bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The association between systemic immune-inflammation index and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults aged 40 years and above in the United States: a cross-sectional study based on the NHANES 2013–2020
Authors: Xu Yifeng , Yan Zhaoqi , Li Keke , Liu Liangji 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundInflammation is the core of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) development. The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is a new biomarker of inflammation. However, it is currently unclear what impact SII has on COPD. This study aims to explore the relationship between SII and COPD.MethodsThis study analyzed patients with COPD aged ≥40 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in the United States from 2013 to 2020. Restricted Cubic Spline (RCS) models were employed to investigate the association between Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and other inflammatory markers with COPD, including Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR). Additionally, a multivariable weighted logistic regression model was utilized to assess the relationship between SII, NLR and PLR with COPD. To assess the predictive values of SII, NLR, and PLR for COPD prevalence, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to represent their predictive values.ResultsA total of 10,364 participants were included in the cross-sectional analysis, of whom 863 were diagnosed with COPD. RCS models observed non-linear relationships between SII, NLR, and PLR levels with COPD risk. As covariates were systematically adjusted, it was found that only SII, whether treated as a continuous variable or a categorical variable, consistently remained positively associated with COPD risk. Additionally, SII (AUC = 0.589) slightly outperformed NLR (AUC = 0.581) and PLR (AUC = 0.539) in predicting COPD prevalence. Subgroup analyses revealed that the association between SII and COPD risk was stable, with no evidence of interaction.ConclusionSII, as a novel inflammatory biomarker, can be utilized to predict the risk of COPD among adults aged 40 and above in the United States, and it demonstrates superiority compared to NLR and PLR. Furthermore, a non-linear association exists between SII and the increased risk of COPD.
Framework for creating a qualified medical device development tool of autoinjectors
Authors: Machal Marlon Luca 
Published: November 2023

ObjectivesAutoinjectors are pivotal for precise self-administration of medications across a wide range of medical conditions. Nevertheless, the absence of a dedicated Medical Device Development Tool (MDDT) for autoinjectors represents a gap that may result in variations in the quality and regulatory compliance of autoinjectors as components of combination products. This research aim is to utilize the recently introduced Primary Functions outlined in ISO 11608-1:2022 with the title “Needle-based injection systems for medical use. Requirements and test methods. Part 1: Needle-based injection systems” to create a comprehensive MDDT framework tailored specifically for autoinjectors.MethodsTo support the creation of the framework, the analysis of the FDA MDDTs that were already approved, FDA's design controls regulations, FDA's guidance related to autoinjectors, and the Primary functions outlined in ISO 11608-1:2022 were utilized.ResultsThe research identifies the Primary Functions in autoinjector to be Holding Force, Cap Removal Force, Activation Force, Extended Needle Length, Injection Time, Dose Accuracy and Needle Guard Lockout. Leveraging these Primary Functions and the FDA's MDDT approach, the research aims to bridge the gap by proposing a structured framework for the development of a specific MDDT tailored to autoinjectors.ConclusionThis study presents a MDDT framework tailored to the development of autoinjectors for drug delivery. This framework provides a structured methodology to support predictability and effectiveness of the autoinjector development and support regulatory review process, thereby expediting FDA approval for autoinjectors as part of combination product.
