bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Megnetic resonance imaging findings in sporadic Möbius syndrome
Authors: WU Shao-qin , MAN Feng-yuan , JIAO Yong-hong , XIAN Jun-fang , WANG Yi-di , WANG Zhen-chang 
Published: January 2024

Background
Although neuroradiological findings of Möbius syndrome have been reported as a result of brain and brainstem abnormalities, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) now permits the direct imaging of the cranial nerve (CN) and branches in the orbits. This study presents the MRI findings in patients with sporadic Möbius syndrome.

Methods
Prospectively, CNs were imaged in the cistern using head coils and three dimensional fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition (3D-FIESTA), yielding a 0.5 mm2 resolution in planes of 0.8 mm thickness in seven patients with sporadic Möbius syndrome. The cavernous and intraorbital segment of the CN and the extraocular muscles (EOMs) were imaged with T1 weighting in all patients. The cavernous segment was imaged in coronal planes, while the intraorbit in quasicoronal planes were imaged using surface coils. Intraorbital resolution was 0.16 mm2 within 2.0 mm thick planes.

Results
In the seven patients, the CN were absent or showed hypoplasia in the cistern, cavernous sinus, and orbit. Abducens (CN VI) and facial (CN VII) nerves were absent on the affected sides. Unilateral CN IX (glossopharyngeal nerve) in two cases displayed dysplasia. Branches from the inferior division of CN III were observed to innervate the lateral rectus (LR) bilaterally in three cases and unilaterally in one case, and had intimate continuity with the LR muscle in two cases bilaterally and two cases unilaterally. Hypoplasia of EOMs was shown in five cases. Dysplasia of the medulla on the left side was found in one patient.

Conclusions
Direct imaging of CNs and EOMs by MRI is useful in diagnosis of Möbius syndrome. It can directly demonstrate the abnormalities of the CN and orbital structures. The absence or hypoplasia of CN VI and CN VII may be the most common radiologic features in sporadic Möbius syndrome, and hypoplasia of CN IX may be an associated feature. The abnormality of EOMs and aberrant innervations in the orbit should be observed, and may be important for the study of the etiology.
A prospective longitudinal study evaluating a T-cell-based assay for latent tuberculosis infection in health-care workers in a general hospital in Beijing
Authors: ZHANG Li-fan , LIU Xiao-qing , ZHANG Yao , DENG Guo-hua , Pareek Manish , Lalvani Ajit 
Published: January 2024

BackgroundThe health-care workers (HCWs) are at high risk of acquiring infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The objectives of this study were to compare the performance of the T-SPOT.TB and tuberculin skin test (TST) for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), evaluate diagnostic concordance and risk factors for LTBI, and observe the progression to active tuberculosis (TB) disease among HCWs in a general hospital in Beijing.MethodsThe prospective cohort study enrolled HCWs in a tertiary general hospital in Beijing, China, to evaluate LTBI with T-SPOT.TB and TST. The subjects were evaluated every 12 months during the 60-month follow-up.ResultsOf 101 participating HCWs, 96 and 101 had valid TST and T-SPOT.TB results, respectively. Twenty-nine (28.7%, 95% confidence interval (CI), 19.9%-37.5%) were defined as positive by T-SPOT.TB and 53 (55.2%, 95%CI, 45.2%-64.9%) were defined as positive by TST (using a ≥10 mm cutoff). An agreement between the two tests was poor (57.3%,κ=0.18, 95%CI, 0.01%-0.52%). In multivariate analysis, direct exposure to sputum smear-positive TB patients was a significant risk factor for a positive T-SPOT.TB (OR5.76; 95%CI1.38-24.00). Pooled frequency of antigen-specific IFN-γ secreting T-cells for subjects who reported direct contact with sputum smear-positive TB patients was significantly higher than that for participants without direct contact (P=0.045). One of 20 participants with positive result of T-SPOT.TB and TST developed active TB at 24-month follow-up.ConclusionT-SPOT.TB is a more accurate, targeted method of diagnosing LTBI than TST.
Screening of pathogenic genes in Chinese patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy
Authors: BAO Jing-Ru , WANG Ji-Zheng , YAO Yan , WANG Yi-Lu , FAN Xiao-Han , SUN Kai , ZHANG Shu , HUI Ru-Tai , SONG Lei 
Published: January 2024

Background
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a heritable cardiac disease predominantly caused by mutations in desmosomal protein genes. Previous genetic analyses of the Chinese ARVC population are limited to small size and restriction to a single gene. This study was aimed to investigate the genotype in a large series of Chinese patients with ARVC through comprehensively screening nine ARVC-causing genes.

