bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Updated beliefs and shaken confidence: evidence from vaccine hesitancy caused by experiencing “COVID arm”
Authors: Fukai Taiyo , Kawata Keisuke , Nakabayashi Masaki 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
Public health depends largely on people’s knowledge, beliefs, or behaviors regarding their health and medical treatments. Although works based on the health belief model have shown that public beliefs about medical treatments affect willingness to take the treatments, little is known about the effects of changes in beliefs on attitudes toward treatment. How one’s past experiences relate to one’s beliefs about a given medical treatment is worth considering.

Methods
We implemented an online panel survey in February 2021 and March 2022 in Japan before and after COVID-19 vaccines were administered to the public within the country. We exploited delayed localized hypersensitivity reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, namely, “COVID arm”, as an exogenous shock to investigate the relationship between past negative experiences and current beliefs about medical treatments or science. “COVID arm” was an unexpected side effect and thus likely caused updated beliefs about the vaccine. Out of the nonprobability sample of 15,000 respondents in the first wave in February 2021, 9,668 respondents also responded to the second wave conducted in March 2022. Outcome variables were whether experiencing “COVID arm” affected the respondents’ 1) confidence in vaccine safety, 2) willingness to take the next dose of COVID-19 vaccines, 3) acknowledgment of the importance of vaccination, and 4) confidence in science. We measured the impact of experience with “COVID arm” on changes in the probability that survey respondents would respond affirmatively to questions posed about the issues listed above.

Results
Experiencing “COVID arm” significantly lowered confidence in the safety of vaccination by 4.3 percentage points, which was approximately 6% of the sample mean for the first wave, and lowered the probability of taking a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by 1.5 percentage points. These adverse impacts were observed after conditioning background characteristics and prior confidence in vaccination. Experiencing “COVID arm” affected neither the acknowledged importance of vaccination nor confidence in science in a statistically significant way.

Conclusions
An unexpected and uncomfortable shock regarding beliefs about a treatment decreases willingness to take the treatment. An appropriate public health policy should account for this effect.

Trial registration
The survey was preregistered with the American Economic Association’s RCT Registry (Fukai et al., 2022).
Tracking the geographical origin of Plasmodium falciparum causing a rare severe case of malaria imported into Palestine, a zero-indigenous case area
Authors: Al-Jawabreh Anas , Ereqat Suheir , Al-Jawabreh Amer , Al-Jawabreh Ahmed , Al-Jawabreh Hanan , Nasereddin Abedelmajeed 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
Malaria cases in non-endemic zero-indigenous case areas are most likely to have been imported whatever of the route of importation. In countries recently declared malaria-free and now without local transmission, imported cases remain a threat to re-introduction of the disease and a burden on the health system.

Case presentation
Three days after returning from a long trip to malaria- endemic countries; Abyei-Sudan, Chad and Uganda, a 41-year-old male resident from Jericho, Palestine, suffered paroxysms of fever, general fatigue, myalgia, arthralgia, headache, and a strong desire to vomit. Thin and thick Giemsa-stained blood smears were prepared and examined microscopically using oil immersion. Immature trophozoites (ring forms) were seen to parasitize approximately 10% of the erythrocytes revealing hyperparasitemia equivalent to > 100,000 parasites/ µl indicating severe malaria [1, 2]. The double chromatin configuration (headphones) and accolé (applique) position are both indicative of Plasmodium falciparum infection. The 18S rRNA- PCR targeting the rPLU6-rPLU5 region was used to confirm the diagnosis. The next-generation sequencing (NGS) method was carried out according to the manufacturer’s instructions (Illumina® DNA Prep, (M) Tagmentation kit (20060060), Illumina) to identify Plasmodium spp. Furthermore, NGS produced a whole-genome sequence of 22.8Mbp of the 14 chromosomes and 25Kbp of the apicoplast. A BLAST search of the apicoplast DNA and selected chromosomal DNA revealed that P. falciparum was the causative agent. The merozoite surface protein-1 (msp-1) was used to construct a phylogenetic tree of 26 P. falciparum, including the one isolated from the patient from Jericho, which clustered with the Sudanese isolate indicating genetic relatedness between the two.

