bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Percutaneous microwave ablation of T1a renal cell carcinomas: A 10‐year single‐center retrospective review
Authors: McCloskey Cassie , Jacques Angela , McCloskey Dylan , Tibballs Jonathan 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIntroductionPartial nephrectomy is currently the preferred treatment option for T1a renal cell carcinomas (RCC), with nephron‐sparing techniques, including microwave ablation, becoming more common in select patients. Primary aims are to document outcomes of microwave ablation for T1a RCCs in an Australian tertiary centre to add to the evidence for its safety and efficacy.MethodsThe prospectively maintained Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Interventional Radiology database was retrospectively searched for all Renal Microwave ablations completed between June 2012 and February 2022. This database and a combination of hospital programmes including Agfa Impax PACS, Bossnet digital medical record and iSoft Clinical Manager were used to extract the relevant data which was anonymized and entered into an Excel spreadsheet for analysis.ResultsForty‐eight patients underwent microwave ablation for 50 tumours. Of these, there were two local and two distant recurrences. A fifth patient had metastases on presentation. Higher local recurrence rates were associated with larger tumour size (P = 0.043). Tumour proximity to the collecting system <4 mm was associated with higher rates of complications (P = 0.020). RENAL scores did not show statistically significant correlation with complications (P = 0.092) or local or distant recurrence. Notably, the study follow‐up time was longer than many comparative studies (mean = 2796, ~7.66 years censoring for death and mean = 832 days, ~2.28 years not censoring for death).ConclusionConsistent with the literature, this study further demonstrates that microwave ablation is a safe and efficacious option for treatment of T1a RCC.
Hypofractionated radiation therapy combined with androgen deprivation therapy for high‐risk localized prostate cancer
Authors: Lee Tae Hoon , Pyo Hongryull , Yoo Gyu Sang , Jeon Seong Soo , Seo Seong Il , Jeong Byong Chang , Jeon Hwang Gyun , Sung Hyun Hwan , Kang Minyong , Song Wan , Chung Jae Hoon , Bae Bong Kyung , Park Won 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIntroductionThis study aimed to analyse the treatment outcomes of moderately hypofractionated radiation therapy (RT) combined with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and the prognostic implications of prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) kinetics in high‐risk localized prostate cancer.MethodsThe medical records of 140 patients who underwent definitive RT (70 Gy in 28 fractions) combined with ADT were retrospectively reviewed. ADT consists of a gonadotropin‐releasing hormone agonist and an anti‐androgen. Clinical outcomes included the biochemical failure rate (BFR), clinical failure rate (CFR), overall survival (OS) and prostate cancer–specific survival (PCSS). The BFR and CFR were stratified by the PSA nadir and the time to the PSA nadir, respectively. Acute and late genitourinary and gastrointestinal adverse events were also recorded.ResultsThe 5‐year BFR, CFR, OS and PCSS rates were 9.8%, 4.5%, 90.2% and 98.7%, respectively. Ninety‐five (67.9%) patients achieved a PSA nadir of 0.01 ng/mL. Patients with a PSA nadir >0.01 ng/mL had a significantly higher BFR and CFR (BFR, P = 0.001; CFR, P = 0.027), even after adjusting for other prognostic factors [per 0.1 ng/mL; BFR, hazard ratio (HR) 4.440, P < 0.001; CFR, HR 4.338, P = 0.001]. However, the time to the PSA nadir and pre‐RT PSA were not significantly associated with the BFR and CFR. Six patients (4.3%) reported grade 3 late adverse events, mostly haematuria and haematochezia.ConclusionDefinitive RT with moderate hypofractionation combined with long‐term ADT showed good efficacy for high‐risk localized prostate cancer. The lowest PSA nadir was significantly associated with a low recurrence rate, indicating the importance of PSA follow‐up.
