bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Differences in the clinical and hormonal presentation of patients with familial and sporadic primary aldosteronism
Authors: Araujo-Castro Marta , Parra Paola , Martín Rojas-Marcos Patricia , Paja Fano Miguel , González Boillos Marga , Pascual-Corrales Eider , García Cano Ana María , Ruiz-Sanchez Jorge Gabriel , Vicente Delgado Almudena , Gómez Hoyos Emilia , Ferreira Rui , García Sanz Iñigo , Recasens Sala Mònica , Barahona San Millan Rebeca , Picón César María José , Díaz Guardiola Patricia , Perdomo Carolina M. , Manjón-Miguélez Laura , García Centeno Rogelio , Rebollo Román Ángel , Gracia Gimeno Paola , Robles Lázaro Cristina , Morales-Ruiz Manuel , Calatayud María , Furio Collao Simone Andree , Meneses Diego , Sampedro Nuñez Miguel , Escudero Quesada Verónica , Mena Ribas Elena , Sanmartín Sánchez Alicia , Gonzalvo Diaz Cesar , Lamas Cristina , del Castillo Tous María , Serrano Gotarredona Joaquín , Michalopoulou Alevras Theodora , Moya Mateo Eva María , Hanzu Felicia A. 
Published: March 2024

PurposeTo compare the clinical and hormonal characteristics of patients with familial hyperaldosteronism (FH) and sporadic primary aldosteronism (PA).MethodsA systematic review of the literature was performed for the identification of FH patients. The SPAIN-ALDO registry cohort of patients with no suspicion of FH was chosen as the comparator group (sporadic group).ResultsA total of 360 FH (246 FH type I, 73 type II, 29 type III, and 12 type IV) cases and 830 sporadic PA patients were included. Patients with FH-I were younger than sporadic cases, and women were more commonly affected (P = 0.003). In addition, the plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) was lower, plasma renin activity (PRA) higher, and hypokalemia (P &lt; 0.001) less frequent than in sporadic cases. Except for a younger age (P &lt; 0.001) and higher diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.006), the clinical and hormonal profiles of FH-II and sporadic cases were similar. FH-III had a distinct phenotype, with higher PAC and higher frequency of hypokalemia (P &lt; 0.001), and presented 45 years before sporadic cases. Nevertheless, the clinical and hormonal phenotypes of FH-IV and sporadic cases were similar, with the former being younger and having lower serum potassium levels.ConclusionIn addition to being younger and having a family history of PA, FH-I and III share other typical characteristics. In this regard, FH-I is characterized by a low prevalence of hypokalemia and FH-III by a severe aldosterone excess causing hypokalemia in more than 85% of patients. The clinical and hormonal phenotype of type II and IV is similar to the sporadic cases.
Genome-wide identification of dysregulated alternative splicing and RNA-binding proteins involved in atopic dermatitis
Authors: Yang Yaqi , Chen Hao , Jiang Qing , Yang Lin , Zhu Rongfei , Huang Nan 
Published: March 2024

