bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sporadic fundic gland polyps are not associated with proton pump inhibitors therapy but negatively correlate with Helicobacter pylori infection in China
Authors: Cao Hailong , Qu Rui , Zhang Zhihua , Kong Xinyue , Wang Shan , Jiang Kui , Wang Bangmao 
Published: January 2024

Background
Sporadic fundic gland polyps (FGPs) are common gastric polyps. Some studies reported that FGPs dramatically increased due to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) use and a decreased prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in Western countries. However, data are still controversial. This study aimed to identify the relationships between these two factors and FGPs in China.

Methods
Consecutive patients with FGPs detected were retrospectively analyzed. Data including patients’ age, sex, symptoms, H. pylori infection, history of PPIs use, and the polyps were documented. Each patient was compared with two randomly selected age- and sex-matched controls with similar symptoms in the same period.

Results
During the period from March 2011 to March 2012, a total of 328 patients were diagnosed as FGPs in 23 047 patients who underwent routine esophagogastroduodenoscopy and 656 patients without FGPs as controls. The mean age was (55.12±12.61) years, and 75.91% were women. The prevalence of H. pylori in patients with FGPs was significantly lower than in those without FGPs (22.30% (64/287) vs. 42.26% (224/530), P <0.001, OR 0.392, 95% Cl 0.283–0.544). Overall, a total of 54 patients with FGPs (54/328, 16.46%) and 136 patients without FGPs (136/656, 20.73%) received PPIs therapy (P=0.110). According to the different duration of PPIs use, no significant differences of PPIs use were found between the cases and controls among all subgroups. Moreover, the PPIs use was also similar, regardless of age, sex, H. pylori infection, and the number of polyps.

Conclusion
Sporadic FGPs may not be induced by PPIs therapy but negatively correlate with H. pylori infection in China, which is not the same with the data in Western countries.
Locking plate fixation combined with iliac crest bone autologous graft for proximal humerus comminuted fracture
Authors: Zhu Lian , Liu Yueju , Yang Zongyou , Li Han , Wang Juan , Zhao Changping , Chen Xiao , Zhang Yingze 
Published: January 2024

Background
Although the use of an intramedullary fibular allograft together with locking plate fixation can provide additional medial support and prevent varus malalignment in displaced proximal humeral fractures with promising results, the fibular autograft donor site often sustains significant trauma and cannot restore the articular surface of comminuted fractures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of a locking plate and crest bone autologous graft for treating proximal humerus comminuted fractures.

Methods
We assessed the functional outcomes and complication rates in 40 patients with proximal humerus comminuted fractures. Eighteen patients were treated with a locking plate and an autologous crest bone graft (experimental group), and 22 were treated with only the locking plate and no bone graft (control group). Postoperative assessments included radiographic imaging, range of motion analysis, pain level based on the visual analogue scale (VAS), and the SF-36 (Short Form (36) Health Survey), as well as whether patients could return to their previous occupation.

Results
All fractures healed both clinically and radiologically in the experimental group. There was no more than 2 mm collapse of the humeral head, and no osteonecrosis or screw penetration of the articular surface. In contrast, two patients had a nonunion in the control group, and they eventually accepted total shoulder replacements. The average time from surgery to radiographic union was significantly shorter in the experimental group ((4.66±1.63) months) compared with the control group ((5.98±1.57) months) (P <0.05). For the experimental versus controls groups, the mean shoulder active flexion (148.00±18.59 vs. 121.73±17.20) degrees, extension (49.00±2.22 vs. 42.06±2.06) degrees, internal rotation (45.00±5.61 vs. 35.00±3.55) degrees, external rotation (64.00±9.17 vs. 52.14±5.73) degrees, and abduction (138.00±28.78 vs. 105.95±15.66) degrees were all significantly higher (all P <0.001). The median SF-36 in the experimental group ((88.00±5.71) points) was significantly higher than that of the control group ((69.45±9.45) points; P <0.001). The median VAS pain level (mean rank, 10.50) in the experimental group was lower than that (mean rank, 47.19) of the control group (P <0.001). All but one patient (17 of 18, 94.4%) in the experimental group returned to their previous activities or occupations, and that one patient changed to a different occupation because of slight restrictions to activities. On the other hand, four patients could not return to their previous activities or occupations in the control group.

