bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Standardization and normative data of the 48-item Yoni short version for the assessment of theory of mind in typical and atypical conditions
Authors: Isernia Sara , Rossetto Federica , Shamay-Tsoory Simone , Marchetti Antonella , Baglio Francesca 
Published: January 2023

IntroductionThe Yoni task is a computerized tool assessing first-and second-order affective and cognitive Theory of Mind (ToM), accounting for the multidimensional and multi-level mentalizing features. The Italian Yoni task has been validated and standardized in its 98-item version, and a 48-item short version has been proposed for a quick digital evaluation of ToM in clinical contexts.MethodsThe present study aimed to test the Yoni-48’s convergent validity, correlating the tool score with the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test (ET) and Gender Test (GT), its items discrimination ability through the Classical Test Theory, and Rash model, its reliability by evaluating the internal consistency (McDonald’s ω, Cronbach’s α, Guttman’s λ2, and Guttman’s λ6) and Spearman-Brown ϱSP split-half analysis, and to provide standardization and normative data in the Italian population.ResultsResults suggested a good convergent validity with a statistically significant association with ET (p &lt; 0.001), while a null correlation was observed with GT (p = 0.947). The Classical Test Theory and Rash model confirmed a good discrimination ability of the Yoni-48’s second-order affective and cognitive ToM items, while weaker discrimination capacity was registered for the first-order ToM items. The inter-item reliability was optimal for clinical purposes (ω, α, λ2, λ6 ≥ 0.90). Also, the split-half reliability was high (Spearman-Brown ϱSP = 0.90). For standardization, age and education were revealed as significant predictors of Yoni accuracy scores, except for the first-order ToM score. Instead, age was the only predictor of Yoni’s response speed score. The Italian normative data showed a high Yoni accuracy in healthy adults (mean accuracy = 0.85) and speed (mean response time = 0.92). Finally, both accuracy and response time level was balanced between the affective and cognitive components of ToM.DiscussionThis study supports the psychometric properties of the Yoni-48 and provides normative data for the Italian population. Further studies are needed to test the suitability of this short version for profiling the social cognition neurocognitive phenotype.
Hippocampal functional connectivity across age in an App knock-in mouse model of Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Morrissey Zachery D. , Gao Jin , Zhan Liang , Li Weiguo , Fortel Igor , Saido Takaomi , Saito Takashi , Bakker Arnold , Mackin Scott , Ajilore Olusola , Lazarov Orly , Leow Alex D. 
Published: January 2023

IntroductionAlzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. The early processes of AD, however, are not fully understood and likely begin years before symptoms manifest. Importantly, disruption of the default mode network, including the hippocampus, has been implicated in AD.MethodsTo examine the role of functional network connectivity changes in the early stages of AD, we performed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) using a mouse model harboring three familial AD mutations (AppNL-G-F/NL-G-F knock-in, APPKI) in female mice in early, middle, and late age groups. The interhemispheric and intrahemispheric functional connectivity (FC) of the hippocampus was modeled across age.ResultsWe observed higher interhemispheric functional connectivity (FC) in the hippocampus across age. This was reduced, however, in APPKI mice in later age. Further, we observed loss of hemispheric asymmetry in FC in APPKI mice.DiscussionTogether, this suggests that there are early changes in hippocampal FC prior to heavy onset of amyloid β plaques, and which may be clinically relevant as an early biomarker of AD.
Machine Learning Reveals a Multipredictor Nomogram for Diagnosing the Alzheimer’s Disease Based on Chemiluminescence Immunoassay for Total Tau in Plasma
Authors: Zhang Lingyu , Wang Danhua , Dai Yibei , Wang Xuchu , Cao Ying , Liu Weiwei , Tao Zhihua 
Published: January 2023

