bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Enhanced alloresponse to platelet transfusion due to immune dysregulation following ablative chemotherapy in mice
Authors: Jackman Rachael P. , Darst Orsolya , Gaillard Betty , Tran Johnson Q. , Tomayko Mary M. , Muench Marcus O. 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionAlloimmunization is common following platelet transfusion and can result in negative outcomes for recipients such as refractoriness to subsequent transfusions and rejection of transplants. Healthy people do not receive blood transfusions, and the diseases and therapies that result in a need to transfuse have significant impacts on the immunological environment to which these alloantigens are introduced. Ablative chemotherapies are common among platelet recipients and have potent immunological effects. In this study, we modeled the impact of chemotherapy on the alloresponse to platelet transfusion. As chemotherapies are generally regarded as immunosuppressive, we hypothesized that that they would result in a diminished alloresponse. MethodsMice were given a combination chemotherapeutic treatment of cytarabine and doxorubicin followed by transfusion of allogeneic platelets, and compared to controls given no treatment, chemotherapy alone, or transfusion alone. Alloantibody responses were measured 2 weeks after transfusion, and cellular responses and growth factors were monitored over time.ResultsContrary to our hypothesis, we found that chemotherapy led to increased alloantibody responses to allogeneic platelet transfusion. This enhanced response was antigen-specific and was associated with increased CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. Chemotherapy led to rapid lymphocyte depletion followed by reconstitution, non-specific activation of transitional B cells with the highest levels of activation in the least mature subsets, and increased serum levels of B cell activating factor (BAFF). ConclusionThese data suggest that ablative chemotherapy can increase the risk of alloimmunization and, if confirmed clinically, that additional measures to protect these patient populations may be warranted.
Why osteoarthritis of the knee is called “a wound that does not heal” and why Tai Chi is an effective treatment
Authors: Huston Patricia 
Published: November 2023

ContextOsteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is common and is associated with other chronic diseases and early mortality. OA is often described as a “wound that does not heal” because a local innate immune response gets dysregulated. Tai Chi is an aerobic mind-body practice that is recommended in national and international clinical practice guidelines as a treatment for OA of the knee. This review addressed two questions: What causes immune dysregulation in the knee? and Why is Tai Chi an effective treatment?Recent findingsThere is now a good understanding of what causes OA of the knee at the cellular level. OA begins in the synovium from a phenotypic shift in synovial macrophages in response to tissue damage. The synovial macrophages release inflammatory cytokines, as part of the first phase of the normal healing and repair process. Cytokines communicate to other cells that there has been damage. This stimulates chondrocytes, osteoblasts, and fibroblasts to release inflammatory cytokines as well. When tissue damage is repetitive, there is repetitive release of inflammatory cytokines, and the normal healing process stops. The most common cause of tissue damage is from abnormal biomechanical forces on the knee that arise from trauma, injury, and misalignment. Tissue damage is made worse when there is systemic low-grade inflammation associated with other chronic conditions. Pain and stiffness often result in decreased physical activity, which leads to muscle weakness, progressive instability of the joint, and an increased risk of falls, further injuring the knee. Tai Chi improves alignment, optimizes the biomechanical forces on the knee, strengthens the lower limbs, and decreases systemic inflammation. Tai Chi improves balance and decreases the risk of falls and further injury. There is clinical and experimental evidence to suggest that by removing the causes of cell dysregulation, Tai Chi enables the normal healing and repair process to resume.ConclusionKnee OA is a wound that does not heal primarily because repetitive adverse forces on the knee cause synovial macrophages and then local chondrocytes, osteocytes and fibroblasts to dysregulate and stop the normal healing and repair process. Tai Chi mitigates adverse forces on the knee and stabilizes the joint, creating the conditions whereby the normal healing and repair process can resume. Further research is needed.
Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and laboratory findings of 1,590 human brucellosis cases in Ningxia, China
Authors: Liu Bofei , Liu Guangtian , Ma Xueping , Wang Fang , Zhang Ruiqing , Zhou Pan , Liu Zhiguo , Li Zhenjun , Jiang Xuefeng 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionEpidemiological and clinical analyses of brucellosis are vital for public health leaders to reinforce disease surveillance and case management strategies.MethodsIn this study, we aimed to analyse the epidemiology and clinical features of 1,590 cases of human brucellosis.ResultsApproximately 72.08% (1,146) of the patients were male and 27.92% (444) were female. At least 88.18% (1,402/1,590) of the patients had a history of contact with sheep/goats and cattle, which was identified as the main risk factor for infection. The most common age group affected was 30–69 years, comprising 83.90% of all cases, with a median age of 47.3 years. Meanwhile, 75.03% (1,193/1,590) of the patients were farmers, followed by workers (10.50%, 167/1,590). The spectrum of clinical manifestations varied, and the major symptoms were fatigue (42.96%), joint pain (37.30%), and fever (23.33%). Arthritis was diagnosed in 989 patients, spondylitis was diagnosed in 469 patients, and external genital complications were found in at least 53.96% (858/1,590) of patients. In addition, approximately 41.25% (625/1,515) and 24.53% (390/1,590) of cases exhibited elevated CRP and D-dimer levels, respectively. Conversely, a significant decrease was observed in fibrinogen, total protein, and albumin levels, affecting 48.36% (769/1,590), 77.30% (1,226/1,586), and 91.80% (1,456/1,586) of the patients, respectively. These data demonstrate that brucellosis is a severe wasting disease that leads to an imbalance in nutritional metabolism and a decline in immunity. In total, 86.73% (1,379/1,590) of patients showed improvement with antibiotic therapy, while 13.27% (211/1,590) of patients experienced relapses or treatment failure.ConclusionBrucellosis often presents with non-specific symptoms and laboratory findings, accompanied by multiple organ invasions, as well as being a vital challenge for diagnosis and treatment; thus, it is essential for a high degree of suspicion to be placed on brucellosis for a timely diagnosis and treatment. This study provides basic data and resources for developing tailored countermeasures to curb its further spread.
Acute effects of (–)-gallocatechin gallate-rich green tea extract on the cerebral hemodynamic response of the prefrontal cortex in healthy humans
Authors: Cha Jihyun , Kim Hyung-Su , Kwon Gusang , Cho Si-Young , Kim Jae-Myoung 
Published: November 2023

ObjectiveThe benefits of long-term consumption of green tea on the brain are well known. However, among many ingredients of green tea, the acute effects of (–)-gallocatechin gallate-rich green tea extract (GCG-GTE), have received comparatively less attention. Herein, we investigated the acute effects of oral ingestion of green tea with GCG-GTE, which contains close replicas of the ingredients of hot green tea, on task-dependent hemodynamics in the prefrontal cortex of healthy adult human brains.MethodsIn this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group trial, 35 healthy adults completed computerized cognitive tasks that demand activation of the prefrontal cortex at baseline and 1 h after consumption of placebo and 900 mg of GCG-GTE extract supplement. During cognitive testing, hemodynamic responses (change in HbO2 concentration) in the prefrontal cortex were assessed using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).ResultsIn fNIRS data, significant group x session interactions were found in the left (p = 0.035) and right (p = 0.036) dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In behavioral data, despite the numerical increase in the GCG-GTE group and the numerical decrease in the Placebo group, no significant differences were observed in the cognitive performance measure between the groups.ConclusionThe result suggests a single dose of orally administered GCG-GTE can reduce DLPFC activation in healthy humans even with increased task demand. GCG-GTE is a promising functional material that can affect neural efficiency to lower mental workload during cognitively demanding tasks. However, further studies are needed to verify this.