Managing vestibular schwannomas with radiosurgery and radiotherapy: AGREE II appraisal of clinical practice guidelines
Authors: Lakshmipathy Deepak , Winter Eric , Fritz Christian , Harris Jacob , Gentile Michelle , Moreira Alvaro , Rajasekaran Karthik 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIntroductionVestibular schwannomas (VSs) are rare, benign intracranial tumours that have prompted clinical practice guideline (CPG) creation given their complex management. Our aim was to utilize the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) instrument to assess if such CPGs on the management of VSs with radiosurgery and radiotherapy are of acceptable quality.MethodsRelevant CPGs were identified following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) protocols. Experienced reviewers then extracted general CPG properties and rated their quality via the AGREE II instrument. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were quantified to assess interrater reliability.ResultsNine CPGs on the management of VSs with radiosurgery and radiotherapy were identified. All CPGs were created in the past six years and developed recommendations based on literature review and expert consensus. One guideline was deemed as high quality with seven others being moderate and one being low in quality. The clarity of the presentation domain had the highest mean scaled domain score of 96.0%. The domains of stakeholder involvement and applicability had the lowest means of 49.2% and 47.2%, respectively. ICCs were either good or excellent across all domains.ConclusionCurrent CPGs on the management of VSs with radiosurgery and radiotherapy are of acceptable quality but would greatly benefit from improvements in applicability, stakeholder involvement, editorial independence and rigour of development. We recommend CPG authors reference the European Association of Neuro‐Oncology (EANO) guideline as a developmental framework with the Congress of Neurological Surgeons/American Association of Neurological Surgeons (CNS/AANS) CPG being a valid alternative.
Habitat fragmentation increases genetic distance between fruit bat subpopulations
Authors: Ibouroi Mohamed Thani , Arnal Véronique , Montgelard Claudine , Besnard Aurélien 
Published: March 2024

AbstractLivingstone's fruit bat (Pteropus livingstonii) is among the most threatened bats worldwide. As the species is an important pollinator and seed disperser of Comoros plants with a crucial role in forest regeneration, it is critical to understand how human‐induced habitat disturbance impacts genetic structure at fine spatial scales in order to define conservation strategies. In this study, we assessed the level of genetic structure between eight colonies of the species and found that this was strong genetic structures between roosts that can be explained by isolation due both to distance and habitat fragmentation. Mitigation measures should aim to restore population connectivity.
Citizens as a democratic safeguard? The sequence of sanctioning elite attacks on democracy
Authors: Jacob Marc S. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIn many elections worldwide, citizens support politicians who have undermined democracy while in office. Why? For citizens to safeguard democratic institutions, they must not only disapprove of a politician's undemocratic conduct but also be willing to retract support from her at the next election. This article examines under which conditions citizen evaluations of undemocratic elite conduct become consequential for behavioral actions and whether specific segments of the electorate, such as politically educated, liberal, antimajoritarian, and moderate partisans, react more forcefully to such elite violations. Evidence from a survey experiment in Poland, closely following the sequence of presidential elections, reveals that citizens firmly dislike attacks on core electoral institutions, irrespective of whether they are committed by incumbent or oppositional copartisans. However, neither the electorate's nor any segment's dissent translates into revised vote choices. The study has implications for why undemocratic elite behavior often remains unpunished and citizens rarely avert democratic backsliding.
Making fair comparisons in political theory
Authors: Ingham Sean , Wiens David 
Published: March 2024

AbstractNormative political theorists frequently compare hypothetical scenarios for the purpose of identifying reasons to prefer one kind of institution to alternatives. We examine three types of “unfair” comparisons and the reasoning errors associated with each. A theorist makes an obscure comparison when one (or more) of the alternatives under consideration is underspecified; a theorist makes a mismatched comparison when they fail to hold fixed the relevant contextual factors while comparing alternatives; and a theorist makes an irrelevant comparison when they compare alternatives assuming contextual factors that differ in important respects from those they “should” assume given their theoretical aims. We then introduce the notion of a modeling mindset and show how this mindset can help theorists detect and avoid the three types of error. We conclude with a reconstruction of Cohen's camping trip thought experiment to illustrate the approach.