BackgroundPredicting amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) in conversion and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains a daunting task. Standard diagnostic procedures for AD population are reliant on neuroimaging features (positron emission tomography, PET), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers (Aβ1-42, T-tau, P-tau), which are expensive or require invasive sampling. The blood-based biomarkers offer the opportunity to provide an alternative approach for easy diagnosis of AD, which would be a less invasive and cost-effective screening tool than currently approved CSF or amyloid β positron emission tomography (PET) biomarkers.MethodsWe developed and validated a sensitive and selective immunoassay for total Tau in plasma. Robust signatures were obtained based on several clinical features selected by multiple machine learning algorithms between the three participant groups. Subsequently, a well-fitted nomogram was constructed and validated, integrating clinical factors and total Tau concentration. The predictive performance was evaluated according to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC) statistics. Decision curve analysis and calibration curves are used to evaluate the net benefit of nomograms in clinical decision-making.ResultsUnder optimum conditions, chemiluminescence analysis (CLIA) displays a desirable dynamic range within Tau concentration from 7.80 to 250 pg/mL with readily achieved higher performances (LOD: 5.16 pg/mL). In the discovery cohort, the discrimination between the three well-defined participant groups according to Tau concentration was in consistent agreement with clinical diagnosis (AD vs. non-MCI: AUC = 0.799; aMCI vs. non-MCI: AUC = 0.691; AD vs. aMCI: AUC = 0.670). Multiple machine learning algorithms identified Age, Gender, EMPG, Tau, ALB, HCY, VB12, and/or Glu as robust signatures. A nomogram integrated total Tau concentration and clinical factors provided better predictive performance (AD vs. non-MCI: AUC = 0.960, AD vs. aMCI: AUC = 0.813 in discovery cohort; AD vs. non-MCI: AUC = 0.938, AD vs. aMCI: AUC = 0.754 in validation cohort).ConclusionThe developed assay and a satisfactory nomogram model hold promising clinical potential for early diagnosis of aMCI and AD participants.
Case report: Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibody-associated autoimmunity triggered by primary central nervous system B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Yokota Yuki , Hara Makoto , Oshita Natsuki , Mizoguchi Tomotaka , Nishimaki Haruna , Hao Hiroyuki , Nakajima Hideto 
Published: January 2023

BackgroundWe herein detail our experience with a unique patient with a primary central nervous system (PCNS) B-cell lymphoma concomitant with anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antibodies that satisfied the criteria of “probable anti-NMDAR encephalitis (ProNMDARE)” based on the Graus criteria 2016.Case presentationA 73-year-old Japanese woman presented with acute pyrexia, agitation, and disturbance of consciousness. She gradually developed a reduction in speech frequency and truncal dystonia causing abnormal posture. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated high-intensity lesions in the bilateral frontal lobes, and her cerebrospinal fluid revealed mild pleocytosis. She was diagnosed with acute encephalitis and treated with acyclovir and intravenous dexamethasone; however, no improvement was observed. She was transferred to our hospital 6 weeks after the onset of her symptoms, and anti-NMDAR antibodies were identified in her cerebrospinal fluid through indirect immunolabeling with rat brain frozen sections and cell-based assays with NR1/NR2 transfected HEK cells. Follow-up MRI showed enlargement of the lesions in the right frontal lobe with gadolinium enhancement, suggesting a brain tumor. Stereotactic surgery was implemented, with subsequent pathological examination revealing that the tumor was consistent with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) without evidence of systemic satellite lesions. Stereotactic irradiative therapies were then added to her treatment regimen, which partly improved her neurological symptoms with only mild cognitive dysfunction still remaining. A decrease in anti-NMDAR antibody titer was also confirmed after immunotherapy and tumor removal.ConclusionsWe herein report our experience with a novel case of PCNS-DLBCL masquerading as anti-NMDAR encephalitis that satisfied the diagnostic criteria of “proNMDARE.” Treatment, including tumor removal, ameliorated disease severity and antibody titers of the patient. Our findings suggest that anti-NMDAR antibody-associated autoimmunity can be triggered by PCNS B-cell tumors, although primary brain tumors need to be excluded before establishing a diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis.
Feasibility and acceptability of time-restricted eating in a group of adults with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Wingo Brooks C. , Rinker John R. , Green Kathryn , Peterson Courtney M. 
Published: January 2023