Objectives: We explored the role and molecular mechanisms of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and their regulated alternative splicing events (RASEs) in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD).Methods: We downloaded RNA-seq data (GSE121212) from 10 healthy control skin samples (healthy, Ctrl), 10 non-lesional skin samples with AD damage (non-lesional, NL), and 10 lesional skin samples with AD damage (lesional, LS). We performed the analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), differentially expressed RBPs (DE-RBPs), alternative splicing (AS), functional enrichment, the co-expression of RBPs and RASEs, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).Results: We identified 60 DE-RBP genes by intersecting 2141 RBP genes from existing reports with overall 2697 DEGs. Most of the DE-RBP genes were found to be upregulated in the AD LS group and related to immune and apoptosis pathways. We observed different ASEs and RASEs among the healthy, AD NL, and AD LS groups. In particular, alt3p and alt5p were the main ASEs and RASEs in AD NL and AD LS groups, compared to the healthy group. Furthermore, we constructed co-expression networks of DE-RBPs and RAS, with particular enrichment in biological pathways including cytoskeleton organization, inflammation, and immunity. Subsequently, we selected seven genes that are commonly present in these three pathways to assess their expression levels in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from both healthy individuals and AD patients. The results demonstrated the upregulation of four genes (IFI16, S100A9, PKM, and ENO1) in the PBMCs of AD patients, which is highly consistent with DE-RBP genes analysis. Finally, we selected four RAS genes regulated by RBPs that were related to immune pathways and examined their RASEs in PBMCs from both AD patients and healthy controls. The results revealed an increased percentage of RASEs in the DDX60 gene in AD, which is highly consistent with AS analysis.Conclusion: Dysregulated RBPs and their associated RASEs may have a significant regulatory role in the development of AD and could be potential therapeutic targets in the future.
Intratumor tertiary lymphatic structure evaluation predicts the prognosis and immunotherapy response of patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Feng Huijing , Zhang Siyuan , Zhou Qiuru , Han Fei , Du Gang , Wang Lin , Yang Xuena , Zhang Xiying , Yu Wenwen , Wei Feng , Hao Xishan , Ren Xiubao , Zhao Hua 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundImmune checkpoint therapy, involving the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody, has revolutionized the treatment of cancer. Tertiary lymphatic structure (TLS) serves as an immune indicator to predict the efficacy of PD-1 antibody therapy. However, there is no clear result whether the distribution, quantity, and maturity of TLS can be effective indicators for predicting the clinical efficacy of anti-PD1 immunotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).MethodsFifty-seven patients who underwent surgical resection and thirty-nine patients who received anti-PD-1 immunotherapy were enrolled in this retrospective study. Immunohistochemical staining and multiple fluorescence immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the mismatch repair (MMR) subtypes and TLS distribution, quantity, and maturity, respectively.ResultsA comprehensive patient score system was built based on TLS quantity and maturity. We found that the proportion of patients with score &gt;1 was much higher in the deficient mismatch repair(dMMR) group than in the proficient mismatch repair(pMMR) group, and this difference was mainly due to intratumoral TLS. Patient score, based on the TLS evaluation of whole tumor, peritumor, or intratumor, was used to evaluate the efficacy of anti-PD1 immunotherapy. Based only on the intratumor TLS evaluation, the proportion of patients with a score &gt;1 was higher in the response (PR + CR) group than in the non-response (PD) group. Multivariate analysis revealed that patient scores were positively correlated with the clinical efficacy of immunotherapy. Further analysis of immune-related progression-free survival was performed in patients with CRC who received anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Patients with score &gt;1 based on the intratumor TLS evaluation had significantly better survival.ConclusionsThese results suggest that the patient score based on intratumor TLS evaluation may be a good immune predictive indicator for PD-1 antibody therapy in patients with CRC.
Predicting long-term outcomes for acute ischemic stroke using multi-model MRI radiomics and clinical variables
Authors: Wei Lai , Pan Xianpan , Deng Wei , Chen Lei , Xi Qian , Liu Ming , Xu Huali , Liu Jing , Wang Peijun 
Published: March 2024

PurposeThe objective of this study was to create and validate a novel prediction model that incorporated both multi-modal radiomics features and multi-clinical features, with the aim of accurately identifying acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients who faced a higher risk of poor outcomes.MethodsA cohort of 461 patients diagnosed with AIS from four centers was divided into a training cohort and a validation cohort. Radiomics features were extracted and selected from diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) images to create a radiomic signature. Prediction models were developed using multi-clinical and selected radiomics features from DWI and ADC.ResultsA total of 49 radiomics features were selected from DWI and ADC images by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). Additionally, 20 variables were collected as multi-clinical features. In terms of predicting poor outcomes in validation set, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.727 for the DWI radiomics model, 0.821 for the ADC radiomics model, 0.825 for the DWI + ADC radiomics model, and 0.808 for the multi-clinical model. Furthermore, a prediction model was built using all selected features, the AUC for predicting poor outcomes increased to 0.86.ConclusionRadiomics features extracted from DWI and ADC images can serve as valuable biomarkers for predicting poor clinical outcomes in patients with AIS. Furthermore, when these radiomics features were combined with multi-clinical features, the predictive performance was enhanced. The prediction model has the potential to provide guidance for tailoring rehabilitation therapies based on individual patient risks for poor outcomes.
High vs. low tidal volume and pulmonary complications in patients with cervical spinal cord injury on mechanical ventilation: systematic review
Authors: Meregildo-Rodríguez Edinson Dante , Vásquez-Tirado Gustavo Adolfo , Quispe-Castañeda Claudia Vanessa , del Carmen Cuadra-Campos María , Contreras-Cabrera Jhuliana M. , Pinedo-Portilla Juan Luis 
Published: March 2024

IntroductionCervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) patients on mechanical ventilation often lack standardized guidelines for optimal ventilatory support. This study reviews existing literature to compare outcomes between high tidal volume (HTV) and low tidal volume (LTV) strategies in this unique patient population.MethodsWe searched for studies published up to August 30, 2023, in five databases, following a PECO/PICO strategy. We found six studies for quantitative analysis and meta-analyzed five studies.ResultsThis meta-analysis included 396 patients with CSCI and mechanical ventilation (MV), 119 patients treated with high tidal volume (HTV), and 277 with low tidal volume (LTV). This first meta-analysis incorporates the few studies that show contradictory findings. Our meta-analysis shows that there is no significant statistical difference in developing VAP between both comparison groups (HTV vs. LTV) (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.13 to 1.66; p &gt; 0.05; I2: 0%), nor are there differences between the presence of other pulmonary complications when treating with HTV such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), atelectasis, onset of weaning.ConclusionIn patients with CSCI in MV, the use of HTV does not carry a greater risk of pneumonia compared to LTV; in turn, it is shown as a safe ventilatory strategy as it does not establish an increase in other pulmonary complications such as ARDS, atelectasis, the onset of weaning nor others associated with volutrauma. It is necessary to evaluate the role of HTV ventilation in this group of patients in primary RCT-type studies.
Exploring injury assessment using motion tracking technology and ergonomic tools in archery performance
Authors: Ji Xiaoxu , Arzalluz Irati , Gao Xin , Al Tamimi Zainab , Swierski Ethan , Piovesan Davide 
Published: March 2024

Introduction: Archers face a notable annual risk of injury attributed to the repetitive strain exerted on their upper body muscles and joints. This groundbreaking study marks the first utilization of real-time motion tracking combined with ergonomic analysis in archery research, eliminating the need for extensive equipment setups and streamlining data collection.Methods: Thirteen participants were involved, undertaking four tasks with varying draw weights of bows and target positions.Results: The precise recording of human movements revealed distinctive postures adopted by both genders across different tasks. Furthermore, an assessment of exposed spinal force and its correlation with anatomical variables was conducted, providing valuable insights into injury risks during archery performances.
Differences in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations of spontaneous brain activity between preterm and term infants
Authors: Feng Ye , Wang Yuanchong , Li Xu , Dai Liying , Zhang Jian 
Published: March 2024

ObjectivesTo date, the majority of research on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in the developing brain has primarily centered on adolescents and adults, leaving a gap in understanding variations in spontaneous brain activity at rest in preterm infants. This study aimed to uncover and comprehend the distinctions in spontaneous brain activity between preterm and term infants, with the goal of establishing a foundation for assessing the condition of preterm infants.MethodsIn this study, 14 term infants and 15 preterm infants with equivalent gestational age were carefully chosen from the neonatal unit of Anhui Provincial Children’s Hospital. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) intensity was assessed using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to examine brain activity in both groups. Subsequently, the differences between the term and preterm infants were statistically analyzed using a two-sample t-test. A p-value of &lt;0.05, corrected for the REST Gaussian Random Fields, was deemed to be statistically significant.ResultsIn comparison to the term infant group, the preterm infant group exhibited a significant increase in the ALFF value in the left precuneus, left frontal superior orbital gyrus, and left calcarine cortex.ConclusionSignificant variances in spontaneous brain activity have been observed in various regions between term infants and preterm infants of equivalent gestational age. These variations could potentially impact the emotional and cognitive development of preterm infants in the long term.
Structural changes in the retina as a potential biomarker in Parkinson's disease: an approach from optical coherence tomography
Authors: Poveda Santiago , Arellano Ximena , Bernal-Pacheco Oscar , Valencia López Alejandro 
Published: March 2024

