bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sex-and-gender differences in cardiovascular risk factors and their correlates among adults in Freetown, Sierra Leone: A population-based health-screening survey
Authors: Russell James Baligeh Walter , Koroma Theresa Ruba , Sesay Santigie , Samura Sallieu K , Lakoh Sulaiman , Bockarie Ansu , Abiri Onomeh Thomas , Kanu Joseph Sam , Appiah Lambert Tetteh , Coker Joshua , Jalloh Abdul , Conteh Victor , Conteh Sorie , Smith Mohamed , Lisk Durodami. R. 
Published: March 2023

ABSTRACTObjectivesto evaluate the association of sex-and-gender-specific cardiovascular disease risk factors, their prevalence, and correlates among adults in Sierra Leone.Study designThis community-based cross-sectional study used a stratified multistage random sampling.Methodsthe survey was conducted in eight (8) selected randomized sub-zonal communities across the western urban area in Sierra Leone, with an included sampling of 2394 adults. The WHO stepwise approach for non-communicable diseases was utilized. Multivariable logistic regression was done to determine associations between demographic characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors.ResultsThe prevalence of hypertension (33.4% vs 37.4%, p=0.068), diabetes mellitus (7.4% vs 9.2%, p=0.101), overweight (32.3% vs 34.2%, p=0.323) and obesity (9.9% vs 10.2%, p=0.818) were higher among males in comparison to females. Body Mass Index (BMI) (25.0 ± 5.0 vs 24.6 ± 4.4, p = 0.029), waist circumference (WC) (93.6 ± 4.5 vs 80.0 ± 5.0, p < 0.001), triglyceride (1.7±0.35 vs 1.6±0.32, p=0.013), total cholesterol (5.1±0.77 vs 4.9±0.66, p < 0.001) and low HDL-C (1.28 ± 0.29 vs 1.3±0.24, p = 0.016) were significantly higher among females as compared to males. The odds of having dyslipidemia [OR = 1.339; 95% C.I: (1.101-1.629), p=0.003] and consuming alcohol [OR = 1.229; 95% C.I: (1.026-1.472),p=0.025] were higher among females. Women had 1.8 times greater odds [AOR=1.849; 95% C.I: (0.713 - 1.010),p=0.030] of being hypertensive, 1.4 times greater odds [AOR=1.441; 95% C.I: (1.176 - 1.765),p=<0.001] of being dyslipidemic and 1.2 times greater odds [AOR = 1.225, 95% C.I: (1.0123-1.481),p=0.037] of consuming alcohol compared to men. BMI, WC, and raised blood sugar had a strong correlation among women than men.ConclusionBeing female was associated with a high prevalence of cardiovascular health risks in Sierra Leone. This study emphasizes the importance of reducing the CVD burden among females through policies related to public health education and screening strategies.
Effect ofAndrographis paniculatatreatment for patients with early-stage COVID-19 on the prevention of pneumonia: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Benjaponpitak Amporn , Sawaengtham Thiti , Thaneerat Tewan , Wanaratna Kulthanit , Chotsiri Palang , Rungsawang Chalermquan , Bhubhanil Sakkarin , Charoensuk Sataporn , Benjaponpitak Suwat , Lapmanee Sarawut , Sirinavin Sayomporn 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThere is a need for safe and cost-effective treatments for COVID-19.Andrographis paniculata(AP) is an herbal plant that has been used for centuries to treat upper respiratory tract infections. Andrographolide is the major active component of AP that inhibits intracellular SARS-CoV-2 replication and has anti-inflammatory action. We performed a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the therapeutic and adverse effects of oral AP-products on COVID-19 by using the risk of pneumonia diagnosed by chest radiography as an indicator. This study included patients 15 to 60 years of age with laboratory-confirmed early-stage (asymptomatic or mild) COVID-19 without comorbidities at seven hospitals in three adjacent provinces in Thailand, between December 2020 and March 2021. Patients were treated for five days with either AP-extract (60 mg andrographolide, 3 times daily) or crude-AP (48 mg andrographolide, 3 times daily), when available. Patient information was prospectively recorded in the structured medical records and retrospectively reviewed. All eligible patients who received AP-treatment were included and control patients who did not receive AP-treatment were randomly selected using a ratio of approximately 1:1. Pneumonia occurred in 1/243 AP-treatment patients and 69/285 control patients. The risks of pneumonia after adjusting for confounding effects were 0.3% (95%CI, 0%-0.9%) and 24.3% (95%CI, 19.0%-29.7%) in the AP-treatment and control groups, respectively. The number needed to treat to avoid pneumonia development in one patient was four (95% CI, 3-5). Eight patients developed mild adverse events. AP-treatment regimens are acceptably safe and associated with highly reduced rates of pneumonia for patients with early-stage COVID-19.