Methods
A total of 100 unrelated ARVC patients and 300 age, gender and ethnicity matched healthy controls were genetically tested with multiplexing targeted resequencing for nine previously reported ARVC-causing genes, including plakophilin-2, desmoplakin, desmoglein-2, desmocollin-2, plakoglobin, transforming growth factor beta-3, transmembrane protein 43, desmin and Lamin A/C.

Results
Fifty-nine mutations were identified in 64% of the patients, among which, 93% were located in desmosomal protein genes. Plakophilin-2 mutations accounted for 54% of the total and 58% of the desmosomal mutations, with a truncating mutation type making up about 2/3 of the plakophilin-2 mutations. Only four mutations were found in non-desmosomal genes; two in transmembrane protein 43 and two in transforming growth factor beta-3. Two of them (one of each gene) appeared as single missense mutations. No mutation was identified in desmin or Lamin A/C. Multiple mutations were found in 23% of the patients, with plakophilin-2 being found in 57% of the multi-mutation carriers.

Conclusions
Plakophilin-2 was the most common gene mutation that was identified in Chinese ARVC patients. Nondesmosomal genes should be added to desmosomal protein genes when performing molecular genetic screening in patients with suspected ARVC.
Hyperbaric oxygen intervention on expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor in spinal cord injury models in rats
Authors: ZHOU Yi , LIU Xue-hua , QU Shao-dong , YANG Jing , WANG Zhi-wei , GAO Chun-jin , SU Qing-jun 
Published: January 2024

Background
Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) intervention is a main therapeutic method and the curative effect has been certified for spinal cord injury (SCI), but the mechanisms of the neuroprotective effect of HBO on SCI remain elusive. This study aimed to observe the change in expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) after SCI at different time points and to investigate the neuroprotective mechanism of HBO on SCI in rats.

Methods
A total of 160 adult Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing between 250 and 300 g, were randomly assigned to four experimental groups (n=40 per group). SCI group: SCI was created with a special NYU impactor of Allen's by a 25 gram-centimeter impacting energy on T10 of the spinal cord. SCI+HBO group: HBO therapy after SCI model was established. Sham operation (SH) group: only laminectomy of T10 and no impact on the spinal cord was done. SH+HBO group: HBO therapy after sham operation. The hindlimb functional recovery was evaluated using Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) score and the expressions of HIF-1α and VEGF were observed with fluorescent quantitation PCR and Western blotting method of six rats picked randomly from each group at different time points of 1, 3, 7, and 14 days after operation.

Results
Rats in the SCI group and SCI+HBO group were paralyzed completely after operation with BBB 0-1 score. Rats in the SH group and SH+HBO group could walk after sham operation with BBB 20-21 score. The BBB score of rats in the SCI+HBO group (4.67±1.97 and 10.83±2.23) was higher than that in the SCI group (1.83±0.75 and 6.67±2.16) at 7 and 14 days time points obviously (P <0.05). The expressions of HIF-1α and VEGF in the SCI group and SCI+HBO group were higher than in the SH group and SH+HBO group at any time point obviously (P <0.05), while the SCI+HBO group presented the least expression of HIF-1α mRNA and protein (3.82±0.41 and 0.59±0.06; 2.26±0.41 and 0.37±0.05; 1.58±0.26 and 0.29±0.05) than that in the SCI group (6.36±0.58 and 0.76±0.07; 3.55±0.47 and 0.51±0.07; 2.27±0.39 and 0.40±0.06) respectively at 3, 7, and 14 days time points (P <0.05) with significant difference and more expression of VEGF mRNA and protein (5.83±0.77 and 0.72±0.06; 4.59±0.51 and 0.63±0.06) than that in the SCI group (3.06±0.30 and 0.48±0.07; 2.25±0.24 and 0.39±0.09) respectively at 7 and 14 days time points (P <0.05) with significant difference.

