bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
External treatment of herbal medicine with tuina in congenital muscular torticollis
Authors: Kim Eunjin , Choi Jungyoon , Min Sang Yeon 
Published: April 2022

Abstract

Background:
This study is the protocol to evaluate the clinical evidence for external treatments using herbal medicine (ETHM) with tuina as a congenital muscular treatment (CMT) in pediatrics.

Methods:
Eleven databases will be searched until June 2022, without any language restrictions: four English databases (MEDLINE, Pubmed, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Central Register of Database of Controlled Trials), three Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Wan Fang Database), and four Korean electronic databases (Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, Korean Studies Information Service System, National Digital Science Links, and Research Information Sharing Service). This review will include randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of ETHM with tuina as an intervention versus the same tuina. All published RCTs for any ETHM for CMT will be included. Non-RCTs, RCT protocol, animal studies, case reports, reviews, and surveys will be excluded. The methodological quality assessment will be performed using the Cochrane risk of bias (ROBs). Review Manager version 5.4. will be used for the data synthesis and quantitative analysis.

Results and discussions:
The systematic review and meta-analysis will provide evidence for ETHM as a treatment of CMT. The evidence can help clinicians and patients recognize more effective therapeutic and safe inventions.

INPLASY registration number:
INPLASY202210017.
Hybrid surgery techniques for the treatment of in-stent restenosis after 5 years of femoral artery self-expanding bare-metal stent implantation
Authors: Zhou Jianguo , Zha Guosong , Qian Guosheng 
Published: April 2022

Abstract

Rationale:
Lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) disease is caused by the formation of atherosclerotic plaque in the femoral artery, which causes the stenosis and occlusion of lower legs, and then leads to chronic limb ischemia. Stent intervention is the most common treatment for ASO in the lower extremities, although there is a risk of overstretching or fracturing the stent, resulting in stent rupture. We provide a unique method for treating stent rupture.

Patient concerns:
A 79-year-old male presented with intermittent claudication of the left lower limb for 6 months. Five years ago, a stent was placed in the lower extremity femoral artery. According to the examination, the stent suffered a modest torsional fracture.

Diagnosis:
The case was diagnosed with lower extremity ASO.

Interventions:
We performed a combination of femoral endarterectomy and interventional surgery.

Outcomes:
Blood flow was restored after the hybrid operation has been used to treat arterial stenosis in the lower limbs.

Conclusion:
Integrating vascular interventional surgeries can shorten surgical procedures time and increase success rates.
FDG PET/CT Features of Polysaccharide-Based Hemostatic Agent
Authors: Bozkurtlar Emine , Oksuzoglu Kevser , Bostanci Korkut , Aslan Sezer , Kissa Tugba Nergiz , Kocakaya Derya , Ones Tunc 
Published: April 2022

Purpose
To prevent hemorrhagic complications, hemostatic agents (HAs) have been widely used in recent years. The use of HAs can lead to false-positive results on postoperative imaging. There exists only 1 study in the literature evaluating these applications during surgical procedures. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the postoperative imaging features of polysaccharide-based HAs in thoracic surgery patients who have had 18F-FDG PET/CT scans.

Patients and Methods
Two hundred nine consecutive patients who underwent thoracic surgery were enrolled in this study. A topical polysaccharide-based HA was applied to the surgical bed for all of the patients. The patients diagnosed with cancer were followed up with subsequent thoracic CT scans, and 42 of these patients were also imaged with 18F-FDG PET/CT, which then comprised the main study group. Due to suspicion of metastasis, 19/42 patients were reoperated or rebiopsied. The latest histopathological findings were accepted as criterion standard, and previous FDG PET/CT images were retrospectively reevaluated.

Results
Polysaccharide-based HAs that appear as amorphous basophilic material were identified in histopathological samples of 11/19 patients. Lymphocytes, plasma cells, and histiocytes, which formed foreign body reaction and/or foreign body granuloma, indicating the presence of chronic inflammation, were seen in all of the samples. 18F-FDG PET/CT showed increased FDG uptake in all of these lesions.