IntroductionParkinson's disease (PD) presents challenges in early diagnosis and follow-up due to the lack of characteristic findings. Recent studies suggest retinal changes in PD are possibly indicative of neurodegeneration. We explored these changes using optical coherence tomography (OCT) to assess retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness.MethodsThirty PD and non-PD patients were matched according to demographic characteristics and OCT and clinical evaluations to rule out other neurodegenerative and visual diseases.ResultsWe observed a significant thinning of the RNFL in patients diagnosed with PD compared to non-PD patients (p = 0.015). Additionally, this reduction in RNFL thickness was found to correlate with the severity of the disease (p = 0.04).ConclusionThe OCT serves as a tool for quantifying neurodegeneration in PD, showing a significant correlation with disease severity. These findings suggest that OCT could play a crucial role as a potential biomarker in the diagnosis and monitoring of PD.
Effect of different modalities of transcranial magnetic stimulation on Parkinson’s patients cognitive impairment and long-term effectiveness: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Yang Yulin , Yan Zhenyang , Chang Wanpeng , Ding Jiangtao , Xu Hongli 
Published: March 2024

ObjectiveThis study used network Meta-analysis to compare the effects of different transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) modalities on the effectiveness and long-term validity of improving cognitive function in Parkinson’s patients.MethodsComputer searches of the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Embass, CNKI and Wanfang Data were conducted to collect randomized controlled clinical studies on TMS to improve cognitive function in Parkinson’s patients published from the time of library construction to December 2023.ResultsA total of 22 studies and 1,473 patients were included, comprising 5 interventions: high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS), low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (LF-rTMS), intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), sham stimulation and conventional rehabilitation therapy (CRT). Network Meta-analysis showed that the ranking results of different TMS intervention modalities in terms of MoCA scores were: HF-rTMS &gt; LF-rTMS &gt; iTBS &gt; sham &gt; CRT, the ranking results of different TMS intervention modalities in terms of MMSE scores were: HF-rTMS &gt; LF-rTMS &gt; sham &gt; CRT. The effect of TMS on improving Parkinsonian cognitive function lasted for 1 month compared to the no-stimulation group.ConclusionTMS has some long-term sustained effects on improving cognitive function in Parkinson’s patients. HF-rTMS is more effective in improving cognitive function in Parkinson’s patients.Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, identifier: CRD42023463958.
Agreement between parent-report and EMR height, weight, and BMI among rural children
Authors: Potts Benjamin A. , Wood G. Craig , Bailey-Davis Lisa 
Published: March 2024

IntroductionRemote anthropometric surveillance has emerged as a strategy to accommodate lapses in growth monitoring for pediatricians during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The purpose of this investigation was to validate parent-reported anthropometry and inform acceptable remote measurement practices among rural, preschool-aged children.MethodsParent-reported height, weight, body mass index (BMI), BMI z-score, and BMI percentile for their child were collected through surveys with the assessment of their source of home measure. Objective measures were collected by clinic staff at the child’s well-child visit (WCV). Agreement was assessed using correlations, alongside an exploration of the time gap (TG) between parent-report and WCV to moderate agreement. Using parent- and objectively reported BMI z-scores, weight classification agreement was evaluated. Correction equations were applied to parent-reported anthropometrics.ResultsA total of 55 subjects were included in this study. Significant differences were observed between parent- and objectively reported weight in the overall group (−0.24 kg; p = 0.05), as well as height (−1.8 cm; p = 0.01) and BMI (0.4 kg/m2; p = 0.02) in the ≤7d TG + Direct group. Parental reporting of child anthropometry ≤7d from their WCV with direct measurements yielded the strongest correlations [r = 0.99 (weight), r = 0.95 (height), r = 0.82 (BMI), r = 0.71 (BMIz), and r = 0.68 (BMI percentile)] and greatest classification agreement among all metrics [91.67% (weight), 54.17% (height), 83.33% (BMI), 91.67% (BMIz), and 33.33% (BMI percentile)]. Corrections did not remarkably improve correlations.DiscussionRemote pediatric anthropometry is a valid supplement for clinical assessment, conditional on direct measurement within 7 days. In rural populations where socioenvironmental barriers exist to care and surveillance, we highlight the utility of telemedicine for providers and researchers.
Preoperative plasma fibrinogen and C-reactive protein/albumin ratio as prognostic biomarkers for pancreatic carcinoma
Authors: Chen Xiaopeng , Chen Zhaohui , Guo Jianyang , Xiu Zhe , Chen Huangxiang 
Published: March 2024

