bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ultra-processed foods consumption, depression, and the risk of diabetes complications in the CARTaGENE project: a prospective cohort study in Quebec, Canada
Authors: Sen Akankasha , Brazeau Anne-Sophie , Deschênes Sonya , Ramiro Melgar-Quiñonez Hugo , Schmitz Norbert 
Published: January 2024

IntroductionThis study aimed to assess the association between depression, ultra-processed food consumption (UPFs), and the risk of developing diabetes-specific complications in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D).MethodsBaseline data came from the CARTaGENE study, a health survey of adults (40–69 years) in Quebec, Canada. The incidence of T2D complications was examined in N= 683 participants with T2D without complications at baseline by linking survey data with administrative health data. Food and drink consumption was assessed using the Canadian Diet History Questionnaire and categorized by NOVA classification. Participants were categorized into tertiles of UPFs consumption. Depression was defined as having elevated depressive symptoms based on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 or the use of antidepressant medications. Cox regression models were used to estimate the associations between UPFs, depression, and T2D complications.ResultsIn total, 105 individuals developed diabetes-related complications over a 7-year period. Participants with high depressive symptoms and high UPFs consumption had the highest risk for diabetes complications (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 2.07, 95% CI: 0.91 – 4.70), compared to participants with low depressive symptoms and low UPFs consumption. Higher risks for diabetes complications were observed when high depressive symptoms and antidepressant use were combined with high UPFs consumption (aHR 2.59, 95% CI: 1.32 – 5.06).ConclusionThis study indicates that those with co-occurring depression and high UPFs consumption have a greater risk of diabetes complications. Early management and monitoring of both risk factors might be essential to prevent diabetes complications.
Causal relationship between immune cells and neurodegenerative diseases: a two-sample Mendelian randomisation study
Authors: Tang Chao , Lei Xiaoyang , Ding Yaqi , Yang Sushuang , Ma Yayu , He Dian 
Published: January 2024

BackgroundThere is increasing evidence that the types of immune cells are associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. However, it is currently unclear whether these associations reflect causal relationships.ObjectiveTo elucidate the causal relationship between immune cells and neurodegenerative diseases, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.Materials and methodsThe exposure and outcome GWAS data used in this study were obtained from an open-access database (https://gwas.mrcieu.ac.uk/), the study employed two-sample MR analysis to assess the causal relationship between 731 immune cell features and four neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multiple sclerosis (MS). All immune cell data was obtained from Multiple MR methods were used to minimize bias and obtain reliable estimates of the causal relationship between the variables of interest and the outcomes. Instrumental variable selection criteria were restricted to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of the causal relationship between species of immune cells and the risk of these neurodegenerative diseases.ResultsThe study identified potential causal relationships between various immune cells and different neurodegenerative diseases. Specifically, we found that 8 different types of immune cells have potential causal relationships with AD, 1 type of immune cells has potential causal relationships with PD, 6 different types of immune cells have potential causal relationships with ALS, and 6 different types of immune cells have potential causal relationships with MS.ConclusionOur study, through genetic means, demonstrates close causal associations between the specific types of immune cells and AD, PD, ALS and MS, providing useful guidance for future clinical researches.
Oral squamous cell carcinoma detection using EfficientNet on histopathological images
Authors: Albalawi Eid , Thakur Arastu , Ramakrishna Mahesh Thyluru , Bhatia Khan Surbhi , SankaraNarayanan Suresh , Almarri Badar , Hadi Theyazn Hassn 
Published: January 2024