“Punching is a sickness”
Authors: Hopkinson Leo 
Published: March 2024

AbstractMen who box professionally in Accra recognize that bouts are physically harmful and that they involve violently subordinating one another. Yet they also share a sense that bouts can be spaces of mutual becoming and affirmation. To navigate the tension between harm and affirmation, boxers and coaches couch their work between the ropes in idioms of care and mutual support. These idioms reflect their understanding that their lives and futures are mutually dependent and intertwined. Yet conflicting accounts of what constitutes appropriate care in the ring arise when boxing's violence is framed in relation to different imagined futures, and when mutual benefit is imagined to occur in the more or less distant future. In the boxing ring and beyond, divergent forms of temporal work animate the unsettled and ambiguous nature of care.
Association between postpartum depression and postpartum hemorrhage: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Sheng Bo , Jiang Guoguo , Ni Juan 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIntroductionPostpartum depression (PPD) is a growing mental health concern worldwide and has detrimental effects on the social and cognitive health of both mothers and infants. This review was performed to assess the risk of PPD in women with postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and to identify potential moderators.Material and methodsThe review protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database on June 17, 2023 (registration number: CRD42023432955). Two researchers independently performed a literature search of the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases for articles published before May 25, 2023, with no filters and no language or location restrictions. Study quality was evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. The primary outcome was the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of PPD in women with vs. without PPH. We performed sensitivity analyses and meta‐regression analyses to resolve heterogeneity. Meta‐regression analyses included the effects of age, maternal smoking, marital status, preterm labor, maternal education level, preeclampsia, anemia during pregnancy, and cesarean section.ResultsIn total, seven studies involving 540 558 participants met the eligibility criteria and were included in the meta‐analysis. Women with PPH were at increased risk of PPD compared with women without PPH (OR 1.10; 95% CI 1.03–1.16), and heterogeneity was low (I2 = 23%; τ2 = 0.0007; p = 0.25). Moreover, the results of the sensitivity analyses showed that the I2 value decreased from 23% to 0% after excluding one particular study, which may have been a source of heterogeneity. In the meta‐regression analyses, the OR of PPD was greatly affected by maternal smoking (OR −0.26; 95% CI −0.30 to −0.22; p < 0.001). However, we did not observe any effects for maternal age, marital status, preterm labor, maternal education level, preeclampsia, anemia during pregnancy, or cesarean section.ConclusionsWomen with PPH must be closely monitored because they have a higher risk of PPD than women without PPH. Early recognition and management of these patients will improve treatment outcomes, maternal health, and newborn development.
Maternal height, and ethnicity and birth weight: A retrospective cohort study of uncomplicated term vaginal deliveries in Malaysia
Authors: Teoh Zhen Hean , Mariapun Jeevitha , Ko Valerie Su Yin , Dominic Nisha Angela , Jeganathan Ravichandran , Karalasingam Shamala Devi , Thirunavuk Arasoo Valliammai Jayanthi 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBackgroundSmall for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA) are designations given to neonates based solely on birthweight, with no distinction made for maternal height. However, there is a possibility that maternal height is significantly correlated with neonatal birthweight, and if so, SGA and LGA cutoffs specific to maternal height may be a more precise and useful tool for clinicians.To explore this possibility, we analyzed the association between maternal height and ethnicity and neonate birthweight in women with low‐risk, 37‐ to 40‐week gestation, singleton pregnancies who gave birth vaginally between 2010 and 2017 (n = 354,488). For this retrospective cohort study, we used electronic obstetric records obtained from the National Obstetrics Registry in Malaysia.MethodsNational Obstetric Registry (NOR) data were used to calculate the 10th and 90th birthweight percentiles for each maternal height group by gestational age and neonatal sex. Multiple linear regression models, adjusted for maternal age, weight, parity, gestational age, and neonatal sex, were used to examine the association between neonate birthweight and maternal ethnicity and height. The following main outcome measures were assessed: small for gestational age (<10th percentile), large for gestational age (>90th percentile), and birthweight.ResultsThe median height was 155 cm (IQR, 152–159), with mothers of Chinese descent being the tallest (median (IQR): 158 cm (154–162)) and mothers of Orang Asli (Indigenous) descent the shortest (median (IQR): 151 cm (147–155)). The median birthweight was 3000 g (IQR, 2740–3250), with mothers of Malay and Chinese ethnicity and Others having, on average, the heaviest babies, followed by other Bumiputeras (indigenous) mothers, mothers of Indian ethnicity, and lastly, mothers of Orang Asli ethnicity. For infants, maternal age, height, weight, parity, male sex, and gestational age were positively associated with birthweight. Maternal height had a positive association with neonate birthweight (B = 7.08, 95% CI: 6.85–7.31). For ethnicity, compared with neonates of Malay ethnicity, neonates of Chinese, Indian, Orang Asli, and other Bumiputera ethnicities had lower birthweights.ConclusionBirthweight increases with maternal height among Malaysians of all ethnicities. SGA and LGA cutoffs specific to maternal height may be useful to guide pregnancy management.
