bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Circulating miRNA-21 is an innovative biomarker for cardiovascular events in erectile dysfunction patients
Authors: Agulló Laura , Segura Ana , Ortuño-Miquel Samanta , Brinca Ana Teresa , Micol-Ponce Rosa , Arrarte Vicente , Ponce María Rosa , Miró-Martínez Pau , Zandonai Thomas , Peiró Ana M. 
Published: March 2024

IntroductionIt is well-known that circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) play a relevant role in many kinds of diseases by regulating the expression of genes involved in various pathophysiologic processes, including erectile dysfunction (ED) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD).PurposeThis study aimed to identify the miRNA-21 profile in the blood samples of patients with ED, CVD, and the combination of both pathologies to elucidate the potential function of miRNA-21.MethodsA total of 45 patients with CVD and/or who underwent the erectile function test were included and divided into the following categories: CVD with ED (cases, n = 29) and controls (n = 16) with either ED or CVD. Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis verified the results. miRNA-21 expression was quantified, and informatics analysis was applied to predict the functions of this differentially expressed miRNA-21.ResultsA total of 64% of cases (63 ± 9 years, 66% with severe ED, 56% with CV ejection fraction) first presented ED as the sentinel clinical manifestation. Serum miRNA-21 levels in the control ED were significant, up to 10-fold higher than in the CVD controls and cases. A significant inverse (p = 0.0368, β = −2.046) correlation was found between erectile function and miRNA-21 levels.ConclusionsOur study provides comprehensive insights into the functional interaction between miRNA-21 and ED in CVD patients. Its relevance lies in the potential of miRNA as a biomarker to be applied in the cardiovascular predictive medicine field.
Has the Gratuité policy reduced inequities in geographic access to antenatal care in Burkina Faso? Evidence from facility-based data from 2014 to 2022
Authors: Offosse Marie-Jeanne , Yameogo Pierre , Ouedraogo André Lin , Traoré Zanga , Banke-Thomas Aduragbemi 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundEvidence shows that user fee exemption policies improve the use of maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services. However, addressing the cost of care is only one barrier to accessing MNCH services. Poor geographic accessibility relating to distance is another. Our objective in this study was to assess the effect of a user fee exemption policy in Burkina Faso (Gratuité) on antenatal care (ANC) use, considering distance to health facilities.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study with sub-analysis by intervention period to compare utilization of ANC services (outcome of interest) in pregnant women who used the service in the context of the Gratuité user fee exemption policy and those who did not, in Manga district, Burkina Faso. Dependent variables included were socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric history, and distance to the lower-level health facility (known as Centre de Santé et Promotion Sociale) in which care was sort. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were performed across the entire population, within those who used ANC before the policy and after its inception.ResultsFor women who used services before the Gratuité policy was introduced, those living 5–9 km were almost twice (OR = 1.94; 95% CI: 1.17–3.21) more likely to have their first ANC visit (ANC1) in the first trimester compared to those living &lt;5 km of the nearest health facility. After the policy was introduced, women living 5–9 km and &gt;10 km from the nearest facility were almost twice (OR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.14–3.05) and over twice (OR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.20–3.48) more likely respectively to use ANC1 in the first trimester compared to those living within 5 km of the nearest health facility. Also, women living over 10 km from the nearest facility were 1.29 times (OR = 1.29; 95% CI: 1.00–1.66) more likely to have 4+ ANC than those living less than 5 km from the nearest health facility.ConclusionsInsofar as the financial barrier to ANC has been lifted and the geographical barrier reduced for the populations that live farther away from services through the Gratuité policy, then the Burkinabé government must make efforts to sustain the policy and ensure that benefits of the policy reach the targeted and its gains maximized.