Users’ perception of the OH-EpiCap evaluation tool based on its application to nine national antimicrobial resistance surveillance systems
Authors: Moura Pedro , Collineau Lucie , Sandberg Marianne , Tomassone Laura , De Meneghi Daniele , Norström Madelaine , Bennani Houda , Häsler Barbara , Colomb-Cotinat Mélanie , Bourély Clémence , Filippitzi Maria-Eleni , Mediouni Sarah , Boriani Elena , Asaduzzaman Muhammad , Caniça Manuela , Aenishaenslin Cécile , Alban Lis 
Published: March 2023

AbstractAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance systems involve multiple stakeholders and multilevel standard operating procedures, which increase in complexity with further integration of the One Health (OH) concept. AMR is a OH challenge. It is crucial for the success of an AMR surveillance system to evaluate its performance in meeting the proposed objectives, while complying with resource restrictions. The OH-EpiCap tool was created to evaluate the degree of compliance of hazard surveillance activities with essential OH concepts across there dimensions: organization, operational activities, and impact of the OH surveillance system.To present feedback on the application of the OH-EpiCap from a user’s perspective, the tool was used to evaluate nine national AMR surveillance systems, each with different monitoring contexts and objectives. The OH-EpiCap tool was assessed using the updated CoEvalAMR methodology. This methodology evaluates the content themes and functional aspects of the tool in a standardized way, while it also captures the user’s subjective experiences in using the tool via a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) approach.The results of the evaluation of the OH-EpiCap are presented and discussed. The OH-EpiCap is an easy-to-use tool, which can facilitate a fast macro-overview of the application of the OH concept to a surveillance activity, when used by specialists in the matter, serving as a basis for the discussion of possible adaptations of AMR surveillance activities, or targeting areas that may be further investigated using other pre-established tools.
Multimodal CNN Models Allow for the Accurate Classification and Grading of Preoperative Meningioma Tumors
Authors: Rane Mihir 
Published: March 2023

ABSTRACTMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans are vital for diagnosing brain tumors, but human error, image subtleties, cyst growth, and nuances in World Health Organization (WHO) grading can impede accuracy. Invasive biopsies remain the only definitive method for meningioma diagnosis. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), machine learning models used in image classification, offer a promising solution. By fine-tuning the pre-trained CNN EfficientNetB0 on various preoperative brain tumors and meningioma subtypes, image-based diagnosis can become more robust and accurate. In this study, two CNN models either classified or graded multimodal CT and MRI images. One dataset included tumor types (meningioma, glioma, pituitary, cysts, or none), while the other had images WHO graded one to three. The data, from accurately annotated and diverse open-source databases, was normalized, augmented, and stripped of excess information. Additionally, class-average and Focal Tversky Loss were included to assess and reduce incorrect outputs. Results were analyzed using accuracy, f1, recall, precision, loss, confusion matrices, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis, and attention studies. Both CNNs achieved over 98% accuracy with high recall and precision scores. ROC area under the curve (AUC) scores above 0.978 indicated strong class discrimination. The attention study indicated focus on tumor mass instead of extraneous variables. Multimodal CNNs, particularly the EfficientNetB0 model, are potential alternatives to invasive biopsies and human evaluation. Their capability to handle complex meningioma cases suggests promising avenues for other tumor types or diagnostic modalities at a cheap cost.
