bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The efficacy of Nigella sativa L. oil on serum biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis: A parallel triple‐arm double‐blind randomized controlled trial
Authors: Amirtaheri Afshar Afsaneh , Toopchizadeh Vahideh , Dolatkhah Neda , Jahanjou Fatemeh , Farshbaf‐Khalili Azizeh 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThe aim of this double‐blind clinical trial was to investigate the effects of Nigella sativa oil on serum inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Forty‐five patients who met the eligibility criteria were randomly divided into three groups with a ratio of 1:1:1. The first group received 2.5 mL oral N. sativa oil twice/day plus placebo topical oil, the second group received 2.5 mL topical N. sativa oil three times/day plus placebo oral oil, and the third group received oral and topical oil placebos. There were no intergroup differences in baseline characteristics. After 6 weeks of supplementation, oral N. sativa caused a significant improvement in the serum levels of hs‐CRP (p = .003), MDA (p = .003), and TAC (p = .001). Oral N. sativa oil compared to placebo (aMD (95% CI): −0.81 (−1.45 to −0.19); p = .012) and topical N. sativa oil [aMD (95% CI): −0.76 (−1.38 to −0.15); p = .016] significantly reduced hs‐CRP serum levels. Significant improvements were observed in the general, physical, and mental health subscales in the oral and topical N. sativa oil compared to the placebo group (p < .05). The six‐week oral N. sativa oil supplementation was effective in improving inflammatory biomarkers in knee OA. Both oral and topical N. sativa oil increased the quality of life.
Golden thistle (Scolymus hispanicus L.) hydromethanolic extracts ameliorated glucose absorption and inflammatory markers in vitro
Authors: Ozel‐Tasci Cansu , Gulec Sukru 
Published: October 2023

AbstractGolden thistle (GT, Scolymus hispanicus L.) is an edible plant native to the Mediterranean. Several activities have been reported for the GT, as it is used for traditional medicinal purposes in some cultures. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of GT crude extract on phenolic bioavailability, antidiabetic, and anti‐inflammatory activities by using colonic epithelium (CaCo‐2) and murine macrophage (RAW 264.7) cell lines. The CaCo‐2 cells were grown on the bicameral membrane system for intestinal bioavailability and glucose efflux. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.5 μg/mL) was used to induce systemic inflammation on RAW 264.7. The inflammatory medium of RAW 264.7 cells was given to Caco‐2 cells to mimic colonic inflammation. Our results showed that 5‐o‐caffeoylquinic acid had an apparent permeability of (1.82 ± 0.07) × 10−6 cm/s after 6 h. The extract lowered the glucose efflux by 39.4%–42.6%, in addition to the reductions in relative GLUT2 mRNA expressions by 49%–66% in pre‐ and co‐treatments (p < .05). Decreases in systemic inflammation markers of nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor‐alpha, and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) were also detected in 30%–45% range after pre‐treatments with the GT extract (p < .05). Lastly, colonic inflammation markers of IL‐6 and IL‐8 were reduced by 8.7%–19.5% as a result of GT pre‐treatments (p < .05). Thus, an in vitro investigation of GT extract revealed promising results on antidiabetic and anti‐inflammatory activities.
Mitigating physical hazards in food processing: Risk assessment and preventive strategies
Authors: Onyeaka Helen , Jalata Dassalegn Daraje , Mekonnen Solomon Abate 
Published: October 2023

AbstractPhysical contaminants in food, such as glass, metal, and plastic, can cause significant health risks and economic loss. This study explores these understudied physical hazards, aiming to provide comprehensive risk analysis and preventive solutions. Our research identified several key infiltration points in the food supply chain, including raw material sourcing and packaging stages. These hazards can be effectively mitigated by employing advanced technologies like metal detectors and optical sorting machines, along with stringent quality control measures. The findings offer valuable insights for stakeholders in the food industry, emphasizing the need for regulatory compliance and consumer education to ensure food safety.
Effect of cardamom consumption on inflammation and blood pressure in adults: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized clinical trials
Authors: Heydarian Azadeh , Tahvilian Negin , Shahinfar Hossein , Abbas‐Hashemi Seyed Ali , Daryabeygi‐Khotbehsara Reza , Aryaeian Naheed 
Published: October 2023

