bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID19 vaccination across eight immune-mediated inflammatory disorders: A prospective, real-life Belgian cohort study – the BELCOMID study
Authors: Geldof Jeroen , Truyens Marie , Sabino João , Ferrante Marc , Lambert Jo , Lapeere Hilde , Hillary Tom , Van Laethem An , de Vlam Kurt , Verschueren Patrick , Padalko Elizaveta , Lobaton Triana , Vermeire Séverine 
Published: March 2023

BackgroundThe risks and impact of COVID19 disease and vaccination in patients with Immune Mediated Inflammatory Diseases (IMID) remain incompletely understood. IMID patients and particularly patients receiving immunosuppressive treatment were excluded from the original, registrational phase-3 COVID19 vaccination efficacy and safety trials. Real-world observational data can help to fill this gap in knowledge. The BELCOMID study aims to explore the interaction between IMIDs, immune-modulating treatment modalities and SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination in a real-life patient cohort.MethodsA multidisciplinary, prospective, observational cohort study was set up. Consecutive patients with IMIDs of the gut, joints and skin followed at two high-volume referral centers were invited. Both patients under conventional treatment or targeted immune modulating therapies were included. Patient data and serological samples were collected at 3 predefined periods (before COVID19 vaccination, before booster vaccination, after booster vaccination). Primary endpoints were positive PCR-test and SARS-CoV-2 serology reflecting previous SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination. Associations with IMID treatment modality and IMID disease activity were assessed. Results of the first two inclusion periods (before booster vaccination) are reported.ResultsAt the first inclusion period data was assessed of 2165 IMID-patients before COVID19 vaccination. At the second inclusion period, data of 2065 patients was collected of whom 1547 had received complete baseline COVID19 vaccination and 222 were partially vaccinated. SARS-CoV-2 infection rate remained low in both groups. No significant increase in IMID flare-up rate was noted in patients with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Multiple logistic regression analyses did not show a significant influence of IMID-treatment modality or IMID activity on SARS-CoV-2 infection risk (based on PCR positivity or N-serology). Patients treated with conventional immunomodulators, systemic steroids, and patients on advanced therapies such as biologics or small molecules, had reduced S-antibody seroconversion. S-antibody response was also lower in patients without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and in active smokers. A subset of patients (4.1%) had no S- nor N-antibody seroconversion following complete baseline vaccination.ConclusionThe BELCOMID study results confirm the benign course of COVID19 infection and vaccination in a large real-life IMID-population. However, our results underscore the need for repeated vaccination and smoking cessation in patients with IMIDs treated with immune-modulating therapies or systemic steroids during the pandemic.
Relationship between gut microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis: A bibliometric analysis
Authors: Dong Ying , Yao Jianling , Deng Qingyue , Li Xianxian , He Yingyu , Ren Xueyang , Zheng Yuan , Song Ruolan , Zhong Xiangjian , Ma Jiamu , Shan Dongjie , Lv Fang , Wang Xiuhuan , Yuan Ruijuan , She Gaimei 
Published: March 2023

IntroductionRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a multifactorial autoimmune disease. Recently, growing evidence demonstrates that gut microbiota (GM) plays an important role in RA. But so far, no bibliometric studies pertaining to GM in RA have ever been published. This study attempts to depict the knowledge framework in this field from a holistic and systematic perspective based on the bibliometric analysis.MethodsLiterature related to the involvement of GM in RA was searched and picked from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database. The annual output, cooperation, hotspots, research status and development trend of this field were analyzed by bibliometric software (VOSviewer and Bibliometricx).Results255 original research articles and 204 reviews were included in the analysis. The articles in this field that can be retrieved in WOSCC were first published in 2004 and increased year by year since then. 2013 is a growth explosion point. China and the United States are the countries with the most contributions, and Harvard University is the affiliation with the most output. Frontiers in Immunology (total citations = 603) is the journal with the most publications and the fastest growth rate. eLife is the journal with the most citations (total citations = 1248). Scher, Jose U. and Taneja, Veena are the most productive and cited authors. The research in this field is mainly distributed in the evidence, mechanism and practical application of GM participating in RA through the analysis of keywords and documents. There is sufficient evidence to prove the close relationship between GM and RA, which lays the foundation for this field. This extended two colorful and tender branches of mechanism research and application exploration, which have made some achievements but still have broad exploration space. Recently, the keywords ”metabolites“, ”metabolomics“, ”acid“, ”b cells“, ”balance“, ”treg cells“, ”probiotic supplementation“ appeared most frequently, which tells us that research on the mechanism of GM participating in RA and exploration of its application are the hotspots in recent years.DiscussionTaken together, these results provide a data-based and objective introduction to the GM participating in RA, giving readers a valuable reference to help guide future research.
High performance surface plasmon resonance based sensor using black phosphorus and magnesium oxide adhesion layer
Authors: Kumar Shatrughna , Yadav Archana , Malomed Boris A. 
Published: March 2023

