bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal Correlations Between Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) and Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced (DCE) MRI During Radiotherapy in Prostate Cancer Patients
Authors: Kooreman Ernst S. , van Pelt Vivian , Nowee Marlies E. , Pos Floris , van der Heide Uulke A. , van Houdt Petra J. 
Published: June 2022

PurposeIntravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) is a promising technique that can acquire perfusion information without the use of contrast agent, contrary to the more established dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) technique. This is of interest for treatment response monitoring, where patients can be imaged on each treatment fraction. In this study, longitudinal correlations between IVIM- and DCE parameters were assessed in prostate cancer patients receiving radiation treatment.Materials and Methods20 prostate cancer patients were treated on a 1.5 T MR-linac with 20 x 3 or 3.1 Gy. Weekly IVIM and DCE scans were acquired. Tumors, the peripheral zone (PZ), and the transition zone (TZ) were delineated on a T2-weighted scan acquired on the first fraction. IVIM and DCE scans were registered to this scan and the delineations were propagated. Median values from these delineations were used for further analysis. The IVIM parameters D, f, D* and the product fD* were calculated. The Tofts model was used to calculate the DCE parameters Ktrans, kep and ve. Pearson correlations were calculated for the IVIM and DCE parameters on values from the first fraction for each region of interest (ROI). For longitudinal analysis, the repeated measures correlation coefficient was used to determine correlations between IVIM and DCE parameters in each ROI.ResultsWhen averaging over patients, an increase during treatment in all IVIM and DCE parameters was observed in all ROIs, except for D in the PZ and TZ. No significant Pearson correlations were found between any pair of IVIM and DCE parameters measured on the first fraction. Significant but low longitudinal correlations were found for some combinations of IVIM and DCE parameters in the PZ and TZ, while no significant longitudinal correlations were found in the tumor. Notably in the TZ, for both f and fD*, significant longitudinal correlations with all DCE parameters were found.ConclusionsThe increase in IVIM- and DCE parameters when averaging over patients indicates a measurable response to radiation treatment with both techniques. Although low, significant longitudinal correlations were found which suggests that IVIM could potentially be used as an alternative to DCE for treatment response monitoring.
Multidisciplinary Approach to Patients With Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression: A Diagnostic Therapeutic Algorithm to Improve the Neurological Outcome
Authors: Rispoli Rossella , Reverberi Chiara , Targato Giada , D’Agostini Serena , Fasola Gianpiero , Trovò Marco , Calci Mario , Fanin Renato , Cappelletto Barbara 
Published: June 2022

IntroductionThe morbidity associated with metastatic spinal disease is significant because of spinal cord and/or nerve root compression. The purpose of this paper is to define a diagnostic-therapeutic path for patients with vertebral metastases and from this path to build an algorithm to reduce the devastating consequences of spinal cord compression.Materials and MethodsThe algorithm is born from the experience of a primary care center. A spine surgeon, an emergency room (ER) physician, a neuroradiologist, a radiation oncologist, and an oncologist form the multidisciplinary team. The ER physician or the oncologist intercept the patient with symptoms and signs of a metastatic spinal cord compression. Once the suspicion is confirmed, the following steps of the flow-chart must be triggered. The spine surgeon takes charge of the patient and, on the base of the anamnestic data and neurological examination, defines the appropriate timing for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in collaboration with the neuroradiologist. From the MRI outcome, the spine surgeon and the radiation oncologist consult each other to define further therapeutic alternatives. If indicated, surgical treatment should precede radiation therapy. The oncologist gets involved after surgery for systemic therapy.ResultsIn 2021, the Spine and Spinal Cord Surgery department evaluated 257 patients with vertebral metastasis. Fifty-three patients presented with actual or incipient spinal cord compression. Among these, 27 were admitted due to rapid progression of symptoms, neurological deficits and/or spine instability signs. The level was thoracic in 21 cases, lumbar in 4 cases, cervical in 1 case, sacral in 1 case. Fifteen were operated on, 10 of these programmed and 5 in emergency.DiscussionPatients with a history of malignancy can present to the ER or to the oncology department with symptoms that must be correctly framed in the context of a metastatic involvement. Even when there is no previous cancer history, the patient’s pain characteristics and clinical signs must be interpreted to yield the correct diagnosis of vertebral metastasis with incipient or current spinal cord compression. The awareness of the alert symptoms and the application of an integrated paradigm consent to frame the patients with spinal cord compression, obtaining the benefits of a homogeneous step-by-step diagnostic and therapeutic path. Early surgical or radiation therapy treatment gives the best hope for preventing the worsening, or even improving, the deficits.ConclusionsMetastatic spinal cord compression can cause neurological deficits compromising quality of life. Treatment strategies should be planned comprehensively. A multidisciplinary approach and the application of the proposed algorithm is of paramount importance to optimize the outcomes of these patients.
Preoperative Platelet Count Correlates With Postoperative Perineural Invasion on Specimen in Patients Treated With Radical Prostatectomy
Authors: Wang Fangming , Liu Fei , Liang Jing , Yang Feiya , Xing Nianzeng 
Published: June 2022