IntroductionOral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) poses a significant challenge in oncology due to the absence of precise diagnostic tools, leading to delays in identifying the condition. Current diagnostic methods for OSCC have limitations in accuracy and efficiency, highlighting the need for more reliable approaches. This study aims to explore the discriminative potential of histopathological images of oral epithelium and OSCC. By utilizing a database containing 1224 images from 230 patients, captured at varying magnifications and publicly available, a customized deep learning model based on EfficientNetB3 was developed. The model’s objective was to differentiate between normal epithelium and OSCC tissues by employing advanced techniques such as data augmentation, regularization, and optimization.MethodsThe research utilized a histopathological imaging database for Oral Cancer analysis, incorporating 1224 images from 230 patients. These images, taken at various magnifications, formed the basis for training a specialized deep learning model built upon the EfficientNetB3 architecture. The model underwent training to distinguish between normal epithelium and OSCC tissues, employing sophisticated methodologies including data augmentation, regularization techniques, and optimization strategies.ResultsThe customized deep learning model achieved significant success, showcasing a remarkable 99% accuracy when tested on the dataset. This high accuracy underscores the model’s efficacy in effectively discerning between normal epithelium and OSCC tissues. Furthermore, the model exhibited impressive precision, recall, and F1-score metrics, reinforcing its potential as a robust diagnostic tool for OSCC.DiscussionThis research demonstrates the promising potential of employing deep learning models to address the diagnostic challenges associated with OSCC. The model’s ability to achieve a 99% accuracy rate on the test dataset signifies a considerable leap forward in earlier and more accurate detection of OSCC. Leveraging advanced techniques in machine learning, such as data augmentation and optimization, has shown promising results in improving patient outcomes through timely and precise identification of OSCC.
Analysis of the nutritional composition and organization of school meals in the province of Kadiogo in Burkina Faso: challenges and prospects
Authors: Compaoré Ella W. R. , Ouédraogo Ousmane , Souho Tiatou , Bengaly Marcel D. , Simporé Mamouna P. , Dicko Mamoudou H. 
Published: January 2024

BackgroundIn the face of food shortages and precariousness, school meals are an effective means of encouraging pupils to attend and stay in school, and of combating nutritional deficiencies. Unfortunately, there are bottlenecks to be identified and resolved.ObjectiveAnalyzing the composition of meals served to school-age children in primary schools in the province of Kadiogo, while assessing the opinion of school staff on these meals (Burkina Faso).MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional survey about school meals was carried out during the period from April to May 2019 among school stakeholders in primary schools in five (05) municipalities of the province of Kadiogo.ResultsInsufficient quantity and quality of rations served were recorded in primary schools. The endogenous initiative canteens represented 46.4% of the registered canteens. The promotion of Health-Hygiene-Nutrition (H-H-N) activities in schools encountered difficulties in covering the sanitary needs of school-aged children because unavailability of socio-sanitary infrastructures. School meals consisted of starchy foods and legumes in rural schools and more diversified meals consisting of fruits and vegetables as well as meat and fish in urban schools. In rural municipalities, school meals were insufficient in quantity and quality, while in the urban municipality, macronutrient intakes were in excess with micronutrient intakes largely deficient.ConclusionDespite the shortcomings, school officials specified that school meals cover lunch rations, increase school enrolment, and improve school-aged children’ learning capacity.
Interaction between birth characteristics and CRHR1, MC2R, NR3C1, GLCCI1 variants in the childhood lymphoblastic leukemia risk
Authors: de Carvalho Vitoria Müller , Chung-Filho Alython Araujo , Braga Flávio Henrique Paraguassu , Chagas-Neto Paulo , Soares-Lima Sheila Coelho , Pombo-de-Oliveira Maria S. 
Published: January 2024