ADCC-activating antibodies correlate with protection against congenital human cytomegalovirus infection
Authors: Semmes Eleanor C. , Miller Itzayana G. , Rodgers Nicole , Phan Caroline T. , Hurst Jillian H. , Walsh Kyle M. , Stanton Richard J. , Pollara Justin , Permar Sallie R. 
Published: March 2023

ABSTRACTHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the most common vertically transmitted infection worldwide, yet there are no licensed vaccines or therapeutics to prevent congenital HCMV (cCMV) infection. Emerging evidence from studies of natural infection and HCMV vaccine trials indicates that antibody Fc effector functions may defend against HCMV infection. We previously reported that antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) and IgG activation of FcγRI/FcγRII were associated with reduced risk of cCMV transmission, leading us to hypothesize that other Fc-mediated antibody functions may also contribute to protection. In this same cohort of HCMV transmitting (n = 41) and non-transmitting (n = 40) mother-infant dyads, we found that higher maternal sera antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activation was also associated with decreased risk of cCMV infection. We determined that NK cell-mediated ADCC responses correlated strongly with anti-HCMV IgG FcγRIII/CD16 activation and IgG binding to the HCMV immunoevasin protein UL16. Notably, anti-UL16 IgG binding and engagement of FcγRIII/CD16 were higher in non-transmitting versus transmitting dyads and interacted significantly with ADCC responses. These findings indicate that ADCC-activating antibodies against novel targets such as UL16 may represent an important protective maternal immune response against cCMV infection, which can guide future HCMV correlates studies and vaccine development.
Effect of behavioural activation for individuals with post-stroke depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Walsh Sandra , Yisma Engida , Hillier Susan , Gillam Marianne , Gray Richard , Jones Martin 
Published: March 2023

ABSTRACTObjectivesPost-stroke depression (PSD) affects one third of stroke survivors and substantially impacts recovery, so it is important to identify effective treatments for PSD. Behavioural activation (BA), a relatively simple intervention, has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of adults with unipolar depression. However, its use and efficacy in the treatment of PSD has not been documented in a systematic review. This systematic review and meta-analysis considers: What effect does BA have on reducing depression symptoms in individuals diagnosed with PSD?MethodMEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO, were searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in English, on 13 July 2021. To chart the data, we employed a customized extraction sheet. The Cochrane Collaboration risk-of-bias 2 tool was used to determine study quality.ResultsTwo papers, written by the same lead authors, met the inclusion criteria. The Communication and Low Mood trial and the Behavioural Activation Therapy for Post-Stroke Depression trial were conducted in the United Kingdom and published in 2012 and 2019, respectively. Meta-analysis showed BA was associated with a decrease in depression symptoms in patients with PSD relative to treatment as usual (standard mean difference (SMD) -0.54; 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.90 to -0.18).ConclusionBA may be more effective when compared to treatment as usual in reducing depression symptoms in individuals with PSD. Although our meta-analysis found positive effects of BA, the evidence is inconclusive due to the small number of studies. High-quality RCTs are needed to confirm the benefits of BA in PSD.Strengths and limitations of this studyThis review followed PRISMA guidelines with a protocol published in advance of the review being conducted.This is the first review to consider whether BA is effective in reducing PSD.We focused on depression as a single primary outcome; other outcome measures, such as quality of life, could have been considered.Based on the review questions inclusion was limited to experimental designs. Other designs provide additional insights into the application of BA to PSD that is beyond the scope of this study.Our review was restricted to studies published in English and did not examine grey literature; therefore, some studies may not have been included.