Conclusions
HBO could improve the hind limb functional recovery after SCI in rats. The elevation and duration of the expression of VEGF and the reduction of expression of HIF-1α by HBO intervention may be inversely related in the repair of damaged spinal cord and neuroprotective effect.
Utility of echocardiographic tissue synchronization imaging to redirect left ventricular epicardial lead placement for cardiac resynchronization therapy
Authors: ZHANG Ye , LI Zhi-An , HE Yi-Hua , ZHANG Hai-Bo , MENG Xu 
Published: January 2024

Background
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) with biventricular pacing has demonstrated cardiac function improvement for treating congestive heart failure (HF). It has been documented that the placement of the left ventricular lead at the longest contraction delay segment has the optimal CRT benefit. This study described follow-up to surgical techniques for CRT as a viable alternative for patients with heart failure.

Methods
Between April 2007 and June 2012, a total of 14 consecutive heart failure patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III-IV underwent left ventricular epicardial lead placements via surgical approach. There were eight males and six females, aged 36 to 79 years ((59.6±9.2) years). The mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was (33.6±7.4)%. All patients were treated with left ventricular systolic dyssynchrony and underwent left ventricular epicardial lead placements via a surgical approach. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography were used to assess changes in left heart function and dyssynchronic parameters. Also, echo was used to select the best site for left ventricular epicardial lead placement.

Results
Left ventricular epicardial leads were successfully implanted in the posterior or lateral epicardial wall without serious complications in all patients. All patients had reduction in NYHA score from III-IV preoperatively to II-III postoperatively. The left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) decreased from (67.9±12.7) mm to (61.2±7.1) mm (P<0.05), and LVEF increased from (33.6±7.4)% to (42.2±8.8)% (P<0.05). Left ventricular intraventricular dyssynchrony index decreased from (148.4±31.6) ms to (57.3±23.8) ms (P<0.05).

Conclusions
Minimally invasive surgical placement of the left ventricular epicardial lead is feasible, safe, and efficient. TDI can guide the epicardial lead placement to the ideal target location.
Diagnostic accuracy of fiberoptic ductoscopy plus in vivo iodine staining for intraductal proliferative lesions
Authors: FENG Xin-zhi , SONG Ying-hua , ZHANG Feng-xia , JIANG Chuan-wu , MEI Hong , ZHAO Bin 
Published: January 2024

Background
Iodine staining during endoscopy has been successfully used to detect early carcinomatous and precancerous lesions in the esophagus, cervix, and oral cavity. The objective of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of fiberoptic ductoscopy (FDS) plus in vivo iodine staining for intraductal proliferative lesions of the breast.

Methods
We performed periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and in vitro iodine staining on 52 and 64 specimens of benign mammary hyperplasia, respectively, and 57 and 53 specimens of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), respectively. Next, FDS was performed on 177 recurrent nipple discharge patients who were randomly divided into two groups. One group was iodine-staining group in which 92 patients were randomly selected to undergo iodine staining during FDS, and the remaining 85 were assigned to the control group. Biopsy specimens of suspicious lesions were obtained and subjected to histopathological examination.

Results
Following PAS staining, benign mammary hyperplasia lesions were positively stained, while negligible PAS positivity was observed in the DCIS lesions (P <0.05). Following in vitro iodine staining, benign mammary hyperplasia specimens appeared dark brown, whereas DCIS samples appeared significantly lighter or unstained. Compared with the pathological examination results, FDS with iodine staining showed an agreement rate in the diagnosis of ductal intraepithelial neoplasia (DIN), sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and Youden index of 97.82%, 98.83%, 83.33%, 5.93, 0.014, and 0.8216, respectively; the corresponding values for FDS without iodine staining were 88.24%, 89.16%, 50.00%, 1.78, 0.217, and 0.3916, respectively.

Conclusion
FDS with iodine staining was superior to conventional FDS for the diagnosis of DIN and is valuable for breast cancer prevention.
Relationships between use of statins and arterial stiffness in normotensive and hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease
Authors: WANG Zhi-guang , CHEN Bing-wei , Na-qiang LÜ , CHENG Yan-mei , DANG Ai-min 
Published: January 2024

Background
Statins improve arterial stiffness in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Hypertension is a predominant contributor of arterial stiffening. However, the influence of hypertension on the effect of statins for improving arterial stiffness in CAD patients has seldom been investigated. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the relationships between statin use and arterial stiffness in normotensive and hypertensive CAD patients.