TRIM21 is critical in regulating hepatocellular carcinoma growth and response to therapy by altering the MST1/YAP pathway
Authors: Shu Bo , Zhou Yingxia , Lei Guoqiong , Peng Yu , Ding Cong , Li Zhuan , He Chao 
Published: March 2024

AbstractLiver cancer is the sixth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer‐related death globally. Despite efforts being made in last two decades in cancer diagnosis and treatment, the 5‐year survival rate of liver cancer remains extremely low. TRIM21 participates in cancer metabolism, glycolysis, immunity, chemosensitivity and metastasis by targeting various substrates for ubiquitination. TRIM21 serves as a prognosis marker for human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the mechanism by which TRIM21 regulates HCC tumorigenesis and progression remains elusive. In this study, we demonstrated that TRIM21 protein levels were elevated in human HCC. Elevated TRIM21 expression was associated with HCC progression and poor survival. Knockdown of TRIM21 in HCC cell lines significantly impaired cell growth and metastasis and enhanced sorafenib‐induced toxicity. Mechanistically, we found that knockdown of TRIM21 resulted in cytosolic translocation and inactivation of YAP. At the molecular level, we further identified that TRIM21 interacted and induced ubiquitination of MST1, which resulted in MST1 degradation and YAP activation. Knockdown of MST1 or overexpression of YAP reversed TRIM21 knockdown‐induced impairment of HCC growth and chemosensitivity. Taken together, the current study demonstrates a novel mechanism that regulates the Hippo pathway and reveals TRM21 as a critical factor that promotes growth and chemoresistance in human HCC.
SerumITIH5as a novel diagnostic biomarker in cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Chen Meiru , Ma Jinghan , Xie Xiaoli , Su Miao , Zhao Dongqiang 
Published: March 2024

AbstractCholangiocarcinoma often remains undetected until advanced stages due to the lack of reliable diagnostic markers. Our goal was to identify a unique secretory protein for cholangiocarcinoma diagnosis and differentiation from other malignancies, benign hepatobiliary diseases, and chronic liver conditions. We conducted bulk RNA‐seq analysis to identify genes specifically upregulated in cholangiocarcinoma but not in most other cancers, benign hepatobiliary diseases, and chronic liver diseases focusing on exocrine protein‐encoding genes. Single‐cell RNA sequencing examined subcellular distribution. Immunohistochemistry and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays assessed tissue and serum expression. Diagnostic performance was evaluated via receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Inter‐alpha‐trypsin inhibitor heavy chain family member five (ITIH5), a gene encoding an extracellular protein, is notably upregulated in cholangiocarcinoma. This elevation is not observed in most other cancer types, benign hepatobiliary diseases, or chronic liver disorders. It is specifically expressed by malignant cholangiocytes. ITIH5 expression in cholangiocarcinoma tissues exceeded that in nontumorous bile duct, hepatocellular carcinoma, and nontumorous hepatic tissues. Serum ITIH5 levels were elevated in cholangiocarcinoma compared with controls (hepatocellular carcinoma, benign diseases, chronic hepatitis B, and healthy individuals). ITIH5 yielded areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) from 0.839 to 0.851 distinguishing cholangiocarcinoma from controls. Combining ITIH5 with carbohydrate antigen 19‐9 (CA19‐9) enhanced CA19‐9's diagnostic effectiveness. In conclusion, serum ITIH5 may serve as a novel noninvasive cholangiocarcinoma diagnostic marker.