Association of Time Course of Thrombectomy and Outcomes for Large Acute Ischemic Region: RESCUE-Japan LIMIT Sub-Analysis
Authors: Ishihara Hideyuki , Nishimoto Takuma , Shimokawa Mototsugu , Oka Fumiaki , Sakai Nobuyuki , Yamagami Hiroshi , Toyoda Kazunori , Matsumaru Yuji , Matsumoto Yasushi , Kimura Kazumi , Ishikura Reiichi , Inoue Manabu , Uchida Kazutaka , Sakakibara Fumihiro , Morimoto Takeshi , Yoshimura Shinichi ,   the RESCUE Japan LIMIT Investigators
Published: March 2023

AbstractBackgroundThe effectiveness of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) has been proven even in patients with large cerebral infarction in early time window. However, the association of the time course with the treatment effect is unknown. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the influence of the time course from stroke onset to reperfusion on the therapeutic effect of EVT.MethodsThe subjects were patients with occlusion of large vessels and sizable strokes on imaging (ASPECTS 3 to 5) in RESCUE-Japan LIMIT (a multicenter, randomized clinical open-label trial of EVT vs. medical care alone). In the current analysis, the clinical and time course characteristics associated with a favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0-2 and 0-3 at 90 days) were examined in patients treated with EVT.ResultsThe analysis included 71 patients (median age, 77 years; median NIHSS score on admission, 21). Occlusion sites were the internal carotid artery (48%), M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery (72%) and tandem lesions (20%). Of these patients, 23 (32%) had mRS 0-3 and 12 (17%) had mRS 0-2 at 90 days. In multivariate analysis, there were independent associations of onset to reperfusion time (OR, 0.991; 95% CI, 0.984-0.999, P = 0.01) and puncture to reperfusion time (OR, 0.952; 95% CI, 0.917-0.988, P < 0.001) with mRS 0-3 at 90 days, and of puncture to reperfusion time (OR, 0.930; 95% CI, 0.872-0.991, P = 0.004) with mRS 0-2 at 90 days.ConclusionsEarlier reperfusion was related to a favorable outcome in patients with acute large vessel occlusion with a large ischemic region. Onset to reperfusion time and especially puncture to reperfusion time were independently associated with a favorable outcome. These results suggest the importance of timing and uninterrupted EVT in this patient population.
Reimbursement for Maxillofacial Surgery: Regional Analysis of the Physician Fee Schedule Reveals Unique Payment Increases in the Western United States From 2010 to 2019
Authors: Tran Angelina Thuy , Diaz Michael Joseph , Batchu Sai 
Published: March 2023

AbstractIntroductionMedicare Part B reimbursement data has been thoroughly evaluated in several surgical subspecialties to date, with significant ramifications for continued policy research and payment reform discussions. However, trends in maxillofacial surgery payment remain unstudied.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study of Part B reimbursement data, we analyzed regional trends in reimbursement for common maxillofacial repair and reconstruction procedures (N=17). All payment data converted to January 2019 United States dollars.ResultsFrom 2010 to 2019, fees for maxillofacial surgery evidenced strong region- and procedures-specific changes. After adjusting for inflation, the Southern United States reported an unweighted mean change in Medicare reimbursement of negative 12.59% (SD = 2.63%), while the Western United States reported an unweighted mean change in Medicare reimbursement of +0.08% (SD = 2.82%). In the Midwest, only Part B billing for reconstruction of the mandibular rami and/or body without internal rigid fixation (CPT code 21195) kept up with inflation. In the West, 8 CPT codes (47%) kept up with inflation: 21422, 21246, 21196, 21195, 21194, 21193, 21048, and 21046. In the Northeast and the South, all analyzed procedures reported decreased reimbursement rates after adjusting for inflation.ConclusionReimbursement for maxillofacial surgery has lagged behind inflation with pronounced regional bias.
Public engagement with biomedical science: An analysis of Black, Hispanic, and General Population adults in the United States
Authors: Abeles Adina T. , Hari Kishore , Manento Cory , Block Kyle , Musch Stefan , Schuldt Jonathon P. , Simoncelli Tania 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to better understand public engagement with biomedical science across groups–especially those that have been historically marginalized by the medical science community. However, common approaches to studying group differences in science attitudes are often limited by small sample sizes or by categorizing individuals based on demographic variables, which may obscure meaningful variability within a given population. We recruited three probability-based samples of Black (N = 963), General Population (N = 957), and Hispanic (N = 964) adults living in the U.S. (October 21 - November 5, 2021). Employing a novel application of a non-negative matrix factorization model to conduct an attitudinal-based segmentation that categorized individuals based on distinct orientations toward biomedical science, our analysis revealed 10 unique mindsets across the three surveyed populations. Overall, our work underscores the value of recruiting independent samples from underserved and marginalized communities by revealing underexplored variation in how different publics orient toward biomedical science.TeaserUsing a values-based segmentation approach, we uncover 10 unique biomedical mindsets in the general, Black, and Hispanic adult populations in the U.S.
