bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The impacts of the Syrian conflict on child and adolescent health: a scoping review
Authors: Kampalath Vinay , Tarakji Ahmad , Hamze Mohamed , Loutfi Randa , Cohn Keri , Abbara Aula 
Published: November 2022

Abstract

Background
The Syrian conflict has had a profound impact on Syrian children and adolescents. We sought to determine the extent and range of literature on the conflict’s health effects on this vulnerable population.

Methods
A scoping review describing the impact of the Syrian conflict on children was undertaken while utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses—Extension for Scoping Reviews methodology. Qualitative thematic analyses were undertaken to both identify patterns of morbidity and mortality and gaps in evidence.

Results
A total of 982 articles meeting search criteria were identified between 1 January 2011 and 30 April 2021. After iterative screening, 12 were identified from academic databases and 4 were identified from grey literature and hand searching, yielding a total of 16 studies for final, full-text analysis. Four distinct themes recurred in the literature; these include children suffering from violent injury, a resurgence of communicable diseases, malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency and impacts on their mental health.

Conclusions
The health of children and adolescents in Syria has been significantly impacted by the indiscriminate attacks against civilians, flagrant human rights violations and the disintegration of the national health care system. Neonates were largely absent from the literature. The themes from this scoping review can inform health programming priorities by aid organizations.
Clinical application of trans-sinus gastric stent placement and drainage in the management of persistent external pancreatic fistula after minimal access retroperitoneal pancreatic necrosectomy in severe acute pancreatitis patients
Authors: Chen Yuhui , Su Maosheng , Xin Xianlei , Liu Zhiwei , Cai Shouwang 
Published: November 2022

Background:
Persistent external pancreatic fistula (EPF) in patients with pancreatic duct disruption or disconnection can result from minimal access to retroperitoneal pancreatic necrosectomy (MARPN) in severe acute pancreatitis patients, which is a difficult problem for clinicians and requires a long treatment duration. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of trans-sinus gastric stent placement and drainage using interventional technology in the management of persistent EPF after MARPN in severe acute pancreatitis.

Methods:
From August 2018 to December 2020, the data of 9 patients with persistent EPF treated with trans-sinus gastric stent placement and drainage in our hospital were retrospectively collected. The main outcome measures were technical success rate, recurrence rate, new pancreatic fluid collection, morbidity, and mortality. All patients were followed up after the procedure through clinic visits and imaging modalities.

Results:
The median age of the patients was 46 years (30–61 years). The median persistent EPF duration was 5 months (2–12 months). The median follow-up time was 41 months (range, 20–47 months). The median operation time was 48 minutes (range, 40–54 minutes), and the technical success rate was 100%. Seven days after treatment, the percutaneous drainage tubes of all patients were removed. Six months after the procedure, 2 patients lost the stents, and one of those patients suffered from a pseudocyst, which gradually increased to a maximum diameter of 7 cm over 9 months. Therefore, a double pigtail drainage tube was placed under the guidance of an endoscope. The second of these 2 patients had no recurrence or pseudocyst. Twelve months after the procedure, another 3 patients lost the stents; 18 months after the procedure, another 2 patients lost the stents. These patients had no recurrence as well. No other adverse events or deaths occurred during the study period.

Conclusion:
Trans-sinus tract gastric stent placement and drainage are safe and effective in the treatment of persistent EPF after MARPN in severe acute pancreatitis patients. However, this study had a small sample size and did not include a comparative group.
Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy in Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Predictive Factors and Long-Term Step-Down Efficacy
Authors: Gutiérrez-Junquera Carolina , Fernández-Fernández Sonia , Domínguez-Ortega Gloria , Vila Miravet Víctor , García-Puig Roger , La Orden-Izquierdo Enrique , Peña Quintana Luis , Barrio Torres Josefa , Medina Benítez Enrique , Leis Rosaura , García-Romero Ruth , Fernández de Valderrama Ana , Vecino López Raquel , Donado Palencia Paloma ,   on behalf of the SEGHNP EoE Working Group
Published: November 2022

Objectives:
To assess the short- and long-term efficacy of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy for pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in real-world practice with a step-down strategy, and to evaluate factors predictive of PPI responsiveness.