Conclusions
Despite the inconsistency of the literature, polysaccharide-based HAs can be demonstrated in human surgical specimens as amorphous basophilic materials even after a long time from the initial surgical procedure. These agents almost always cause chronic inflammatory changes. In addition, these agents may mimic “false-positive” findings on postoperative FDG PET/CT scans.
FDG PET/CT Imaging Findings of Renal Infarction in a Patient With Gastric Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Tatci Ebru , Ozmen Ozlem , Gökçek Atila 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
We report the FDG PET/CT findings of renal infarction in a 75-year-old woman patient who received chemotherapy for gastric adenocarcinoma. The patient was referred to our hospital for the evaluation of her response to chemotherapy. PET/CT detected circumferential increased FDG uptake in the outer part of the left renal cortex. The remaining of the renal cortex was photopenic. Abdominal CT angiography showed no contrast enhancement within the renal parenchyma. There was no contrast enhancement in the lumen of the left renal artery. These findings were thought to be consistent with the left renal infarct due to the occlusion of the left renal artery.
Speed and safety of mass spectrometry for identification of Burkholderia pseudomallei directly from spiked blood cultures
Authors: Gassiep Ian , Bauer Michelle J. , Harris Patrick N. A. , Norton Robert 
Published: April 2022

Burkholderia pseudomallei

is a bipolar Gram-negative bacillus and the causative agent of melioidosis; an infectious disease which commonly presents with bacteraemia.
Data regarding direct from blood culture identification of

B. pseudomallei

using the Vitek mass spectrometer (MS) are limited.
The authors aim to assess the safety and sensitivity of the Vitek MS for identification of

B. pseudomallei

from spiked positive blood culture samples.
Safety was assessed by determining the ability of the standard MS α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) matrix solution to inactivate

B. pseudomallei

. Organism identification using the manufacturer’s blood culture extraction method was compared to an in-house technique. Additionally, identification following abbreviated agar incubation of blood culture broth was performed.
All 70 MS target spots were inactivated by the matrix solution. The manufacturer’s blood culture extraction method identified 0/26 (0%)

B. pseudomallei

samples. An in-house method using the spun deposit from blood culture broth samples identified 38/38 (100%)

B. pseudomallei

samples. MS analysis of a blood culture broth drop on Chocolate agar following a 6 h incubation identified 30/32 (94%) samples.
Decreased time to diagnosis of melioidosis bacteraemia is likely to improve patient outcomes. This study adds to the literature with regards to the utility of MALDI-TOF MS identification of

B. pseudomallei

both directly from positive blood culture broth and a subsequent 6 h plate incubation. The use of a standard matrix solution inactivates the organism, and use of the spun deposit from a positive blood culture broth is most effective for early identification of

B. pseudomallei

.
More efficient and inclusive time-to-event trials with covariate adjustment: a simulation study
Authors: Momal Raphaëlle , Trichelair Paul , Blum Michael G.B. , Balazard Félix 
Published: April 2022

