bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Noninvasive intracranial pressure assessment by optic nerve sheath diameter: Automated measurements as an alternative to clinician-performed measurements
Authors: Netteland Dag Ferner , Aarhus Mads , Smistad Erik , Sandset Else Charlotte , Padayachy Llewellyn , Helseth Eirik , Brekken Reidar 
Published: February 2023

IntroductionOptic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) has shown promise as a noninvasive parameter for estimating intracranial pressure (ICP). In this study, we evaluated a novel automated method of measuring the ONSD in transorbital ultrasound imaging.MethodsFrom adult traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients with invasive ICP monitoring, bedside manual ONSD measurements and ultrasound videos of the optic nerve sheath complex were simultaneously acquired. Automatic ONSD measurements were obtained by the processing of the ultrasound videos by a novel software based on a machine learning approach for segmentation of the optic nerve sheath. Agreement between manual and automated measurements, as well as their correlation to invasive ICP, was evaluated. Furthermore, the ability to distinguish dichotomized ICP for manual and automatic measurements of ONSD was compared, both for ICP dichotomized at ≥20 mmHg and at the 50th percentile (≥14 mmHg). Finally, we performed an exploratory subgroup analysis based on the software's judgment of optic nerve axis alignment to elucidate the reasons for variation in the agreement between automatic and manual measurements.ResultsA total of 43 ultrasound examinations were performed on 25 adult patients with TBI, resulting in 86 image sequences covering the right and left eyes. The median pairwise difference between automatically and manually measured ONSD was 0.06 mm (IQR −0.44 to 0.38 mm; p = 0.80). The manually measured ONSD showed a positive correlation with ICP, while automatically measured ONSD showed a trend toward, but not a statistically significant correlation with ICP. When examining the ability to distinguish dichotomized ICP, manual and automatic measurements performed with similar accuracy both for an ICP cutoff at 20 mmHg (manual: AUC 0.74, 95% CI 0.58–0.88; automatic: AUC 0.83, 95% CI 0.66–0.93) and for an ICP cutoff at 14 mmHg (manual: AUC 0.70, 95% CI 0.52–0.85; automatic: AUC 0.68, 95% CI 0.48–0.83). In the exploratory subgroup analysis, we found that the agreement between measurements was higher in the subgroup where the automatic software evaluated the optic nerve axis alignment as good as compared to intermediate/poor.ConclusionThe novel automated method of measuring the ONSD on the ultrasound videos using segmentation of the optic nerve sheath showed a reasonable agreement with manual measurements and performed equally well in distinguishing high and low ICP.
Posterior white matter integrity and self-reported posterior cortical symptoms using the Colorado Posterior Cortical Questionnaire
Authors: Holden Samantha K. , Bettcher Brianne M. , Filley Christopher M. , Lopez-Paniagua Dan , Pelak Victoria S. 
Published: February 2023

BackgroundThe Colorado Posterior Cortical Questionnaire (CPC-Q) is a self-report, 15-item screening questionnaire for posterior cortical symptoms, including visuospatial and visuoperceptual difficulties. Changes in white matter connectivity may precede obvious gray matter atrophy in neurodegenerative conditions, especially posterior cortical atrophy. Integration of CPC-Q scores and measures of white matter integrity could contribute to earlier detection of posterior cortical syndromes.MethodsWe investigated the relationships between posterior cortical symptoms as captured by the CPC-Q and diffusion tensor imaging fractional anisotropy (DTI FA) of white matter regions of interest localized to posterior brain regions (posterior thalamic radiations, splenium of corpus callosum, tapetum). Comparisons were also made by diagnostic group [healthy older adult (n = 31), amnestic Alzheimer's disease (AD, n = 18), and posterior cortical atrophy (PCA, n = 9)] and by SENAS battery visuospatial composite score quartile. Exploratory comparisons of all available individual white matter region DTI FA to CPC-Q, as well as comparisons of DTI FA between diagnostic groups and visuospatial quartiles, were also made.ResultsCPC-Q score was correlated with the average DTI FA for the averaged posterior white matter regions of interest (r = −0.31, p = 0.02). Posterior thalamic radiation DTI FA was most strongly associated with CPC-Q (r = −0.34, p = 0.01) and visuospatial composite (r = 0.58, p &lt; 0.01) scores and differed between the PCA and AD groups and the lower and higher visuospatial quartiles. The DTI FA of body and splenium of the corpus callosum also demonstrated this pattern but not the DTI FA of the tapetum.ConclusionThe integrity of posterior white matter tracts is associated with scores on the CPC-Q, adding to the validation evidence for this new questionnaire. White matter regions that may be related to posterior cortical symptoms detected by the CPC-Q, and distinct from those affected in amnestic syndromes, include the posterior thalamic radiations and body and splenium of the corpus callosum. These findings are in line with previous neuroimaging studies of PCA and support continued research on white matter in posterior cortical dysfunction.
Detection of epileptic seizures through EEG signals using entropy features and ensemble learning
Authors: Dastgoshadeh Mahshid , Rabiei Zahra 
Published: February 2023

IntroductionEpilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system that is often accompanied by recurrent seizures. World health organization (WHO) estimated that more than 50 million people worldwide suffer from epilepsy. Although electroencephalogram (EEG) signals contain vital physiological and pathological information of brain and they are a prominent medical tool for detecting epileptic seizures, visual interpretation of such tools is time-consuming. Since early diagnosis of epilepsy is essential to control seizures, we present a new method using data mining and machine learning techniques to diagnose epileptic seizures automatically.MethodsThe proposed detection system consists of three main steps: In the first step, the input signals are pre-processed by discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and sub-bands containing useful information are extracted. In the second step, the features of each sub-band are extracted by approximate entropy (ApEn) and sample entropy (SampEn) and then these features are ranked by ANOVA test. Finally, feature selection is done by the FSFS technique. In the third step, three algorithms are used to classify seizures: Least squared support vector machine (LS-SVM), K nearest neighbors (KNN) and Naive Bayes model (NB).Results and discussionThe average accuracy for both LS-SVM and NB was 98% and it was 94.5% for KNN, while the results show that the proposed method can detect epileptic seizures with an average accuracy of 99.5%, 99.01% of sensitivity and 100% of specificity which show an improvement over most similar methods and can be used as an effective tool in diagnosing this complication.
Neural correlates of disaster-related prenatal maternal stress in young adults from Project Ice Storm: Focus on amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex
Authors: Li Xinyuan , Qureshi Muhammad Naveed Iqbal , Laplante David P. , Elgbeili Guillaume , Jones Sherri Lee , King Suzanne , Rosa-Neto Pedro 
Published: February 2023

BackgroundStudies have shown that prenatal maternal stress alters volumes of the amygdala and hippocampus, and alters functional connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. However, it remains unclear whether prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) affects volumes and functional connectivity of these structures at their subdivision levels.MethodsT1-weighted MRI and resting-state functional MRI were obtained from 19-year-old young adult offspring with (n = 39, 18 male) and without (n = 65, 30 male) exposure to PNMS deriving from the 1998 ice storm. Volumes of amygdala nuclei, hippocampal subfields and prefrontal subregions were computed, and seed-to-seed functional connectivity analyses were conducted.ResultsCompared to controls, young adult offspring exposed to disaster-related PNMS had larger volumes of bilateral whole amygdala, driven by the lateral, basal, central, medial, cortical, accessory basal nuclei, and corticoamygdaloid transition; larger volumes of bilateral whole hippocampus, driven by the CA1, HATA, molecular layer, fissure, tail, CA3, CA4, and DG; and larger volume of the prefrontal cortex, driven by the left superior frontal. Inversely, young adult offspring exposed to disaster-related PNMS had lower functional connectivity between the whole amygdala and the prefrontal cortex (driven by bilateral frontal poles, the left superior frontal and left caudal middle frontal); and lower functional connectivity between the hippocampal tail and the prefrontal cortex (driven by the left lateral orbitofrontal).ConclusionThese results suggest the possibility that effects of disaster-related PNMS on structure and function of subdivisions of offspring amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex could persist into young adulthood.
Acupoint catgut embedding for chronic non-specific low back pain: A protocol of randomized controlled trial
Authors: Li Xiaohui , Yin Xiuju , Feng Haiyan , Liao Wangbin , Zhao Jiayou , Su Wu , Fan Zhiyong , Wu Shan 
Published: February 2023

Chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Acupoint embedding (ACE) is widely used in China for the treatment of chronic non-specific low back pain, but there are no rigorous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to confirm the effectiveness and safety of ACE for chronic non-specific low back pain. In this study, we design a single-center, single-blind, prospective RCT, with the aim of evaluating the efficacy and safety of ACE for CNLBP. 82 participants with CNLBP will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio into an ACE group and a sham ACE group. Participants will receive either ACE treatment or sham ACE treatment at once every 2 weeks, for an 8-week period, and followed by 6 months of follow-up. The primary outcome will be the change in visual analog scale (VAS) scores before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes will include the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and the Short Form 36-Health Survey (SF-36). Adverse events that occur during the course of the trial will be recorded. Data will be analyzed according to a predefined statistical analysis plan. This study was approved by the medical ethics committee of Guangzhou Panyu Hospital of Chinese Medicine (202230). Written informed consent from patients is required. This trial is registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200059245). Trial results will be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal.Clinical trial registrationhttps://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2200059245.
Prognostic significance of sarcopenia diagnosed based on the anthropometric equation for progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Xie Hailun , Wei Lishuang , Gao Shunhui , Liu Mingxiang , Liang Yanren , Yuan Guanghui , Wang Qiwen , Xu Yansong , Tang Shuangyi , Gan Jialiang 
Published: February 2023

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of sarcopenia diagnosed based on anthropometric equations for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).MethodsA total of 1,441 CRC patients who underwent surgical treatment between January 2012 and December 2016 were enrolled in this study. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to validated anthropometric equations. The Kaplan–Meier method with the log-rank test was used to estimate the survival curve. Cox proportional hazards regression models with forward selection were used to evaluate risk factors affecting the prognosis of CRC patients. R package “survival” was used to build the prognostic nomograms to predict 1–5 years of PFS and OS in CRC patients. The concordance index (C-index) and calibration curve were used to evaluate the prognostic accuracy of the prognostic nomogram.ResultsTwo hundred and seventy-one patients (18.8%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Sarcopenia was significantly associated with advanced age, large tumor size, and high mortality. Compared with the non-sarcopenia patients, the PFS of sarcopenia patients was worse (5-year PFS, 48.34 vs. 58.80%, p = 0.003). Multivariate survival analysis showed that patients with sarcopenia had a higher risk (23.9%) of adverse PFS (HR, 1.239; 95%CI: 1.019–1.505, p = 0.031) than patients without sarcopenia. The OS of patients with sarcopenia was significantly worse than that of patients without sarcopenia (5-year OS: 50.92 vs. 61.62%, p = 0.001). In CRC patients, sarcopenia was independently associated with poor OS (HR: 1.273, 95%CI: 1.042–1.556, p &lt; 0.001). Moreover, sarcopenia effectively differentiated the OS of CRC patients in the normal carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) subgroup but not in the high CEA subgroup. Notably, sarcopenia can provide effective prognostic stratification in CRC patients at different pathological stages. Nomograms that integrated prognostic features were built to predict the risk of adverse outcomes in CRC patients. The C-index and calibration curves showed that these nomograms had good prediction accuracy. Internal validation confirmed that our nomogram has wide application potential.ConclusionSarcopenia diagnosed based on anthropometric equations is an independent risk factor for PFS and OS in CRC patients.
T cell receptor gene repertoire profiles in subgroups of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia bearing distinct genomic aberrations
Authors: Vlachonikola Elisavet , Pechlivanis Nikolaos , Karakatsoulis Georgios , Sofou Electra , Gkoliou Glykeria , Jeromin Sabine , Stavroyianni Niki , Ranghetti Pamela , Scarfo Lydia , Österholm Cecilia , Mansouri Larry , Notopoulou Sofia , Siorenta Alexandra , Anagnostopoulos Achilles , Ghia Paolo , Haferlach Claudia , Rosenquist Richard , Psomopoulos Fotis , Kouvatsi Anastasia , Baliakas Panagiotis , Stamatopoulos Kostas , Chatzidimitriou Anastasia 
Published: February 2023