IntroductionIntermittent fasting (IF) has become a popular dietary pattern for adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), and initial studies in animal models and human trials indicate promising results for improving symptoms and slowing disease progression. Most studies published to date have focused on alternate day fasting or fasting mimicking diets including a 5:2 pattern, in which participants greatly restrict calorie intake on two non-consecutive days and eat regularly on other days; however, time restricted eating (TRE) may be equally effective for improving symptoms and may lead to better long term adherence due to its focus only on the time of day in which calories are consumed with no restriction on number of calories or types of food consumed.MethodsThe purpose of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a TRE intervention in adults with relapsing remitting MS (RRMS). Participants (n = 12) were instructed to eat all food within an 8-h window every day and fast the remaining 16 h for 8 weeks.ResultsThe eating pattern was determined to be feasible based on retention rates (n = 11; 92%) and acceptable based on participant feedback.DiscussionExploratory results of changes in cognition, pain, and fatigue, indicate that further study of TRE in this population is warranted.Clinical trial registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04389970; NCT04389970.
Effects of auditory rehabilitation with cochlear implant on tinnitus prevalence and distress, health-related quality of life, subjective hearing and psychological comorbidities: Comparative analysis of patients with asymmetric hearing loss (AHL), double-sided (bilateral) deafness (DSD), and single-sided (unilateral) deafness (SSD)
Authors: Olze Heidi , Ketterer Manuel Christoph , Péus Dominik , Häußler Sophia Marie , Hildebrandt Lynn , Gräbel Stefan , Szczepek Agnieszka J. 
Published: January 2023

IntroductionAuditory rehabilitation with a cochlear implant (CI), in many cases, positively impacts tinnitus. However, it is unclear if the tinnitus-related benefit of CI is equal for patients with various indications for CI. Therefore, this study aimed to determine differences in tinnitus prevalence and distress, health-related quality of life, subjective hearing, perceived stress, and psychological comorbidities between patients diagnosed with asymmetric hearing loss (AHL), single-sided (unilateral) deafness (SSD), and double-sided (bilateral) deafness (DSD) before and six months after cochlear implantation.MethodsOne hundred-one CI candidates were included in this prospective study (39 AHL patients, 23 DSD patients, and 39 SSD patients). The patients completed questionnaires measuring tinnitus distress, health-related quality of life, subjective hearing, perceived stress, and psychological comorbidities before and 6 months after CI.ResultsThe prevalence of tinnitus in the entire cohort (80.2% before CI) decreased 6 months after CI to 71.3%. The DSD group had the lowest tinnitus prevalence at both time points. The degree of tinnitus-induced distress decreased significantly in all three groups after CI. Differences in quality of life, subjective hearing, and psychological comorbidities between the groups at the study onset disappeared after CI. Significant correlations existed between anxiety, depression, and tinnitus distress in AHL and SSD but not in DSD patients before and after CI.DiscussionOur results demonstrate significant differences between the three groups of CI candidates, which might affect the implantation outcome. These differences suggest a need for personalized psychological counseling during the auditory rehabilitation process, focusing on anxiety and depressive symptoms for SSD and AHL patients.
Utility of serum amyloid A as a potential prognostic biomarker of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage
Authors: Sun Zhongbo , Li Yaqiang , Chang Fu , Jiang Ke 
Published: January 2023

ObjectivesInflammation plays a vital role in the aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), while serum amyloid A (SAA) has been identified as an inflammatory biomarker. The present study aimed to elucidate the relationship between SAA concentrations and prognosis in aSAH.MethodsFrom prospective analyses of patients admitted to our department between March 2016 and August 2022, aSAH patients with complete medical records were evaluated. Meanwhile, the healthy control group consisted of the age and sex matched individuals who came to our hospital for healthy examination between March 2018 and August 2022. SAA level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (Invitrogen Corp). The Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was used to classify patients into good (GOS score of 4 or 5) and poor (GOS score of 1, 2, or 3) outcome.Results456 patients were enrolled in the study, thereinto, 200 (43.86%) patients had a poor prognosis at the 3-months follow-up. Indeed, the SAA of poor outcome group were significantly increased compared to good outcome group and healthy control group [36.44 (32.23–41.00) vs. 28.99 (14.67–34.12) and 5.64 (3.43–7.45), P &lt; 0.001]. In multivariate analyses, SAA served for independently predicting the poor outcome after aICH at 3 months [OR:1.129 (95% CI, 1.081–1.177), P &lt; 0.001]. After adjusting the underlying confounding factors, the odds ratio (OR) of depression after aSAH was 2.247 (95% CI: 1.095–4.604, P = 0.021) for the highest tertile of SAA relative to the lowest tertile. With an AUC of 0.807 (95% CI, 0.623–0.747), SAA demonstrated an obviously better discriminatory ability relative to CRP, WBC, and IL-6. SAA as an indicator for predicting poor outcome after aSAH had an optimal cut-off value of 30.28, and the sensitivity and specificity were 61.9 and 78.7%, respectively.ConclusionsElevated level of SAA was associated with poor outcome at 3 months, suggesting that SAA might be a useful inflammatory markers to predict prognosis after aSAH.
Audiological and psychological assessment of tinnitus patients with normal hearing
Authors: Park Yelin , Shin Seung-Ho , Byun Sung Wan , Lee Zoo Young , Lee Ho Yun 
Published: January 2023

