bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Morbidity, Mortality, and Pathologic Outcomes of Transanal Versus Laparoscopic Total Mesorectal Excision for Rectal Cancer Short-term Outcomes From a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Liu Huashan , Zeng Ziwei , Zhang Hong , Wu Miao , Ma Dan , Wang Quan , Xie Ming , Xu Qing , Ouyang Jun , Xiao Yi , Song Yongchun , Feng Bo , Xu Qingwen , Wang Yanan , Zhang Yi , Hao Yuantao , Luo Shuangling , Zhang Xingwei , Yang Zuli , Peng Junsheng , Wu Xiaojian , Ren Donglin , Huang Meijin , Lan Ping , Tong Weidong , Ren Mingyang , Wang Jianping , Kang Liang ,   on behalf of the Chinese Transanal Endoscopic Surgery Collaborative (CTESC) Group
Published: July 2022

Objective:
To determine the morbidity, mortality, and pathologic outcomes of transanal total mesorectal resection (taTME) versus laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (laTME) among patients with rectal cancer with clinical stage I to III rectal cancer below the peritoneal reflection.

Background:
Studies with sufficient numbers of patients allowing clinical acceptance of taTME for rectal cancer are lacking. Thus, we launched a randomized clinical trial to compare the safety and efficacy of taTME versus laTME.

Methods:
A randomized, open-label, phase 3, noninferiority trial was performed at 16 different hospitals in 10 Chinese provinces. The primary endpoints were 3-year disease-free survival and 5-year overall survival. The morbidity and mortality within 30 days after surgery, and pathologic outcomes were compared based on a modified intention­to­treat principle; this analysis was preplanned.

Results:
Between April 13, 2016, and June 1, 2021, 1115 patients were randomized 1:1 to receive taTME or laTME. After exclusion of 26 cases, modified intention­to­treat set of taTME versus laTME groups included 544 versus 545 patients. There were no significant differences between taTME and laTME groups in intraoperative complications [26 (4.8%) vs 33 (6.1%); difference, −1.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI), −4.2% to 1.7%; P=0.42], postoperative morbidity [73 (13.4%) vs 66 (12.1%); difference, 1.2%; 95% CI, −2.8% to 5.2%; P=0.53), or mortality [1 (0.2%) vs 1 (0.2%)]. Successful resection occurred in 538 (98.9%) versus 538 (98.7%) patients in taTME versus laTME groups (difference, 0.2%; 95% CI, −1.9% to 2.2%; P>0.99).

Conclusions:
Experienced surgeons can safely perform taTME in selected patients with rectal cancer.
Sharp Edge Eye Syndrome: A Case Report and Survey of Self-Identified Individuals
Authors: Reynolds Merrick S. , Katz Bradley J. , Digre Kathleen B. , Brintz Ben J. , Olson Lenora M. , Warner Judith E. A. 
Published: July 2022

Background:
Sharp edge eye syndrome (SEES), sometimes known as visual looming syndrome, is a condition in which the patient experiences ocular pain or discomfort when viewing or mentally picturing sharp objects and edges. Patients may present for medical care because they perceive the condition to represent an ophthalmic problem or a sign of a more serious underlying condition. An individual case report of SEES is included to aid in illustrating syndrome characteristics. Our aim is to describe the syndrome, vision-related quality of life (VRQOL), and psychosocial characteristics in patients with self-identified SEES.

Methods:
A cross-sectional web-based survey was made available on social media webpages dedicated to SEES. The study included 22 questions developed by the research team, demographic questions, and 4 standardized questionnaires [ID Migraine, the National Eye Institute's Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25), General Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2), and Patient Health Questionnaire (depression) Scale-2].

Results:
Seventy-seven respondents had an average age of 29 and were 57% male. 92% reported symptoms before age 18. The main site of pain or discomfort was the eyes, with onset resulting from viewing or thinking of sharp objects and edges. Symptoms lasted from seconds to hours and could be prolonged even after closing eyes or avoiding viewing the trigger. The composite and subscale scores on the NEI-VFQ-25 were low, with a mean composite score of 78 and selected subscores of general health (61), general vision (73), ocular pain (68), driving (79), mental health (61), and role difficulties (72). Anxiety was reported in 58% of participants, and depression in 57%. Migraine or headache was reported in 46% of participants. Participants reported Alice in Wonderland syndrome, visual snow, obsessive–compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, stripe-induced visual discomfort, and synesthesia.