A five-layered Kretschmann configuration-based novel structure is designed for a highly sensitive surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor. An adhesion layer of magnesium oxide (MgO) is employed on the BK7 prism to avoid the adverse effects of metallic layers, which cause SPR broadening and a decrease in the resonance magnitude. A few layers of black phosphorus (BP) on top of the silver (Ag) metal layer are added to complete the structure, which becomes the BK7/MgO/Ag/BP configuration. The investigation is carried out using attenuated total reflection (ATR), while the widely used transfer matrix method (TMM) is applied to evaluate the performance of the SPR sensor. A separate analysis is performed using three thicknesses, 5 nm, 10 nm, and 15 nm of MgO, an optimized thickness of 40 nm of Ag, and eight layers of BP. The results revealed that the configuration BK7/MgO (10 nm)/Ag (40 nm)/BP (8 layers) delivers a maximum sensitivity (S) of 234°RIU−1. Moreover, the configuration BK7/MgO (5 nm)/Ag (40 nm)/BP (8 layers) delivers a maximum figure of merit (FOM) of 38.18°RIU−1. With these kinds of extraordinary features, it is expected that the proposed SPR sensor can be applied in different fields of biosensing.
Inflammasome activation and formation of ASC specks in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Authors: Wittmann Nico , Mishra Neha , Gramenz Jana , Kuthning Daniela , Behrendt Ann-Kathrin , Bossaller Lukas , Meyer-Bahlburg Almut 
Published: March 2023

ObjectiveThe formation of large intracellular protein aggregates of the inflammasome adaptor ASC is a hallmark of inflammasome activation and characteristic of autoinflammation. Inflammasome activated cells release the highly proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β in addition to ASC specks into the extracellular space. Autoinflammatory activity has been demonstrated in systemic JIA, however minimal data exist on the role of inflammasomes in other JIA subtypes. We therefore investigated, if pyroptotic cells are present in the circulation of oligo- and poly-articular JIA.MethodsPeripheral blood of JIA patients (n = 46) was investigated for ASC speck formation, a key step in inflammasome activation, by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. Free ASC and proinflammatory cytokine levels were determined by ELISA and multiplex assay.ResultsOligo-articular JIA patients showed a significantly increased proportion of ASC speck+ monocytes compared to poly-articular JIA patients. In serum free ASC alone is not sufficient to assess inflammasome activity and does not correlate with ASC speck+ monocytes. Compared to control several cytokines were significantly elevated in samples of JIA patients. JIA serum containing antinuclear antibodies, incubated with ASC specks boosts a secondary inflammation by IL-1β production in macrophages.ConclusionFor the first time, we detect ex vivo inflammasome activation by ASC speck formation in oligo- and poly-articular JIA patients. Most notably, inflammasome activation was significantly higher in oligo- compared to poly-articular JIA patients. This data suggests that inflammasome derived autoinflammation may have a greater influence in the previously thought autoimmune oligo-articular JIA patients.
Incidence of serious infections in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis receiving immunosuppressive therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Vassilopoulos Athanasios , Vassilopoulos Stephanos , Kalligeros Markos , Shehadeh Fadi , Mylonakis Eleftherios 
Published: March 2023