Human assembloids reveal the consequences ofCACNA1Ggene variants in the thalamocortical pathway
Authors: Kim Ji-il , Miura Yuki , Li Min-Yin , Revah Omer , Selvaraj Sridhar , Birey Fikri , Meng Xiangling , Thete Mayuri Vijay , Pavlov Sergey D. , Andersen Jimena , Pașca Anca M. , Porteus Matthew H. , Huguenard John R. , Pașca Sergiu P. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractAbnormalities in crosstalk between the thalamus and the cerebral cortex are thought to lead to severe neuropsychiatric disorders, such as epilepsy and psychotic disorders. Pathogenic variants in the CACNA1G gene, which encodes the α1G subunit of the thalamus-enriched T-type voltage-gated calcium channel CaV3.1, are associated with absence seizures, intellectual disability, and schizophrenia, but the cellular and circuit level consequences of these genetic variants in humans remain unknown. Here, we developed an in vitro human assembloid model of the thalamocortical pathway to systematically dissect the contribution of genetic variants in T-type calcium channels. We discovered that a CACNA1G variant (M1531V) associated with seizures led to changes in T-type currents in human thalamic neurons, as well as correlated hyperactivity of thalamic and cortical neurons in thalamo-cortical assembloids. In contrast, CACNA1G loss, which has been associated with risk of schizophrenia, resulted in abnormal thalamocortical connectivity that was related to both increased spontaneous thalamic activity and aberrant thalamic axonal projections. Taken together, these results illustrate the utility of organoid and assembloid systems for interrogating human genetic disease risk variants at both cellular and circuit level.
Comprehensive characterization of the complex BAHD acyltransferase family from 218 land plants species: phylogenomic analysis and identification of specificity determinant positions
Authors: Villarreal Fernando , Amalfitano Agustin , Atencio Hugo Marcelo , Stocchi Nicolas , ten Have Arjen 
Published: March 2023

ABSTRACTChemodiversity is a fundamental trait acquired by plants during their land’s colonization. This resulted from an evolutionary process leading to the increase in the number of homologues from a distinct set of protein superfamilies, many of them associated to the specialized metabolism, which allowed the expansion of the chemical space to cope with several environmental cues. BAHD acyltransferases are among these important superfamilies, catalyzing a reaction leading to the acylation of acceptor metabolites with Coenzyme A-activated donors. BAHD acyltransferases can use a wide variety of substrates and they often times display substrate permissiveness towards a wide variety of substrates. Together, these factors complicates the reliable identification and functional annotation of BAHD homologues, also due to the (relatively) limited amount of biochemical data on BAHD acyltransferases. In this work, we take a phylogenomics and computational approach to study the BAHD superfamily in land plants. Using a clustered training set with 27 proteomes, followed by the classification of additional 191 proteomes, we obtained a final BAHDome with 15607 homologues. The training set was clustered in 16 groups, that, together with the identification of cluster of orthologues from the complete BAHDome, were partially assigned functionally to different families guided by the characterized activities (in terms of metabolites used) present in each group. However, the function assignation was not direct in several cases, due to large sequence number, taxonomical distribution on the group, and high sequence variability intra-group. Finally, we used the different families (and functional subfamilies) identified to detect specificity determining positions (SDPs), that may account to explain the functional diversity by finding key positions in, for example, substrate interaction. However, only a handful of the SDPs identified in this work are linked to the substrate binding pocket. Together, these results allow to partially annotate functional BAHD families, which have evolved in a complex pattern of taxonomical and functional signals to allow interaction with multiple substrates, more likely associated to protein dynamics rather than direct substrate interaction.