ObjectivePancreatic carcinoma is characterised by high aggressiveness and a bleak prognosis; optimising related treatment decisions depends on the availability of reliable prognostic markers. This study was designed to compare various blood biomarkers, such as neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin (Alb), plasma fibrinogen (PF), and CRP/Alb in patients with pancreatic carcinoma.MethodsOur study retrospectively reviewed 250 patients with pancreatic carcinoma diagnosed between July 2007 and December 2018. The Cutoff Finder application was used to calculate the optimal values of CRP/Alb and PF. The Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test was used to analyse the correlation of CRP/Alb and PF with other clinicopathological factors. Conducting univariate and multivariate analyses allowed further survival analysis of these prognostic factors.ResultsMultivariate analysis revealed that, in a cohort of 232 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the PF level exhibited statistical significance for overall survival (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.464; p = 0.023); however, this correlation was not found in the entire group of 250 patients with pancreatic carcinoma. Contrastingly, the CRP/Alb ratio was demonstrated statistical significance in both the entire pancreatic carcinoma cohort (HR = 0.471; p = 0.026) and the PDAC subgroup (HR = 0.484; p = 0.034). CRP/Alb and PF demonstrated a positive association (r=0.489, p&lt;0.001) as indicated by Spearman’s rank correlation analysis. Additionally, in 232 PDAC patients, the combination of the CRP/Alb ratio and PF had synergistic effects on prognosis when compared with either the CRP/Alb ratio or the PF concentration alone.ConclusionPF concentration is a convenient, rapid, and noninvasive biomarker, and its combination with the CRP/Alb ratio could significantly enhance the accuracy of prognosis prediction in pancreatic carcinoma patients, especially those with the most common histological subtype of PDAC.
DNA damage levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells before and after first cycle of chemotherapy have comparable prognostic values in germ cell tumor patients
Authors: Ivovič Danica , Šestáková Zuzana , Roška Jan , Kálavská Katarína , Hurbanová Lenka , Holíčková Andrea , Smolková Božena , Kabelíková Pavlína , Novotná Věra , Chovanec Michal , Palacka Patrik , Mego Michal , Jurkovičová Dana , Chovanec Miroslav 
Published: March 2024

BackgroundGerm cell tumors (GCTs) represent the most frequent solid malignancy in young men. This malignancy is highly curable by cisplatin (CDDP)-based chemotherapy. However, there is a proportion of patients having a poor prognosis due to refractory disease or its relapse. No reliable biomarkers being able to timely and accurately stratify poor prognosis GCT patients are currently available. Previously, we have shown that chemotherapy-naïve GCT patients with higher DNA damage levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) have significantly worse prognosis compared to patients with lower DNA damage levels.MethodsDNA damage levels in PBMCs of both chemotherapy-naïve and first cycle chemotherapy-treated GCT patients have been assessed by standard alkaline comet assay and its styrene oxide (SO)-modified version. These levels were correlated with clinico-pathological characteristics.ResultsWe re-confirm prognostic value of DNA damage level in chemotherapy-naïve GCT patients and reveal that this prognosticator is equally effective in GCT patients after first cycle of CDDP-based chemotherapy. Furthermore, we demonstrate that SO-modified comet assay is comparably sensitive as standard alkaline comet assay in case of patients who underwent first cycle of CDDP-based chemotherapy, although it appears more suitable to detect DNA cross-links.ConclusionWe propose that DNA damage levels in PBMCs before and after first cycle of CCDP-based chemotherapy are comparable independent prognosticators for progression-free and overall survivals in GCT patients. Therefore, their clinical use is highly advised to stratify GCT patients to identify those who are most at risk of developing disease recurrence or relapse, allowing tailoring therapeutic interventions to poor prognosis individuals, and optimizing their care management and treatment regimen.