bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Biomarkers and computational models for predicting efficacy to tumor ICI immunotherapy
Authors: Qin Yurong , Huo Miaozhe , Liu Xingwu , Li Shuai Cheng 
Published: March 2024

Numerous studies have shown that immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) immunotherapy has great potential as a cancer treatment, leading to significant clinical improvements in numerous cases. However, it benefits a minority of patients, underscoring the importance of discovering reliable biomarkers that can be used to screen for potential beneficiaries and ultimately reduce the risk of overtreatment. Our comprehensive review focuses on the latest advancements in predictive biomarkers for ICI therapy, particularly emphasizing those that enhance the efficacy of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) inhibitors immunotherapies. We explore biomarkers derived from various sources, including tumor cells, the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), body fluids, gut microbes, and metabolites. Among them, tumor cells-derived biomarkers include tumor mutational burden (TMB) biomarker, tumor neoantigen burden (TNB) biomarker, microsatellite instability (MSI) biomarker, PD-L1 expression biomarker, mutated gene biomarkers in pathways, and epigenetic biomarkers. TIME-derived biomarkers include immune landscape of TIME biomarkers, inhibitory checkpoints biomarkers, and immune repertoire biomarkers. We also discuss various techniques used to detect and assess these biomarkers, detailing their respective datasets, strengths, weaknesses, and evaluative metrics. Furthermore, we present a comprehensive review of computer models for predicting the response to ICI therapy. The computer models include knowledge-based mechanistic models and data-based machine learning (ML) models. Among the knowledge-based mechanistic models are pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) models, partial differential equation (PDE) models, signal networks-based models, quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) models, and agent-based models (ABMs). ML models include linear regression models, logistic regression models, support vector machine (SVM)/random forest/extra trees/k-nearest neighbors (KNN) models, artificial neural network (ANN) and deep learning models. Additionally, there are hybrid models of systems biology and ML. We summarized the details of these models, outlining the datasets they utilize, their evaluation methods/metrics, and their respective strengths and limitations. By summarizing the major advances in the research on predictive biomarkers and computer models for the therapeutic effect and clinical utility of tumor ICI, we aim to assist researchers in choosing appropriate biomarkers or computer models for research exploration and help clinicians conduct precision medicine by selecting the best biomarkers.
Ultrasound radiomics-based artificial intelligence model to assist in the differential diagnosis of ovarian endometrioma and ovarian dermoid cyst
Authors: Liu Lu , Cai Wenjun , Zhou Chenyang , Tian Hongyan , Wu Beibei , Zhang Jing , Yue Guanghui , Hao Yi 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundAccurately differentiating between ovarian endometrioma and ovarian dermoid cyst is of clinical significance. However, the ultrasound appearance of these two diseases is variable, occasionally causing confusion and overlap with each other. This study aimed to develop a diagnostic classification model based on ultrasound radiomics to intelligently distinguish and diagnose the two diseases.MethodsWe collected ovarian ultrasound images from participants diagnosed as patients with ovarian endometrioma or ovarian dermoid cyst. Feature extraction and selection were performed using the Mann-Whitney U-test, Spearman correlation analysis, and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. We then input the final features into the machine learning classifiers for model construction. A nomogram was established by combining the radiomic signature and clinical signature.ResultsA total of 407 participants with 407 lesions were included and categorized into the ovarian endometriomas group (n = 200) and the dermoid cyst group (n = 207). In the test cohort, Logistic Regression (LR) achieved the highest area under curve (AUC) value (0.981, 95% CI: 0.963−1.000), the highest accuracy (94.8%), and the highest sensitivity (95.5%), while LightGBM achieved the highest specificity (97.1%). A nomogram incorporating both clinical features and radiomic features achieved the highest level of performance (AUC: 0.987, 95% CI: 0.967−1.000, accuracy: 95.1%, sensitivity: 88.0%, specificity: 100.0%, PPV: 100.0%, NPV: 88.0%, precision: 93.6%). No statistical difference in diagnostic performance was observed between the radiomic model and the nomogram (P &gt; 0.05). The diagnostic indexes of radiomic model were comparable to that of senior radiologists and superior to that of junior radiologist. The diagnostic performance of junior radiologists significantly improved with the assistance of the model.ConclusionThis ultrasound radiomics-based model demonstrated superior diagnostic performance compared to those of junior radiologists and comparable diagnostic performance to those of senior radiologists, and it has the potential to enhance the diagnostic performance of junior radiologists.