BackgroundMicroenvironmental interactions of the malignant clone with T cells are critical throughout the natural history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Indeed, clonal expansions of T cells and shared clonotypes exist between different CLL patients, strongly implying clonal selection by antigens. Moreover, immunogenic neoepitopes have been isolated from the clonotypic B cell receptor immunoglobulin sequences, offering a rationale for immunotherapeutic approaches. Here, we interrogated the T cell receptor (TR) gene repertoire of CLL patients with different genomic aberration profiles aiming to identify unique signatures that would point towards an additional source of immunogenic neoepitopes for T cells.Experimental designTR gene repertoire profiling using next generation sequencing in groups of patients with CLL carrying one of the following copy-number aberrations (CNAs): del(11q), del(17p), del(13q), trisomy 12, or gene mutations inTP53orNOTCH1.ResultsOligoclonal expansions were found in all patients with distinct recurrent genomic aberrations; these were more pronounced in cases bearing CNAs, particularly trisomy 12, rather than gene mutations. Shared clonotypes were found both within and across groups, which appeared to be CLL-biased based on extensive comparisons against TR databases from various entities. Moreover,in silicoanalysis identified TR clonotypes with high binding affinity to neoepitopes predicted to arise fromTP53andNOTCH1mutations.ConclusionsDistinct TR repertoire profiles were identified in groups of patients with CLL bearing different genomic aberrations, alluding to distinct selection processes. Abnormal protein expression and gene dosage effects associated with recurrent genomic aberrations likely represent a relevant source of CLL-specific selecting antigens.
Minimally invasive sleeve lobectomy for centrally located lung cancer: A real-world study with propensity-score matching
Authors: Chen Tangbing , Zhao Weigang , Ji Chunyu , Luo Jizhuang , Wang Yiyang , Liu Yuan , Weder Walter , Fang Wentao 
Published: February 2023

BackgroundThe safety, feasibility, and prognosis of sleeve lobectomy by minimally invasive surgery (MIS) remain to be validated. The purpose of this study was to investigate outcomes in real-world patients receiving minimally invasive sleeve lobectomy in a balanced large cohort.MethodsBetween January 2013 and December 2018, 578 consecutive patients undergoing sleeve resection at a high-volume center were retrospectively analyzed. Surgical and oncologic outcomes were compared between MIS and thoracotomy patients after propensity-score matching (PSM).ResultsMIS sleeve lobectomy was increasingly used as a time-trend in real-world. Before PSM, the MIS group had smaller tumor size, more T2-stage cases, and more right upper lobe sleeve lobectomies compared to the Open group. After 1:4 PSM by patient demographics and tumoral characteristics, 100 cases of MIS and 338 cases of Open sleeve lobectomy were further analyzed. Although median operation time was longer in the MIS group than in the Open group (170.5 minutes vs.149.5 minutes, P &lt; 0.001), patients in MIS group had significantly less estimated intraoperative blood loss (100 ml vs. 200 ml, P = 0.003), shorter drainage duration (5 days vs. 6 days, P = 0.027) and less amount of drainage (1280 ml vs. 1640 ml, P &lt; 0.001) after surgery. Complete resection rate, combined angioplasty, number of dissected lymph nodes, post-operative length of stay, postoperative morbidity and mortality rate, and application of adjuvant therapy were similar between the two matched groups. Conversion to open thoracotomy was necessary in 13.6% patients, but with similar perioperative outcomes compared to Open cases except for longer operation time. More lower lobe sleeve lobectomies were accomplished via robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery than via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (40.0% vs. 12.0%, P = 0.017) in MIS patients. Five-year overall survivals (MIS vs. Open: 72.7% vs. 64.4%, P = 0.156) and five-year progression-free survivals (MIS vs. Open: 49.2% vs. 50.5%, P = 0.605) were similar between the two matched groups.ConclusionsMIS sleeve lobectomy is associated with similar or even better perioperative results and oncologic outcomes to open thoracotomy. Conversion to thoracotomy does not compromise perioperative outcomes. Robot surgery may be preferable for more complex sleeve resections.
Clinical characteristics of pancreatic and biliary tract cancers in Lynch syndrome: A retrospective analysis from the Finnish National Lynch Syndrome Research Registry
Authors: Zalevskaja Kristina , Mecklin Jukka-Pekka , Seppälä Toni T. 
Published: February 2023