Overcoming the clinical challenges of traditional ayahuasca: a first-in-human trial exploring novel routes of administration of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine and harmine
Authors: Dornbierer Dario A. , Marten Laurenz , Mueller Jovin , Aicher Helena D. , Mueller Michael J. , Boxler Martina , Kometer Michael , Kosanic Davor , von Rotz Robin , Puchkov Maxim , Kraemer Thomas , Landolt Hans-Peter , Seifritz Erich , Scheidegger Milan 
Published: November 2023

Recently, the Amazonian plant medicine “ayahuasca”—containing the psychedelic compound N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and numerous β-carboline alkaloids, such as harmine—has been suggested to exhibit beneficial effects in patients with affective and other mental health disorders. Although ayahuasca ingestion is considered safe, its pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics and tolerability profile pose some challenges and may limit the clinical applicability in vulnerable patient populations. While overdosing and the admixture of intolerable plant constituents may explain some of the common adverse reactions, the peroral route of administration may represent another relevant source of gastro-intestinal intolerabilities and unpredictable pharmacokinetics across users. To overcome these challenges, the present work aimed at creating ayahuasca-analogue formulations with improved pharmacokinetics and tolerability profiles. To this end, we developed peroral formulas and compared them with parenteral formulas specifically designed to circumvent the gastro-intestinal tract. In more detail, peroral administration of a capsule (containing purified DMT and harmine) was tested against a combined administration of an oromucosal harmine tablet and an intranasal DMT spray at two dose levels in an open-label within-subject study in 10 healthy male subjects. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles were assessed by means of continuous blood sampling, vital sign monitoring, and psychometric assessments. Common side effects induced by traditional herbal ayahuasca such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea were significantly attenuated by our DMT/harmine formulations. While all preparations were well tolerated, the combined buccal/intranasal administration of harmine and DMT yielded substantially improved pharmacokinetic profiles, indicated by significantly reduced variations in systemic exposure. In conclusion, the combined buccal/intranasal administration of harmine and DMT is an innovative approach that may pave the way towards a safe, rapid-acting, and patient-oriented administration of DMT/harmine for the treatment of affective disorders.Clinical Trial Registration:clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT04716335
The relationship between childhood maltreatment and social anxiety among Chinese male individuals with drug use disorders: a moderated mediation model of fear of negative evaluation and self-construals
Authors: Liu Yang , Zhang Hao , Miao Hualing , Zhang Jia , Guo Cheng 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundSocial anxiety (SA) is prevalent among individuals with drug use disorders, playing a significant role in the etiology and maintenance of drug addiction. The etiological model of SA suggests a link between the development of SA and childhood maltreatment. Childhood maltreatment not only acts as a complex trauma with negative effects on individuals’ selves and other cognitions but also exerts a negative influence through early negative parent–child interactions on individuals’ internal working models, leading to the development of fear of negative evaluation and SA. Furthermore, self-construals, as a personality trait that emerges from the framework of the theory of sociocultural models, may exert a moderating effect on these mechanisms. The present study utilized a moderated mediation model to examine how childhood maltreatment relates to SA in individuals with drug addiction, aiming to provide support for a comprehensive understanding and effective resolution of SA in this group.MethodsA total of 618 Chinese male individuals with drug addiction (M = 34.13, SD = 8.76) participated, and they completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short Form, the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, the Self-Consciousness Scale’s Social Anxiety Subscale, and the Self-Construal Scale. SPSS PROCESS Macro was used to analyze the data.ResultCorrelation analysis revealed weak correlations among all variables but strong correlations between the SCS subscales. Mediation analyses revealed that fear of negative evaluation partially mediated the association between childhood maltreatment and SA. Moderated mediation analyses revealed that the link between fear of negative evaluation and SA was moderated by independent self-construal. The association was stronger among those with high independent self-construal than among those with low independent self-construal. An integrative moderated mediation analysis indicated that independent self-construal positively moderated the indirect association between childhood maltreatment and SA via fear of negative evaluation. However, interdependent self-construal did not show a moderated effect.ConclusionFear of negative evaluation plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and SA, while independent self-construal enhances the association between fear of negative evaluation and SA. Decreasing the fear of negative evaluation and intervening in self-construals may attenuate the association between childhood maltreatment and SA among Chinese male individuals with drug addiction.