Mapping knowledge of the stem cell in traumatic brain injury: a bibliometric and visualized analysis
Authors: Deng Tingzhen , Ding Ruiwen , Wang Yatao , Chen Yueyang , Sun Hongtao , Zheng Maohua 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a brain function injury caused by external mechanical injury. Primary and secondary injuries cause neurological deficits that mature brain tissue cannot repair itself. Stem cells can self-renewal and differentiate, the research of stem cells in the pathogenesis and treatment of TBI has made significant progress in recent years. However, numerous articles must be summarized to analyze hot spots and predict trends. This study aims to provide a panorama of knowledge and research hotspots through bibliometrics.MethodWe searched in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database to identify articles pertaining to TBI and stem cells published between 2000 and 2022. Visualization knowledge maps, including co-authorship, co-citation, and co-occurrence analysis were generated by VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the R package “bibliometrix.”ResultsWe retrieved a total of 459 articles from 45 countries. The United States and China contributed the majority of publications. The number of publications related to TBI and stem cells is increasing yearly. Tianjin Medical University was the most prolific institution, and Professor Charles S. Cox, Jr. from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston was the most influential author. The Journal of Neurotrauma has published the most research articles on TBI and stem cells. Based on the burst references, “immunomodulation,” “TBI,” and “cellular therapy” have been regarded as research hotspots in the field. The keywords co-occurrence analysis revealed that “exosomes,” “neuroinflammation,” and “microglia” were essential research directions in the future.ConclusionResearch on TBI and stem cells has shown a rapid growth trend in recent years. Existing studies mainly focus on the activation mechanism of endogenous neural stem cells and how to make exogenous stem cell therapy more effective. The combination with bioengineering technology is the trend in this field. Topics related to exosomes and immune regulation may be the future focus of TBI and stem cell research.
Impacts of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the dietary practices of university students in Germany
Authors: Dreyer Jana O. , Brandt Alexander C. , Lichtenstein Silke , Sina Christian , Smollich Martin 
Published: March 2024

PurposeThe dietary practices (DPs) of university students are influenced by many external factors. Therefore, we investigate how the DPs of students in Germany changed during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, what the main motivations were for those changes, and what effect the closure of university catering had on the DPs of students.MethodsA total of 560 students from two universities in Lübeck (Germany) were surveyed online during a pilot phase. The final online questionnaire was subsequently administered at 10 other German universities (399 respondents). The questionnaire surveyed sociodemographic factors, dietary habits, food consumption frequencies, and the relevance of university catering before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.ResultsRegarding changes in DPs, similarities to previous studies were found, especially positive eating behaviors and an increasing interest in health- and nutrition-related sustainability. Students prepared meals freshly more often during the pandemic; consumed legumes, plant-based meats and dairy alternatives more often; and reduced their consumption of meat and milk compared to before the pandemic. The consumption frequency of sweets also decreased. It was observed that students consider eating communal in the university canteen to be highly relevant for their social interactions, which was only possible to a limited extent during the pandemic.ConclusionIn Germany, the DPs of university students as well as criteria regarding health and sustainability changed during the first 2 years of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The social aspect of DPs became evident due to closed university catering. Still, changes in dietary patterns and eating habits were positively related to health and revealed some differences in the cross section of the population.