ObjectiveIt has been reported that perineural invasion (PNI) after radical prostatectomy (RP) is associated with unfavorable prostate cancer (PCa) prognosis. However, the clinicopathological factors especially hematological parameters that influenced PNI remain unknown. Our aim was to explore the relationship between clinicopathological parameters and PNI in patients who underwent RP.MethodsA total of 348 patients with PCa who underwent RP at our center between 2018 and 2021 were consecutively collected. We divided them into non-PNI and PNI groups based on PNI status and compared clinicopathological characteristics including hematological parameters between non-PNI and PNI groups. The association of clinicopathological parameters including whole blood parameters, age, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, diabetes mellitus, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), ISUP (International Society of Urological Pathology) grade, pathological stage T (pT), and neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) with PNI was determined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.ResultsThe pathological results of the RP specimen consisted of 254 (73.0%) patients with PNI and 94 (27.0%) cases without PNI. The level of PSA, percentages of advanced pT and grade, positive surgical margin rate, and vessel carcinoma embolus rate were significantly higher in the PNI group when compared with non-PNI counterpart (p = 0.007, p &lt; 0.001, p &lt; 0.001, p &lt; 0.001, and p &lt; 0.001, respectively). Among the whole blood parameters, only platelet count and plateletcrit were significantly different [216 (178.8–252.0) vs. 200.5 (173.5–236.5), p = 0.04; 0.0021 (0.0018–0.0025) vs. 0.0020 (0.0017–0.0023), p = 0.008, respectively]. Univariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that platelet, ISUP, and pT were all positively correlated with the presence of PNI (T3 vs. T1, odds ratio (OR) = 2.029, p = 0.020; OR = 1.697, p &lt; 0.001; OR = 3.836, p &lt; 0.001). In the stepwise multivariate regression analysis, the association between platelet and PNI remained significant (T2 vs. T1, OR = 2.171, 95% CI: 1.082–4.354, p = 0.029; T3 vs. T1, OR = 2.595, 95% CI: 1.259–5.349, p = 0.010) after adjusting for confounding factors including age, BMI, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, PSA, ISUP, pT, and NHT.ConclusionsThe study first revealed that platelet count rather than other whole blood parameters was independently associated with the presence of PNI in patients with PCa, suggesting that platelets might play an essential role in PCa aggressiveness.
Vitamin D Exerts Significant Antitumor Effects by Suppressing Vasculogenic Mimicry in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Bajbouj Khuloud , Al-Ali Abeer , Shafarin Jasmin , Sahnoon Lina , Sawan Ahmad , Shehada Ahmed , Elkhalifa Walaaeldin , Saber-Ayad Maha , Muhammad Jibran Sualeh , Elmoselhi Adel B. , Guraya Salman Y. , Hamad Mawieh 
Published: June 2022