IntroductionRituximab and azathioprine are used to induce or maintain remission in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). We evaluated the incidence of serious infections and infection-related deaths in patients with AAV treated with rituximab and azathioprine, during the maintenance of remission period.MethodsWe searched PubMed and EMBASE for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and observational studies evaluating immunosuppressive agents in patients with AAV. We defined serious or severe infections according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0. The study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022366269).ResultsFrom 1,265 abstracts, we identified 21 studies (7 RCTs and 14 observational), with relevant data. We included data from 1,284 and 2,938 individuals for assessment in our primary and secondary outcomes, respectively. The overall cumulative incidence of serious infections was 15.99% (CI 95%: 6.95–27.53%) during the total follow-up period (induction and maintenance) and 7.62% (CI 95%: 4.43–11.43%) during the maintenance period. Additionally, we found a 0.49% overall case fatality rate (CI 95%: 0.02–1.37%) and a 0.09% infection-related mortality rate (CI 95%: 0.00–0.51%) during maintenance treatment. Notably, we found a 14.61% (CI 95%: 10.19–19.61%) cumulative incidence of serious infections among patients who received rituximab and a 5.93% (CI 95%: 1.19–13.26%) cumulative incidence of serious infections among patients who received azathioprine during maintenance. Moreover, the cumulative incidence of serious infections during the total follow-up period (induction and maintenance) was 20.81% (CI 95%:4.56–43.70%) for the combination of cyclophosphamide and azathioprine and 14.12% (CI 95%: 5.20–26.00%) for rituximab.DiscussionThe cumulative incidence of serious infections during total follow-up and maintenance was within expected limits, while fatal infections during maintenance treatment were uncommon. Additionally, treatment with rituximab for both induction and maintenance did not exceed the anticipated by previous studies incidence of serious infections. Clinical practice and long-term follow up data are needed to corroborate these findings.Systematic review registrationIdentifier: PROSPERO (CRD42022366269).
Case Report: Clinicopathological characteristics of patients with gastric cancer with features of a submucosal tumour
Authors: Wang Chunnian , Ye Fusang , Zhang Huan , Chen Jie , Meng Lingli , He Xianglei 
Published: March 2023

PurposeTo investigate the clinicopathological characteristics, diagnosis and key points in the differential diagnosis of patients with gastric cancer (GC) with features of a submucosal tumour (GCSMT).MethodsThe clinical presentation and imaging findings of four GCSMT cases diagnosed at our centre from 2016 to 2021 were observed and their clinicopathological outcomes were analysed. The related literature was reviewed. Based on our collected data and the related literature, a total of 31 cases of GCSMT can be summarized.Results22 out of 31 cases did not present obvious symptoms and were accidentally discovered during gastroscopic examination. Only 10 patients experienced symptoms such as gastric discomfort, upper abdominal swelling and pain, haematemesis, or haematochezia. The male to female ratio was 22:9 and the age of onset ranged from 40 to 81 years (median age: 63 years). Tumours were located in the upper and middle third of the stomach (24/31), and in the lower third(7/31). The tumour diameter ranged from 0.6 to 7.3 cm, with an average value of 2.5 cm. Endoscopically, the disease manifested as SMTs, with the gastric mucosal surface appearing normal. Most patients underwent radical gastrectomy for GC (80.6%, 25/31). The pathological diagnoses of the 31 cases of GCSMT included well- and moderately-differentiated adenocarcinoma (6/31), poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma or signet ring cell carcinoma 6/31), mucinous adenocarcinoma (9/31), lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (7/31), gastric adenocarcinoma of the fundic gland type (3/31). Stage T1b and T2 tumours accounted for 56.7% (17/30) and 26.7% (8/30) of all cases. Lymph node metastases were found in six cases (20.0%, 6/30), whereas distant metastasis was not observed in any of the cases. For the 16 patients whose follow-up data were available, the follow-up time was 5–66 months, during which recurrence or metastasis was not observed.ConclusionGCSMT is a rare disease that is often difficult to accurately diagnose through endoscopic biopsy. The importance of gaining an understanding of this disease lies in differentiating it from other SMTs (mostly mesenchymal tumours) to avoid misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis and enable the early diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Clinicopathological features and prognostic outcomes of molecularly defined entities in the new edition of the WHO classification of sinonasal carcinoma
Authors: Vuong Huy Gia , Le Thoa , Le Trang T.B. , Le Hieu Trong , El-Rassi Edward T. , McKinney Kibwei A. , Dunn Ian F. 
Published: March 2023