Conclusion
Locking plate fixation combined with an iliac crest bone graft is an effective technique for treating proximal humerus comminuted fractures.
En bloc resection concept for endoscopic endonasal nasopharyngectomy: surgical anatomy and outcome
Authors: Ning-i Hsu , Ping-hung Shen , Siew-shuen Chao , Yew-kwang Ong , Cho-shun Li 
Published: January 2024

Background
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients have a 19%-56% locoregional recurrence rate after primary therapy. For those recurrent NPC (rNPC) patients, re-irradiation may cause some complications. In recent years, endoscopic endonasal nasopharyngectomy (EEN) has become a surgical option for rNPC patients. Here we introduce the concept of en bloc excision (EBE) technique for EEN, including the surgical technique and clinical outcomes.

Methods
A retrospective study was conducted covering September 2009 to May 2013, involving the collection of locoregional rNPC cases from two institutions (Kuang-Tien General Hospital (KTGH) in Taiwan and National University Health System (NUHS) in Singapore). These patients failed prior therapy and then underwent EEN. We reported the 2-year overall survival rate, the 2-year disease-free survival rate, and related complications.

Results
Nine patients (five from KTGH and four from NUHS) completed this study, with five, two, and two patients of recurrence tumors (rT1), rT2, and rT3, respectively. The mean age was 46.4 years (range 32-63); the mean follow-up period was 24.9 months (range 10-45). The 2-year survival rate and the 2-year disease-free rate were 100% and 80%, respectively, in five patients. No significant complications or cases of mortality occurred.

Conclusions
The EBE concept of EEN is suitable for early rT1 and has relatively encouraging short-term outcomes. In selected rT2, careful EBE can be performed by expanding the surgical field. A clear view of the internal carotid arteryrelated anatomy is indispensable. In the future, more series may be needed to determine the role of EEN in rNPC patients.
Angiogenesis effect of Astragalus polysaccharide combined with endothelial progenitor cells therapy in diabetic male rat following experimental hind limb ischemia
Authors: Tu Sheng , Shao Anwen , Ren Lihong , Chen Tin , Yao Dingguo 
Published: January 2024

Background
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common disease accompanied with a high incidence of hind limb ischemia (HLI). In recent years, numerous studies demonstrated that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are involved in angiogenesis and maintenance of vascular integrity following HLI. On the other side, it has been proved that Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) could promote angiogenesis. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of APS and EPCs on enhancing angiogenesis after experimental HLI caused by femoral artery ligation in rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes.

Methods
Rats (n=110) were randomly assigned to the following groups: sham group, ischemia group, APS group, EPCs group and APS+EPCs group. APS, EPCs or an equal volume of vehicle was administered intramuscularly after HLI induction, and 6 rats were assessed by angiography at 28 days after induction of HLI, 6 rats were sacrificed at the same time point to take histological studies, biochemical tests were also performed at that point in the rest rats.

Results
APS or EPCs treatment induced an increase, respectively, in the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (36.61%, 61.59%), VEGF receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) (35.50%, 57.33%), VEGFR-2 (31.75%, 41.89%), Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) (37.57%, 64.66%) and Tie-2 (42.55%, 76.94%) (P <0.05), after HLI injury. And combined therapy of APS and EPCs enhanced the effort of angiogenesis after HLI induction in diabetic rats, through elevating protein expression of VEGF (99.67%), VEGFR-1 (105.33%), VEGFR2 (72.05%), Ang-1 (114.30%) and Tie-2 (111.87%) (P<0.05). Similarly, mRNA expression of VEGF, VEGFR-1, VEGFR2, Ang-1, Tie-2 also show similar trends as well as protein expression (P<0.05).