Conclusion:
From this survey, we have the beginnings of an understanding of the characteristics of SEES, as well as VRQOL impacts. These survey responses lead us to postulate that SEES may be a distinct visual phenomenon and to propose SEES criteria. Systematic studies of this condition's clinical features and treatment responses will be additional steps toward improving patient care.
Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus: Clinical Findings, EEG Features, and Prognosis in a Developing Country, Mexico
Authors: San-Juan Daniel , Ángeles Erick B. , González-Aragón María del Carmen F. , Torres Jacob Eli G. , Lorenzana Ángel L. , Trenado Carlos , Anschel David J. 
Published: July 2022

Purpose:
There is a lack of clinical and epidemiological knowledge about nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) in developing countries including Mexico, which has the highest prevalence of epilepsy in the Americas. Our aim was to describe the clinical findings, EEG features, and outcomes of NCSE in a tertiary center in Mexico.

Methods:
We conducted a retrospective case series study (2010–2020) including patients (≥15 years old) with NCSE according to the modified Salzburg NCSE criteria 2015 with at least 6 months of follow-up. We extracted the clinical data (age, sex, history of epilepsy, antiseizure medications, clinical manifestations, triggers, and etiology), EEG patterns of NCSE, and outcome. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression were used.

Results:
One hundred thirty-four patients were analyzed; 74 (54.8%) women, the total mean age was 39.5 (15–85) years, and 71% had a history of epilepsy. Altered state of consciousness was found in 82% (including 27.7% in coma). A generalized NCSE pattern was the most common (32.1%). The NCSE etiology was mainly idiopathic (56%), and previous uncontrolled epilepsy was the trigger in 48% of patients. The clinical outcome was remission with clinical improvement in 54.5%. Multinomial logistic regression showed that the patient's age (P = 0.04), absence of comorbidities (P = 0.04), history of perinatal hypoxia (P = 0.04), absence of clinical manifestations (P = 0.01), and coma (P = 0.03) were negatively correlated with the outcome and only the absence of generalized slowing in the EEG (P = 0.001) had a significant positive effect on the prognosis.

Conclusions:
Age, history of perinatal hypoxia, coma, and focal ictal EEG pattern influence negatively the prognosis of NCSE.
Estimate of Patients With Missed Seizures Because of Delay in Conventional EEG
Authors: Fatima Safoora , Krishnamurthy Parimala Velpula , Sun Mengzhen , Kalkach Aparicio Mariel , Gjini Klevest , Struck Aaron F. 
Published: July 2022

Purpose:
There is frequent delay between ordering and placement of conventional EEG. Here we estimate how many patients had seizures during this delay.

Methods:
Two hundred fifty consecutive adult patients who underwent conventional EEG monitoring at the University of Wisconsin Hospital were retrospectively chart reviewed for demographics, time of EEG order, clinical and other EEG-related information. Patients were stratified by use of anti-seizure medications before EEG and into low-risk, medium-risk, and high-risk groups based on 2HELPS2B score (0, 1, or >1). Monte Carlo simulations (500 trials) were performed to estimate seizures during delay.

Results:
The median delay from EEG order to performing EEG was 2.00 hours (range of 0.5–8.00 hours) in the total cohort. For EEGs ordered after-hours, it was 2.00 hours (range 0.5–8.00 hours), and during business hours, it was 2.00 hours (range 0.5–6.00 hours). The place of EEG, intensive care unit, emergency department, and general floor, did not show significant difference (P = 0.84). Anti-seizure medication did not affect time to first seizure in the low-risk (P = 0.37), medium-risk (P = 0.44), or high-risk (P = 0.12) groups. The estimated % of patients who had a seizure in the delay period for low-risk group (2HELPS2B = 0) was 0.8%, for the medium-risk group (2HELPS2B = 1) was 10.3%, and for the high-risk group (2HELPS2B > 1) was 17.6%, and overall risk was 7.2%.

Conclusions:
The University of Wisconsin Hospital with 24-hour in-house EEG technologists has a median delay of 2 hours from order to start of EEG, shorter than published reports from other centers. Nonetheless, seizures were likely missed in about 7.2% of patients.
Safety and Efficacy of Continuous Theta Burst “Intensive” Stimulation in Acute-Phase Bipolar Depression
Authors: Mallik Gunjan , Mishra Preeti , Garg Shobit , Dhyani Mohan , Tikka Sai Krishna , Tyagi Priya 
Published: July 2022

Objectives
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation efficacy in unipolar depression is known, but its efficacy in acute-phase bipolar depression is at best modest. Citing differential right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex hyperconnectivity implicated in BD, we aimed to study the effect of novel continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) targeting right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in a randomized rater blinded placebo control design.