Conclusion
The travel history together with signs and symptoms of malaria, followed by prompt diagnosis using conventional microscopic inspection of Giemsa-stained films together with molecular DNA tracking tools like msp-1 were key means in tracking the place of origin of infection in the case of travel to multiple destination.
Retinal functional and structural changes in patients with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Elanwar Rehab , Al Masry Hatem , Ibrahim Amna , Hussein Mona , Ibrahim Sahar , Masoud Mohammed M. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
Visual dysfunction have been well reported as one of the non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional and structural changes in the retina in patients with PD, and to correlate these changes with disease duration and motor dysfunction.

Methods
For this case–control study, we recruited patients fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for idiopathic PD according to British Brain Bank criteria, aged between 50 and 80 years. Age- and sex-matched healthy controls aged between 50 and 80 years were also recruited. Motor function for PD patients was assessed using Modified Hoehn and Yahr staging scale (H & Y staging) and Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and full field electroretinogram (ff-ERG) were done to all participants.

Results
Data from 50 patients and 50 healthy controls were included in the analysis. Patients with idiopathic Parkinson's had significantly reduced peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness compared to healthy controls (P-value < 0.05 in all parameters). They also had significantly delayed latency and reduced amplitude in both dark-adapted rods and the light-adapted cone for both a & b waves compared to healthy controls (P-value < 0.001 in all parameters). There were statistically significant negative correlations between disease duration, and left superior, right inferior and right & left average RNFL thickness [(r) coef. = -0.327, -0.301, -0.275, and -0.285 respectively]. UPDRS total score was negatively correlated with the amplitude of light-adapted of both RT and LT a & b wave and with dark-adapted RT b-wave latency [(r) coef. = -0.311, -0.395, -0.362, -0.419, and -0.342].

Conclusion
The retinal structure and function were significantly affected in patients with PD in comparison to healthy controls. There was a significant impact of disease duration on retinal thickness, and there was a significant negative correlation between the degree of motor dysfunction in patients with PD and retinal function.
SIMOA-based analysis of plasma NFL levels in MCI and AD patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Sahrai Hadi , Norouzi Ali , Hamzehzadeh Sina , Majdi Alireza , Kahfi-Ghaneh Rana , Sadigh-Eteghad Saeed 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
The single-molecule array assay (SIMOA)-based detection of neurofilament light (NFL) chain could be useful in diagnosing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the circulating concentration of NFL in AD and MCI patients compared with healthy controls using the SIMOA technique.

Methods
To this end, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the reference lists of relevant articles were systematically searched for studies reporting serum NFL chain levels in healthy controls, MCI, and AD patients. Appropriate statistical methods were employed to achieve the study purpose.

Results
Fifteen eligible studies including 3086 patients were pooled out of a total of 347 publications. Fixed effect model analysis showed that NFL chain level was significantly higher in the serum of patients with MCI (0.361 SMD, 95% CI, 0.286–0.435, p = 0.000, I2 = 49.179) and AD (0.808 SMD, 95% CI, 0.727–0.888, p = 0.000, I2 = 39.433) compared with healthy individuals. The analysis also showed that the NFL chain levels in plasma were significantly different between patients with MCI and AD (0.436 SMD, 95% CI, 0.359–0.513, p = 0.000, I2 = 37.44). The overall heterogeneity of the studies was modest.

Conclusions
This study highlights the potential of serum NFL chain detected using SIMOA in differentiating MCI, AD, and healthy controls.
Association between surgical extent and recurrence in unilateral intermediate- to high-risk papillary thyroid cancer
Authors: Xu Siyuan , Huang Hui , Dong Huilei , Wang Xiaolei , Xu Zhengang , Liu Shaoyan , Liu Jie 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
Guidelines recommend total thyroidectomy (TT) to facilitate radioactive ablation and serological follow-up for intermediate- to high-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). However, the association between surgical extent and tumor recurrence in these patients has not been well validated. We aimed to examine the association between the extent of surgery and recurrence in patients with completely resected unilateral intermediate- to high-risk PTC.