Analysis of preservatives and fragrances in topical medical devices: The need for more stringent regulation
Authors: Stras Ania , Grassmann Aleksandra , Van Campenhout Peter , Deconinck Eric , Vanhaecke Tamara , Desmedt Bart 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIntroductionMedical devices (MDs) have a long history of use, and come with regulatory frameworks to ensure user safety. Although topically applied MDs in the form of gels and creams might be used on damaged skin, their composition is often similar to that of cosmetic products applicable to intact skin, especially in terms of preservatives and fragrances. However, unlike cosmetics, these products are not subject to compound‐specific restrictions when used in MDs.ObjectiveThis study aimed to identify and quantify preservatives and fragrances in topically applied MDs and assess their safety towards the Cosmetic Regulation (EC) 1223/2009.MethodSixty‐nine MDs available on the EU market were subjected to previously validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) methods to identify and quantify occurring preservatives and fragrances.ResultsFindings revealed that 32% of the examined MDs did not provide comprehensive ingredient lists, leaving users uninformed about potential risks associated with product use. Furthermore, 30% of these MDs would not meet safety standards for cosmetic products and, most significantly, 13% of the analysed samples contained ingredients that are prohibited in leave‐on cosmetics.ConclusionResults highlight the pressing demand for more stringent requirements regarding the labelling and composition of MDs to enhance patient safety. Improved regulation and transparency can mitigate potential risks associated with the use of topically applied MDs.
Lexical Alignment is Pervasive Across Contexts in Non‐WEIRD Adult–Child Interactions
Authors: Chieng Adriana Chee Jing , Wynn Camille J. , Wong Tze Peng , Barrett Tyson S , Borrie Stephanie A. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractLexical alignment, a communication phenomenon where conversational partners adapt their word choices to become more similar, plays an important role in the development of language and social communication skills. While this has been studied extensively in the conversations of preschool‐aged children and their parents in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) communities, research in other pediatric populations is sparse. This study makes significant expansions on the existing literature by focusing on alignment in naturalistic conversations of school‐aged children from a non‐WEIRD population across multiple conversational tasks and with different types of adult partners. Typically developing children aged 5 to 8 years (n = 45) engaged in four semi‐structured conversations that differed by task (problem‐solving vs. play‐based) and by partner (parent vs. university student), resulting in a corpus of 180 conversations. Lexical alignment scores were calculated and compared to sham conversations, representing alignment occurring at the level of chance. Both children and adults coordinated their conversational utterances by re‐using or aligning each other's word choices. This alignment behavior persisted across conversational tasks and partners, although the degree of alignment was moderated by the conversational context. These findings suggest that lexical alignment is a robust phenomenon in conversations between school‐age children and adults. Furthermore, this study extends lexical alignment findings to a non‐WEIRD culture, suggesting that alignment may be a coordination strategy employed by adults and children across diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
In vitro PK/PD modeling of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in non‐small cell lung cancer cell lines
Authors: Wanika Linda , Evans Neil D. , Johnson Martin , Tomkinson Helen , Chappell Michael J. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractTyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are routinely prescribed for the treatment of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). As with all medications, patients can experience adverse events due to TKIs. Unfortunately, the relationship between many TKIs and the occurrence of certain adverse events remains unclear. There are limited in vivo studies which focus on TKIs and their effects on different regulation pathways. Many in vitro studies, however, that investigate the effects of TKIs observe additional changes, such as changes in gene activations or protein expressions. These studies could potentially help to gain greater understanding of the mechanisms for TKI induced adverse events. However, in order to utilize these pathways in a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) framework, an in vitro PK/PD model needs to be developed, in order to characterize the effects of TKIs in NSCLC cell lines. Through the use of ordinary differential equations, cell viability data and nonlinear mixed effects modeling, an in vitro TKI PK/PD model was developed with estimated PK and PD parameter values for the TKIs alectinib, crizotinib, erlotinib, and gefitinib. The relative standard errors for the population parameters are all less than 25%. The inclusion of random effects enabled the model to predict individual parameter values which provided a closer fit to the observed response. It is hoped that this model can be extended to include in vitro data of certain pathways that may potentially be linked with adverse events and provide a better understanding of TKI‐induced adverse events.