Conclusion
APS or EPCs could enhance angiogenesis, and the combined treatment leads to better effort, at least, partially via VEGF/VEGFR and Ang-1/Tie-2 signaling pathway.
Triglycerides and ratio of triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol are better than liver enzymes to identify insulin resistance in urban middle-aged and older non-obese Chinese without diabetes
Authors: Sun Yu , Li Wenjuan , Hou Xinguo , Wang Chuan , Li Chengqiao , Zhang Xiuping , Yang Weifang , Ma Zeqiang , Wang Weiqing , Ning Guang , Zheng Huizhen , Ma Aixia , Song Jun , Lin Peng , Liang Kai , Liu Fuqiang , Gong Lei , Wang Meijian , Xiao Juan , Yan Fei , Yang Junpeng , Wang Lingshu , Tian Meng , Liu Jidong , Zhao Ruxing , Zhu Ping , Chen Li 
Published: January 2024

Background
Insulin resistance (IR) plays an important pathophysiological role in the development of diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Moreover, IR can occur even in non-obese people without diabetes. However, direct detection of IR is complicated. In order to find a simple surrogate marker of IR early in non-obese people, we investigate the association of commonly-used biochemical markers (liver enzymes and lipid profiles) with IR in urban middle-aged and older non-obese Chinese without diabetes.

Methods
This cross-sectional study included 1 987 subjects (1 473 women). Fasting blood samples were collected for measurement of glucose, insulin, liver enzymes, lipid profiles and creatinine. Subjects whose homeostasis model of assessment-IR (HOMA-IR) index values exceeded the 75th percentile (2.67 for women and 2.48 for men) of the population were considered to have IR. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to compare the power of potential markers in identifying IR.

Results
Triglycerides (TG) and ratio of TG to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) discriminated IR better than other indexes for both sexes; areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC) values were 0.770 (95% confidence interval 0.733-0.807) and 0.772 (0.736-0.809), respectively, for women and 0.754 (0.664-0.844) and 0.756 (0.672-0.840), respectively, for men. To identify IR, the optimal cut-offs for TG and TG/HDL-C ratio were 1.315 mmol/L (sensitivity 74.3%, specificity 71.0%) and 0.873 (sensitivity 70.1%, specificity 73.4%), respectively, for women, and 1.275 mmol/L (sensitivity 66.7%, specificity 74.4%) and 0.812 (sensitivity 75.8%, specificity 69.2%), respectively, for men.

Conclusion
TG and TG/HDL-C ratio could be used to identify IR in urban middle-aged and older non-obese Chinese without diabetes.
Diagnostic utility of N-terminal-proBNP in differentiating acute pulmonary embolism from heart failure in patients with acute dyspnea
Authors: Ling Guo , Guanzhen Li , Yi Wang , Hao Liang , Xiaoxi Shan , Nannan Zhang , Maofen Wang , Dianjie Lin , Ling Zhu 
Published: January 2024

Background
The plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level is frequently elevated in dyspnoeic patients and increasingly used in emergency departments to assess the cause of acute dyspnea. In this study we prospectively tested NT-proBNP levels in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and/or acute pulmonary embolism (APE) and determined the utility of NT-proBNP for discriminating APE from CHF.

Methods
A cohort of 177 dyspnoeic patients with a diagnosis of APE and/or CHF was prospectively studied between June 2010 and March 2013. NT-proBNP was measured by the electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA). All patients were evaluated with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). APE was diagnosed in the presence of thrombi signs in the pulmonary arteries with computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) or a high-probability lung ventilation/perfusion scan. Risk stratification was based on the evaluation on admission according to the ESC guidelines from 2008. The diagnosis of CHF was based on the guidelines of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and the European Society of Cardiology. Two physicians independently reviewed the records to determine the final diagnosis.

Results
Fifty-nine patients met the criteria for dyspnea caused by APE, and 113 patients were diagnosed with CHF. Most of the APE patients (41, 69.5%) were intermediate-risk. The symptoms and signs, such as orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea and rales in the lungs, were more common in patients with CHF than in patients with APE (P <0.01). Median NT-proBNP was significantly lower in patients with APE compared to those in patients with CHF (2 855.9 pg/ml vs. 6 911.4 pg/ml, P <0.01). We constructed the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve in predicting the diagnosis of APE. At a cut point=1 582.750 pg/ml, NT-proBNP provided a specificity of 93% and a true positive rate (sensitivity) of 17% for the diagnosis. At a cut point=3 390.000 pg/ml, NT-proBNP had a specificity of 83% and a sensitivity of 84% for the diagnosis of APE. At a cut point=6 486.500 pg/ml, they were 54% and 93% respectively.

