulation of amygdala pain functions by astrocytes and provide evidence for beneficial functions of astrocytes in CeA in chronic neuropathic pain.
A latent profile analysis of doctors’ joy in work at public hospitals
Authors: Zhu Weilin , Li Jiayi , Wu Liqun , Du Fang , Zhou Yi , Diao Kaichuan , Zeng Huatang 
Published: March 2024

IntroductionWhen doctors’ work stress increases, their joy in work decreases, severely affecting the quality of care and threatening patient safety. Analysis of the latent categories of joy in work of doctors in public hospitals and the differences in the characteristics of each category can help uncover hidden messages that enhance doctors’ joy in work.MethodsQuestionnaires were administered to 426 doctors working in public hospitals using the general information questionnaire and the public hospital doctor’s joy in work evaluation scale. Upon identifying their potential categories using latent profile analysis, chi-square test, and multinomial logistic regression were performed to analyze the differences in the characteristics of each category.ResultsThe 426 public hospital doctors could be divided into three potential categories: “low joy in work” (11.27%), “medium joy in work” (59.86%), and “high joy in work” (28.87%). Most of the doctors did not have much joy in work, with 71.13% of them having “low to medium joy in work.” Doctors who work in secondary or tertiary hospitals, have a personnel agency or contract, and are older than 45 years are more likely to belong to the “low joy in work” category. Some of the protective factors are having an average monthly income (RMB) of 10,001–15,000 yuan and having a fair or good self-rated health status.ConclusionThere are obvious classification characteristics of doctors’ level of joy in work. Hospital managers can take commensurate actions to improve their joy in work, thereby improving patient safety and the quality of medical services.
Stress, Cortisol and NR3C1 in At-Risk Individuals for Psychosis: A Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Iftimovici Anton , Kebir Oussama , He Qin , Jay Thérèse M. ,   ICAAR Study Group, Rouleau Guy A. , Krebs Marie-Odile , Chaumette Boris 
Published: March 2024

IntroductionThe emergence of psychosis in at-risk individuals results from interactions between genetic vulnerability and environmental factors, possibly involving dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Hypercorticism was indeed described in schizophrenia and ultra-high-risk states, but its association with clinical outcome has yet to be demonstrated. The impact of stress through cortisol may vary depending on the expression level of genes related to the stress pathway.MethodsTo test this hypothesis, we selected NR3C1, the gene encoding the glucocorticoid receptor, and modeled through logistic regression how its peripheral expression could explain some of the risk of psychosis, independently of peripheral cortisol levels, in a French longitudinal prospective cohort of 133 at-risk individuals, adjusted for sex, age, cannabis, and antipsychotic medication intake. We then performed a genome-wide association analysis, stratified by sex (55 females and 78 males), to identify NR3C1 expression quantitative trait loci to be used as instrumental variables in a Mendelian randomization framework.ResultsNR3C1 expression was significantly associated with a higher risk of conversion to psychosis (OR = 2.03, p = 0.03), independently of any other factor. Cortisol was not associated with outcome nor correlated with NR3C1. In the female subgroup, rs6849528 was associated both with NR3C1 mRNA levels (p = 0.015, Effect-Size = 2.7) and conversion (OR = 8.24, p = 0.03).ConclusionsFor the same level of cortisol, NR3C1 expression increases psychotic risk, independently of sex, age, cannabis, and antipsychotic intake. In females, Mendelian randomization confirmed NR3C1’s effect on outcome to be unbiased by any environmental confounder.