IntroductionPatients with Lynch syndrome (LS) have an increased lifetime risk of pancreatic cancer (PC) and biliary tract cancer (BTC). These cancers have a notoriously pessimistic prognosis due to late diagnosis and limited therapeutic options. There are limited data based on small cohorts reviewing PC and BTC in LS patients.MethodsIn this retrospective study of the Lynch Syndrome Registry of Finland (LSRFi), records of genetically verified LS patients diagnosed with PC or BTC between 1982 and 2020 were analyzed.ResultsThirty-nine patients were included: tumor(s) were in the pancreas in 26 patients, in the biliary tract in 10, and in the ampulla of Vater in three. A pathogenic germline variant was found in MLH1 in 33 of 39 patients. Twenty-six patients with 28 tumors located in the pancreas were identified: 23 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) and five neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The median age at diagnosis of PC was 64 years (range of 38–81). In PC, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 20%, and in PDAC, it was 13.6%. Ten patients with BTC were diagnosed: two intrahepatic, five perihilar, two distal extrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas, and one gallbladder carcinoma. Eight patients were male, and the median age at diagnosis was 54 years (range of 34–82). The 5-year OS rate for BTC was 30%. Metachronous tumors were diagnosed in 28 patients (70%). Colorectal cancer was the most common metachronous tumor, diagnosed in 20 patients (51%), and diagnosed prior to PC or BTC in all cases. Curative surgery was attempted on 17 of 39 patients. For 30 patients (91%), the cause of death was PC or BTC; two patients died from another LS-associated cancer, and one died from a stroke.ConclusionAlthough the survival of LS patients with PC or BTC is better than in sporadic cancers, it is still poor and may be reflected by the relatively higher surgical resectability accounted for by the earlier age of onset. More studies on analyses of the molecular and immune profile, screening, and management of LS-associated pancreaticobiliary cancers are warranted.
Celastrol inhibits store operated calcium entry and suppresses psoriasis
Authors: Yuan Xiaoman , Tang Bin , Chen Yilan , Zhou Lijuan , Deng Jingwen , Han Lin , Zhai Yonggong , Zhou Yandong , Gill Donald L. , Lu Chuanjian , Wang Youjun 
Published: February 2023

Introduction: Psoriasis is an inflammatory autoimmune skin disease that is hard to cure and prone to relapse. Currently available global immunosuppressive agents for psoriasis may cause severe side effects, thus it is crucial to identify new therapeutic reagents and druggable signaling pathways for psoriasis.Methods: To check the effects of SOCE inhibitors on psoriasis, we used animal models, biochemical approaches, together with various imaging techniques, including calcium, confocal and FRET imaging.Results and discussion: Store operated calcium (Ca2+) entry (SOCE), mediated by STIM1 and Orai1, is crucial for the function of keratinocytes and immune cells, the two major players in psoriasis. Here we showed that a natural compound celastrol is a novel SOCE inhibitor, and it ameliorated the skin lesion and reduced PASI scores in imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like mice. Celastrol dose- and time-dependently inhibited SOCE in HEK cells and HaCaT cells, a keratinocyte cell line. Mechanistically, celastrol inhibited SOCE via its actions both on STIM1 and Orai1. It inhibited Ca2+ entry through constitutively-active Orai1 mutants independent of STIM1. Rather than blocking the conformational switch and oligomerization of STIM1 during SOCE activation, celastrol diminished the transition from oligomerized STIM1 into aggregates, thus locking STIM1 in a partially active state. As a result, it abolished the functional coupling between STIM1 and Orai1, diminishing SOCE signals. Overall, our findings identified a new SOCE inhibitor celastrol that suppresses psoriasis, suggesting that SOCE pathway may serve as a new druggable target for treating psoriasis.