Conclusions
NT-proBNP can assist in excluding CHF patients from those admitted to the emergency department with acute dyspnea and identifying patients with a high probability of APE, which would reduce the missed diagnosis of APE. Larger studies are necessary to validate these findings.
Minocycline protects retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve crush injury in mice by delaying autophagy and upregulating nuclear factor-κB2
Authors: Jiao Xiaoling , Peng Yuan , Yang Liu 
Published: January 2024

Background
Currently, no medicine is available that can prevent or treat neural damage associated with optic nerve injury. Minocycline is recently reported to have a neuroprotective function. The aims of this study were to exarmine the neuroprotective effect of minocycline on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and determine its underlying mechanisms, using a mouse model of optic nerve crush (ONC).

Methods
ONC was performed in the left eye of adult male mice, and the mice were randomly divided into minocycline-treated group and saline-treated control group. The mice without receiving ONC injury were used as positive controls. RGC densities were assessed in retinal whole mounts with immunofluorescence labeling of βIII-tubulin. Transmission electron microscopy was used to detect RGC morphologies, and Western blotting and real-time PCR were applied to investigate the expression of autophagy markers LC3-I, LC3-II, and transcriptional factors nuclear factor-κB1 (NF-κB1), NF-κB2.

Results
In the early stage after ONC (at Days 4 and 7), the density of RGCs in the minocycline-treated group was higher than that of the saline-treated group. Electron micrographs showed that minocycline prevented nuclei and mitochondria injuries at Day 4. Western blotting analysis demonstrated that the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II was reduced in the minocycline-treated group at Days 4 and 7, which meant autophagy process was inhibited by minocycline. In addition, the gene expression of NF-κB2 was upregulated by minocycline at Day 4.

Conclusion
The neuroprotective effect of minocycline is generated in the early stage after ONC in mice, partly through delaying autophagy process and regulating NF-κB2 pathway.
Myelin protein zero and its antibody in serum as biomarkers of n -hexane-induced peripheral neuropathy and neurotoxicity effects
Authors: Xiaowei Jia , Qingjun Liu , Yanshu Zhang , Yufei Dai , Huawei Duan , Ping Bin , Yong Niu , Jie Liu , Liuzhen Zhong , Jisheng Guo , Xiaofeng Liu , Yuxin Zheng 
Published: January 2024

Background
Chronic exposure to n-hexane can lead to peripheral neuropathy that no effective treatment regimen could be applied presently. This study investigated whether myelin protein zero (P0) protein and its antibody could be used to distinguish n-hexane intoxication and protect workers from peripheral neuropathy.

Methods
We compared P0 protein and its antibody among three levels of n-hexane-exposed groups, which included 18 patients with n-hexane-induced peripheral neuropathy as case group, 120 n-hexane-exposed workers as n-hexane-exposed control group, and 147 non-hexane-exposed participants used as control group. ELISA method was applied to detect P0 protein and its antibody.

Results
P0 protein in serum was significantly higher in the case group and n-hexane-exposed control group in comparison with the control group (P<0.01). Compared with the n-hexane-exposed control group, the case group also had significant increase of P0 protein (P<0.01). After 6 months therapy, P0 protein was observed to decrease significantly in the case group (P<0.01). The P0 antibody in serum was significantly higher in the n-hexane-exposed control group than in the control group (P<0.01), but not significantly different between cases and controls.