IntroductionWe investigated the clinicopathological features and prognoses of the new molecularly defined entities in latest edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of sinonasal carcinoma (SNC)MethodsIntegrated data were combined into an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis.ResultsWe included 61 studies with 278 SNCs including 25 IDH2-mutant, 41 NUT carcinoma, 187 SWI/SNF loss, and 25 triple negative SNCs (without IDH2 mutation, NUTM1 rearrangement, and SWI/SNF inactivation) for analyses. Compared to other molecular groups, NUT carcinoma was associated with a younger age at presentation and an inferior disease-specific survival. Among SNCs with SWI/SNF inactivation, SMARCB1-deficient tumors presented later in life and were associated with a higher rate of radiotherapy administration. SMARCA4-deficiency was mostly found in teratocarcinosarcoma while SMARCB1-deficient tumors were associated with undifferentiated carcinoma and non-keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma.ConclusionOur study facilitates our current understanding of this developing molecular-defined spectrum of tumors and their prognoses.
High incidence rate of postoperative sore throat in intubated children at Northwest Amhara Comprehensive Specialized Hospitals, Ethiopia. A multicenter study
Authors: Molla Misganaw Terefe , Bizuneh Yosef Belay , Nigatu Yonas Addisu , Melesse Debas Yaregal 
Published: March 2023

BackgroundPostoperative sore throat is the most frequent complication in pediatric patients after general anesthesia. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of postoperative sore throat in patients undergoing general anesthesia with tracheal intubation or laryngeal mask airway.MethodsA hospital-based multicenter prospective observational cohort study was conducted. Proportional allocation was done with a total of 424 patients from March 1 to June 30, 2022. The information was entered into the Epi-Data software version 4.6 and analyzed with Stata 14. Socio–demographic, surgical, and anesthetic-related characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A p-value of less than 0.2 was the cutpoint of bivariate logistic regression analysis, and p-values of less than 0.05 were regarded as statistically significant in multivariate logistic regression to determine the presence and strength of association between independent variables and postoperative sore throat.ResultsA total of 411 patients were included in this study, with a response rate of 96.9%. The overall proportion of patients who developed postoperative sore throat was 45% (95% CI: 40.18–49.84). Patients who had anesthesia for more than two hours (AOR = 8.23: 95% CI = 4.08–16.5), those who were intubated by undergraduate anesthesia students (AOR = 2.67: 95% CI = 1.53–4.67), and those who had been intubated using tracheal tube (AOR = 2.38: 95% CI = 1.15–4.92) were significantly associated with the level of postoperative sore throat.Conclusions and recommendationsWe concluded that intubated children with ETT have a high incidence of post-operative sore throat. Tracheal tube usage, intubation by undergraduate students, and more than two hours of anesthesia duration were associated factors. The incidence of sore throat can be decreased with the use of a laryngeal mask airway, intubation by a senior anesthetist, and shortening of anesthesia time.
The diagnostic yield of CGH and WES in neurodevelopmental disorders
Authors: Alotibi Raniah S. , Sannan Naif S. , AlEissa Mariam , Aldriwesh Marwh G. , Al Tuwaijri Abeer , Akiel Maaged A. , Almutairi Mashael , Alsamer Alhanouf , Altharawi Nouf , Aljawfan Ghadah , Alotiabi Badi , AlBlawi Mohammed A. , Alfares Ahmed 
Published: March 2023