AbstractCardamom has the potential to offer anti‐inflammatory and antihypertensive advantages, but the findings from clinical trials have been inconsistent. To address this knowledge gap, the present systematic review and meta‐analysis were conducted to evaluate the anti‐inflammatory and antihypertensive effects of cardamom in adults. We systematically searched databases including PubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Sciences, for papers published up to October 2022 to identify clinical studies. Eight eligible studies were included in the meta‐analysis. A fixed model was used to estimate weighted mean difference (WMD), standardized mean difference (SMD), and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). The results showed that cardamom significantly reduced the levels of inflammatory factors, including hs‐CRP (SMD: −0.60 mg/dL; 95% CI: −0.78 to 0.42), IL‐6 (WMD: −1.25 mg/dL; 95% CI: −1.48 to −1.03), TNF‐α (WMD: −2.10 kg; 95% CI: −2.36 to −1.84, p < .001), and measures of systolic (WMD: −0.54 mmHg, 95% CI: −0.88, −0.19, p = .002) and diastolic (WMD: −0.90 mmHg; 95% CI: −1.07 to −0.73) blood pressure. The current meta‐analysis showed that cardamom can help reduce inflammation and improve blood pressure. However, due to the limited number of studies, caution must be exercised when interpreting the current results.
Attribution of runoff and hydrological drought changes in an ecologically vulnerable basin in semi‐arid regions of China
Authors: Li Xinyue , Wang Yuntao , Xue Baolin , A Yinglan , Zhang Xiaojing , Wang Guoqiang 
Published: October 2023

AbstractClimate change and human activities have been widely recognized as two major factors that deeply influence hydrological processes. Evaluating and identifying the contribution between different drivers contributes to better regional water management regulation. In this study, we used the variable infiltration capacity (VIC) model to quantify the contributions of different climatic variables and human activities to runoff in the Hunhe basin, which has a semiarid climate, in northern China. Through trend analysis, the study period is divided into the ‘baseline period’ (1982–1999) and the ‘change period’ (2000–2020). The results indicated that compared with climate change, human activities were the major factors decreasing runoff, contributing more than 86.3% to the runoff reduction in the change period. Climate change increased winter runoff but decreased summer and autumn runoff, resulting in an overall decrease in runoff. There is a trend of increasing severity of hydrological drought in the Hunhe basin, where climate change accounted for 28.2% of the total impact and human activities accounted for 72.8%. The change in runoff and hydrological drought was mainly due to human activities, including changing farmland to grassland and forest. These results would be helpful for policy‐makers and researchers to better understand the responses of runoff and hydrological drought to these changing environmental conditions and offering references for future water resource planning and management at the basin scale.
HMARNET—A Hierarchical Multi‐Attention Residual Network for Gleason scoring of prostate cancer
Authors: Karthik R. , Menaka R. , Siddharth M. V. , Hussain Sameeha , Siddharth P. , Won Daehan 
Published: October 2023

AbstractManual delineation of prostate cancer (PCa) from whole slide images (WSIs) demands requires pathologists with adequate domain knowledge. This process is generally strenuous and may be subjected to poor inter‐pathologist reproducibility. Accurate Gleason scoring is an important step in the computer‐aided diagnosis of PCa. This work proposes a novel lightweight convolutional neural networks (CNN) to extract significant hierarchical features from the histopathology images. It learns meticulous attention‐guided feature representations through the convolutional layers for precise scoring of Gleason grades. The Hierarchical Multi‐Attention Residual (HMAR) block extracts attention‐guided features and fuses the resulting feature maps from multiple levels with a reduced number of trainable parameters. We have also proposed a new lightweight channel‐attention module, enhanced channel attention (ECA) to extract inter‐channel features from different receptive fields. With the presence of different attention mechanisms, the network learns to focus on more significant features rather than unnecessary ones. Additionally, mixed FocalOHEM loss is proposed to optimize the CNN and efficiently minimize the error. While the focal loss helps to address the class imbalance present in the TCGA‐PRAD dataset, the online hard example mining (OHEM) loss focuses on optimizing hard negative samples. It achieved an accuracy of 89.19% with a Kappa score of 86% on the TCGA‐PRAD dataset.
Consequences of hygiene and sanitation limitations on physicochemical, bacteriological and parasitological quality of water for vegetable irrigation purpose in the Mbouda lowlands, Cameroon western highlands
Authors: Ntangmo Tsafack Honorine , Meli Tchoffo Auberlin , Robean Wamba Franck , Joko Tamoufé Stève , Joseline Azeufack , Azinwi Tamfuh Primus , Temgoua Emile 
Published: October 2023