BackgroundThe incidence rate of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) differs worldwide, and the interplay between hemostasis actors and the maladaptive responses to environmental exposures has been explored. It has been proposed that endogenous cortisol, induced by different triggers, would eliminate pre-leukemic clones originated in utero. Herein, we tested if the interaction between CRHR1rs242941 C&gt;A, MC2Rrs1893219 A&gt;G, NR3C1rs41423247 G&gt;C, and GLCCI1rs37972 C&gt;T (players in glucocorticoid secretion) and birth characteristics would be associated with ALL risk.MethodsChildren aged &lt;10 years were enrolled within the EMiLI project (period: 2012 to 2020). The study had three steps: (1) observational analysis of birth characteristics (n = 533 cases and 1,603 controls); (2) genotyping to identify single-nucleotide variants (n = 756 cases and 431 controls); and (3) case-only to test gene–environment interactions (n = 402 cases). Genetic syndromes were exclusion criteria. The controls were healthy children. The distribution of the variables was assessed through Pearson’s chi-square test. Logistic regression (LR) tests were run fitted and adjusted for selected covariate models to estimate the association risk. Formal interaction analysis was also performed. Genotyping was tested by qPCR with TaqMan probes (NR3C1) or by high-resolution melting (MC2R and GLCCI1). Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was accessed by the chi-square test. The genotype–risk association was tested in co-dominant, dominant, and recessive models. The gene–environment interaction odds ratio (iOR) was assessed in case-only.ResultsLow birthweight, C-section, and low maternal schooling were associated with increased risk for ALL, adjOR 2.11, 95% CI, 1.02–4.33; adjOR 1.59, 95% CI, 1.16–2.17; and adjOR 3.78, 95% CI, 2.47–5.83, respectively, in a multiple logistic regression model. MC2R rs1893219 A&gt;G was negatively associated with ALL (AG: OR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.50–0.94 and GG: OR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.42–0.85), while for GLCCI1 rs37972 C&gt;T, TT was positively associated with ALL (OR = 1.91; 95% CI = 1.21–3.00). The combination of genotypes for MC2R (AA) and GLCCI1 (TT) increased ALL risk (OR = 2.61; 95% CI = 1.16–5.87). In a multiplicative interaction, MC2R rs1893219 A&gt;G was associated with children whose mothers had less than 9 years of schooling (iOR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.11–1.55).ConclusionOur study has demonstrated a significant association between MC2R rs1893219 A&gt;G (reduced risk) and GLCCI1 rs37972 C&gt;T variants (increased risk) and childhood ALL susceptibility. Based on this evidence, genes controlling the HPA axis activity may play a role in leukemogenesis, and further investigation is needed to substantiate our findings.
Determinants of circulating calcitonin value: analysis of thyroid features, demographic data, anthropometric characteristics, comorbidities, medications, and smoking habits in a population with histological full exclusion of medullary thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Trimboli Pierpaolo , Peloni Giuseppe , Confalonieri Dorotea , Gamarra Elena , Piticchio Tommaso , Frasca Francesco , Makovac Petra , Piccardo Arnoldo , Ruinelli Lorenzo 
Published: January 2024

ObjectiveCalcitonin (Ctn) measurement is crucial for the early diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). However, Ctn levels can be skewed/elevated due to other reasons, and the Ctn upper reference value remains controversial. In this field, studies have heterogeneous settings, published data are controversial, and no evidence has been achieved. The study’s aim was to evaluate all previously investigated Ctn determinants in a population with histological exclusion of MTC.MethodsThe institutional records from 2010 to 2022 were reviewed to select patients with thyroid nodules who had undergone total thyroidectomy with histological exclusion of MTC and who had tested for Ctn just before surgery. Thyroid features, demographic and anthropometric data, comorbidities, medications, and lifestyle information were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.ResultsA total of 127 cases were included. The median age for thyroidectomy was 51 years. Median Ctn was 1.04 pg/mL (interquartile range (IQR) 1.04–2.77), with two cases having values above 10 pg/mL. In univariate analysis, Ctn was correlated with gender (p &lt; 0.001), body weight (p = 0.016), height (p = 0.031), body surface area (p = 0.016), thyroid size (p = 0.03), thyroglobulin (p &lt; 0.001), and chronic kidney disease (p &lt; 0.001). After multivariate analysis, the model with the highest accuracy included gender, chronic kidney disease, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) with an adjusted R-squared of 0.4.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates, in a population histologically proven as MTC-free, that the Ctn value is mainly influenced by gender, anthropometric/thyroid features, and chronic kidney disease, with the further impact of TSH.
Untargeted metabolomics yields insight into extramammary Paget’s disease mechanisms
Authors: Jiang Long , Xu Xiaoxiang , Yan Guorong , Wu Yuhao , Xi Ningyuan , Lai Yongxian , Zhang Guolong , Liu Yeqiang 
Published: January 2024