Conclusions
P0 antibodies in serum may be a short-term effect biomarker for n-hexane exposure. P0 protein in serum may be an early effective biomarker for peripheral nerve neuropathy and its biological limit value needs investigation in the future study.
Diagnostic confidence of sonoelastography as adjunct to greyscale ultrasonography in lateral elbow tendinopathy
Authors: Giyoung Park , Dongrak Kwon , Junghyun Park 
Published: January 2024

Background
Conventional ultrasonography or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is commonly performed to obtain information about the severity of the disease, location of the injury, and differential diagnosis. The aim of this research was to investigate the diagnostic confidence of sonoelastography as an adjunct to greyscale ultrasonography in lateral elbow tendinopathy.

Methods
A single experienced physiatrist performed greyscale ultrasonography and sonoelastography in 28 patients (9 men, 19 women; mean age, 48.5 years; age range, 36–67 years) with unilateral symptoms of lateral elbow tendinopathy; the asymptomatic elbows were used as controls. Greyscale images were described as normal, tendinosis, partialthickness tear, and full-thickness tear. Sonoelastographic images of the common extensor tendon were analyzed qualitatively (scoring of the elastic spectrum) and quantitatively (based on a color histogram).

Results
Both the imaging methods had high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for diagnosing lateral elbow tendinopathy. Considering the clinical diagnosis of lateral elbow tendinopathy, sonoelastography showed significantly higher diagnostic accuracy (96.4%) than ultrasonography (89.5%, P <0.01). Quantitative analysis showed objective interpretation of the sonoelastographic images that revealed greater intensity of green and blue pixels in symptomatic elbows (P <0.01).

Conclusion
Sonoelastography increases diagnostic confidence in tennis elbow pathology over greyscale ultrasonography alone and may be an additional powerful diagnostic tool in cases of lateral elbow tendinopathy with inconclusive greyscale ultrasonographic findings.
Aspirin and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: bedside to bench
Authors: Li Peng , Cheng Rui , Zhang Shutian 
Published: January 2024

Objective
To review the advances of studies on clinical results of aspirin's chemopreventive effect against esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and evidences for mechanisms of the antitumoural effects of aspirin in experimental research.

Data sources
A comprehensive search of the PubMed literatures without restriction on the publication date was carried out using keywords such as aspirin and esophageal cancer.

Study selection
Articles associated with aspirin and esophageal cancer are analyzed.

Results
This review focuses on the current evidence for use of aspirin as a chemopreventive agent in ESCC. Aspirin is the most widely used among all nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which is cheap and acceptable to patients. Several observational results provide the further investigation of prevention and therapy of aspirin or similar drugs in esophageal cancer. Data from case control studies, cohort studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) also give some support of a beneficial role of aspirin on ESCC. Experimental data suggest that aspirin may prevent carcinogenesis of ESCC by favorably affecting proliferation, apoptosis, or other as yet unidentified growth-regulating processes. But the mechanism by which aspirin influence on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma needs further investigation.

Conclusion
A wealth of evidences ranging from clinical data to experimental results are building to suggest that aspirin has significant effects in reducing both the incidence and mortality of ESCC.
Acute lung injury induced by H9N2 virus in mice
Authors: Yan Li , Yunfeng Shan , Ying Chi , Tian Wen , Xiaodong Han 
Published: January 2024

Background
H9N2 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) have repeatedly caused infections in mammals even humans in many countries. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the acute lung injury (ALI) caused by H9N2 viral infection in mice.

Methods
Six- to eight- week-old female SPF C57BL/6 mice were infected intranasally with 1×104 MID50 of A/HONG KONG/2108/2003 [H9N2 (HK)] virus. Clinical signs, pathological changes, virus titration in tissues of mice, arterial blood gas, and cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum were observed at different time points after AIV infection.

Results
H9N2-AIV-infected mice exhibited severe respiratory syndrome, with a mortality rate of 50%. Lung histopathological changes in infected mice included diffuse pneumonia, alveolar damage, inflammatory cellular infiltration, interstitial and alveolar edema, and hemorrhage. In addition, H9N2 viral infection resulted in severe progressive hypoxemia, lymphopenia, and a significant increase in interleukin 1, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor, and interferon in BALF and serum.

Conclusions
The results suggest that H9N2 viral infection induces a typical ALI in mice that resembles the common features of ALI. Our data may facilitate the future studies of potential avian H9N2 disease in humans.