Methods
Patients with completely resected unilateral PTC from 2000 to 2017 in a single institute were reviewed. Those who had extrathyroidal extension (ETE) or lymph node metastasis (LNM, cN1 or pN1 > 5 lymph nodes involved) were included for analysis. Cox proportional hazards models were applied to measure the association between surgical extent and recurrence-free survival (RFS) while adjusting for patient demographic, clinicopathological and treatment variables.

Results
A total of 4550 patients (mean[SD] age, 43.0[11.7] years; 3379 women[74.3%]) were included. Of these patients, 2262(49.7%), 656(14.4%), 1032(22.7%), and 600 (13.2%) underwent lobectomy, TT, lobectomy + neck dissection (ND) and TT + ND, respectively. With a median follow-up period of 68 months, after multivariate adjustment, lobectomy was associated with a compromised RFS compared with other surgical extents (HR[95%CI], TT 0.537[0.333–0.866], P = 0.011, lobectomy + ND 0.531[0.392–0.720] P < 0.0001, TT + ND 0.446[0.286–0.697] P < 0.0001). RFS was similar between the two extents with ND (lobectomy + ND, HR [95%CI], 1.196 [0.759–1.885], P = 0.440).

Conclusion
Lobectomy alone is associated with an elevated recurrence risk in patients with unilateral intermediate- to high-risk PTC compared with larger surgical extents. However, lobectomy and ND may provide similar tumor control compared with the conventional approach of TT and ND.
An EMT-related genes signature as a prognostic biomarker for patients with endometrial cancer
Authors: Yu Yonghui , Zhang Yiwen , Li Zhi , Dong Yongshun , Huang Hongmei , Yang Binyao , Zhao Eryong , Chen Yongxiu , Yang Lei , Lu Jiachun , Qiu Fuman 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an indispensable role in the development and progression of Endometrial cancer (EC). Nevertheless, little evidence is reported to uncover the functionality and application of EMT-related molecules in the prognosis of EC. This study aims to develop novel molecular markers for prognosis prediction in patients with EC.

Methods
RNA sequencing profiles of EC patients obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were used to screen differential expression genes (DEGs) between tumors and normal tissues. The Cox regression model with the LASSO method was utilized to identify survival-related DEGs and to establish a prognostic signature whose performance was evaluated by Kaplan–Meier curve, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and calibration curve. Eventually, functional enrichment analysis and cellular experiments were performed to reveal the roles of prognosis-related genes in EC progression.

Results
A total of 540 EMT-related DEGs in EC were screened, and subsequently a four-gene risk signature comprising SIRT2, SIX1, CDKN2A and PGR was established to predict overall survival of EC. This risk signature could serve as a meaningfully independent indicator for EC prognosis via multivariate Cox regression (HR = 2.002, 95%CI = 1.433–2.798; P < 0.001). The nomogram integrating the risk signature and clinical characteristics exhibited robust validity and performance at predicting EC overall survival indicated by ROC and calibration curve. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the EMT-related genes risk signature was associated with extracellular matrix organization, mesenchymal development and cellular component morphogenesis, suggesting its possible relevance to epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer progression. Functionally, we demonstrated that the silencing of SIX1, SIRT2 and CDKN2A expression could accelerate the migratory and invasive capacities of tumor cells, whereas the downregulation of PGR dramatically inhibited cancer cells migration and invasion.

Conclusions
Altogether, a novel four-EMT-related genes signature was a potential biomarker for EC prognosis. These findings might help to ameliorate the individualized prognostication and therapeutic treatment of EC patients.
Treatment sequences and prognostic/predictive factors in metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: univariate and multivariate analyses of a real-world study in Europe
Authors: Taieb Julien , Seufferlein Thomas , Reni Michele , Palmer Daniel H. , Bridgewater John A. , Cubillo Antonio , Prager Gerald W. , Vermeire Alice , Hédouin-Biville Fabienne , Teng Zhaoyang , Macarulla Teresa 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
Real-world data on treatment patterns/outcomes for metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPAC) are limited. This study aims to assess real-world treatment patterns, survival outcomes, and prognostic/predictive factors in patients with mPAC.