Recovery-supportive interventions for people with substance use disorders: a scoping review
Authors: Sinclair Deborah L. , Chantry Mégane , De Ruysscher Clara , Magerman Jürgen , Nicaise Pablo , Vanderplasschen Wouter 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundRecovery-supportive interventions and strategies for people with substance use disorders are a cornerstone of the emergent recovery paradigm. As compared to other services, such approaches have been shown to be holistically focused and improve outcomes (e.g. substance use, supportive relationships, social functioning, and well-being). Even so, a comprehensive overview of the nature, extent, and range of research on the topic is lacking.MethodsA scoping review of the literature was conducted to characterize the main topics on recovery-supportive interventions. A systematic search was conducted in three databases: Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed from January 2000 to July 2023 using the PRISMA-ScR. Twenty-five studies published between 2005–2022 met the inclusion criteria.ResultsMost studies emanated from the United States, and we found a peak in publication frequency between 2018–2022 (n = 13) relative to other years. The most prominent lines of inquiry appear to concern recovery-oriented policies; principles of recovery-oriented services (challenges encountered when implementing recovery-oriented practices, relationships with service providers characterized by trust, and service user-service provider collaboration), and recovery capital (particularly recovery-supportive networks, employment, and housing). Seventeen studies addressed co-occurring disorders, and eight addressed substance use recovery.ConclusionTo advance the field, more context-specific studies are required on supporting peer professionals, (including enabling cooperation with service users, and hiring experts by experience as staff), and training of professionals (e.g., nurses, psychologists, social workers, physicians) in the principles of recovery.
The incidence of upper respiratory infections in children is related to the concentration of vanadium in indoor dust aggregates
Authors: Prokopciuk Nina , Taminskiene Vaida , Vaideliene Laimute , Juskiene Izabele , Svist Vitalija , Valiulyte Indre , Valskys Vaidotas , Valskiene Roberta , Valiulis Algirdas , Aukstikalnis Tomas , Vaidelys Lukas , Butikis Mindaugas , Norkuniene Jolita , Tarasiuk Nikolaj , Valiulis Arunas 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundIt has been reported that the disease-initiated and disease-mediated effects of aerosol pollutants can be related to concentration, site of deposition, duration of exposure, as well as the specific chemical composition of pollutants.ObjectivesTo investigate the microelemental composition of dust aggregates in primary schools of Vilnius and determine trace elements related to acute upper respiratory infections among 6-to 11-year-old children.MethodsMicroelemental analysis of aerosol pollution was performed using dust samples collected in the classrooms of 11 primary schools in Vilnius from 2016 to 2020. Sites included areas of its natural accumulation behind the radiator heaters and from the surface of high cupboards. The concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, W, Sb, Sn, Zr, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mn, Cr, V, and As) in dust samples were analyzed using a SPECTRO XEPOS spectrometer. The annual incidence rates of respiratory diseases in children of each school were calculated based on data from medical records.ResultsThe mean annual incidence of physician-diagnosed acute upper respiratory infections (J00-J06 according to ICD-10A) among younger school-age children was between 25.1 and 71.3% per school. A significant correlation was found between vanadium concentration and the number of episodes of acute upper respiratory infections during each study year from 2016 to 2020. The lowest was r = 0.67 (p = 0.024), and the highest was r = 0.82 (p = 0.002). The concentration of vanadium in the samples of dust aggregates varied from 12.7 to 52.1 parts per million (ppm). No significant correlations between the other trace elements and the incidence of upper respiratory infections were found, which could be caused by a small number of study schools and relatively low concentrations of other heavy metals found in the samples of indoor dust aggregates.ConclusionA significant and replicable correlation was found between the concentration of vanadium in the samples of natural dust aggregates collected in primary schools and the incidence of acute upper respiratory infections in children. Monitoring the concentration of heavy metals in the indoor environment can be an important instrument for the prevention and control of respiratory morbidity in children.
The interrelationship between sleep disturbance symptoms and aggression before and after the campus closure of the COVID-19 pandemic: insight from a cross-lagged panel network model
Authors: Zou Jinhua , Bian Baohua , Li Min , Liu Gang 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic is detrimental to sleep quality and increases aggression among college students. Nevertheless, relevant studies were rare. Hence, we collected longitudinal data during and post-campus closure in the current study to investigate the relationship between sleep disturbance and aggression.MethodsData from 665 college students (59.2% females, Meanage = 19.01, SD age = 1.25) were collected before (wave 1) and after (wave 2) the campus closure of COVID-19. All participants were asked to fill out the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire and the Youth Self-Rating Insomnia Scale. Two symptom networks and a cross-lagged panel network were formed and tested.ResultsHostility has the highest centrality in the symptom network both in waves 1 and 2, and it bridges sleep disturbance and aggression. “Easily be woken” – “wake up too early” and “wake up with tired” – “function hindrance” are two important symptom associations in networks of waves 1 and 2. All symptoms except “difficulty in falling asleep” and “easily be woken” ameliorated after closure. Moreover, “physical aggression” and “hostility” can trigger other symptoms in wave 2.ConclusionAs the first study about aggression and sleep disturbance in the background of COVID-19, we provide valuable information about the relationship between sleep disturbance and aggression on the symptom dimension.