BackgroundExtramammary Paget’s disease (EMPD) is a rare cutaneous malignancy, commonly affecting the external genitalia and perianal area of the elderly with unclear pathogenesis. Metabolomics provides a novel perspective for uncovering the metabolic mechanisms of a verity of cancers.Materials and methodsHere, we explored the metabolome of EMPD using an untargeted strategy. In order to further investigate the potential relationship between metabolites and gene expression, we re-analyzed the gene expression microarray data (GSE117285) using differential expression analysis and functional enrichment analyses.ResultsResults showed that a total of 896 metabolites were identified and 87 metabolites including 37 upregulated and 50 downregulated significantly in EMPD were sought out. In the following feature selection analyses, four metabolites, namely, cyclopentyl fentanyl-d5, LPI 17:0, guanosine-3’,5’-cyclic monophosphate, kynurenine (KYN, high in EMPD) were identified by both random forest and support vector machine analyses. We then identified 1,079 dysfunctional genes: 646 upregulated and 433 downregulated in EMPD. Specifically, the tryptophan-degrading enzyme including indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO1) and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO2) were also increased. Generally, cancers exhibit a high expression of IDO1 and TDO2 to catabolize tryptophan, generating abundant KYN. Moreover, we also noticed the abnormal activation of sustaining proliferative signaling in EMPD.ConclusionIn conclusion, this study was the first to reveal the metabolome profile of EMPD. Our results demonstrate that IDO1/TDO2-initialized KYN metabolic pathway may play a vital role in the development and progression of EMPD, which may serve as a potential therapeutic target for treating EMPD.
Radiomics analysis of multiparametric MRI for preoperative prediction of microsatellite instability status in endometrial cancer: a dual-center study
Authors: Jia Yaju , Hou Lina , Zhao Jintao , Ren Jialiang , Li Dandan , Li Haiming , Cui Yanfen 
Published: January 2024

ObjectiveTo develop and validate a multiparametric MRI-based radiomics model for prediction of microsatellite instability (MSI) status in patients with endometrial cancer (EC).MethodsA total of 225 patients from Center I including 158 in the training cohort and 67 in the internal testing cohort, and 132 patients from Center II were included as an external validation cohort. All the patients were pathologically confirmed EC who underwent pelvic MRI before treatment. The MSI status was confirmed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. A total of 4245 features were extracted from T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), contrast enhanced T1-weighted imaging (CE-T1WI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps for each patient. Four feature selection steps were used, and then five machine learning models, including Logistic Regression (LR), k-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Naive Bayes (NB), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Random Forest (RF), were built for MSI status prediction in the training cohort. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the performance of these models.ResultsThe SVM model showed the best performance with an AUC of 0.905 (95%CI, 0.848-0.961) in the training cohort, and was subsequently validated in the internal testing cohort and external validation cohort, with the corresponding AUCs of 0.875 (95%CI, 0.762-0.988) and 0.862 (95%CI, 0.781-0.942), respectively. The DCA curve demonstrated favorable clinical utility.ConclusionWe developed and validated a multiparametric MRI-based radiomics model with gratifying performance in predicting MSI status, and could potentially be used to facilitate the decision-making on clinical treatment options in patients with EC.
Impact of a pharmacist-led educational intervention on knowledge, attitude, and practice toward the rational use of antibiotics among healthcare workers in a secondary care hospital in Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Afzal Shairyar , Khan Farman Ullah , Aqeel Muhammad Tahir , Ullah Matti , Bajwa Mishal , Akhtar Masoom , Majid Muhammad 
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and decreasing efficacy of the available antimicrobials have become a significant public health concern. The antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) ensures the appropriate use of antimicrobials and mitigates resistance prevalence through various interventions. One of the core components of the ASP is to educate healthcare workers (HWs). Therefore, this study aims to identify the impact of a pharmacist-led educational intervention targeting knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding rational antibiotic use among healthcare professionals in a secondary care hospital in Punjab.Methods: This is a single-center, questionnaire-based, pre–post interventional study conducted over a six-month time period. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26.Results: Regarding the pre-interventional knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) score of the respondents, 90.3% had a good knowledge score, 81.5% had a positive attitude, and 72.3% of HWs (excluding doctors) had a good practice score. Additionally, 74.6% of the doctors had a good practice score. After educational intervention, there was a significant improvement in the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the respondent HWs (p-value &lt;0.001). Furthermore, males have higher knowledge scores compared to females in the pre- and post-intervention stages (p-value &lt;0.05), and doctors differ from nurses regarding knowledge scores in both pre- and post-intervention stages.Conclusion: Considering educational programs as the backbone of the ASP, it is imperative to sustain efforts in the ongoing educational programs of HWs to foster high awareness and adherence to the ASP among HWs.
Abnormal urodynamic changes in post-upper urinary tract dysfunction in ureteral obstruction rat models
Authors: Liu Xin , Li Xing , Liao Limin 
Published: January 2024

