bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Probing bundle-wise abnormalities in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus using fixel-based analysis: new insights into neurocognitive impairments
Authors: Zhao Jing , Jing Bin , Liu Jiaojiao , Chen Feng , Wu Ye , Li Hongjun 
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Background:
Changes in white matter (WM) underlie the neurocognitive damages induced by a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This study aimed to examine using a bundle-associated fixel-based analysis (FBA) pipeline for investigating the microstructural and macrostructural alterations in the WM of the brain of HIV patients.

Methods:
This study collected 93 HIV infected patients and 45 age/education/handedness matched healthy controls (HCs) at the Beijing Youan Hospital between January 1, 2016 and December 30, 2016.All HIV patients underwent neurocognitive evaluation and laboratory testing followed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning. In order to detect the bundle-wise WM abnormalities accurately, a specific WM bundle template with 56 tracts of interest was firstly generated by an automated fiber clustering method using a subset of subjects. Fixel-based analysis was used to investigate bundle-wise differences between HIV patients and HCs in three perspectives: fiber density (FD), fiber cross-section (FC), and fiber density and cross-section (FDC). The between-group differences were detected by a two-sample t-test with the false discovery rate (FDR) correction (P <0.05). Furthermore, the covarying relationship in FD, FC and FDC between any pair of bundles was also accessed by the constructed covariance networks, which was subsequently compared between HIV and HCs via permutation t-tests. The correlations between abnormal WM metrics and the cognitive functions of HIV patients were explored via partial correlation analysis after controlling age and gender.

Results:
Among FD, FC and FDC, FD was the only metric that showed significant bundle-wise alterations in HIV patients compared to HCs. Increased FD values were observed in the bilateral fronto pontine tract, corona radiata frontal, left arcuate fasciculus, left corona radiata parietal, left superior longitudinal fasciculus III, and right superficial frontal parietal (SFP) (all FDR P <0.05). In bundle-wise covariance network, HIV patients displayed decreased FD and increased FC covarying patterns in comparison to HC (P <0.05) , especially between associated pathways. Finally, the FCs of several tracts exhibited a significant correlation with language and attention-related functions.

Conclusions:
Our study demonstrated the utility of FBA on detecting the WM alterations related to HIV infection. The bundle-wise FBA method provides a new perspective for investigating HIV-induced microstructural and macrostructural WM-related changes, which may help to understand cognitive dysfunction in HIV patients thoroughly.
What Do We Know About Hair Growth Induced by Wounding and Its Therapeutic Applications?
Authors: Vathananai Wipawan , Jimenez Francisco 
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND
Many studies have reported the role of hair follicles (HFs) in the wound healing response, and vice versa, the creation of superficial injuries may stimulate hair growth, which has encouraged new treatments for hair loss.

OBJECTIVE
To review the phenomenon of wound-induced hair growth and the usefulness of therapeutic procedures based on skin wounding in androgenetic alopecia (AGA).

METHODS
A literature search was conducted to review cases of localized hypertrichosis induced by wounds and the role of microneedling, fractional laser, and scalp threading as monotherapy for AGA.

RESULTS
Localized hypertrichosis has been extensively reported after bone fractures, burn injury, chronic venous ulcer, etc. Only 2 cases of wound-induced hair neogenesis in humans have been reported. As monotherapy for AGA, 1 of 3 studies of microneedling, 4 of 6 of fractional lasers, and 2 of 3 studies of scalp threading show good efficacy.