IntroductionThis study was performed to assess identifiable abnormalities in tinnitus patients with normal hearing.MethodsThe medical records of subjective non-pulsatile tinnitus patients with normal hearing confirmed by conventional pure-tone audiometry who visited our tinnitus clinic between March 2020 and May 2022 were reviewed. The loudness discomfort level (LDL), extended high-frequency hearing loss (EHFHL), summating potential (SP)/action potential (AP) ratio, distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), thresholds of auditory brainstem response (ABR) wave V, somatic modulation, and psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, and stress were evaluated by questionnaires.ResultsDecreased LDL (n = 48, 59.8%) was the most frequent finding, followed by EHFHL (n = 29, 35.4%), increased SP/AP ratio (n = 27, 32.9%), psychiatric symptoms (n = 24, 29.3%), decreased DPOAE (n = 17, 20.7%), somatic modulation (n = 8, 9.8%), and increased ABR threshold (n = 3, 3.7%); 75.6% of patients had one or more of these findings. The presence of psychiatric symptoms was independently associated with the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) score.ConclusionTinnitus in patients with normal hearing may be accompanied by a combination of various subclinical abnormal audiological findings. However, the presence of psychiatric symptoms alone was independently associated with tinnitus distress.
ERCC1 polymorphism and its expression associated with ischemic stroke in Chinese population
Authors: Deng Xiao-Dong , Ke Jian-Lin , Chen Tai-Yu , Gao Qin , Zhao Zhuo-Lin , Zhang Wei , Liu Huan , Xiang Ming-Liang , Wang Li-Zhen , Ma Ying , Liu Yun 
Published: January 2023

BackgroundExcision repair cross-complementing group 1 (ERCC1) was considered a potential candidate gene for ischemic stroke, and its polymorphisms might be associated with the susceptibility to ischemic stroke.MethodsA total of 513 patients with ischemic stroke and 550 control subjects were recruited. The expression levels of ERCC1 messenger RNA (mRNA) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and its protein in plasma were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Rs3212986 polymorphism of ERCC1 was detected by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP-PCR) and was confirmed by sequencing. The association between the ERCC1 rs3212986 polymorphism or its expression and ischemic stroke was further analyzed.ResultsThe ERCC1 mRNA level in patients with ischemic stroke was lower than that in the control group (P &lt; 0.05). However, the ERCC1 protein level in patients with ischemic stroke was higher than that in the control group (P &lt; 0.05). The A allele of rs3212986 was associated with increased ischemic stroke risk (OR = 1.287, 95% CI = 1.076–1.540, P = 0.006). The association between rs3212986 polymorphism and ischemic stroke susceptibility was found in both recessive (OR = 2.638, 95% CI = 1.744–3.989, P &lt; 0.001) and additive models (OR = 1.309, 95% CI = 1.028–1.667, P = 0.031), respectively. Similar results were obtained in the recessive model (OR = 2.015, 95% CI = 1.087–3.704, P = 0.026) after adjusting for demographic information and other variables. Additionally, the level of ERCC1 mRNA in the CC/CA genotype was higher than that in the AA genotype (P &lt; 0.05).ConclusionIt was suggested that the ERCC1 rs3212986 polymorphism was associated with ischemic stroke susceptibility in a Chinese Han population and that an A allele of rs3212986 was related to increased ischemic stroke risk. The altered ERCC1 expression level caused by the rs3212986 polymorphism might participate in the pathophysiological process of ischemic stroke.
A structural connectivity atlas of limbic brainstem nuclei
Authors: Levinson Simon , Miller Michelle , Iftekhar Ahmed , Justo Monica , Arriola Daniel , Wei Wenxin , Hazany Saman , Avecillas-Chasin Josue M. , Kuhn Taylor P. , Horn Andreas , Bari Ausaf A. 
Published: January 2023