Objects: This study investigated changes in upper urinary tract urodynamics (UUTU) after upper urinary tract dysfunction (UUTD).Methods: The UUTD model was induced through unilateral ureteral obstruction. To measure the renal pelvis volume, and resting pressure. Ureteral electromyography (EMG) and in situ ureteral constriction experiments were performed. Ureteral tissue was obtained for HE and masson staining, IF staining and IHC research to explore the distribution of Piezo1, and the expression of Piezo1 was studied using Western blotting.Results: The study showed that the renal pelvis volumes and the renal pelvis resting pressures gradually increased post surgery in the experimental group. The degree of ureteral tissue edema, cell necrosis and fibrosis gradually increased. The maximum contraction force and frequency of ureter in the experimental group post surgery were significantly higher than in the sham group. Western blotting showed that the expression intensity of Piezo1 gradually increased and was significantly higher than in the sham group. Further analysis of each sub-layer of the ureter revealed that Piezo1 was highly expressed in the urothelium layer, followed by the suburothelium layer, and had low expression in the smooth muscle cell layer.Conclusion: The study observed that morphological and electrophysiological changes in the upper urinary tract may be important mechanisms of abnormal UUTU. Increased expression of the Piezo1 may be a new molecular mechanism of abnormal urodynamics after UUTD.
Autobiographical Implicit Association Test and eye movements: fixations topography enables detection of autobiographical memories
Authors: Zangrossi Andrea , Gatto Liisa Camilla , Lanfranchi Virginia , Scarpazza Cristina , Celli Miriam , Sartori Giuseppe 
Published: January 2024

IntroductionAutobiographical memory is the capacity to recollect memories of personally experienced events. The detection of such memories plays a key role in criminal trials. Among behavioral memory-detection methods, the autobiographical Implicit Association Test (aIAT) has gained popularity for its flexibility and suitability for forensic applications. The aIAT is a reaction time-based methodology aiming to assess whether information about an event is encoded in the respondent’s mind. Here, we introduced the eye-D index, a measure based on the topography of fixations while performing the aIAT, as an additional measure to detect autobiographical memories covertly.MethodsIn this study, participants were involved in a mock-crime experiment in which they could act as Guilty or Innocent. One week later all participants underwent the aIAT combined with eye-tracking to investigate the presence of the crime-related memory.ResultsGuilty participants showed a higher number of fixations towards the category labels in the block in which true sentences shared the same response key with crime-related sentences, as compared to the block in which true sentences were paired with sentences describing an alternative version. Innocent participants showed the opposite pattern. This unbalanced allocation of attention to the category labels was quantified by the eye-D index and was found to be highly correlated to the standard aIAT-D index.DiscussionThis suggests that more fixations to the category labels could indicate increased cognitive load and monitoring of response conflicts. These preliminary results highlight eye-tracking as a tool to detect autobiographical memories covertly while performing the aIAT.