Methods
Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) was measured in 437 patients, including 220 hypertensive CAD patients (121 used statins, 99 did not) and 217 normotensive CAD patients (105 used statins, 112 did not). The normotensive and hypertensive CAD patients were matched according to age, sex, and body mass index (BMI).

Results
In the normotensive and hypertensive CAD patients, lipid profiles were significantly improved in the statin group compared with the non-statin group. No significant differences in the administered statins (i.e., atorvastatin, simvastatin, rosuvastatin, and pravastatin) and statin therapy duration were found between normotensive and hypertensive CAD patients (all P>0.05). No significant correlation of ba-PWV and statin therapy duration was found in all CAD patients, normotensive CAD patients, or hypertensive CAD patients (all P>0.05). ba-PWV in the statin group was significantly lower than that in the non-statin group in normotensive CAD patients ((1331.68±167.52) cm/s vs. (1468.61±244.54) cm/s, P=0.002) but not in hypertensive CAD patients (P>0.05). In multiple linear regression analyses, statin therapy was significantly associated with ba-PWV after adjusting for confounding variables in normotensive CAD patients (P=0.018) but not in hypertensive CAD patients (P>0.05).

Conclusions
Statins may significantly improve arterial stiffness in CAD patients, and hypertension may probably influence the effectiveness of statin therapy in improving arterial stiffness in this population. Further studies are required to investigate the effect of statins on arterial stiffness in normotensive and hypertensive CAD patients.
Vascular endothelial growth inhibitor affects the invasion, apoptosis and vascularisation in breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231
Authors: Gao Yinguang , Ge Zhicheng , Zhang Zhongtao , Bai Zhigang , Ma Xuemei , Wang Yu 
Published: January 2024

Background
Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant female diseases worldwide. It is a significant threat to every woman’s health. Vascular endothelial growth inhibitor (VEGI) is known to be abundant in endothelial cells. According to previous literature, overexpression of VEGI has been shown to inhibit tumor neovascularisation and progression in cellular and animal models, but there has been limited research on the significance of VEGI in the breast cancer.

Methods
In our study, cell lines MDA-MB-231 were first constructed in which VEGI mediated by lentivirus over-expressed. The effects of VEGI over-expression on MDA-MB-231 cells were investigated both in vitro and in vivo. The expression of VEGI in the MDA-MB-231 cells after infection of lentivirus was analyzed using real-time PCR and Western blotting. The effect of the biological characteristics of MDA-MB-231 cells was assessed by growth, invasion, adhesion, and migration assay with subcutaneous tumor-bearing nude mice models. Then the growth curves of the subcutaneous tumors were studied. Expressions of VEGI, CD31 and CD34 in the tumors were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry.

Results
Infection of MDA-MB-231 cells within the lentivirus resulted in approximately a 1 000-fold increase in the expression of VEGI. As can be seen in the invasion, adhesion and migration assay, the over-expression of VEGI can inhibit the ability of MDA-MB-231 cells during migration, adhesion and invasion. The volume of the subcutaneous tumor in the over-expression group was distinctly and significantly less than that of the control groups. Immunohistochemistry analysis of the tumor biopsies clearly showed the expression of VEGI in the over-expression group increased while CD31 and CD34 decreased significantly. In vitro and in vivo, the early apoptosis rate and the apoptosis index were increased within the VEGI over-expression group as compared with the control group.

Conclusions
Taken together, recombinant lentivirus that were successfully constructed, demonstrated up-regulated VEGI gene expression in breast cancer cells. Lentivirus-mediated over-expression of VEGI weakened the ability of the breast cancer cell migration, adhesion and invasion. Over-expression of VEGI diminished the tumorigenic capacity of breast cancer cells in vivo. Up-regulation of VEGI gene expression however inhibited breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell in the early apoptosis.
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor regulates JNK pathway to alleviate damage after cerebral ischemia reperfusion
Authors: LI Ya-guo , LIU Xiao-li , ZHENG Chao-bo 
Published: January 2024

Background
Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a potent hematopoietic growth factor that both enhances the survival and drives the differentiation and proliferation of myeloid lineage cells. Recent studies have suggested that GM-CSF has a neuroprotective effect against cerebral ischemia injury, but the molecular mechanisms have been unclear. This study aimed to investigate the influences of a short-acting (half-life 3.5 hours) G-CSF and a long-acting (half-life 40 hours) pegylated G-CSF on the JNK signaling pathway after cerebral ischemia reperfusion.