Myeloid-derived suppressor cell-derived osteoclasts with bone resorption capacity in the joints of arthritic SKG mice
Authors: Fujikawa Yoshikazu , Sendo Sho , del Peral Fanjul Alfonso , Yamada Hirotaka , Uto Kenichi , Yamamoto Yuzuru , Nagamoto Takumi , Morinobu Akio , Saegusa Jun 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundMyeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are heterogeneous immature myeloid cells with immunosuppressive functions. It is known that MDSCs are expanded at inflammatory sites after migrating from bone marrow (BM) or spleen (Sp). In chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), previous reports indicate that MDSCs are increased in BM and Sp, but detailed analysis of MDSCs in inflamed joints is very limited.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to characterize the MDSCs in the joints of mice with autoimmune arthritis.MethodsWe sorted CD11b+Gr1+ cells from joints (Jo), bone marrow (BM) and spleen (Sp) of SKG mice with zymosan (Zym)-induced arthritis and investigated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by microarray analysis. Based on the identified DEGs, we assessed the suppressive function of CD11b+Gr1+ cells from each organ and their ability to differentiate into osteoclasts.ResultsWe identified MDSCs as CD11b+Gr1+ cells by flow cytometry and morphological analysis. Microarray analysis revealed that Jo-CD11b+Gr1+ cells had different characteristics compared with BM-CD11b+Gr1+ cells or Sp-CD11b+Gr1+ cells. Microarray and qPCR analysis showed that Jo-CD11b+Gr1+ cells strongly expressed immunosuppressive DEGs (Pdl1, Arg1, Egr2 and Egr3). Jo-CD11b+Gr1+ cells significantly suppressed CD4+ T cell proliferation and differentiation in vitro, which confirmed Jo-CD11b+Gr1+ cells as MDSCs. Microarray analysis also revealed that Jo-MDSCs strongly expressed DEGs of the NF-κB non-canonical pathway (Nfkb2 and Relb), which is relevant for osteoclast differentiation. In fact, Jo-MDSCs differentiated into osteoclasts in vitro and they had bone resorptive function. In addition, intra-articular injection of Jo-MDSCs promoted bone destruction.ConclusionsJo-MDSCs possess a potential to differentiate into osteoclasts which promote bone resorption in inflamed joints, while they are immunosuppressive in vitro.
Mycobacterium bovis BCG as immunostimulating agent prevents the severe form of chronic experimental Chagas disease
Authors: Arce-Fonseca Minerva , Mata-Espinosa Dulce , Aranda-Fraustro Alberto , Rosales-Encina José Luis , Flores-Valdez Mario Alberto , Rodríguez-Morales Olivia 
Published: March 2024

IntroductionThere is currently no vaccine against Chagas disease (ChD), and the medications available confer multiple side effects. Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) produces balanced Th1, Th2, and Th17 modulatory immune responses and has improved efficacy in controlling chronic infections through nonspecific immunity. We aimed to improve the response to infection by inducing a stronger immune response and greater protection against the parasite by trained immunity.MethodsBALB/c mice were immunized with BCG subcutaneously, and 60 days later, they were infected with Trypanosoma cruzi intraperitoneally. An evaluation of the progression of the disease from the acute to the chronic stage, analyzing various aspects such as parasitemia, survival, clinical status, and humoral and cellular immune response, as well as the appearance of visceral megas and the histopathological description of target organs, was performed.ResultsVaccination reduced parasitemia by 70%, and 100% survival was achieved in the acute stage; although the presentation of clinical signs was reduced, there was no increase in the antibody titer or in the differential production of the isotypes.ConclusionSerum cytokine production indicated a proinflammatory response in infected animals, while in those who received BCG, the response was balanced by inducing Th1/Th2-type cytokines, with a better prognosis of the disease in the chronic stage.