CONCLUSION
Certain types of wounds seem to stimulate localized hair growth in humans, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Reports on wound-induced HF neogenesis in humans are anecdotal and questions remain as to whether this is a true phenomenon in humans. Further clinical studies are needed before recommending wound-induced hair growth procedures as therapies for AGA.
Our bab(y)ies, your uterus—a retrospective study on surrogacy at a private fertility center in South West Nigeria
Authors: Aderonmu Mojisola M. , Oyero Adebisi N. , Shote Olaitan B. , Okonkwo Chinelo G. , Ashiru Oladapo A. 
Published: August 2023

Introduction:
In vitro fertilization, a form of assisted reproductive technology has evolved over the last 3–5 decades in the management of infertility and now has been expanded to include third-party reproductive solutions.
There are 2 types of gestational surrogacy: (1) full surrogacy (an egg from a woman is fertilized with a sperm and the resulting embryo is implanted into another woman) or (2) partial surrogacy (sperm from a man is used to fertilize an egg from the same woman in whom the embryo will be transferred to).
In Nigeria, there is a paucity of publications on the outcomes of surrogate pregnancies, even though it is being practiced.
At the Medical Art Center Ikeja Lagos, we practice only full surrogacy, otherwise referred to as gestational surrogacy.

Study design:
This was a retrospective descriptive study of 61 cycles performed over 76 months between January 1, 2015 and April 30, 2021 at a private-run single-location fertility center in South West Nigeria.
Data were extracted from the electronic medical records of the commissioning parents and the gestational carrier.

Results:
There were a total of 58 gestational carriers in the program. Eleven (19%) had a miscarriage and there were 63 live births, out of which were 14 twin pairs (44%), 1 set of triplets (~5%) and the rest were singletons. One (1.7%) surrogate had delivery complicated by a hysterectomy on account of postpartum hemorrhage. There was no maternal mortality. The commonest reason for choosing surrogacy was multiple failed in vitro fertilization cycles, uterine factor infertility, and advanced maternal age.

Conclusion:
Gestational surrogacy is a valid medically assisted reproduction option for individuals who desire to have children. This option should continue to be supported by ethical, regulatory, and legal frameworks available in Nigeria.
Investigating Socioeconomic Barriers to Cochlear Implantation
Authors: Greiner Rachel C. , Rubinstein Jay T. , Kohlberg Gavriel D. 
Published: August 2023

Objective
To explore socioeconomic disparities in cochlear implant evaluation (CIE) referrals and cochlear implantation.

Study Design
Retrospective chart review.

Setting
Tertiary referral academic center.

Methods
Adult patients (n = 271) with an audiogram performed between 2015 and 2019 with a pure-tone average of at least 60 dB and word recognition score of 60% or less in the better-hearing ear or no word recognition score performed were included to determine if socioeconomic factors influenced the rate of referral to CIE and cochlear implantation.

Results
There were 122 insured patients referred to CIE where 84 were considered cochlear implant (CI) candidates and 73 were implanted. In multivariate regression analysis, non–English-speaking patients were referred to CIE at lower rates (p < 0.01) than English-speaking patients. Patients who met the CI candidacy criteria with private insurance (p = 0.03) or Medicare with private insurance supplement (p = 0.03) had higher rates of cochlear implantation than those with Medicare or Medicaid. Of the uninsured patients (n = 22), 3 were referred to CIE and 2 were considered CI candidates. No uninsured patients received a CI.

Conclusions
Primary language spoken was associated with a disparity in rates of CIE referral. Insurance type did influence rate of cochlear implantation once patients completed CIE and were considered CI candidates. Additional research is needed to implement strategies for more inclusive treatment.
A global systematic review and meta-analysis on the emerging evidence on risk factors, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A)
Authors: Qamar Mohammad Aadil , Afzal Syed Shabbir , Dhillon Rubaid Azhar , Sajid Mir Ibrahim , Sarfraz Zouina , Sarfraz Azza , Narmeen Mehek , Irfan Omar , Cherrez-Ojeda Ivan , Bin Sarwar Zubairi Ali 
Published: August 2023