Methods
A total of 52 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: a sham group (n=4), a vehicle with saline (n=16), a short-acting G-CSF treatment group (n=16) and a long-acting G-CSF treatment group (n=16). The cerebral ischemia reperfusion model was established for the sham group and G-CSF treatment groups by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Five days post reperfusion, rats were sacrificed and the brains were removed. Changes in neurological function after cerebral ischemia reperfusion was evaluated according to Neurological Severity Score (NSS) and the lesion volume and infarct size were measured by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. The numbers of apoptotic neurons in these ischemic areas: left cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus were calculated by TUNEL assay, and expression of JNK/P-JNK, c-jun/P-c-jun in these areas was detected by Western blotting.

Results
Compared with the saline vehicle group ((249.68±23.36) mm3, (19.27±3.37)%), G-CSF-treated rats revealed a significant reduction in lesion volume (long-acting: (10.89±1.90)%, P<0.01; short-acting G-CSF: (11.69±1.41)%, P<0.01) and infarct size (long-acting: (170.53±18.47) mm3, P<0.01; short-acting G-CSF: (180.74±16.93) mm3, P<0.01) as well as less neuron functional damage (P <0.01) and a smaller number of apoptotic neurons in ischemic areas (P <0.01). The activity of P-JNK and P-c-jun in the cerebral ischemia reperfusion-damaged cortex and hippocampus was significantly decreased in all G-CSF-treated rats (P<0.05). However, between the long-acting and short-acting G-CSF sets, there were no significant differences found in the activity of P-JNK and P-c-jun in the cortex, hippocampus and striate body (P >0.05).

Conclusions
Hypodermic injection of 50 μg/kg G-CSF attenuated the damage caused by cerebral ischemia reperfusion in rats, which might be associated with down-regulated activation of the P-JNK and P-c-jun pathway after cerebral ischemia reperfusion. Long-acting G-CSF may be a novel choice for both clinical and basic research in treating cerebral ischemia.
Risk factors for adult death due to 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infection: a 2151 severe and critical cases analysis
Authors: ZHANG Peng-jun , CAO Bin , LI Xiao-li , LIANG Li-rong , YANG Shi-gui , GU Li , XU Zhen , HU Ke , ZHANG Hong-yuan , YAN Xi-xin , HUANG Wen-bao , CHEN Wei , ZHANG Jing-xiao , LI Lan-juan , WANG Chen 
Published: January 2024

Background
The 2009 pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) influenza showed that relatively young adults accounted for the highest rates of hospital admission and death. In preparation for pH1N1, the aim of the study is to identify factors associated with the mortality of patients with 2009 pH1N1 infection, especially for young patients without chronic medical conditions.

Methods
Retrospective observational study of 2151 severe or critical adult cases (≥14 years old) admitted to a hospital with pH1N1 influenza from September 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009 from 426 hospitals of 27 Chinese provinces. A confirmed case was a person whose pH1N1 virus infection was verified by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). Severe and critical cases were defined according to the H1N1 2009 Clinical guidelines (Third Edition, 2009) released by the Ministry of Health of China.

Results
Among the 2151 patients, the mean age was 34.0 years. Two hundred and ninty-three (13.6%) died during hospital stay. One thousand four hundred and forty-two patients (67.0%) had no comorbidities and 189 (13.1%) of them died. Pregnancy (OR 8.03), pneumonia (OR 8.91), dyspnea (OR 3.95), central nervous system (CNS) symptom (OR 1.55), higher APACHE (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation) II score (OR 1.06), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (OR 1.002), and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level (OR 1.001) were independent risk factors for death among adults without chronic medical conditions. Higher APACHE II score (OR 1.08) and age (OR 1.06) were independent risk factors for death among adults with respiratory diseases. A multivariate analysis showed an association between mortality and CNS symptoms (OR 2.66), higher APACHE II score (OR 1.03), ALT (OR 1.006), and LDH level (OR 1.002) in patients with cardiovascular diseases. Dyspnea (OR 11.32) was an independent risk factor for patient death in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Conclusion
Clinical knowledge of identified prognostic factors for mortality may aid in the management of adult influenza infection.