iMAGING: a novel automated system for malaria diagnosis by using artificial intelligence tools and a universal low-cost robotized microscope
Authors: Maturana Carles Rubio , de Oliveira Allisson Dantas , Nadal Sergi , Serrat Francesc Zarzuela , Sulleiro Elena , Ruiz Edurne , Bilalli Besim , Veiga Anna , Espasa Mateu , Abelló Alberto , Suñé Tomàs Pumarola , Segú Marta , López-Codina Daniel , Clols Elisa Sayrol , Joseph-Munné Joan 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionMalaria is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, with 247 million cases reported worldwide in 2021 according to the World Health Organization. Optical microscopy remains the gold standard technique for malaria diagnosis, however, it requires expertise, is time-consuming and difficult to reproduce. Therefore, new diagnostic techniques based on digital image analysis using artificial intelligence tools can improve diagnosis and help automate it.MethodsIn this study, a dataset of 2571 labeled thick blood smear images were created. YOLOv5x, Faster R-CNN, SSD, and RetinaNet object detection neural networks were trained on the same dataset to evaluate their performance in Plasmodium parasite detection. Attention modules were applied and compared with YOLOv5x results. To automate the entire diagnostic process, a prototype of 3D-printed pieces was designed for the robotization of conventional optical microscopy, capable of auto-focusing the sample and tracking the entire slide.ResultsComparative analysis yielded a performance for YOLOv5x on a test set of 92.10% precision, 93.50% recall, 92.79% F-score, and 94.40% mAP0.5 for leukocyte, early and mature Plasmodium trophozoites overall detection. F-score values of each category were 99.0% for leukocytes, 88.6% for early trophozoites and 87.3% for mature trophozoites detection. Attention modules performance show non-significant statistical differences when compared to YOLOv5x original trained model. The predictive models were integrated into a smartphone-computer application for the purpose of image-based diagnostics in the laboratory. The system can perform a fully automated diagnosis by the auto-focus and X-Y movements of the robotized microscope, the CNN models trained for digital image analysis, and the smartphone device. The new prototype would determine whether a Giemsa-stained thick blood smear sample is positive/negative for Plasmodium infection and its parasite levels. The whole system was integrated into the iMAGING smartphone application.ConclusionThe coalescence of the fully-automated system via auto-focus and slide movements and the autonomous detection of Plasmodium parasites in digital images with a smartphone software and AI algorithms confers the prototype the optimal features to join the global effort against malaria, neglected tropical diseases and other infectious diseases.
Transcriptome and proteome profile of jejunum in chickens challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium revealed the effects of dietary bilberry anthocyanin on immune function
Authors: Zhang Sheng , Wang Qin , Ye Jinling , Fan Qiuli , Lin Xiajing , Gou Zhongyong , Azzam Mahmoud M. , Wang Yibing , Jiang Shouqun 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionThe present study investigated the effects of bilberry anthocyanin (BA) on immune function when alleviating Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) infection in chickens.MethodsA total of 180 newly hatched yellow-feathered male chicks were assigned to three groups (CON, SI, and SI + BA). Birds in CON and SI were fed a basal diet, and those in SI + BA were supplemented with 100 mg/kg BA for 18 days. Birds in SI and SI + BA received 0.5 ml suspension of S. Typhimurium (2 × 109 CFU/ml) by oral gavage at 14 and 16 days of age, and those in CON received equal volumes of sterile PBS.ResultsAt day 18, (1) dietary BA alleviated weight loss of chickens caused by S. Typhimurium infection (P &lt; 0.01). (2) Supplementation with BA reduced the relative weight of the bursa of Fabricius (P &lt; 0.01) and jejunal villus height (P &lt; 0.05) and increased the number of goblet cells (P &lt; 0.01) and the expression of MUC2 (P &lt; 0.05) in jejunal mucosa, compared with birds in SI. (3) Supplementation with BA decreased (P &lt; 0.05) the concentration of immunoglobulins and cytokines in plasma (IgA, IL-1β, IL-8, and IFN-β) and jejunal mucosa (IgG, IgM, sIgA, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ) of S. Typhimurium-infected chickens. (4) BA regulated a variety of biological processes, especially the defense response to bacteria and humoral immune response, and suppressed cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction and intestinal immune network for IgA production pathways by downregulating 6 immune-related proteins.ConclusionIn summary, the impaired growth performance and disruption of jejunal morphology caused by S. Typhimurium were alleviated by dietary BA by affecting the expression of immune-related genes and proteins, and signaling pathways are related to immune response associated with immune cytokine receptors and production in jejunum.