Methods:
We collected data regarding the efficacy of PPIs during this cross-sectional analysis of the prospective nationwide RENESE registry. Children with EoE treated with PPI monotherapy were included. Histological remission was defined as a peak eosinophilic count of <15 eosinophils (eos)/high-power field (hpf). Factors associated with PPI responsiveness were identified using multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results:
After induction therapy, histological and clinico-histological remission were observed in 51.4% (n = 346) and 46.5% of children, respectively. Normal endoscopic appearance of the esophagus was associated with a higher possibility [odds ratio (OR), 9.20; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.10–40.16], and fibrostenotic phenotype was associated with a lower possibility (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.18–0.74) of histological remission. Long-term therapy with a step-down strategy effectively maintained histological remission in 68.5% and 85.3% of children at 7 months (n = 108) and 16 months (n = 34), respectively. Complete initial histological remission (≤5 eos/hpf) was associated with a higher possibility of sustained histological remission (OR, 5.08; 95% CI, 1.75–14.68). Adverse events were infrequent and mild.

Conclusions:
We confirmed the efficacy of PPIs for a large cohort of children with EoE with sustained histological remission using a step-down strategy. Children with fibrostenotic phenotypes are less likely to respond to induction therapy. Furthermore, patients with complete initial histological remission are more likely to experience long-term histological remission.
Cutaneous Mucormycosis of the Upper Extremity
Authors: Attaluri Pradeep , Soteropulos Carol , Kim Nicholas , Matloub Hani , Gander Brian 
Published: November 2022

Abstract
Mucormycosis is a devastating fungal infection known for its angioinvasive spread and hematogenous dissemination, quickly resulting in multiorgan involvement and potentially fatal complications. Timely diagnosis is essential to facilitate early, aggressive debridement, yet the diagnosis remains difficult to obtain because of the need for culture and microscopy diagnosis. We provide case examples, which highlight diagnostic pearls and the multidisciplinary approach that are critical for improving local outcomes, preventing systemic spread, and reducing mortality.
Urinary Incontinence Awareness and Attitude Scale (URINAS)
Authors: Avci İlknur Aydın , Öz Yıldırım Özge , Eren Dilek Çelik 
Published: November 2022

PURPOSE:This purpose of this study was to develop an instrument, the Urinary Incontinence Awareness and Attitude Scale (URINAS), to measure incontinence awareness and attitude, and to evaluate its reliability and validity.DESIGN:Instrument development and psychometric evaluation.SUBJECTS AND SETTING:The URINAS was validated in a group of individuals cared for at a family health center in Samsun, in northern Turkey. The sample comprised 637 respondents. Nearly three-fourths of participants (74.3%, n = 473) were female; their average age was 30.2 years. More than one-third of participants (35.6%, n = 227) reported urinary incontinence (UI).METHODS:Participants completed a questionnaire designed for the study that queried demographic and pertinent clinical data; they also completed the URINAS and the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6). Explanatory factor analysis was then performed to evaluate validity of the URNAS. Parallel from reliability was evaluated by comparing URINAS and UDI-6 scores to determine parallel form reliability, and the Cronbach α was used to evaluate internal consistency.RESULTS:The URINAS comprises 26 items, divided into 5 subdimensions. The total explanatory variance of the scale is 65.3%, and the factor loadings of the scale items range from 0.38 to 0.85. A significant relationship was found in the correlation analysis between the UDI-6 used for the parallel form and the URINAS. Cronbach α coefficients vary from 0.60 and 0.92.CONCLUSIONS:The URINAS is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used for measuring awareness and attitudes toward UI.
Characteristics, Hospital Length of Stay, and Readmissions Among Individuals Undergoing Abdominal Ostomy Surgery
Authors: Schott Laura L. , Eaves Deanna , Inglese Gary , Sinha Meenal 
Published: November 2022

PURPOSE:
The purpose of this study was to examine patient characteristics, length of stay (LOS), hospital revisits, and complications of patients undergoing abdominal ostomy surgery.