BackgroundUnderstanding the structural connectivity of key brainstem nuclei with limbic cortical regions is essential to the development of therapeutic neuromodulation for depression, chronic pain, addiction, anxiety and movement disorders. Several brainstem nuclei have been identified as the primary central nervous system (CNS) source of important monoaminergic ascending fibers including the noradrenergic locus coeruleus, serotonergic dorsal raphe nucleus, and dopaminergic ventral tegmental area. However, due to practical challenges to their study, there is limited data regarding their in vivo anatomic connectivity in humans.ObjectiveTo evaluate the structural connectivity of the following brainstem nuclei with limbic cortical areas: locus coeruleus, ventral tegmental area, periaqueductal grey, dorsal raphe nucleus, and nucleus tractus solitarius. Additionally, to develop a group average atlas of these limbic brainstem structures to facilitate future analyses.MethodsEach nucleus was manually masked from 197 Human Connectome Project (HCP) structural MRI images using FSL software. Probabilistic tractography was performed using FSL's FMRIB Diffusion Toolbox. Connectivity with limbic cortical regions was calculated and compared between brainstem nuclei. Results were aggregated to produce a freely available MNI structural atlas of limbic brainstem structures.ResultsA general trend was observed for a high probability of connectivity to the amygdala, hippocampus and DLPFC with relatively lower connectivity to the orbitofrontal cortex, NAc, hippocampus and insula. The locus coeruleus and nucleus tractus solitarius demonstrated significantly greater connectivity to the DLPFC than amygdala while the periaqueductal grey, dorsal raphe nucleus, and ventral tegmental area did not demonstrate a significant difference between these two structures.ConclusionMonoaminergic and other modulatory nuclei in the brainstem project widely to cortical limbic regions. We describe the structural connectivity across the several key brainstem nuclei theorized to influence emotion, reward, and cognitive functions. An increased understanding of the anatomic basis of the brainstem's role in emotion and other reward-related processing will support targeted neuromodulatary therapies aimed at alleviating the symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Probabilistic deconvolution of PET images using informed priors
Authors: Hansen Thomas Mejer , Mosegaard Klaus , Holm Søren , Andersen Flemming Littrup , Fischer Barbara Malene , Hansen Adam Espe 
Published: January 2023

PurposeWe present a probabilistic approach to medical image analysis that requires, and makes use of, explicit prior information provided by a medical expert. Depending on the choice of prior model the method can be used for image enhancement, analysis, and segmentation.MethodsThe methodology is based on a probabilistic approach to medical image analysis, that allows integration of 1) arbitrarily complex prior information (for which realizations can be generated), 2) information about a convolution operator of the imaging system, and 3) information about the noise in the reconstructed image into a posterior probability density. The method was demonstrated on positron emission tomography (PET) images obtained from a phantom and a patient with lung cancer. The likelihood model (multivariate log-normal) and the convolution operator were derived from phantom data. Two examples of prior information were used to show the potential of the method. The extended Metropolis-Hastings algorithm, a Markov chain Monte Carlo method, was used to generate realizations of the posterior distribution of the tracer activity concentration.ResultsA set of realizations from the posterior was used as the base of a quantitative PET image analysis. The mean and variance of activity concentrations were computed, as well as the probability of high tracer uptake and statistics on the size and activity concentration of high uptake regions. For both phantom and in vivo images, the estimated images of mean activity concentrations appeared to have reduced noise levels, and a sharper outline of high activity regions, as compared to the original PET. The estimated variance of activity concentrations was high at the edges of high activity regions.ConclusionsThe methodology provides a probabilistic approach for medical image analysis that explicitly takes into account medical expert knowledge as prior information. The presented first results indicate the potential of the method to improve the detection of small lesions. The methodology allows for a probabilistic measure of the size and activity level of high uptake regions, with possible long-term perspectives for early detection of cancer, as well as treatment, planning, and follow-up.