BackgroundNeurodevelopmental disorders are a group of conditions characterized by developmental delays leading to abnormal brain functions. The methods of diagnosis and treatment of these conditions are complicated, and their treatment involves a combination of various forms of therapy. In recent years, the development of high-resolution technologies has played an important role in revealing the microdeletions, microduplications, and single-nucleotide variants of the chromosomes and how they are linked to the development of neurodevelopmental disorders. The wide implementation and application of molecular methodologies have started to shed light on the functional importance of using the appropriate methods in detecting these genetic variations that are categorized as either pathogenic or benign. The study aimed to compare the diagnostic yield of comparative hybridization (CGH) and whole exome sequencing (WES) in neurodevelopmental disorders among children attending the King Abdullah Specialist Children Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted between 2015 and 2018 on 105 patients diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders through array-based CGH (Array-CGH) and WES.ResultsIn a sample of 105 patients, 16% was the hit rate of copy number variations (CNVs). WES was requested for CNV-negative patients (n = 79), of which 30% was the hit rate of pathogenic or likely pathogenic single-nucleotide variants. There was a difference in the diagnostic yield between CGH (16%) and WES (30%).ConclusionWES was a better approach than Array-CGH to detect various DNA mutations or variants. Our findings could guide clinicians, researchers, and testing laboratories select the most cost-effective and appropriate approach for diagnosing their patients.
Efficacy and safety of praziquantel preventive chemotherapy in Schistosoma mansoni infected school children in Southern Ethiopia: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Gebreyesus Tigist Dires , Makonnen Eyasu , Tadele Tafesse , Mekete Kalkidan , Gashaw Habtamu , Gerba Heran , Aklillu Eleni 
Published: March 2023

Background: The World Health Organization recommends efficacy and safety surveillance of anti-helminths used in mass drug administration campaigns. We evaluated the effectiveness of single-dose praziquantel against Schistosoma mansoni infection, and the safety of praziquantel plus albendazole preventive chemotherapy (PC) in Schistosoma mansoni infected school children (n = 512) in Southern Ethiopia.Method: Stool examinations were done using thick smear Kato-Katz at baseline, week-4, and week-8 of post-Mass drug administration (MDA) to assess praziquantel efficacy. Participants were followed for MDA-associated adverse events up to day 7 of post-MDA. The primary and secondary study outcomes were praziquantel efficacy (parasitological cure and egg reduction rates) and MDA-associated adverse events (AEs), respectively.Result: The overall cure rates at week-4 and week-8 were 89.1% (95%CI = 86.1–91.7) and 87.5% (95%CI = 83.6–90.8), respectively. Cure rates among moderate-to-heavily infected children were significantly lower (p = 0.001) compared to those with light infection at week-4 (84.4% vs. 91.1%, p = 0.03) and week-8 (78.6% vs. 91.9%, respectively). Older children had a higher cure rate than younger ones at week-8 (90.1% vs. 79.5%, p = 0.01). Among those who were Schistosoma egg-free (cured) at week 4, 7.8% became egg-positive at week 8. The overall egg reduction rate (ERR) at week-4 and week-8 were 93.5% and 91.3%, respectively, being lower among the 5–9 years old age groups (p = 0.01) at week-8. The proportion of children who remained schistosoma egg-positive throughout the study follow-up period was 4.6%, and their ERR at week-4 and week-8 was 50% and 51%, respectively, which is below the 90% World Health Organization threshold for efficacy. The incidence of experiencing at least one type of MDA-associated AEs were 17.0% (95%CI = 13.8%–20.5%); abdominal pain, headache, and vomiting were the most common. The proportion of mild, moderate, and severe AEs was 63.2%, 26.3%, and 10.5%, respectively. Females experienced more AEs than males (p = 0.03).Conclusion: Single-dose praziquantel is still effective for the treatment of intestinal schistosomiasis. Praziquantel and albendazole preventive chemotherapy is safe and tolerable, and associated AEs are mostly mild-to-moderate and transient. However, the reduced PZQ effectiveness in moderate-to-heavy infection and observed AEs in about one-fifth of infected children underscores the need for better treatment strategies and surveillance for early detection of parasite resistance and management of AEs.