BackgroundNumerous clinical and experimental observations have alluded to the substantial anti-neoplastic role of vitamin D in breast cancer (BC), primarily by inducing apoptosis and affecting metastasis. Tumor progression and resistance to chemotherapy have been linked to vasculogenic mimicry (VM), which represents the endothelial-independent formation of microvascular channels by cancer cells. However, the effect of vitamin D on VM formation in BC has not been thoroughly investigated. This study examined the impact of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol), the active form of vitamin D, on the expression of major factors involved in BC migration, invasion, and VM formation.Experimental MethodsPublicly available transcriptomic datasets were used to profile the expression status of the key VM markers in vitamin D-treated BC cells. The in silico data were validated by examining the expression and activity of the key factors that are involved in tumor progression and MV formation in hormone-positive MCF-7 and aggressive triple‐negative MDA-MB-231 BC cells after treatment with calcitriol.Results and DiscussionsThe bioinformatics analysis showed that tumor VM formation-enriched pathways were differentially downregulated in vitamin D-treated cells when compared with control counterparts. Treatment of BC cells with calcitriol resulted in increased expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs 1 and 2) and decreased content and gelatinolytic activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs 2 and 9). Furthermore, calcitriol treatment reduced the expression of several pro-MV formation regulators including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), tumor growth factor (TGF-β1), and amphiregulin. Eventually, this process resulted in a profound reduction in cell migration and invasion following the treatment of BC cells with calcitriol when compared to the controls. Finally, the formation of VM was diminished in the aggressive triple‐negative MDA-MB-231 cancer cell line after calcitriol treatment.ConclusionOur findings demonstrate that vitamin D mediates its antitumor effects in BC cells by inhibiting and curtailing their potential for VM formation.
Associations of Prior Chronic Use of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and Glucocorticoids With Cachexia Incidence and Survival
Authors: Olaechea Santiago , Gilmore Anne , Alvarez Christian , Gannavarapu Bhavani S. , Infante Rodney , Iyengar Puneeth 
Published: June 2022

BackgroundCachexia is an inflammatory and metabolic syndrome of unintentional weight loss through depletion of muscle and adipose tissue. There is limited knowledge of how chronic use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and glucocorticoids affect cachexia development. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between prior long-term use of NSAIDs or glucocorticoids with cachexia incidence and post-diagnosis weight loss progression in a retrospective cancer patient cohort.MethodsOf 3,802 lung or gastrointestinal cancer patient records, 3,180 comprised our final cohort. Patient demographic information, tumor qualities, medication histories, and comorbidities were assessed. Cachexia was defined as having developed prior to oncologic treatment. Statistical evaluations included categorical, multivariate logistic regression, and log-rank survival analyses. Development of substantial post-diagnosis weight loss was calculated and interpreted for patients without cachexia at diagnosis.ResultsChronic prior use of any NSAID or glucocorticoid medication was associated with approximate absolute and relative reductions in cachexia incidence at diagnosis of 10 and 25 percent (P&lt;0.0001). In multivariate analyses, NSAID medications demonstrated a 23 percent reduction in cachexia incidence likelihood (OR=0.770; 95% CI=0.594, 0.998; P=0.0481). Patients without cachexia at diagnosis were significantly more likely to develop substantial post-diagnosis weight loss from pre-diagnosis use groups of glucocorticoids (OR= 1.452; 95% CI=1.065, 1.979; P=0.0183) or NSAIDs (OR=1.411; 95% CI=1.082, 1.840; P=0.011).ConclusionsOur findings suggest a protective effect of prior anti-inflammatory medications, primarily NSAIDs, against manifestations of the cachexia phenotype at cancer diagnosis. These observations support further exploration of potential therapeutic benefits from anti-inflammatory medications early in cancer management.
The Effectiveness of Duloxetine for Knee Osteoarthritis: An Overview of Systematic Reviews
Authors: Zhou Qinxin , Chen Jixin , Yu Weijie , Yang Kun , Guo Tianci , Niu Puyu , Ye Yuntian , Liu Aifeng 
Published: June 2022