Background:The multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A) has emerged, similar to those in children associated with SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) [multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)]. This review aimed to analyze the risk factors, clinical course, and prognosis of MIS-A.Methods:A comprehensive literature search was conducted using several databases for cases reporting MIS-A from 1 December 2019 till 9 September 2021. The case definitions used to identify potential cases were those recommended by the World Health Organization, Center for Disease Control, and individual country/physician classification. The meta-analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) 2.2.027 and Review Manager (RevMan) 5.4.1, employing 95% confidence intervals (CI).Results:Seventy studies were assessed for full-text eligibility, out of which 37 were included. The mean age of the study population was 32.52±10.29 years. The most common symptoms were fever (89.8%, 95% CI: 77.7–95.7%) and diarrhea (49%, 95% CI: 35.4–62.7%). Ventricular tachycardia (57.1%, 95% CI: 43.1–70.1%) was the most common electro-cardiac abnormality. The most common inflammatory marker was elevated C-reactive protein (89.8%, 95% CI: 77.7–95.7%). Abnormal echocardiogram was the most common imaging test result (commonly, ventricular dysfunction and arrhythmias), while steroids were the most administered treatment. Severe cases had a higher need for vasopressor and inotropic support and antibiotic therapy compared to the non-severe cases. One death was reported due to cardiovascular failure.Conclusion:Our collated findings will help clinicians identify the typical presenting symptoms and optimal management of MIS-A. Further research is required to understand the long-term prognosis and the correlation between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and MIS-A to understand its pathogenesis and clinical spectrum.
DNA methylation-based biomarkers for cardiometabolic-related traits and their importance for risk stratification
Authors: Colicino Elena , Fiorito Giovanni 
Published: August 2023

Recent findings
The prevalence of cardiometabolic syndrome in adults is increasing worldwide, highlighting the importance of biomarkers for individuals’ classification based on their health status. Although cardiometabolic risk scores and diagnostic criteria have been developed aggregating health effects of individual conditions on the overall syndrome, none of them has gained unanimous acceptance. Therefore, novel molecular biomarkers have been developed to better understand the risk, onset and progression of both individual conditions and the overall cardiometabolic syndrome.

Summary
Consistent associations between whole blood DNA methylation (DNAm) levels at several single genomic (i.e. CpG) sites and both individual and aggregated cardiometabolic conditions supported the creation of second-generation DNAm-based cardiometabolic-related biomarkers. These biomarkers linearly combine individual DNAm levels from key CpG sites, selected by two-step machine learning procedures. They can be used, even retrospectively, in populations with extant whole blood DNAm levels and without observed cardiometabolic phenotypes.

Purpose of review
Here, we offer an overview of the second-generation DNAm-based cardiometabolic biomarkers, discussing methodological advancements and implications on the interpretation and generalizability of the findings. We finally emphasize the contribution of DNAm-based biomarkers for risk stratification beyond traditional factors and discuss limitations and future directions of the field.
Surgeon Counseling Regarding Return to Sexual Activity After Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery
Authors: Caldwell Lauren , Kim-Fine Shunaha , Antosh Danielle D. , Husk Katherine , Meriwether Kate V. , Long Jaime B. , Heisler Christine A. , Hudson Patricia L. , Lozo Svjetlana , Iyer Shilpa , Rogers Rebecca G. 
Published: August 2023

Importance
Patients highly value surgeon counseling regarding the first sexual encounters after pelvic reconstructive surgery.

Objectives
We performed a qualitative analysis of usual surgeon counseling regarding return to sexual activity after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse and/or urinary incontinence.

Methods
Participating surgeons provided a written description of their usual patient counseling regarding return to sexual activity after pelvic organ prolapse or urinary incontinence surgery. Counseling narratives were coded for major themes by 2 independent reviewers; disagreements were arbitrated by the research team. Analysis was performed utilizing Dedoose software and continued until thematic saturation was reached.

Results
Twenty-two surgeons participated, and thematic saturation was reached. Six major themes were identified: “Safety of Intercourse,” “Specific Suggestions,” “Surgical Sequelae,” “Patient Control,” “Partner Related,” “Changes in Experience,” and “No Communication.” Nearly all participating surgeons included counseling on the safety of intercourse and reassurance that intercourse would not harm the surgical repair. Specific suggestions included different positions, use of lubrication, vaginal estrogen use, specific products/vendors, alternatives to (vaginal) intercourse, and the importance of foreplay. Surgical sequelae discussion included possible interventions for complications, such as persistent sutures in the vagina, abnormal bleeding, or de novo dyspareunia. Counseling regarding changes to the patient's sexual experience ranged from suggestion of improvement to an anticipated negative experience. Surgeons more commonly advised patients that their sexual experience would be worsened or different from baseline; discussion of improvement was less frequent.