AbstractAdjustment for prognostic covariates increases the statistical power of randomized trials. The factors influencing increase of power are well-known for trials with continuous outcomes. Here, we study which factors influence power and sample size requirements in time-to-event trials. We consider both parametric simulations and simulations derived from the TCGA cohort of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients to assess how sample size requirements are reduced with covariate adjustment. Simulations demonstrate that the benefit of covariate adjustment increases with the prognostic performance of the adjustment covariate (C-index) and with the cumulative incidence of the event in the trial. For a covariate that has an intermediate prognostic performance (C-index=0.65), the reduction of sample size varies from 1.7% when cumulative incidence is of 10% to 26.5% when cumulative incidence is of 90%. Broadening eligibility criteria usually reduces statistical power while our simulations show that it can be maintained with adequate covariate adjustment. In a simulation of HCC trials, we find that the number of patients screened for eligibility can be divided by 2.7 when broadening eligibility criteria. Last, we find that the Cox-Snell is a good approximation of the reduction in sample size requirements provided by covariate adjustment. This metric can be used in the design of time-to-event trials to determine sample size. Overall, more systematic adjustment for prognostic covariates leads to more efficient and inclusive clinical trials especially when cumulative incidence is large as in metastatic and advanced cancers.Key messagesCovariate adjustment is a statistical technique that leverages prognostic scores within the statistical analysis of a trial. We study its benefits for time-to-event trials.Power gain achieved with covariate adjustment is determined by the prognostic performance of the covariate and by the cumulative incidence of events at the end of the follow-up period.Trials in indications with large cumulative incidence such as metastatic cancers can benefit from covariate adjustment to improve their statistical power.Covariate adjustment maintains statistical power in trials when eligibility criteria are broadened.
Modeling the initial phase of COVID-19 epidemic: The role of age and disease severity in the Basque Country, Spain
Authors: Srivasrav Akhil Kumar , Stollenwerk Nico , Van-Dierdonck Joseba Bidaurrazaga , Mar Javier , Ibarrondo Oliver , Aguiar Maíra 
Published: April 2022

AbstractDeclared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 has spread rapidly around the globe. With eventually substantial global underestimation of infection, by the end of March 2022, more than 470 million cases were confirmed, counting more than 6.1 million deaths worldwide.COVID-19 symptoms range from mild (or no) symptoms to severe illness, with disease severity and death occurring according to a hierarchy of risks, with age and pre-existing health conditions enhancing risks of disease severity. In order to understand the dynamics of disease severity during the initial phase of the pandemic, we propose a modeling framework stratifying the studied population into two groups, older and younger, assuming different risks for severe disease manifestation.The deterministic and the stochastic models are parametrized using epidemiological data for the Basque Country population referring to confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths, from February to the end of March 2020. Using similar parameter values, both models were able to describe well the existing data. A detailed sensitivity analysis was performed to identify the key parameters influencing the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 in the population. We observed that the population younger than 60 years old of age would contribute more to the overall force of infection than the older population, as opposed to the already existing age-structured models, opening new ways to understand the effect of population age on disease severity during the COVID-19 pandemic.With mild/asymptomatic cases significantly influencing the disease spreading and control, our findings support the vaccination strategy prioritising the most vulnerable individuals to reduce hospitalization and deaths, as well as the non-pharmaceutical intervention measures to reduce disease transmission.
Implementation strategies to increase human papillomavirus vaccination uptake for adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review protocol
Authors: Lubeya Mwansa Ketty , Mwanahamuntu Mulindi , Chibwesha Carla , Mukosha Moses , Wamunyima Mercy Monde , Kawonga Mary 
Published: April 2022

AbstractIntroductionThe human papillomavirus (HPV) is sexually transmitted and infects approximately 75% of sexually active people early in their sexual life. Persistent infection with oncogenic HPVtypes can lead to malignant conditions such as cervical cancer. In 2006, the World Health Organisation approved the use of efficacious HPV vaccine for girls aged 9 to 14 years to prevent HPV related conditions. Despite the HPV vaccine having been available for about 15 years, dose completion remains at 53% in sub-Saharan Africa for countries implementing the vaccination program. A fraught of barriers to implementation exist which prevent adequate coverage. Achieving success for HPV vaccination in real-world settings requires enacted implementation strategies to overcome implementation bottlenecks. Therefore, a better understanding and mapping of the implementation strategies used in sub-Saharan Africa to increase HPV vaccination uptake is critical. This review aims to identify implementation strategies to increase HPV vaccination uptake for adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa and provide a basis for policy and future research including systematic reviews to evaluate effective strategies as we accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer.Materials and MethodsThis review will consider studies that pertain to implementation strategies used to increase HPV vaccination uptake for adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa. Studies targeted at different stakeholders to increase adolescent vaccine uptake will be included. Studies using interventions not fitting the definition of implementation strategies as defined by the refined compilation of implementation strategies from the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change project will be excluded. MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, CINAHL (via EBSCO), Scopus and Google scholar will be searched. Two independent reviewers will screen titles and abstracts for studies that meet the review’s inclusion criteria, and the full text of eligible studies will be reviewed. Data will be extracted from eligible studies using data charting table developed by this team for inclusion by two independent reviewers and presented in table and graphical form with a narrative summary.
Similar viral loads in Omicron infections regardless of vaccination status
Authors: Hirotsu Yosuke , Maejima Makoto , Shibusawa Masahiro , Natori Yume , Nagakubo Yuki , Hosaka Kazuhiro , Sueki Hitomi , Mochizuki Hitoshi , Tsutsui Toshiharu , Kakizaki Yumiko , Miyashita Yoshihiro , Omata Masao 
Published: April 2022