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) has become a public health problem. Several systematic reviews (SRs) have reported that duloxetine may be an effective treatment for improving pain and depressive symptoms in patients with KOA.Aim: To evaluate the available results and provide scientific evidence for the efficacy and safety of duloxetine for KOA.Methods: A comprehensive search strategy was conducted across eight databases from inception to 31 December 2021. Two researchers independently selected eligible studies, collected data and evaluated those included SRs’ quality. For assessing methodological quality, the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2) was employed. Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews (ROBIS) was used to assess the risk of bias. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) was utilized for assessing reporting quality. In addition, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to determine primary outcome indicators’ evidence quality.Results: Totally 6 SRs were contained in this overview. After assessment based on AMSTAR 2, ROBIS, and PRISMA, unsatisfactory results in terms of methodological quality, risk of bias as well as reporting quality, were obtained. Limitations included a search of grey literature, the reasons for selecting the study type, an excluded study list and the specific reasons, reporting bias assessment, and reporting of potential sources of conflict of interest. According to the GRADE results, the evidence quality was high in 0, moderate in 5, low in 19, and very low in 36. Limitations were the most commonly downgraded factor, followed by publication bias and inconsistency.Conclusion: Duloxetine may be an effective treatment for improving pain and depressive symptoms in KOA patients with acceptable adverse events. However, due to the low quality of the available evidence, the original study design and the quality of evidence from SRs should be further improved, so as to provide strong scientific evidence for definitive conclusions.Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO; (http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/), identifier (CRD42021289823).
Arthroscopic Treatment of Intraosseous Ganglion Cysts of the Carpus
Authors: Teng Xiao-Feng , He Xin-Kun , Chen Hong , Ruan Jian 
Published: June 2022

ObjectiveTo investigate the application and the clinical efficacy of wrist arthroscopy in the treatment of carpal intraosseous ganglion cysts (IGCs).MethodsA retrospective case study method was adopted to analyze the clinical data of 28 patients with carpal IGCs admitted to the Sixth Hospital of Ningbo from April 2012 to January 2019. A hypodensity in the bone was shown by X-ray before the operation, with hypodensity and cystic change in the bone being confirmed by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Arthroscopic open window of the wrist, cystectomy, and autologous iliac bone graft implantation were conducted. Regular postoperative X-ray combined with CT follow-ups were conducted to observe the healing after bone implantation. Patients were followed up regularly and assessed by the Modified Mayo Wrist Score in four aspects of the postoperative pain, wrist mobility, grip, and function to provide an objective overall assessment of the therapeutic outcome.ResultsAll 28 patients were followed up for 8–16 months, with an average follow-up duration of 10 months. After the operation, pain disappeared completely for 25 patients, and 3 cases showed significant improvement. All cases were pathologically confirmed as ganglion cysts and had first-stage bony healing after bone grafting with an average healing time of 10.8 weeks. The grip returned to normal for all patients, and wrist flexion and extension were the same as the healthy wrist for 25 patients, with a Modified Mayo Wrist Score of excellent in 19 cases and good in 9 cases. No recurrence was observed.ConclusionIn patients with symptomatic carpal IGCs, the application of arthroscopic open window, cystectomy, and autologous bone graft implantation could achieve satisfactory clinical therapeutic effects.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Surgical Treatment for Klippel–Feil Syndrome
Authors: Ding Linyao , Wang Xin , Sun Yu , Zhang Fengshan , Pan Shengfa , Chen Xin , Diao Yinze , Zhao Yanbin , Xia Tian , Li Weishi , Zhou Feifei 
Published: June 2022