Therapeutic efficacy and safety of JAK inhibitors in treating polymyositis/dermatomyositis: a single-arm systemic meta-analysis
Authors: Ma Chenhang , Liu Mengyao , Cheng Yang , Wang Xinchang , Zhao Yu , Wang Kailu , Wang Weijie 
Published: March 2024

IntroductionWe performed a single-arm meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of JAK inhibitors in the treatment of dermatomyositis (DM)/ polymyositis (PM).MethodsRelevant studies from four databases were systematically searched until April 25, 2023. The primary endpoint was Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Disease Area and Severity Index (CDASI) and other outcomes were Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) and Creatine Kinase (CK). According to the type of JAK and medication regimen, we conducted subgroup analyses. The registration number in PROSPERO was CRD42023416493.ResultsAccording to the selection criteria, we identified 7 publications with a total of 91 patients. Regarding skin lesions, the CDASI decreased by 17.67 (95% CI: -20.94 ~ -14.41). The CK increased by 8.64 U (95% CI: -28.25 ~ 45.53). About muscle lesions, MMT increased by 10.31 (95% CI: -2.83 ~ 23.46). Subgroup analysis revealed that different types of JAK inhibitors had various degrees of reduction. CDASI in patients treated with RUX had the lowest one [-20.00 (95% CI: -34.9 ~ -5.1)], followed by TOF [-18.29 (95% CI: -21.8 ~ -14.78)] and BAR [-11.2 (95% CI: -21.51 ~ -0.89)]. Additionally, the mean reduction in CDASI in patients treated with TOF alone was 16.16 (95% CI: -21.21 ~ -11.11), in combination with other immunosuppressants was 18.59 (95% CI: -22.74 ~ -14.45). For safety evaluation, one patient developed Orolabial HSV, and two patients developed thromboembolism events.DiscussionIn summary, this meta-analysis demonstrated that JAK inhibitors can potentially treat DM/PM without severe adverse reactions.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023416493, identifier CRD42023416493.
A rare case of primary cardiac diffuse large B-cell lymphoma imaged with 18F-FDG PET/CT: a case report and literature review
Authors: Huang Wenpeng , Zheng Zuohuan , Zhang Yongbai , Qiu Yongkang , Peng Yushuo , Yang Qi , Wang Wei , Kang Lei 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundOne of the exceptionally rare forms of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) is primary cardiac lymphoma (PCL). The principal clinical manifestation in patients with PCL involves cardiac symptoms resulting from myocardial infiltration by lymphoma, including arrhythmias, heart failure, and chest pain. 18F-FDG PET/CT serves as a reliable and indispensable imaging modality for assessing clinically staging NHL.Case reportWe present a rare case involving a 72-year-old woman diagnosed with primary intracardiac diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. For further staging, the patient underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT, revealing multiple nodular soft tissue density lesions in the heart and pericardium exhibiting increased FDG metabolism (SUVmax = 12.1). The supradiaphragmatic and infradiaphragmatic segments of the inferior vena cava exhibited irregular morphology with localized nodular changes and increased FDG metabolism in the surrounding area (SUVmax = 9.7). Additionally, multiple enlarged lymph nodes were identified in the left axilla, mediastinum, and adjacent to the abdominal aorta, displaying heterogeneous FDG uptake with an SUVmax of 9.3, indicating lymphoma involvement. The above imaging findings suggested that the mass was a PCL. Hence, the patient underwent a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy using R-CDOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, liposomal doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone). Following two courses of treatment within a span of 2 months, there was a partial remission observed in the cardiac lymphoma and the enlarged lymph nodes.ConclusionThe case elucidated in this report contributes to an enhanced understanding of the disease for clinicians, with 18F-FDG PET/CT providing comprehensive insights into the extent of cardiac involvement, as well as the engagement of extracardiac organs and pathologic lymph nodes. The 18F-FDG PET/CT examination not only visually delineates the lesion’s location and extent but also serves as a cornerstone for clinical tumor staging, offering valuable support for treatment monitoring and subsequent follow-up.