AbstractThe aim of this study was to determine the health risk associated with vegetable irrigation using lowland water in the town of Mbouda. Watered vegetables and water from five yards and three wells used by market gardeners were analysed in the dry season using standardized methods. Bacterial levels ranging from 6.37 ± 0.71 to 9.03 ± 0.43 Log CFU/100 g/DM (dry matter) were detected in the various vegetables produced in the lowlands of Mbouda: Escherichia coli (4.10–5.03 Log CFU/100 mL), faecal coliforms (5.28–5.99 Log CFU/100 mL), Shigella spp. (4.86–6.25 Log CFU/100 mL) and Salmonella spp. (3.85–5.21 Log CFU/100 mL) in irrigation water; Ascaris spp. eggs, Entamoeba spp. cysts, Ancylostoma spp. eggs and nematode larvae were detected at levels above the standard recommended by the World Health Organization. This sets 3 Log CFU/100 mL of these bacteria in water, 1–2 Log CFU/25 g/DM on vegetables, but 3 Log CFU/25 g/DM for faecal coliforms as acceptable limits and zero for any parasitic stage (eggs, cysts, and larvae). This constitutes a real health risk for consumers. The town's virtually nonexistent sewage system could be at the root of this water pollution.
Machine-Learning Assessed Abdominal Aortic Calcification is Associated with Long-Term Fall and Fracture Risk in Community-Dwelling Older Australian Women
Authors: Dalla Via Jack , Gebre Abadi K. , Smith Cassandra , Gilani Zulqarnain , Suter David , Sharif Naeha , Szulc Pawel , Schousboe John T. , Kiel Douglas P. , Zhu Kun , Leslie William D. , Prince Richard L. , Lewis Joshua R. , Sim Marc 
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT
Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC), a recognized measure of advanced vascular disease, is associated with higher cardiovascular risk and poorer long-term prognosis. AAC can be assessed on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-derived lateral spine images used for vertebral fracture assessment at the time of bone density screening using a validated 24-point scoring method (AAC-24). Previous studies have identified robust associations between AAC-24 score, incident falls, and fractures. However, a major limitation of manual AAC assessment is that it requires a trained expert. Hence, we have developed an automated machine-learning algorithm for assessing AAC-24 scores (ML-AAC24). In this prospective study, we evaluated the association between ML-AAC24 and long-term incident falls and fractures in 1023 community-dwelling older women (mean age, 75 ± 3 years) from the Perth Longitudinal Study of Ageing Women. Over 10 years of follow-up, 253 (24.7%) women experienced a clinical fracture identified via self-report every 4–6 months and verified by X-ray, and 169 (16.5%) women had a fracture hospitalization identified from linked hospital discharge data. Over 14.5 years, 393 (38.4%) women experienced an injurious fall requiring hospitalization identified from linked hospital discharge data. After adjusting for baseline fracture risk, women with moderate to extensive AAC (ML-AAC24 ≥ 2) had a greater risk of clinical fractures (hazard ratio [HR] 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10–1.85) and fall-related hospitalization (HR 1.35; 95% CI, 1.09–1.66), compared to those with low AAC (ML-AAC24 ≤ 1). Similar to manually assessed AAC-24, ML-AAC24 was not associated with fracture hospitalizations. The relative hazard estimates obtained using machine learning were similar to those using manually assessed AAC-24 scores. In conclusion, this novel automated method for assessing AAC, that can be easily and seamlessly captured at the time of bone density testing, has robust associations with long-term incident clinical fractures and injurious falls. However, the performance of the ML-AAC24 algorithm needs to be verified in independent cohorts. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
Efficacy and Toxicity of Calcitonin Treatment in Children with Cherubism: A Single-Center Cohort Study
Authors: Schreuder Willem H. , Meijer Ethan B. , Cleven Arjen H.G. , Edelenbos Esther , Klop Cornelis , Schreurs Ruud , de Jong Renate T. , van Maarle Merel C. , Horsthuis Roy B.G. , de Lange Jan , van den Berg Henk 
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT
Cherubism is a rare autosomal dominant disease characterized by expansile osteolytic jawbone lesions. The effect and safety of off-label calcitonin treatment during the progressive phase of the disease are not well described. In this retrospective study, we present data on the radiological response and adverse effects of subcutaneously administered calcitonin in a cohort of nine cherubism children (three female, six male). Two of the nine patients underwent two separate treatment courses with a significant off-treatment interval in between; therefore, a total of 11 treatment courses with a mean duration of 17.9 months (range &lt;1 to 35, SD 10.8) were studied. To measure the response, the cumulative volume of cherubism lesions was calculated from available three-dimensional imaging. The primary outcome was the change in the volume of lesions during calcitonin treatment and only assessed for the eight treatment courses with a minimal duration of 6 months. A statistically significant reduction in the mean cumulative volume of lesions was seen regardless of treatment duration. Average volume reduction was highest in the first half year of treatment, with a gradual, ongoing reduction thereafter. For the secondary outcome, the change in the cumulative volume of lesions after treatment cessation was assessed for the seven treatment courses with follow-up imaging available. After six of these seven treatment courses, the cumulative volume increased again but remained undoubtedly smaller than the initial volume at the start of therapy. Adverse effects were assessed for all 11 treatment courses and occurred in 73% of them. Most adverse effects were mild and low grade, with the most severe being one grade 3 symptomatic hypocalcemia requiring hospitalization and early treatment termination. Calcitonin treatment seems effective and tolerable in treating actively progressing cherubism in children. However, further research is required to better understand the pharmacological treatment of cherubism, including also other drugs, dosing, and protocols. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
A fatal Candida albicans pericarditis presenting with cardiac tamponade after COVID‐19 infection and cardiothoracic surgery
Authors: Salimi Maryam , Davoodi Lotfollah , Jalalian Rozita , Darayee Masood , Moslemi Azam , Faeli Leyla , Mirzakhani Roghayeh , Shokohi Tahereh 
Published: October 2023