Free-recall retrieval practice tasks for students with ADHD: whole-text versus section recall
Authors: Stern Pnina , Halamish Vered 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionThe present study examined the relative effectiveness of two free-recall-based retrieval practice methods for text learning among students with ADHD.MethodParticipants with and without ADHD read texts and practiced them by freely recalling the information either after reading each section or after reading the whole text. Two days later, participants completed a free-recall criterion test on the texts.ResultsThe results suggested that although more idea units were recalled during practice in the section recall condition than in the whole-text recall condition, the whole-text recall condition outperformed the section recall condition on the criterion test in terms of the proportion of idea units recalled, although neither retrieval practice conditions outperformed restudying. These findings were obtained for both groups. Exploratory analyses further demonstrated a benefit of the whole-text over section recall also in terms of the order in which idea unites were recalled and suggested that the recall of ADHD participants was less well ordered compared with participants without ADHD.DiscussionBased on these findings, when using retrieval practice, whole-text free-recall can be recommended for students with ADHD, along with implementing strategies to enhance the mental organization of the studied materials.
Occupational outcomes of people with multiple sclerosis during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review with meta-analysis
Authors: Vitturi Bruno Kusznir , Rahmani Alborz , Montecucco Alfredo , Dini Guglielmo , Durando Paolo 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundPeople with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) are vulnerable to unfavorable occupational outcomes and the COVID-19 pandemic brought major consequences on people’s professional lives. In this view, we decided to investigate the occupational outcomes of PwMS during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe performed a systematic review with meta-analysis searching key terms in four databases. We initially included any peer-reviewed original article that enrolled adult patients with the diagnosis of MS and assessed any occupational variable during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were no time limits and no language restrictions. The primary outcomes were the prevalence of unemployment, retirement and employment status change among people with MS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other outcomes included the modality and characteristics of work: type of work, full-time work, part-time work and remote work. We also searched for data from studies that addressed any change in the work status due to the COVID-19 outbreak.ResultsWe identified 49 eligible articles comprising a total sample size of 17,364 individuals with MS. The pooled prevalence of unemployment and retirement was 0.47 (95% CI = 0.42–0.53). The pooled prevalence of PwMS who were unemployed or retired was positively associated with the progressive phenotype of the disease (p = 0.017) and the use of glatiramer acetate (p = 0.004), but negatively associated with hospitalization due to COVID-19 (p = 0.008) and the use of immunosuppressants (p = 0.032), siponimod (p &lt; 0.001), and cladribine (p = 0.021). The pooled proportion of PwMS that reported any change of the employment status during the COVID-19 pandemic was 0.43 (95% CI = 0.36–0.50) while the pooled prevalence of PwMS who worked remotely during this period was 0.37 (95% CI = 0.15–0.58). The change in employment status was negatively associated with the duration of MS (p = 0.03) but positively associated with the progressive phenotype of the disease (p &lt; 0.001).ConclusionOur seminal review may serve as an example of how patients with neurological diseases or disabilities in general may have their jobs impacted in a pandemic and foster the context of global socio-economic crisis.