BackgroundRecently, there have been some reports on surgical treatment for Klippel–Feil syndrome, but the prevalence and risk factors of surgery have not been well evaluated. This study sought to find the prevalence and potential risk factors of surgical treatment.MethodsA retrospective radiographic review of 718 Klippel–Feil syndrome patients seen at Peking University Third Hospital from January 2010 to October 2017 was performed. Parameters included age, gender, deformity, cervical instability, Samartzis classification, and surgical treatment. Based on the surgical treatment they received, patients were divided into a surgery group and a non-surgery group. Prevalence and possible risk factors of surgical treatment were assessed.ResultsA total of 718 Klippel–Feil syndrome patients, including 327 men and 391 women, with an average age of 46.8 years were enrolled. According to the Samartzis classification scheme, 621 cases (86.5%) were classified as type I, 48 cases (6.7%) were classified as type II, and 49 cases (6.8%) were classified as type III, respectively. The most commonly fused segments were C2–3 (54.9%) and C5–6 (9.3%). Of all 718 patients, 133 (18.5%) patients underwent surgical treatment, mainly via the posterior approach (69.9%). The clinical factors included age, gender, deformity, instability, and Samartzis classification. Men were more likely to require surgical treatment (p &lt; 0.001). Patients with instability (p &lt; 0.001) or patients with deformity (p = 0.004) were also more likely to undergo surgery. All three of these variables were included in the binary regression analysis. Finally, gender (p &lt; 0.001) and unstable joints (p &lt; 0.001) were identified to be independently associated with surgical treatment. Gender was the most important risk factor with men being 2.39 times more likely to have surgical treatment, while patients with instability were 2.31 times more likely to receive surgery.ConclusionThe prevalence of patients with Klippel–Feil syndrome requiring surgery was 18.5%, with the majority undergoing posterior cervical surgery. Gender and instability were indemnified as independent risk factors leading to surgical treatment.
Risk Factors of Ischemia Reperfusion Injury After PCI in Patients with Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction and its Influence on Prognosis
Authors: Zhang Li , Wang Lingqing , Tao Luyuan , Chen Changgong , Ren Shijia , Zhang Youyou 
Published: June 2022

PurposeTo explore the risk factors of ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and its influence on prognosis.MethodsThe clinical data of 80 patients with STMEI undergoing PCI in our hospital from June 2020 to June 2021 were collected. According to whether IRI occurred after PCI, STMEI patients were divided into IRI group and non-IRI group. The basic information, clinical characteristics, examination parameters and other data of all patients were collected, and the prognosis of the two groups was observed. Risk factors were analyzed by fitting binary Logistic regression model. The survival prognosis was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier survival curve.ResultsLogistic regression analysis showed that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), pre-hospital delay time (PHD) and door-to-balloon expansion time (DTB) were the influencing factors of IRI in patients with STMEI (p &lt; 0.05). MACE occurred in 11 cases (32.35%) in the IRI group and 13 cases (28.26%) in the non-IRI group. Log-rank test showed p = 0.503, indicating no statistically significant difference.ConclusionT2DM, PHD and DTB were the influencing factors of IRI in patients with STMEI, and IRI will not reduce the prognosis of patients.
Potential Roles of 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic Acid Synthase Genes in the Response of Gossypium Species to Abiotic Stress by Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis
Authors: Li Jie , Zou Xianyan , Chen Guoquan , Meng Yongming , Ma Qi , Chen Quanjia , Wang Zhi , Li Fuguang 
Published: June 2022

Ethylene plays a pivotal role in plant stress resistance and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase (ACS) is the rate-limiting enzyme in ethylene biosynthesis. Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is the most important natural fiber crop, but the function of ACS in response to abiotic stress has rarely been reported in this plant. We identified 18 GaACS, 18 GrACS, and 35 GhACS genes in Gossypiumarboreum, Gossypium raimondii and Gossypiumhirsutum, respectively, that were classified as types I, II, III, or IV. Collinearity analysis showed that the GhACS genes were expanded from diploid cotton by the whole-genome-duplication. Multiple alignments showed that the C-terminals of the GhACS proteins were conserved, whereas the N-terminals of GhACS10 and GhACS12 were different from the N-terminals of AtACS10 and AtACS12, probably diverging during evolution. Most type II ACS genes were hardly expressed, whereas GhACS10/GhACS12 were expressed in many tissues and in response to abiotic stress; for example, they were highly and hardly expressed at the early stages of cold and heat exposure, respectively. The GhACS genes showed different expression profiles in response to cold, heat, drought, and salt stress by quantitative PCR analysis, which indicate the potential roles of them when encountering the various adverse conditions, and provide insights into GhACS functions in cotton’s adaptation to abiotic stress.