Structural neuroimaging markers of normal pressure hydrocephalus versus Alzheimer’s dementia and Parkinson’s disease, and hydrocephalus versus atrophy in chronic TBI—a narrative review
Authors: Kadaba Sridhar Sharada , Dysterheft Robb Jen , Gupta Rishabh , Cheong Scarlett , Kuang Rui , Samadani Uzma 
Published: March 2024

IntroductionNormal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) is a prominent type of reversible dementia that may be treated with shunt surgery, and it is crucial to differentiate it from irreversible degeneration caused by its symptomatic mimics like Alzheimer’s Dementia (AD) and Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Similarly, it is important to distinguish between (normal pressure) hydrocephalus and irreversible atrophy/degeneration which are among the chronic effects of Traumatic Brain Injury (cTBI), as the former may be reversed through shunt placement. The purpose of this review is to elucidate the structural imaging markers which may be foundational to the development of accurate, noninvasive, and accessible solutions to this problem.MethodsBy searching the PubMed database for keywords related to NPH, AD, PD, and cTBI, we reviewed studies that examined the (1) distinct neuroanatomical markers of degeneration in NPH versus AD and PD, and atrophy versus hydrocephalus in cTBI and (2) computational methods for their (semi-) automatic assessment on Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans.ResultsStructural markers of NPH and those that can distinguish it from AD have been well studied, but only a few studies have explored its structural distinction between PD. The structural implications of cTBI over time have been studied. But neuroanatomical markers that can predict shunt response in patients with either symptomatic idiopathic NPH or post-traumatic hydrocephalus have not been reliably established. MRI-based markers dominate this field of investigation as compared to CT, which is also reflected in the disproportionate number of MRI-based computational methods for their automatic assessment.ConclusionAlong with an up-to-date literature review on the structural neurodegeneration due to NPH versus AD/PD, and hydrocephalus versus atrophy in cTBI, this article sheds light on the potential of structural imaging markers as (differential) diagnostic aids for the timely recognition of patients with reversible (normal pressure) hydrocephalus, and opportunities to develop computational tools for their objective assessment.
A brain functional network feature extraction method based on directed transfer function and graph theory for MI-BCI decoding tasks
Authors: Ma Pengfei , Dong Chaoyi , Lin Ruijing , Liu Huanzi , Lei Dongyang , Chen Xiaoyan , Liu Huan 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundThe development of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology has brought tremendous potential to various fields. In recent years, prominent research has focused on enhancing the accuracy of BCI decoding algorithms by effectively utilizing meaningful features extracted from electroencephalographic (EEG) signals.ObjectiveThis paper proposes a method for extracting brain functional network features based on directed transfer function (DTF) and graph theory. The method incorporates the extracted brain network features with common spatial pattern (CSP) to enhance the performance of motor imagery (MI) classification task.MethodsThe signals from each electrode of the EEG, utilizing a total of 32 channels, are used as input signals for the network nodes. In this study, 26 healthy participants were recruited to provide EEG data. The brain functional network is constructed in Alpha and Beta bands using the DTF method. The node degree (ND), clustering coefficient (CC), and global efficiency (GE) of the brain functional network are obtained using graph theory. The DTF network features and graph theory are combined with the traditional signal processing method, the CSP algorithm. The redundant network features are filtered out using the Lasso method, and finally, the fused features are classified using a support vector machine (SVM), culminating in a novel approach we have termed CDGL.ResultsFor Beta frequency band, with 8 electrodes, the proposed CDGL method achieved an accuracy of 89.13%, a sensitivity of 90.15%, and a specificity of 88.10%, which are 14.10, 16.69, and 11.50% percentage higher than the traditional CSP method (75.03, 73.46, and 76.60%), respectively. Furthermore, the results obtained with 8 channels were superior to those with 4 channels (82.31, 83.35, and 81.74%), and the result for the Beta frequency band were better than those for the Alpha frequency band (87.42, 87.48, and 87.36%). Similar results were also obtained on two public datasets, where the CDGL algorithm’s performance was found to be optimal.ConclusionThe feature fusion of DTF network and graph theory features enhanced CSP algorithm’s performance in MI task classification. Increasing the number of channels allows for more EEG signal feature information, enhancing the model’s sensitivity and discriminative ability toward specific activities in brain regions. It should be noted that the functional brain network features in the Beta band exhibit superior performance improvement for the algorithm compared to those in the Alpha band.