Methods
Retrospective, observational, chart-review involving medical oncologists and gastroenterologists from five European countries. Physicians reported information on disease and patient characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment for patients diagnosed with mPAC from January-October 2016. Outcomes included median progression-free survival (mPFS), median overall survival (mOS), and the impact of baseline performance status on survival. Univariate/multivariate regression analyses were undertaken to identify prognostic/predictive factors.

Results
Three hundred four physicians and 3432 patients were included. First-line therapies included modified (m)FOLFIRINOX (28.4%), gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel (28.0%), and gemcitabine monotherapy (23.0%). Frequent second-line therapies were gemcitabine monotherapy (25.0%), fluorouracil (5-FU) + oxaliplatin (21.8%), and gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel (16.7%). Most frequent first- to second-line treatment sequences were gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel followed by fluoropyrimidine combinations. Longest unadjusted estimated mOS was observed with (m)FOLFIRINOX followed by gemcitabine-based combinations (19.1 months). Multivariate analysis identified significant prognostic/predictive factors for OS and PFS including performance status and carbohydrate antigen 19–9 (CA 19–9) levels.

Conclusions
Treatment and treatment sequences were generally in accordance with guidelines at the time of the study. Identification of prognostic/predictive factors for survival may help inform the individualised management of mPAC patients in the future.
Factors associated with afebrile presentation and delayed defervescence of bacterial meningitis in children under 3 years of age: a multi-centre retrospective analysis
Authors: He Lin , Li Haijing , Zhang Zhigang , Ge Hejia , Wang Hongwei , Zhu Mengquan , Xu Zhiwei , Zhang Jiening , Fang Sheng , Hu Chuanze , Qian Lijun , Xu Huifang , Yao Yinna , Yuan Shengfu , Zhu Jiajun , Lu Chaosheng , Zheng Jishan , Li Junsheng , Jiang Qi , Xu Huiqing , Chen Lihua , Shang Shiqiang , Chen Yinghu 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
This multi-center study aimed to identify factors affecting fever and delayed defervescence in bacterial meningitis (BM) patients under 3 years of age because of the variability of fever in this patient population.

Methods
Only BM patients under 3 years treated at 49 centers in China from November 2018 to end-April 2021 were included in the study. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine factors associated with afebrile presentation and fever of delayed defervescence.

Results
A total of 863 BM patients under 3 years were included in the study. Coagulase negative staphylococcus was associated with afebrile presentation (OR = 1.176), while septicaemia and ear-nose-throat infections were associated with fever (P < 0.05). The patients with fever were assigned into early and delayed defervescence groups based on defervescence time (less than and more than or equal to one week). Furthermore, Streptococcus agalactiae meningitis (OR = 1.124), concomitant gastrointestinal infection (OR = 1.276), encephalomalacia (or = 1.339), and subdural effusion (OR = 1.454) were independently associated with delayed defervescence (all P < 0.05).

Conclusions
The findings can aid in the efficient utilization of fever in auxiliary diagnosis and evaluating the condition of the disease.
Long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on five mental and psychological disorders: in terms of the number of disease visits, drug consumption, and scale scores
Authors: Zhu Han-Yu , Guo Yi-Mo , Pan Zhi-Ming , Wang Yan , Zhang Meng-Li , Zhu Ru-Huang , Li Zhang-Ping , Wang Zhen 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
COVID-19 caused mild to severe infections in humans. The long-term epidemic environment harms people’s mental health. To explore the impact of the epidemic on people’s mental and psychological conditions, we surveyed in Wenzhou.

Methods
We collected the data of people who visited the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University for five types of mental and psychological diseases from January 2018 to December 2021. Then, taking December 2019 as the cut-off point, the 48-month data were divided into the pre-epidemic group and the dur-epidemic group. Based on the above data, statistical analysis was done.