Conclusions
Surgeon counseling regarding the postoperative return to sexual activity varies among pelvic reconstructive surgeons. Most reassure patients that intercourse is safe after surgery.
Effect of Squeeze, Cough, and Strain on Dynamic Urethral Function in Nulligravid Asymptomatic Women: A Cross-Sectional Cohort Study
Authors: Martin Liam C. , Routzong Megan R. , Abramowitch Steven D. , Rostaminia Ghazaleh 
Published: August 2023

Importance
In the past, urethral shape, mobility, and urodynamics have been used to retrospectively demonstrate correlations with stress urinary incontinence. Our previous work has shown a relationship between urethral function and shape in symptomatic women.

Objective
This study aimed to characterize the effect of pelvic floor squeeze and strain maneuvers on urethral shapes and pressure in a cohort of patients without pelvic floor disorders.

Study Design
In this cross-sectional study, volunteers underwent dynamic pelvic floor ultrasound examination, and a modified urodynamic study. Urethral length, thickness, and proximal and distal swing angles were measured at rest, squeeze, and strain. The midsagittal urethral walls were traced so that a statistical shape model could be performed. Means and standard deviations of imaging and urodynamic measures were calculated.

Results
Data from 19 participants were analyzed. On average during squeeze compared with rest, urethral length increased by 6%, thickness decreased by 42% (distal, P < 0.001), 10% (middle), and urethral pressure increased by 14%. Opposite shape changes—length decreased by 10% (P = 0.001), thickness increased by 57% (distal, P < 0.001), 20% (middle, P < 0.001)—and increased urethral mobility were observed during strain, with larger pressure increases occurring (29%, P < 0.001). Fifty-one percent of the total shape variance described the differences between maneuvers. These differences were statistically different between groups (P < 0.001 for comparisons, all others P > 0.05).

Conclusions
Dynamic ultrasound and urodynamics allow for the establishment of baseline ranges in urethral metrics (2-dimensional measures, shape, and pressure) and how they are altered during maneuvers. These data can allow for a more objective identification of incontinence via ultrasound and urodynamic testing.
Population health impacts from the taxation of salt and sugar in the United Kingdom
Authors: Colombo Patricia Eustachio , Milner James , Pastorino Silvia , Green Rosemary 
Published: August 2023

AbstractObjectiveTo estimate the potential health benefits from the reduction in consumption of salt and sugar following the introduction of a proposed tax on salt and sugar in the United Kingdom (UK).DesignEpidemiological modelling study. Life-table modelling was used to estimate the expected population health benefits from the reduction in consumption of salt and sugar for four scenarios, each reflecting different manufacturer and consumer responses the proposed tax. Relative risks for 24 disease-risk pairs were applied, exploring different pathways between salt and sugar consumption, and mortality and morbidity.SettingUK.ParticipantsPopulation of the UK.ResultsThe results show that life expectancy in the UK could be increased by 1.7 (0.3-3.6) to 4.9 (1.0-9.4) months, depending on the degree of industry and consumer response to the tax. The tax could also lead to up to nearly 2 (0.4-3.6) million fewer cases of preventable chronic diseases and an increase of as much as 3.5 (0.8-6.4) million years of life gained. The largest health benefits would accrue from reduced mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular diseases.ConclusionsSignificant benefits to population health could be expected from extending the current tax on sugar sweetened beverages to other sugary foods and from adding a tax on foods high in salt. The proposed dietary changes are likely to be insufficient to reach national public health targets; hence, additional measures to reduce the burden of chronic disease in the UK will be equally critical to consider.
Post-COVID rebound of gonorrhoea in England
Authors: Fountain Holly , Migchelsen Stephanie , Charles Hannah , Ram Tika , Fifer Helen , Mohammed Hamish , Sinka Katy 
Published: August 2023