Soil microorganisms and methane emissions in response to short-term warming field incubation in Svalbard
Authors: Li Jiakang , Zhu Zhuo-Yi , Yang Zhifeng , Li Weiyi , Lv Yongxin , Zhang Yu 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionGlobal warming is caused by greenhouse gases (GHGs). It has been found that the release of methane (CH4) from Arctic permafrost, soil, ocean, and sediment is closely related to microbial composition and soil factors resulting from warming over several months or years. However, it is unclear for how long continuous warming due to global warming affects the microbial composition and GHG release from soils along Arctic glacial meltwater rivers.MethodsIn this study, the soil upstream of the glacial meltwater river (GR) and the estuary (GR-0) in Svalbard, with strong soil heterogeneity, was subjected to short-term field incubation at 2°C (in situ temperature), 10°C, and 20°C. The incubation was carried out under anoxic conditions and lasted for few days. Bacterial composition and CH4 production potential were determined based on high-throughput sequencing and physiochemical property measurements.ResultsOur results showed no significant differences in bacterial 16S rRNA gene copy number, bacterial composition, and methanogenic potential, as measured by mcrA gene copy number and CH4 concentration, during a 7- and 13-day warming field incubation with increasing temperatures, respectively. The CH4 concentration at the GR site was higher than that at the GR-0 site, while the mcrA gene was lower at the GR site than that at the GR-0 site.DiscussionBased on the warming field incubation, our results indicate that short-term warming, which is measured in days, affects soil microbial composition and CH4 concentration less than the spatial scale, highlighting the importance of warming time in influencing CH4 release from soil. In summary, our research implied that microbial composition and CH4 emissions in soil warming do not increase in the first several days, but site specificity is more important. However, emissions will gradually increase first and then decrease as warming time increases over the long term. These results are important for understanding and exploring the GHG emission fluxes of high-latitude ecosystems under global warming.
Chitooligosaccharide enhanced the efficacy of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CAS02 for the control of tobacco black shank
Authors: Zeng Xiangnan , Zhang Xin , Peng Bo , Xie Bingyue , Yuan Yuan , Yao Hui , You Xiangwei , Wei Jianyu , Li Yiqiang 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionTobacco black shank is a devastating soil-borne disease caused by the oomycete Phytophthora nicotianae, severely hamper tobacco production worldwide. However, the synergistic effect of biocontrol bacteria and marine polysaccharides/oligosaccharides on tobacco black shank control was few documented.MethodsIn this study, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CAS02 (CAS02) and chitooligosaccharide (COS) were screened firstly, and their synergistic antagonistic effect against P. nicotianae and the underlying mechanism were investigated in vitro and in vivo.ResultsIn vitro experiments showed that, compared with the application of CAS02 or COS alone, co-application of CAS02 and COS significantly increased the inhibition rate against P. nicotianae by 11.67% and 63.31%, respectively. Furthermore, co-application of CAS02 and COS disrupted the structure of mycelia to a greater extent. The co-application of CAS02 and COS showed synergistic effect, with the relative control effect maintained above 60% during the 60-day pot experiment, significantly higher than that of application CAS02 or COS alone. The combined application of CAS02 and COS reduced the relative abundance of P. nicotianae in the rhizosphere soil and increased the relative abundance of bacterial taxa potentially involved in disease suppression, such as Nocardioides, Devosia and Bradyrhizobium. Meanwhile, CAS02 and COS synergistically activated salicylic acid (SA), ethylene (ET), and hypersensitive response (HR) defense signaling pathways in tobacco plants.DiscussionOur findings demonstrate that co-application of CAS02 and COS remarkably improve the relative control effect against tobacco black shank through multiple pathways and provide a promising strategy for the efficient green control of tobacco black shank.