Results
From 2018 to 2021, the number of initial diagnoses, the number of disease visits, and drug consumption for these five types of mental and psychological diseases were all on the rise. Compared with the number of disease visits for all disorders in both psychiatry and neurology departments, it was found that the growth rate of these five diseases was higher than the growth rate of all disorders. We found that the number of disease visits, drug consumption, and scale scores after the COVID-19 outbreak were significantly different from those before the outbreak (P < 0.05). And the number of disease visits positively correlated with drug consumption (P < 0.0001, r = 0.9503), which verified the stability of the data.

Conclusion
The epidemic environment has had a long-term and negative impact on people’s mental and psychological conditions. Therefore, whether or not the epidemic is receding, we still need to be concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on mental and psychological health.
Dietary niacin intake in relation to depression among adults: a population-based study
Authors: Tian Sheng , Wu Lanxiang , Zheng Heqing , Zhong Xianhui , Liu Mingxu , Yu Xinping , Wu Wei 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
Previous studies have shown that an antioxidant diet is a protective factor against depression. However, the association between niacin, an important antioxidant consumed from the diet, and depression has received little attention. Therefore, we explored the association between niacin intake and depression through a cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007 to 2016.

Methods
Depression was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9, score ≥ 10). Niacin intake was assessed through 24-h dietary recall interviews. The relationship of niacin intake with depression among adults in US was assessed by using a weighted multiple logistic regression model with subgroup analysis. Non-linear associations were explored using restricted cubic spline models. And we used a two-piece-wise logistic regression model with smoothing to explore the threshold for association between them.

Results
A total of 16,098 adults were included in this study. Compared with individuals with lowest niacin intake Q1 (≤ 15.96 mg/day), the adjusted OR values for dietary niacin intake and depression in Q2 (15.97–22.86 mg/day), Q3 (22.87–32.28 mg/day) and Q4 (≥ 32.29 mg/day), were 0.92 (95% CI: 0.70–1.20), 0.76 (95% CI: 0.56–0.99,) and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.48–0.98), respectively. The results were not modified by sex, by age and by BMI. Furthermore, the relationship between dietary niacin intake and depression exhibited a U-shaped curve (nonlinear, p < 0.001). And depression risk was lowest when dietary consumption of niacin was around 36 mg/day.

Conclusions
In present study, moderate niacin intake, but not high intake, was associated with lower odds of depression suggesting a U-shaped association.
Effect of poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) polymer nanoparticles loaded with vancomycin against Staphylococcus aureus biofilm
Authors: Nouruzi Ellahe , Hosseini Seyed Mostafa , Asghari Babak , Mahjoub Reza , Zare Ehsan Nazarzadeh , Shahbazi Mohammad-Ali , Kalhori Fereshte , Arabestani Mohammad Reza 
Published: September 2023

AbstractStaphylococcus aureus is a unique challenge for the healthcare system because it can form biofilms, is resistant to the host's immune system, and is resistant to numerous antimicrobial therapies. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) polymer nanoparticles loaded with vancomycin and conjugated with lysostaphin (PLGA-VAN-LYS) on inhibiting S. aureus biofilm formation. Nano drug carriers were produced using the double emulsion evaporation process. we examined the physicochemical characteristics of the nanoparticles, including particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, drug loading (DL), entrapment efficiency (EE), Lysostaphin conjugation efficiency (LCE), and shape. The effect of the nano drug carriers on S. aureus strains was evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), conducting biofilm formation inhibition studies, and performing agar well diffusion tests. The average size, PDI, zeta potential, DL, EE, and LCE of PLGA-VAN-LYS were 320.5 ± 35 nm, 0.270 ± 0.012, -19.5 ± 1.3 mV, 16.75 ± 2.5%, 94.62 ± 2.6%, and 37% respectively. Both the agar well diffusion and MIC tests did not show a distinction between vancomycin and the nano drug carriers after 72 h. However, the results of the biofilm analysis demonstrated that the nano drug carrier had a stronger inhibitory effect on biofilm formation compared to the free drug. The use of this technology for treating hospital infections caused by the Staphylococcus bacteria may have favorable effects on staphylococcal infections, considering the efficacy of the nano medicine carrier developed in this study.