Characteristics of common pathogens of urogenital tract among outpatients in Shanghai, China from 2016 to 2021
Authors: Wang Su , Ding Li , Liu Yixin , Sun Zhaoyang , Jiang Wenrong , Miao Yingxin , Wang Shiwen , Meng Jun , Zhao Hu 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundUreaplasma urealyticum, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are the prevalent causes of several genital diseases worldwide; however, their characteristics in different genders have not been well documented in Shanghai. The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence of common pathogens among outpatients, considering variations by gender and age.MethodsFrom January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2021, the urogenital swabs of 16216 outpatients aged 3–95 years from two general hospitals in Shanghai were collected. All participants' swabs were investigated for U. urealyticum, C. trachomatis, and N. gonorrhoeae by isothermal RNA-based simultaneous amplification and testing. The basic information of all participants was also recorded, including age and gender. The chi-square test was used to compare the prevalence between different genders, age groups, and infection patterns.ResultsThere were 5,744 patients (35.42%) with positive samples whose ages ranged from 7 to 80 years (33.23 ± 8.63 years), and 62.14% of them were women. The most common pathogen detected was U. urealyticum (85.08%). The highest prevalence rate of all three pathogens was found in patients aged ≤ 20 years (40.53%, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 33.80%-47.63%). The prevalent rate of U. urealyticum was higher in men (33.36%, 95% CI: 32.19%-34.55%). The overall prevalence rates of U. urealyticum, C. trachomatis, and N. gonorrhoeae were 30.14% (95% CI: 29.44%-30.85%), 6.00% (95% CI: 5.64%-6.38%), and 2.10% (95% CI: 1.89%-2.33%).ConclusionsUreaplasma urealyticum was the most prevalent pathogen in the population, and its prevalence decreased with age. Young men aged ≤ 20 years were more frequently infected. Regular screening for sexually transmitted pathogens in different genders and age groups are warranted, particularly in young men.
Socioeconomic and demographic factors predictive of missed appointments in outpatient radiation oncology: an evaluation of access
Authors: Chen Allen M. 
Published: November 2023

PurposeWhile missed patient appointments reduce clinic efficiency and limit effective resource allocation, factors predictive of “no shows” are poorly understood in radiation oncology.Methods and materialsA prospective data registry of consecutive patients referred for initial consultation from October 2,018 to April 2022 was reviewed. Demographic characteristics recorded included age, gender, race, language preference, living situation, and insurance status. Zip code data linked to a patient’s residential address was used to determine socioeconomic status (SES) based on publicly available data on median household income. No show encounters were defined as all encounters where the patient failed to cancel their visit and did not sign-in to their scheduled appointment. Descriptive statistics were presented to identify factors predictive of missed appointments.ResultsA total of 9,241 consecutive patients were referred and logged into the database during the 4-year period, of which 5,755 were successfully scheduled and registered. A total of 523 patients (9%) failed to show for their appointments. Missed appointments were associated with low-income status, homeless living situation, and Black or Latino race (p &lt; 0.05, for all). The proportion of White, Latino, Asian, and Black patients who missed appointments was 6%, 14%, 9%, and 12%, respectively (p &lt; 0.001). Patient characteristics independently associated with higher odds of appointment non-adherence included low-income status ((OR) = 2.90, 95% CI (1.44–5.89) and Black or Latino race [(OR) = 3.31, 95% CI: 1.22–7.65].ConclusionsOur results highlight the influence of demographic, financial, and racial disparities on proper health care utilization among patients with cancer. Future interventions aimed at reducing appointment no shows could channel resources to the at risk-populations identified in this analysis, improving access to care, and optimize clinic efficiency.
Effects of local distortion on magnetocrystalline anisotropy in α″-Fe16N2: a first-principles study
Authors: Kota Yohei , Sakuma Akimasa 
Published: November 2023

Abstract
The effects of lattice distortion on magnetocrystalline anisotropy in α″-Fe16N2 was studied by first-principles calculations. We found that local distortion of the Fe lattice induced by interstitial N atoms is a key factor for realizing uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in α″-Fe16N2 systems. If the local distortion disappears, the uniaxial anisotropy constant K
u becomes nearly zero even though there is global distortion with an axial ratio c/a = 1.1. We also discuss one possibility that the random distribution of N atoms suppresses the local distortion effect and the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in FeN for the α′ phase and martensite phase.
Partial Discharge Inception in Ceramic Substrates Embedded in Silicone Liquid, Silicone Gel, and Mineral Oil at Fast Voltage Rise and Sinusoidal Voltage
Authors: Aakre Torstein , Semenov Ivan , niayesh kaveh , lundgaard lars , folkestad ingrid , smisethjell ingrid 
Published: November 2023

<p>Preprint of submitted article to TDEI. Compare partial discharge activity at different voltage shapes on aluminium nitride substrates embedded in silicone liquid and gel. </p>