Application value of plasma Neurofilament light combined with magnetic resonance imaging to comprehensively evaluate multiple sclerosis activity and status
Authors: Mi Feiyue , Wang Yingchun , Chai Wenqiang , Chen Ya , Yin Xuhua 
Published: November 2023

ObjectiveCompare the levels of plasma neurofilament light (NfL) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) at acute and remission stages and healthy individuals to explore the role of plasma NfL in monitoring the activity and severity of the disease and predicting disease prognosis.MethodsInformation on healthy individuals and patients with MS who visited the outpatient and inpatient departments of Inner Mongolia Medical University Affiliated Hospital from October 2020 to August 2022 was collected. EDSS assessment and plain scan+enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Plasma Nfl levels were measured using Simoa. Moreover, the relationship between the level of Nlf and the disease status of patients with MS was analyzed..ResultsThrough the self-comparison of the plasma NfL levels of MS patients in the acute and remission stages, it was noted that the levels in the acute stage are higher than those in the remission stage (p &lt; 0.001). Among the plasma NfL levels of healthy individuals and MS patients in the acute and remission stages, there were statistically significant differences (p &lt; 0.001). Furthermore, the plasma NfL level did not correlate with age or course of disease (p = 0.614 and p = 0.058), whereas it correlated with EDSS score, the number of MRI T2 subtentorial and spinal cord lesions, and the number of MRI enhanced lesions (r = 0.789, p &lt; 0.001; r = 0.846, p &lt; 0.001; r = 0431, p = 0.005, respectively).ConclusionCombining the level of plasma NfL with clinical and MRI estimations will be instrumental in monitoring condition changes and optimizing treatments. The level of plasma NfL is related to the activity and severity of MS, and it is expected to become a new biomarker for assessing the activity and disease status of MS.
Performance of RAPID noncontrast CT stroke platform in large vessel occlusion and intracranial hemorrhage detection
Authors: Yedavalli Vivek , Heit Jeremy Josef , Dehkharghani Seena , Haerian Hafez , Mcmenamy John , Honce Justin , Timpone Vincent M. , Harnain Christopher , Kesselman Andrew , Filly Anthony , Beardsley Adam , Sakamoto Brian , Song Chris , Montuori James , Navot Benjamin , Mena Francisco Villar , Giurgiutiu Dan-Victor , Kitamura Felipe , Lima Fabricio Oliveira , Silva Henrique , Mont’Alverne Francisco Jose , Albers Gregory 
Published: November 2023

BackgroundNoncontrast CT (NCCT) is used to evaluate for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and ischemia in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Large vessel occlusions (LVOs) are a major cause of AIS, but challenging to detect on NCCT.AimsThe purpose of this study is to evaluate an AI software called RAPID NCCT Stroke (RAPID, iSchemaView, Menlo Park, CA) for ICH and LVO detection compared to expert readers.MethodsIn this IRB approved retrospective, multicenter study, stand-alone performance of the software was assessed based on the consensus of 3 neuroradiologists and sensitivity and specificity were determined. The platform’s performance was then compared to interpretation by readers comprised of eight general radiologists (GR) and three neuroradiologists (NR) in detecting ICH and hyperdense vessel sign (HVS) indicating LVO.ResultsA total of 244 cases were included. Of the 244, 115 were LVOs and 26 were ICHs. One hundred three cases did not have LVO nor ICH. Stand-alone performance of the software demonstrated sensitivities and specificities of 96.2 and 99.5% for ICH and 63.5 and 95.1% for LVO detection. Compared to all 11 readers and eight GR readers only respectively, the software demonstrated superiority, achieving significantly higher sensitivities (63.5% versus 43.6%, p &lt; 0.0001 and 63.5% versus 40.9%, p = 0.001).ConclusionThe RAPID NCCT Stroke platform demonstrates superior performance to radiologists for detecting LVO from a NCCT. Use of this software platform could lead to earlier LVO detection and expedited transfer of these patients to a thrombectomy capable center.