AbstractWith the removal of all COVID-19 restrictions in July 2021, a marked increase in gonorrhoea diagnoses in England was observed. Investigations revealed increases have been widespread, particularly in young people aged 15-to-24 years. Testing numbers have not shown a corresponding increase and have remained below 2019 (pre-pandemic) levels.Ethical statementNo ethical approval was needed for this study as routine surveillance data was used.Funding statementNo funding was needed.Conflict of interestNone
No evidence for a link between childhood (6-10y) cellular aging and brain morphology (12y) in a preregistered longitudinal study
Authors: Brinkman Evie Henrike , Beijers Roseriet , Tyborowska Anna , Roelofs Karin , Kühn Simone , Kievit Rogier , de Weerth Carolina 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAnimal studies show that early life environmental factors, such as stress and trauma, can have a significant impact on a variety of bodily processes, including cellular aging and brain development. However, whether cellular wear-and-tear effects are also associated with individual differences in brain structures in humans, remains unknown. In this pre-registered study in a community sample of children (N=94, Mean age=12.71 years), we prospectively investigated the predictive value of two markers of cellular aging in childhood (at age 6 and 10) for brain morphology in early adolescence (age 12). More specifically, we associated buccal cell telomere length and epigenetic age in childhood to individual differences in adolescent whole-brain grey matter volume (GMV) including volumes of three regions of interest that have been found to be sensitive to effects of early life stress (i.e. amygdala, hippocampus, (pre)frontal cortex -PFC). Multiple regression analyses revealed no significant associations between childhood cellular aging (at 6 and 10 years) and early adolescent brain morphology. Exploratory Bayesian analyses indicated moderate to strong evidence for the null-findings. These results suggest that although our sample is modest, the associations between middle childhood cellular aging and early adolescent brain morphology are, if they do exist, likely not particularly large in community children. Future work should investigate whether these effects are similarly absent in large samples, in samples with a higher risk profile and in samples characterized by different age ranges.Highlights (3-5)- Investigation of cellular aging in relation to brain morphology in a community sample (N=95)- Epigenetic aging and telomere shortening were not associated with brain structure- Exploratory Bayesian Analyses reveal moderate to strong evidence for null findings- No association was found between cellular aging and white matter volume
Multitask Learning of Longitudinal Circulating Biomarkers and Clinical Outcomes: Identification of Optimal Machine-Learning and Deep-Learning Models
Authors: Yuan Min , Su Shixin , Ding Haolun , Yang Yaning , Gupta Manish , Xu Xu Steven 
Published: August 2023

AbstractMany circulating biomarkers are assessed at different time intervals during clinical studies. Despite of the success of standard joint models in predicting clinical outcomes using low-dimensional longitudinal data (1-2 biomarkers), significant computational challenges are encountered when applying these techniques to high-dimensional biomarker datasets. Modern machine- or deep-learning models show potential for multiple biomarker processes, but systematic evaluations and applications to high-dimensional data in the clinical settings have yet to be reported. We aimed to enhance the scalability of joint modeling and provide guidance on optimal approaches for high-dimensional biomarker data and outcomes. We evaluated multiple deep-learning and machine-learning models using 24 clinical biomarkers and survival data from the SQUIRE trial, a phase 3 randomized clinical trial investigating necitumumab and standard gemcitabine/cisplatin treatment in patients with squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Overall, we confirmed that longitudinal models enabled more accurate prediction of patients’ survival compared to those solely based on baseline information. Coupling multivariate functional principal component analysis (MFPCA) with Cox regression (MFPCA-Cox) provided the highest predictive discrimination and accuracy for the NSCLC patients with AUC values of 0.7 - >0.8 at various landmark time points and prediction timeframes, outperforming recent advanced Transformer and convolutional neural network deep-learning algorithms (TransformerJM and Match-Net, respectively). In conclusion, we identified that MFPCA-Cox represents a robust and versatile joint modeling algorithm for high-dimensional biomarker longitudinal data with irregular and missing data, capturing complex relationships within the data, yielding accurate predictions for both longitudinal biomarkers and survival outcomes, and gaining insights into the underlying dynamics.