Erythrocyte glycocalyx sensitivity to sodium is associated with salt sensitivity of blood pressure in women but not men
Authors: Masenga Sepiso K. , Hamooya Benson M. , Patel Kaushik P. , Kirabo Annet 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundWhile salt sensitivity of blood pressure (SSBP) is a risk factor for hypertension, end-organ damage and death, most studies are conducted in western countries and in White people. We previously found that the prevalence of SSBP in Blacks living in Sub-Saharan Africa is as high as 75–80% like what has been reported in the west. Erythrocyte glycocalyx sensitivity to sodium (eGCSS), a marker of sodium-induced damage to the erythrocyte and vascular endothelial glycocalyx is thought to be related to blood pressure perturbations associated with salt intake. We hypothesized that SSBP correlates with eGCSS differently in men and women in Black people.MethodsWe conducted a cross sectional study using data from our recent clinical trial from Livingstone University Teaching Hospital among 117 normotensive young adults. We used a “salt blood test” to determine eGCSS and an immediate pressor response to oral salt (IPROS) for the diagnosis of SSBP.ResultsThe proportion of males were equal to females and the median age (interquartile range) of the participants was 29 (22–45) years. The eGCSS scores were higher in salt-resistant females compared to salt-sensitive females and males. eGCSS correlated negatively with SSBP (AOR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97–0.99, p = 0.008), however, this relationship was driven by female sex and abrogated by male sex. Although blood pressure elevations exhibited a sustained bimodal pattern in both sexes, in males, systolic and diastolic blood pressure never returned to baseline during the time course as it did in females.ConclusionIn this study, eGCSS correlated negatively with SSBP in black women but not in black men and the pressor response to dietary salt was significantly higher in men compared to women. These results suggest that women tend to have a higher disruption of the vascular endothelial glycocalyx by an acute salt load, implying that acute changes in blood pressure may not be driven directly by the endothelial glycocalyx. Our findings suggest a novel mechanism linking eGCSS and SSBP with potential implications for sex differences in salt-induced cardiovascular disease.Clinical trial registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier [NCT04844255].
Regulation of Sacha Inchi protein on fecal metabolism and intestinal microorganisms in mice
Authors: Wu Kuan , Gong Wanying , Lin Shiyang , Huang Si , Mu Hongyu , Wang Mingming , Sheng Jun , Zhao Cunchao 
Published: March 2024

IntroductionWith the increasing demand for protein utilization, exploring new protein resources has become a research hotspot. Sacha Inchi Protein (SIP) is a high-quality plant protein extracted from Sacha Inchi meal. This study aimed to investigate the impact of SIP on mouse metabolomics and gut microbiota diversity and explore the underlying pathways responsible for its health benefits.MethodsIn this study, the structural composition of SIP was investigated, and the effects of SIP on fecal metabolomics and intestinal microorganisms in mice were explored by LC–MS metabolomics technology analysis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing.ResultsThe results showed that SIP was rich in amino acids, with the highest Manuscript Click here to view linked References content of arginine, which accounted for 22.98% of the total amino acid content; the potential fecal metabolites of mice in the SIP group involved lipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, arginine biosynthesis, and amino acid metabolism; SIP altered the microbial composition of the cecum in mice, decreased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes value, and It decreased the abundance of the harmful intestinal bacteria Actinobacteriota and Desulfobacterota, and increased the abundance of the beneficial intestinal bacteria Faecalibaculum, Dubosiella.DiscussionIn conclusion, SIP is a high-quality plant protein with great potential for development in lipid-lowering, intestinal health, and mental illness, providing valuable clues for further research on its health-promoting mechanisms.