AbstractBackgroundAlthough SARS-CoV-2 booster vaccinations are underway, breakthrough infections with Omicron variants are occurring. This study analyzed associations between Omicron sublineage (BA.1.1 and BA.2) viral load and vaccination history.MethodsViral loads in nasopharyngeal swabs were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR, and the virus strain was evaluated by whole-genome analysis or TaqMan assay.ResultsA total of 611 patients positive for an Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant were included; 199 were unvaccinated, 370 had received two vaccine doses, and 42 had received three doses. Similar viral loads and Ct values of BA.1.1 and BA.2 were detected regardless of vaccination history. No correlations between age and BA.1.1 and BA.2 viral load were observed.ConclusionOmicron-infected patients who had received a third vaccine dose had viral loads similar to patients with two doses or who were unvaccinated.
Identification and implication of tissue-enriched ligands in epithelial-endothelial crosstalk during pancreas development
Authors: Moulis Manon , Runser Steve Vincent Maurice , Glorieux Laura , Dauguet Nicolas , Vanderaa Christophe , Gatto Laurent , Tyteca Donatienne , Henriet Patrick , Spagnoli Francesca M. , Iber Dagmar , Pierreux Christophe E. 
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACTDevelopment of the pancreas is driven by an intrinsic program coordinated with signals from other cell types in the epithelial environment. These intercellular communications have been so far challenging to study because of the low concentration, localized production and diversity of the signals released. Here, we combined scRNAseq data with a computational interactomic approach to identify signals involved in the reciprocal interactions between the various cell types of the developing pancreas. This in silico approach yielded 40,607 potential ligand-target interactions between the different main pancreatic cell types. Among this vast network of interactions, we focused on three ligands potentially involved in communications between epithelial and endothelial cells. Bmp7 and Wnt7b, expressed by pancreatic epithelial cells and predicted to target endothelial cells, and Sema6d, involved in the reverse interaction. In situ hybridization confirmed the localized expression of Bmp7 in the pancreatic epithelial tip cells and of Wnt7b in the trunk cells. On the contrary, Sema6d was enriched in endothelial cells. Functional experiments on ex vivo cultured pancreatic explants indicated that tip cell-produced Bmp7 restrained development of endothelial cells. This work identified ligands with a restricted tissular and cellular distribution and highlighted the role of Bmp7 in the intercellular communications shaping vessel development during pancreas organogenesis.
Serotonin, Etonogestrel and breathing activity in murine Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome
Authors: Casciato Alexis , Bianchi Lola , Joubert Fanny , Delucenay-Clarke Roman , Parrot Sandrine , Ramanantsoa Nélina , Sizun Eléonore , Matrot Boris , Straus Christian , Similowski Thomas , Cayetanot Florence , Bodineau Laurence 
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACTCongenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome, a rare disease caused by PHOX2B mutation, is associated with absent or blunted CO2/H+ chemosensitivity due to the dysfunction of PHOX2B neurons of the retrotrapezoid nucleus. No pharmacological treatment is available. Clinical observations have reported non-systematic CO2/H+ chemosensitivity recovery under desogestrel. Here, we used a preclinical model of Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome, the retrotrapezoid nucleus conditional Phox2b mutant mouse, to investigate whether etonogestrel, the active metabolite of desogestrel, led to a restoration of chemosensitivity by acting on serotonin neurons known to be sensitive to etonogestrel, or retrotrapezoid nucleus PHOX2B residual cells that persist despite the mutation. The effect of etonogestrel, alone or combined with serotonin drugs, on the respiratory rhythm of medullary-spinal cord preparations from Phox2b mutants and wildtype mice was analyzed under metabolic acidosis. c-FOS, serotonin and PHOX2B were immunodetected. Serotonin metabolic pathways were characterized by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography. We observed etonogestrel restored chemosensitivity in Phox2b mutants in a non-systematic way. Histological differences between Phox2b mutants with restored chemosensitivity and others indicated greater activation of serotonin neurons of the raphe obscurus nucleus but no effect on retrotrapezoid nucleus PHOX2B residual cells. Pharmacology of serotonin systems modulated the respiratory effect of etonogestrel differently according to serotonin metabolic pathways. Etonogestrel induced a restoration of chemosensitivity in Phox2b mutants by acting on serotonin neurons. Our work thus highlights that the state of serotonin systems was critically important for the occurrence of an etonogestrel-restoration, an element to consider in potential therapeutic intervention in Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome patients.
Analog of Kynurenic Acid Decreases Tau Pathology by Modulating Astrogliosis in Rat Model for Tauopathy
Authors: Majerova Petra , Olesova Dominika , Golisova Greta , Buralova Martina , Michalicova Alena , Vegh Jozef , Piestansky Juraj , Bhide Mangesh , Hanes Jozef , Kovac Andrej 
Published: April 2022