AbstractBackgroundCandida pericardial infection is a rare clinical entity usually related to recent cardiothoracic surgery and chronic debilitating conditions. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, invasive fungal infections have been on the rise, likely due to a combination of factors such as immunosuppression, underlying conditions like diabetes, and surgical procedures.Case PresentationHerein, we report a 67‐year‐old diabetic woman with a history of COVID‐19 infection who received a high dose of corticosteroids a few months before admission, and previous myocardial infarction for more than 12 years. The patient had a positive cardiac tamponade with signs of dyspnea, chest pain, and low blood pressure. Echocardiographic data were more in favor of constrictive pericarditis. The patient underwent urgent echocardiography‐guided pericardiocentesis and then broad‐spectrum antibiotic treatment was prescribed. Repeated echocardiography implied a persistent pericardial effusion 10 days later. Subxiphoid aspirates and biopsied tissues showed budding yeast cells and yeast colonies grew on culture media identified as Candida albicans.ConclusionThis report should bring to the attention of physicians toward the possibility of Candida pericardial infection presenting with cardiac tamponade after COVID‐19 infection and cardiothoracic surgery. Echocardiographic assessment, prompt pericardiotomy, molecular‐based identification of causative agent, and early administration of appropriate antifungal treatment should improve the patient's survival.
Real‐world experience of novel multiple myeloma treatments in a large, single‐center cohort in Finland
Authors: Loponen Heidi , Mehtälä Juha , Ylisaukko‐oja Tero , Brück Oscar , Porkka Kimmo , Koskenvesa Perttu , Saukkonen Kirsi , Lievonen Juha 
Published: October 2023