DESIGN:
Retrospective cohort study.

SUBJECTS AND SETTING:
Data were extracted from the PINC AI Healthcare Database (PHD), a large archive that stores data from 25% of all US inpatient hospital discharges. Patients were admitted to 658 hospitals in the United States between December 1, 2017, and November 30, 2018. The sample comprised 27,658 adult patients; 15,512 underwent creation of a colostomy, 10,207 underwent ileostomy construction, and 1930 had a urostomy procedure. Their median age was 64 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 19 years). Emergent admission type was 71.2% for patients who underwent a colostomy procedure, 49.4% for ileostomy, and 9.9% for urostomy. The majority of patients underwent open surgery (77.7%); 22.3% of procedures used an endoscopic approach.

METHODS:
Patients were identified as having undergone abdominal ostomy surgery via ICD-10-PCS (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Procedure Coding System) procedure codes. Demographic, visit, hospital and clinical characteristics, LOS, and hospital revisits (ie, readmissions and emergency department [ED]) were captured for qualifying patients. Data were evaluated using unadjusted descriptive analyses.

RESULTS:
The median LOS of 9 days (IQR = 9 days) varied by ostomy surgery; the cumulative postsurgical LOS was 7 days (IQR = 5 days). The most frequent underlying diagnoses resulting in ostomy surgery were diverticulitis of the large bowel (19.6%) managed by colostomy, colorectal cancer managed by ileostomy (22.5%), or urothelial cancer managed by urostomy (78.1%). Slightly less than a quarter (23.7%) of patients were discharged home without home care, 43.0% went home with home healthcare, and 29.6% were discharged to a non–acute care facility. Hospital readmission within 120 days of discharge was 36.3% for patients with a colostomy, 52.3% for those with an ileostomy, and 34.6% for patients with a urostomy. Ostomy complications were identified as the reason for readmission in 62.4% of patients. Slightly more than 1 in 5 patients (20.7%) had a subsequent ED visit within 120 days, 39.7% of which involved ostomy complication.

CONCLUSIONS:
Characteristics of patients undergoing abdominal stoma surgery varied based on underlying diagnosis and ostomy type. The median hospital LOS was more than 1 week. Patients experienced high rates of healthcare utilization (hospital admission or ED visits) during the 120 days following surgery.
Temporal Associations of Plasma Levels of the Secreted Phospholipase A2Family and Mortality in Severe COVID-19
Authors: Lu Eric , Hara Aki , Sun Shudong , Hallmark Brian , Snider Justin M. , Seeds Michael C. , Watkins Joseph C. , McCall Charles E. , Zhang Hao Helen , Yao Guang , Chilton Floyd H. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractPrevious research suggests that group IIA secreted phospholipase A2(sPLA2-IIA) plays a role in and predicts severe COVID-19 disease. The current study reanalyzed a longitudinal proteomic data set to determine the temporal (days 0, 3 and 7) relationship between the levels of several members of a family of sPLA2isoforms and the severity of COVID-19 in 214 ICU patients. The levels of six secreted PLA2isoforms, sPLA2-IIA, sPLA2-V, sPLA2-X, sPLA2-IB, sPLA2-IIC, and sPLA2-XVI, increased over the first 7 ICU days in those who succumbed to the disease. sPLA2-IIA outperformed top ranked cytokines and chemokines as predictors of patient outcome. A decision tree corroborated these results with day 0 to day 3 kinetic changes of sPLA2-IIA that separated the death and severe categories from the mild category and increases from day 3 to day 7 significantly enriched the lethal category. In contrast, there was a time-dependent decrease in sPLA2-IID and sPLA2-XIIB in patients with severe or lethal disease, and these two isoforms were at higher levels in mild patients. Taken together, proteomic analysis revealed temporal sPLA2patterns that reflect the critical roles of sPLA2isoforms in severe COVID-19 disease.
Characterizing the blood stage antimalarial activity of tafenoquine in healthy volunteers experimentally infected withPlasmodium falciparum
Authors: Barber Bridget E. , Abd-Rahman Azrin N. , Webster Rebecca , Potter Adam J. , Llewellyn Stacey , Marquart Louise , Sahai Nischal , Leelasena Indika , Birrell Geoffrey W. , Edstein Michael D. , Shanks G. Dennis , Wesche David , Moehrle Joerg J. , McCarthy James S. 
Published: November 2022