Secondary language impairment in posterior cortical atrophy: insights from sentence repetition
Authors: Ahmed Samrah , Caswell Josie , Butler Christopher R. , Bose Arpita 
Published: March 2024

IntroductionPosterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is a neurodegenerative syndrome characterized by progressive impairment in visuospatial and perceptual function linked to atrophy of the occipito-parietal cortex. Besides the salient visual impairment, several studies have documented subtle changes in language may also be present. Sentence repetition is a highly constrained linguistic task involving multiple linguistic and cognitive processes and have been shown to be impaired in other AD spectrum disorders, with little consensus on its relevance in PCA. This aim of this study was to further delineate the linguistic and cognitive features of impaired language in PCA using a sentence repetition task.MethodSeven PCA patients and 16 healthy controls verbally repeated 16 sentences from the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination. Responses were transcribed orthographically and coded for accuracy (percentage accuracy; percentage Correct Information Units; Levenshtein Distance) and for temporal characteristics (preparation duration (ms); utterance duration (ms); silent pause duration (ms); speech duration (ms); dysfluency duration (ms)). The potential modulating effects of attentional control and working memory capacity were explored.ResultsPCA patients showed lower overall accuracy with retained semantic content of the sentences, and lower phonological accuracy. Temporal measures revealed longer preparation and utterance duration for PCA patients compared to controls, alongside longer speech duration but comparable dysfluency duration. PCA patients also showed comparable silent pause duration to controls. Attentional control, measured using the Hayling sentence completion task, predicted accuracy of sentence repetition.DiscussionThe findings suggest that sentence repetition is impaired in PCA and is characterized by phonological, response planning and execution difficulties, underpinned in part by attentional control mechanisms. The emerging profile of language impairment in PCA suggests vulnerability of similar cognitive systems to other Alzheimer’s syndromes, with subtle differences in clinical presentation.
Qualitative evaluation of artificial intelligence-generated weight management diet plans
Authors: Kim Dong Wook , Park Ji Seok , Sharma Kavita , Velazquez Amanda , Li Lu , Ostrominski John W. , Tran Tram , Seitter Peréz Robert H. , Shin Jeong-Hun 
Published: March 2024

ImportanceThe transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly via large language models, is increasingly being manifested in healthcare. Dietary interventions are foundational to weight management efforts, but whether AI techniques are presently capable of generating clinically applicable diet plans has not been evaluated.ObjectiveOur study sought to evaluate the potential of personalized AI-generated weight-loss diet plans for clinical applications by employing a survey-based assessment conducted by experts in the fields of obesity medicine and clinical nutrition.Design, setting, and participantsWe utilized ChatGPT (4.0) to create weight-loss diet plans and selected two control diet plans from tertiary medical centers for comparison. Dietitians, physicians, and nurse practitioners specializing in obesity medicine or nutrition were invited to provide feedback on the AI-generated plans. Each plan was assessed blindly based on its effectiveness, balanced-ness, comprehensiveness, flexibility, and applicability. Personalized plans for hypothetical patients with specific health conditions were also evaluated.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcomes measured included the indistinguishability of the AI diet plan from human-created plans, and the potential of personalized AI-generated diet plans for real-world clinical applications.ResultsOf 95 participants, 67 completed the survey and were included in the final analysis. No significant differences were found among the three weight-loss diet plans in any evaluation category. Among the 14 experts who believed that they could identify the AI plan, only five did so correctly. In an evaluation involving 57 experts, the AI-generated personalized weight-loss diet plan was assessed, with scores above neutral for all evaluation variables. Several limitations, of the AI-generated plans were highlighted, including conflicting dietary considerations, lack of affordability, and insufficient specificity in recommendations, such as exact portion sizes. These limitations suggest that refining inputs could enhance the quality and applicability of AI-generated diet plans.ConclusionDespite certain limitations, our study highlights the potential of AI-generated diet plans for clinical applications. AI-generated dietary plans were frequently indistinguishable from diet plans widely used at major tertiary medical centers. Although further refinement and prospective studies are needed, these findings illustrate the potential of AI in advancing personalized weight-centric care.