AbstractIn this single‐center study, we aimed to describe the characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) following treatment with bortezomib, carfilzomib, daratumumab, ixazomib, lenalidomide or pomalidomide‐based regimens. Data were collected retrospectively from a study cohort of patients receiving a MM treatment in the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS) in Finland between 2016–2020. In total, 472 patients were included in the study. Median age was 68.2 years and nearly 25% had a high cytogenetic risk according to the International Myeloma Working Group categorization. In 2018–2020, the spectrum of regimens used as third‐ or later‐line therapy was notably broader than in 2016–2017. The overall response rates for patients who received the most novel regimens (available ≤ 5 years) in second or third line of therapy (n = 67/430) and fourth line or later (n = 78/151) were 53.3% and 25.0%, respectively. In this real‐world MM patient cohort, the response rates for these novel agents were lower compared to those reported in clinical trials. Given the higher cytogenetic risk profile and more advanced disease stage at the time when treated with novel agents, patients could have benefited from effective novel therapies earlier in their treatment pathway.
What is the NEW aspect of your work? (ONE sentence) This study characterized the treatment of Finnish multiple myeloma patients during the era of most novel therapies (after 2016) and also included information on the cytogenetic risk profile of this real‐world population.
What is the CENTRAL finding of your work? (ONE sentence) There are clear differences between real‐world populations treated with most novel combinations and those of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which is reflected by the poorer treatment outcomes in the real‐world setting.
What is (or could be) the SPECIFIC clinical relevance of your work? (ONE sentence) Given the high cytogenetic risk profile and advanced disease stage at the time when treated with novel agents, patients could have benefited from effective novel therapies earlier in their treatment pathway.
Field performance and cost‐effectiveness of a point‐of‐care triage test for HIV virological failure in Southern Africa
Authors: Saura‐Lázaro Anna , Bock Peter , Bogaart Erika van den , van Vliet Jessie , Granés Laura , Nel Kerry , Naidoo Vikesh , Scheepers Michelle , Saunders Yvonne , Leal Núria , Ramponi Francesco , Paulussen René , de Wit Tobias Rinke , Naniche Denise , López‐Varela Elisa 
Published: October 2023

AbstractIntroductionAntiretroviral therapy (ART) monitoring using viral load (VL) testing is challenging in high‐burden, limited‐resources settings. Chemokine IP‐10 (interferon gamma‐induced protein 10) strongly correlates with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) VL. Its determination could serve to predict virological failure (VF) and to triage patients requiring VL testing. We assessed the field performance of a semi‐quantitative IP‐10 lateral flow assay (LFA) for VF screening in South Africa, and the cost‐effectiveness of its implementation in Mozambique.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was conducted between June and December 2021 in three primary health clinics in the Western Cape. Finger prick capillary blood was collected from adults on ART for ≥1 year for direct application onto the IP‐10 LFA (index test) and compared with a plasma VL result ≤1 month prior (reference test). We estimated the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC), sensitivity and specificity, to evaluate IP‐10 LFA prediction of VF (VL>1000 copies/ml). A decision tree model was used to investigate the cost‐effectiveness of integrating IP‐10 LFA combined with VL testing into the current Mozambican ART monitoring strategy. Averted disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs) and HIV acquisitions, and incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios were estimated.ResultsAmong 209 participants (median age 38 years and 84% female), 18% had VF. Median IP‐10 LFA values were higher among individuals with VF compared to those without (24.0 vs. 14.6; p<0.001). The IP‐10 LFA predicted VF with an AUC = 0.76 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.67–0.85), 91.9% sensitivity (95% CI 78.1–98.3) and 35.1% specificity (95% CI 28.0–42.7). Integrating the IP‐10 LFA in a setting with 20% VF prevalence and 61% VL testing coverage could save 13.0% of costs and avert 14.9% of DALYs and 55.7% new HIV acquisitions. Furthermore, its introduction was estimated to reduce the total number of routine VL tests required for ART monitoring by up to 68%.ConclusionsThe IP‐10 LFA is an effective VF triage test for routine ART monitoring. Combining a highly sensitive, low‐cost IP‐10 LFA‐based screening with targeted VL confirmatory testing could result in significant healthcare quality improvements and cost savings in settings with limited access to VL testing.