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe long acting 8-aminoquinoline tafenoquine may be a good candidate for mass drug administration if it exhibits sufficient blood stage antimalarial activity at doses low enough to be tolerated by glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficient individuals.MethodsHealthy G6PD-normal adults were inoculated withPlasmodium falciparum3D7-infected erythrocytes on day 0. Different single oral doses of tafenoquine were administered on day 8. Parasitemia, and concentrations of tafenoquine and the 5,6-orthoquinone metabolite in plasma/whole blood/urine were measured and standard safety assessments performed. Curative artemether-lumefantrine therapy was administered if parasite regrowth occurred, or on day 48±2. Outcomes were parasite clearance kinetics, pharmacokinetic and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) parameters from modelling, and dose simulations in a theoretical endemic population.ResultsTwelve participants were inoculated and administered 200 mg (n=3), 300 mg (n=4), 400 mg (n=2), or 600 mg (n=3) tafenoquine. The parasite clearance half-life with 400 mg or 600 mg (5.4 h and 4.2 h respectively) was faster than with 200 mg or 300 mg (11.8 h and 9.6 h respectively). Parasite regrowth occurred after dosing with 200 mg (3/3 participants) and 300 mg (3/4 participants), but not after 400 mg or 600 mg. Simulations using the PK/PD model predicted that 460 mg and 540 mg would clear parasitaemia by a factor of 106and 109, respectively, in a 60 kg adult.ConclusionsAlthough a single dose or tafenoquine exhibits potentP. falciparumblood stage antimalarial activity, the estimated doses to effectively clear asexual parasitemia will require prior screening to exclude G6PD deficiency.Main pointA single oral dose of tafenoquine is effective against blood stagePlasmodium falciparuminfection. However, as the estimated dose to clear asexual parasitaemia is ≥460 mg (in adults), prior screening for glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency will be required.
EEG-LLAMAS: an open source, low latency, EEG-fMRI neurofeedback platform
Authors: Levitt Joshua , Yang Zinong , Williams Stephanie D. , Lütschg Espinosa Stefan E. , Garcia-Casal Allan , Lewis Laura D. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractSimultaneous EEG-fMRI is a powerful multimodal technique for imaging the brain, but its use in neurofeedback experiments has been limited by EEG noise caused by the MRI environment. Neurofeedback studies typically require analysis of EEG in real time, but EEG acquired inside the scanner is heavily contaminated with ballistocardiogram (BCG) artifact, a high-amplitude artifact locked to the cardiac cycle. Although techniques for removing BCG artifacts do exist, they are either not suited to real-time, low-latency applications, such as neurofeedback, or have limited efficacy. We propose and validate a new open-source BCG removal software called EEG-LLAMAS (Low Latency Artifact Mitigation Acquisition Software), which adapts and advances existing artifact removal techniques for low-latency experiments. We first used simulations to validate LLAMAS in data with known ground truth. We found that LLAMAS performed better than the best publicly-available real-time BCG removal technique, optimal basis sets (OBS), in terms of its ability to recover EEG waveforms, power spectra, and slow wave phase. To determine whether LLAMAS would be effective in practice, we then used it to conduct real-time EEG-fMRI recordings in healthy adults, using a steady state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) task. We found that LLAMAS was able to recover the SSVEP in real time, and recovered the power spectra collected outside the scanner better than OBS. We also measured the latency of LLAMAS during live recordings, and found that it introduced a lag of less than 50ms on average. The low latency of LLAMAS, coupled with its improved artifact reduction, can thus be effectively used for EEG-fMRI neurofeedback. This platform enables closed-loop experiments which previously would have been prohibitively difficult, such as those that target short-duration EEG events, and is shared openly with the neuroscience community.
Uncharacterized protein c17orf80: a novel interactor of human mitochondrial nucleoids
Authors: Potter Alisa , Hangas Anu , Goffart Steffi , Huynen Martijn A. , Cabrera-Orefice Alfredo , Spelbrink Johannes N. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractMolecular functions of many human proteins remain unstudied, despite the demonstrated association with diseases or pivotal molecular structures, such as mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). This small genome is crucial for proper functioning of mitochondria, the energy-converting organelles. In mammals, mtDNA is arranged into macromolecular complexes called nucleoids that serve as functional stations for its maintenance and expression. Here, we aimed to explore an uncharacterized protein c17orf80, which was previously detected close to the nucleoid components by proximity-labelling mass spectrometry. To investigate the subcellular localization and function of c17orf80, we took an advantage of immunofluorescence microscopy, interaction proteomics and several biochemical assays. We demonstrate that c17orf80 is a mitochondrial membrane-associated protein that interacts with nucleoids even when mtDNA replication is inhibited. In addition, we show that c17orf80 is not essential for mtDNA maintenance and mitochondrial gene expression in cultured human cells. These results provide a basis for uncovering the molecular function of c17orf80 and the nature of its association with nucleoids, possibly leading to new insights about mtDNA and its expression.
Deep RNA-seq of male and female murine sensory neuron subtypes after nerve injury
Authors: Barry Allison M , Zhao Na , Yang Xun , Bennett David L , Baskozos Georgios 
Published: November 2022

AbstractDorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons have been well described for their role in driving both acute and pain. Although nerve injury is known to cause transcriptional dysregulation, how this differs across neuronal subtypes and the impact of sex is unclear. Here, we study the deep transcriptional profiles of multiple murine DRG populations in early and late pain states while considering sex. We have exploited currently available transgenics to label numerous subpopulations for fluorescent activated cell sorting (FACS) and subsequent transcriptomic analysis. Using bulk tissue samples, we are able to circumvent the issues of low transcript coverage and drop-outs seen with single cell datasets. This increases our power to detect novel and even subtle changes in gene expression within neuronal subtypes and discuss sexual dimorphism at the neuronal subtype level. We have curated this resource into an accessible database for other researchers (https://livedataoxford.shinyapps.io/drg-directory/). We see both stereotyped and unique subtype signatures in injured states after nerve injury at both an early and late timepoint. While all populations contribute to a general injury signature, subtype enrichment changes can also be seen. Within populations, there is not a strong intersection of sex and injury, but previously unknown sex differences in naïve states-particularly in Aβ-RA + Aδ-LTMRs - still contribute to differences in injured neurons.
EEG and pupillometric signatures of working memory overload
Authors: Kosachenko Alexandra I. , Kasanov Dauren , Kotyusov Alexander I. , Pavlov Yuri G. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractUnderstanding the physiological correlates of cognitive overload has implications for gauging the limits of human cognition, for developing novel methods to define cognitive overload, and for mitigating the negative outcomes associated with overload. Most previous psychophysiological studies manipulated verbal working memory load in a narrow range (an average load of 5 items). It is unclear, however, how the nervous system responds to working memory load exceeding typical capacity limits. The objective of the current study was to characterize the central and autonomic nervous system changes associated with memory overload, by means of combined recording of EEG and pupillometry. Eighty-six participants were presented with a digit span task involving the serial auditory presentation of items. Each trial consisted of sequences of either 5, 9, or 13 digits, each separated by 2 seconds. Both theta activity and pupil size, after the initial rise, expressed a pattern of a short plateau and a decrease with reaching the state of memory overload, indicating that pupil size and theta possibly have similar neural mechanisms. Based on the described above triphasic pattern of pupil size temporal dynamics, we concluded that cognitive overload causes physiological systems to reset, and to release effort. Although memory capacity limits were exceeded and effort was released (as indicated by pupil dilation), alpha continued to decrease with increasing memory load. These results suggest that associating alpha with the focus of attention and distractor suppression is not warranted.