Surgical, oncologic, and obstetric outcomes of radical trachelectomy in early-stage cervical cancer: results from a retrospective cohort study at Brazil National Cancer Institute
Authors: Bellotti José Augusto , Gutierres Isabella Gonçalves , Furtado Yara Lúcia , Patury Patricia , Figueiredo Juliana de Almeida , Guitmann Gustavo , Fiorelli Rossano Keppler Alvin , da Silva Fernanda Campos 
Published: March 2024

Objectiveto analyze oncological, obstetrical, and surgical results of young early-stage cervical cancer patients who underwent radical trachelectomy (RT) surgery and wished to maintain their fertility.Methodologya retrospective cohort study was carried out concerning cases attended at the Brazilian National Cancer Institute Gynecology Oncology Service. Patients who underwent RT between January 2005 and January 2021 were included.ResultsA total of 32 patients with median age of 32 years old, 62.5% of whom were nulliparous, were assessed. Concerning cancer type, 65.6% squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cases, 31.2% adenocarcinoma cases and 3.1% adenosquamous carcinoma cases were verified. Stage IA2 was evidenced in 12.5% of the patients and stage IB &lt; 4 cm in 87.5%. Regarding surgical approaches, 68.25% of the patients underwent vaginal RT (VRT), 18.75%, abdominal RT (ART), 9.3%, the robotic radical trachelectomy (RORT) and 3.1%, video laparoscopy radical trachelectomy (VLRT). The median number of removed lymph nodes was 14, with only two detected as positive. Two cases of positive surgical margins were noted. A total of 3.1% intraoperative and 31.25% postoperative complications were observed, with cervical stenosis being the most common. The recurrence rate of the study was 3.1%, with a median follow-up time of 87 months, where 3.1% deaths occurred. The pregnancy rate of the study was 17.85% (5/28), with 54.5% evolving to live births and 45.5% evolving to abortion.ConclusionRadical trachelectomy is a feasible procedure presenting good oncological results and acceptable pregnancy rates.
Rim enhancement of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: investigating the relationship with DCE-MRI-based radiomics and next-generation sequencing
Authors: Choi Moon Hyung , Yoon Seung Bae , Lee Young Joon , Jung Eun Sun , Pak Seongyong , Han Dongyeob , Nickel Dominik 
Published: March 2024

PurposeTo identify the clinical and genetic variables associated with rim enhancement of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and to develop a dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI-based radiomics model for predicting the genetic status from next-generation sequencing (NGS)Materials and methodsPatients with PDAC, who underwent pretreatment pancreatic DCE-MRI between November 2019 and July 2021, were eligible in this prospective study. Two radiologists evaluated presence of rim enhancement in PDAC, a known radiological prognostic indicator, on DCE MRI. NGS was conducted for the tissue from the lesion. The Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square tests were employed to identify clinical and genetic variables associated with rim enhancement in PDAC. For continuous variables predicting rim enhancement, the cutoff value was set based on the Youden’s index from the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Radiomics features were extracted from a volume-of-interest of PDAC on four DCE maps (Ktrans, Kep, Ve, and iAUC). A random forest (RF) model was constructed using 10 selected radiomics features from a pool of 392 original features. This model aimed to predict the status of significant NGS variables associated with rim enhancement. The performance of the model was validated using test set.ResultsA total of 55 patients (32 men; median age 71 years) were randomly assigned to the training (n = 41) and test (n = 14) sets. In the training set, KRAS, TP53, CDKN2A, and SMAD4 mutation rates were 92.3%, 61.8%, 14.5%, and 9.1%, respectively. Tumor size and KRAS variant allele frequency (VAF) differed between rim-enhancing (n = 12) and nonrim-enhancing (n = 29) PDACs with a cutoff of 17.22%. The RF model’s average AUC from 10-fold cross-validation for predicting KRAS VAF status was 0.698. In the test set comprising 6 tumors with low KRAS VAF and 8 with high KRAS VAF, the RF model’s AUC reached 1.000, achieving a sensitivity of 75.0%, specificity of 100% and accuracy of 87.5%.ConclusionRim enhancement of PDAC is associated with KRAS VAF derived from NGS-based genetic information. For predicting the KRAS VAF status in PDAC, a radiomics model based on DCE maps showed promising results.
Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of male breast cancer in China
Authors: Lei Han , Hua Baojie , Mao Yingying , Cui Wei , Mao Caiping , Yang Shaoxue , Li Jiayu 
Published: March 2024

PurposeThis study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics of male breast cancer (MBC) patients and the factors influencing their prognosis.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective case series analysis of 117 MBC cases who were treated at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital from 2009 to 2022. Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify prognostic factors of MBC. Nomogram was constructed based on these factors, which was further evaluated by C-index and calibration curves.ResultsA total of 115 MBC cases were finally included in our analyses, with median diagnosis age of 59 years. Of these cases, 80.0% were estrogen receptor (ER) positive, 79.2% were progesterone receptor (PR) positive, 48.7% were human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative, and 42.6% had Ki67 levels higher than 15%. 108 (93.9%) cases underwent radical mastectomy, while only 3 (2.6%) received breast-conserving surgery. The Logrank test suggested that lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) was negatively associated with both overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of MBC, while platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were only positively associated with OS (all P-values &lt; 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that age (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.03-1.13) was significant prognostic factors for OS. Meanwhile, age (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02-1.10), histological differentiation grade (poorly differentiated/undifferentiated vs. well-differentiated: HR 2.55, 95% CI 1.05-6.17), and TNM stage (IV vs. I: HR 31.59, 95% CI 6.01-165.93) were also significant prognostic factors for DFS. Nomograms were developed for DFS, with C-indexes of 0.782, indicating good predictive performance.ConclusionIncreased age, bigger tumor size, higher TNM stage, and lower histological differentiation grade were associated with poor MBC prognosis, and LMR, PLR, and NLR might be potential predictors for MBC prognosis.
Epidemiology and distribution of cruciate ligament injuries in children and adolescents, with an analysis of risk factors for concomitant meniscal tear
Authors: Zhi Xinwang , Wen Zhicheng , Zhang Jiexin , Lai Dongbo , Ye Huilan , Wu Jianping , Li Jintao , Shao Yan , Canavese Federico , Zeng Chun , Xu Hongwen 
Published: March 2024

IntroductionTo investigate the epidemiological features and prevalence of cruciate ligament injuries (CLI) in children and adolescents, and to examine the potential risk factors associated with concomitant meniscal tear (MT) among this population.MethodsThe demographic data and injury details of children and adolescents with CLI from Southeast China were analyzed to describe their distribution characteristics, alongside an analysis of the prevalence of MTs, the most frequent complication. In addition, binary logistic analysis was employed to ascertain the risk factors linked to MT in individuals suffering from CLI.ResultsA total of 203 patients with CLI (n = 206) met the inclusion criteria, with a male-to-female ratio of 2.3:1. Notably, a higher proportion of females were aged ≤16 years old compared to males, who predominated in patients aged &gt;16 years (P = 0.001). Among children and adolescents, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries were the primary type of CLI, accounting for 88.18% (179/203) of all cases. The majority of cases (132/203, 65.02%) were sustained during sports activities, and sprains were the predominant mechanism of injury (176/203, 86.7%). Additionally, the most common associated injury was an MT (157/203, 77.34%). The posterior horn is the most frequently affected site for both medial MT (62.93% out of 73 cases) and lateral MT (70.19% out of 73 cases). Moreover, vertical tears constituted the majority of medial MTs (59.48% out of 116 cases). Furthermore, patients with a higher BMI faced an increased risk of associated MT in comparison to non-overweight patients (88% vs. 73.86%; P = 0.038). Each increase in BMI unit was linked with a 14% higher probability of associated MT occurrence in children and adolescents with CLI (OR = 1.140; P = 0.036).DiscussionACL injuries are a common form of knee ligament injury among children and adolescents, especially those over the age of 16, and are often the result of a sprain. Meniscal posterior horn injury is the most commonly associated injury of youth with CLI. Additionally, overweight or obese people with CLI are at a greater risk of developing MT.