ABSTRACTBackground and purposeKynurenines have immunomodulatory and neuroactive properties and can influence the central nervous system. Previous studies showed the involvement of the kynurenines in the pathogenesis and progression of neurodegenerative disease. In neurodegenerative disorders, including tauopathies, the tryptophan metabolism is shifted toward neurotoxic agents and the reduction of neuroprotectant products. Astrocyte-derived kynurenic acid serves as a neuroprotectant. However, systemic administration of kynurenic acid is not effective because of low permeability across the blood-brain barrier (BBB).Experimental ApproachWe used a kynurenic acid analog with similar biological activity but higher brain permeability to overcome BBB limitations. In the present study, we used amide derivate of kynurenic acid N-(2-N, N-dimethylaminoethyl)-4-oxo-1H-quinoline-2-carboxamid (KYNA-1). We administered KYNA-1 for three months to tau transgenic rats SHR-24 and analyzed the effect on tau pathology and activation of glial cells. Primary glial cell cultures were applied to identify the mechanism of the KYNA-1 effect.Key resultsKYNA-1 was not toxic to rats after chronic three-month administration. When chronically administered, KYNA-1 reduced hyperphosphorylation of insoluble tau in the brain of transgenic rats. Noteworthily, the plasma total tau was also reduced. We determined that the effect of KYNA-1 on tau pathology was induced through the modulation of glial activation. KYNA-1 inhibited LPS induced activation of astrocytes and induced transformation of microglia to M2 phenotype.Conclusion and ImplicationsWe identified that the administration of KYNA-1 reduced tau hyperphosphorylation and neuroinflammation. KYNA-1 may serve as a promising treatment for tauopathies.What is already known?Studies showed tryptophan-kynurenine pathway changes in neurodegenerative disorders including tauopathiesKynurenines exert immunomodulatory and neuroactive properties and have influence on the central nervous systemWhat does this study add?Chronic administration of synthetic analog of kynurenic acid (KYNA-1) reduces tau phosphorylation and astrogliosis in a transgenic rat model for tauopathiesThe analog reversed LPS-induced inflammatory changes in glial cell culturesWhat is the clinical significance?Administration of KYNA-1 analog shifted the tryptophan metabolism in the neuroprotectant directionNeuroprotective analogs KYNA-1 can serve as a new and effective potential therapeutic approach for tauopathies