Organization of sensorimotor activity in anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed individuals: an fMRI conjunction analysis
Authors: Schnittjer Amber J. , Kim HoWon , Lepley Adam S. , Onate James A. , Criss Cody R. , Simon Janet E. , Grooms Dustin R. 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionAnterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is characterized by persistent involved limb functional deficits that persist for years despite rehabilitation. Previous research provides evidence of both peripheral and central nervous system adaptations following ACLR. However, no study has compared functional organization of the brain for involved limb motor control relative to the uninvolved limb and healthy controls. The purpose of this study was to examine sensorimotor cortex and cerebellar functional activity overlap and non-overlap during a knee motor control task between groups (ACLR and control), and to determine cortical organization of involved and uninvolved limb movement between groups.MethodsEighteen participants with left knee ACLR and 18 control participants performed a knee flexion/extension motor control task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). A conjunction analysis was conducted to determine the degree of overlap in brain activity for involved and uninvolved limb knee motor control between groups.ResultsThe ACLR group had a statistically higher mean percent signal change in the sensorimotor cortex for the involved &gt; uninvolved contrast compared to the control group. Brain activity between groups statistically overlapped in sensorimotor regions of the cortex and cerebellum for both group contrasts: involved &gt; uninvolved and uninvolved &gt; involved. Relative to the control group, the ACLR group uniquely activated superior parietal regions (precuneus, lateral occipital cortex) for involved limb motor control. Additionally, for involved limb motor control, the ACLR group displayed a medial and superior shift in peak voxel location in frontal regions; for parietal regions, the ACLR group had a more posterior and superior peak voxel location relative to the control group.ConclusionACLR may result in unique activation of the sensorimotor cortex via a cortically driven sensory integration strategy to maintain involved limb motor control. The ACLR group's unique brain activity was independent of strength, self-reported knee function, and time from surgery.
Pain neuroscience education in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain: an umbrella review
Authors: Cuenca-Martínez Ferran , Suso-Martí Luis , Calatayud Joaquín , Ferrer-Sargues Francisco José , Muñoz-Alarcos Vicente , Alba-Quesada Patricio , Biviá-Roig Gemma 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionIn recent years, pain neuroscience education (PNE) has been the focus of extensive research in the scientific literature in the field of physical therapy, but the results obtained are controversial and its clinical application remains unclear. The main aim of this umbrella review was to assess the effectiveness of PNE in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP).MethodsWe searched systematically in PubMed (Medline), PEDro, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsycINFO. Methodological quality was analyzed using AMSTAR-2 scale and overlapping analysis using GROOVE tool.Results16 systematic reviews were included. A qualitative synthesis was performed for the following sets of patients with CMP: overall CMP, chronic spinal pain, patients with fibromyalgia and patients with osteoarthritis. In general terms, it seems that the addition of the PNE-based intervention to other treatments, mostly exercise-based interventions although we might refer to it in terms of a multimodal approach, leads to greater clinical improvements than the multimodal approach alone. We have found this especially in the reduction of the influence of psychosocial variables. However, it seems that studies testing the effectiveness of PNE in isolation, systematic reviews with or without meta-analysis did not show statistically significant improvements overall in terms of pain intensity, disability levels or psychosocial variables.DiscussionThere is a great heterogeneity in the results obtained and the PNE protocols used, a critically low quality in the reviews included and a very high overlap, so there is a need to improve the studies in this field before clinical application.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO (CRD42022355634).
Effects of dynamic [18F]NaF PET scan duration on kinetic uptake parameters in the knee
Authors: Watkins Lauren E. , Haddock Bryan , Goyal Ananya , Kogan Feliks 
Published: November 2023

IntroductionAccurately estimating bone perfusion and metabolism using [18F]NaF kinetics from shorter scan times could help address concerns related to patient comfort, motion, and throughput for PET scans. We examined the impact of changing the PET scan duration on the accuracy of [18F]NaF kinetic parameters in the knee.MethodsBoth knees of twenty participants with and without osteoarthritis were scanned using a hybrid PET-MRI system (53 ± 13 years, BMI 25.9 ± 4.2 kg/m2, 13 female). Seventeen participants were scanned for 54 ± 2 min, and an additional three participants were scanned for 75 min. Patlak Ki and Hawkins kinetic parameters (Ki, K1, extraction fraction) were assessed using 50- or 75-minutes of scan data as well as for scan durations that were retrospectively shortened. The error of the kinetic uptake parameters was calculated in bone regions throughout the knee.ResultsThe mean error of Patlak Ki, Hawkins Ki, K1, and extraction fraction was less than 10% for scan durations exceeding 30 min and decreased with increasing scan duration.ConclusionsThe length of dynamic data acquisition can be reduced to as short as 30 min while retaining accuracy within the limits of reproducibility of Hawkins kinetic uptake parameters.