Acute ischemic stroke in tuberculous meningitis
Authors: Guo Yi-Jia , Gan Xin-Ling , Zhang Ru-Yun , Liu Yong , Wang Er-Li , Lu Shui-Hua , Jiang Hui , Duan Hong-Fei , Yuan Zheng-Zhou , Li Wei-Min 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundThe underlying mechanism for stroke in patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the predictors of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in TBM and whether AIS mediates the relationship between inflammation markers and functional disability.MethodsTBM patients admitted to five hospitals between January 2011 and December 2021 were consecutively observed. Generalized linear mixed model and subgroup analyses were performed to investigate predictors of AIS in patients with and without vascular risk factors (VAFs). Mediation analyses were performed to explore the potential causal chain in which AIS may mediate the relationship between neuroimaging markers of inflammation and 90-day functional outcomes.ResultsA total of 1,353 patients with TBM were included. The percentage rate of AIS within 30 days after admission was 20.4 (95% CI, 18.2–22.6). A multivariate analysis suggested that age ≥35 years (OR = 1.49; 95% CI, 1.06–2.09; P = 0.019), hypertension (OR = 3.56; 95% CI, 2.42–5.24; P &lt; 0.001), diabetes (OR = 1.78; 95% CI, 1.11–2.86; P = 0.016), smoking (OR = 2.88; 95% CI, 1.68–4.95; P &lt; 0.001), definite TBM (OR = 0.19; 95% CI, 0.06–0.42; P &lt; 0.001), disease severity (OR = 2.11; 95% CI, 1.50–2.90; P = 0.056), meningeal enhancement (OR = 1.66; 95% CI, 1.19–2.31; P = 0.002), and hydrocephalus (OR = 2.98; 95% CI, 1.98–4.49; P &lt; 0.001) were associated with AIS. Subgroup analyses indicated that disease severity (P for interaction = 0.003), tuberculoma (P for interaction = 0.008), and meningeal enhancement (P for interaction &lt; 0.001) were significantly different in patients with and without VAFs. Mediation analyses revealed that the proportion of the association between neuroimaging markers of inflammation and functional disability mediated by AIS was 16.98% (95% CI, 7.82–35.12) for meningeal enhancement and 3.39% (95% CI, 1.22–6.91) for hydrocephalus.ConclusionNeuroimaging markers of inflammation were predictors of AIS in TBM patients. AIS mediates &lt; 20% of the association between inflammation and the functional outcome at 90 days. More attention should be paid to clinical therapies targeting inflammation and hydrocephalus to directly improve functional outcomes.
Irradiation resistance of thermo-optical properties of zirconium diboride by 3 MeV electrons
Authors: Rønning Daniel , Tang Yinglu 
Published: March 2024

Due to good thermal conductivity and thermal shock resistance, ultra-high temperature ceramics such as zirconium diboride (ZrB2) have been investigated as promising materials to be used in reusable thermal protection systems TPSs are vital to the heat balance of a spacecraft during atmospheric reentry and subsequent operation in space. Hence, the thermal and optical properties are especially critical for such applications. Meanwhile, radiation exposure in space can pose risks of degrading such material properties, especially over a prolonged mission duration. The interaction of electron radiation-which can be found in the outer Van Allen belt, with ZrB2 has not been studied previously and was chosen as the main scope of this study. An electron source of 3 MeV with different radiation exposure time was used. The response of thermo-optical properties of ZrB2 to increasing electron radiation fluences was investigated. ZrB2 samples were made through spark plasma sintering into sintered pellets and then exposed to 3 MeV electron irradiation. These ZrB2 samples were characterized by their microstructure, thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), emittance, absorptivity, and surface roughness before and after irradiation. It was found that ZrB2’s thermo-optical properties showed high radiation resistance at these fluences, and no apparent microstructural change was observed after irradiation. However, the irradiated samples had, on average, a 29% lower surface roughness than the unirradiated samples, possibly originating from electron sputtering.