Material and Methods
Nineteen patients aged 18 to 59 years (baseline Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HAM-D] 17 severity score >18) were randomly allocated to active cTBS (n = 11) and sham cTBS (n = 9) groups using block randomization method. They received 15 cTBS sessions (burst of 3 pulses delivered at 50 Hz, repeated every 200 ms at 5 Hz, 600 pulses per session), 3 sessions per day (total of 1800 pulses) for 5 days in a week at 80% resting motor threshold. The HAM-D, Beck Depression Inventory, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, World Health Organization's abbreviated quality of life assessment, and Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire were assessed at baseline, after the last session, and at 2 weeks after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. Intention-to-treat analysis was conducted and missing values (2 patients) were replaced using the last observation carried forward method.

Results
On repeated measures analysis of variance, a significant within-group time effect (from pretreatment to 2 weeks after TBS) for HAM-D (F = 15.091, P < 0.001), Beck Depression Inventory (F = 22.376, P < 0.001), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (F = 18.290, P < 0.001), Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (F = 9.281, P = 0.001), and World Health Organization's abbreviated quality of life assessment (F = 24.008, P < 0.001). The integrity of the blind assessed by the guess matrix was good. When significant between group*time effect was compared, none of the variables retained statistical significance. No major adverse effects were reported, and none of the patients discontinued the trial because of adverse effects.

Conclusions
Our trial concludes that although safe and well tolerated, the therapeutic efficacy of intensive intermittent TBS in acute-phase bipolar depression is inconclusive. Choice of lower total number to sessions and smaller intersession interval along with small sample size limit the study findings.
Combinatorial approaches for treating neuropsychiatric social impairment
Authors: Wei Don , Tsheringla Sherab , McPartland James C. , Allsop A. Z. A. Stephen Azariah 
Published: July 2022

Social behaviour is an essential component of human life and deficits in social function are seen across multiple psychiatric conditions with high morbidity. However, there are currently no FDA-approved treatments for social dysfunction. Since social cognition and behaviour rely on multiple signalling processes acting in concert across various neural networks, treatments aimed at social function may inherently require a combinatorial approach. Here, we describe the social neurobiology of the oxytocin and endocannabinoid signalling systems as well as translational evidence for their use in treating symptoms in the social domain. We leverage this systems neurobiology to propose a network-based framework that involves pharmacology, psychotherapy, non-invasive brain stimulation and social skills training to combinatorially target trans-diagnostic social impairment. Lastly, we discuss the combined use of oxytocin and endocannabinoids within our proposed framework as an illustrative strategy to treat specific aspects of social function. Using this framework provides a roadmap for actionable treatment strategies for neuropsychiatric social impairment.
This article is part of the theme issue ‘Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours’.
Oxytocin and oxygen: the evolution of a solution to the ‘stress of life’
Authors: Carter C. Sue , Kingsbury Marcy A. 
Published: July 2022

Oxytocin (OT) and the OT receptor occupy essential roles in our current understanding of mammalian evolution, survival, sociality and reproduction. This narrative review examines the hypothesis that many functions attributed to OT can be traced back to conditions on early Earth, including challenges associated with managing life in the presence of oxygen and other basic elements, including sulfur. OT regulates oxidative stress and inflammation especially through effects on the mitochondria. A related nonapeptide, vasopressin, as well as molecules in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, including the corticotropin-releasing hormone family of molecules, have a broad set of functions that interact with OT. Interactions among these molecules have roles in the causes and consequence of social behaviour and the management of threat, fear and stress. Here, we discuss emerging evidence suggesting that unique properties of the OT system allowed vertebrates, and especially mammals, to manage over-reactivity to the ‘side effects’ of oxygen, including inflammation, oxidation and free radicals, while also supporting high levels of sociality and a perception of safety.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours’.
Oxytocin administration versus emotion training in healthy males: considerations for future research
Authors: Daughters Katie , Rees D. Aled , Hunnikin Laura , Wells Amy , Hall Jeremy , van Goozen Stephanie 
Published: July 2022

Identifying emotions correctly is essential for successful social interaction. There is therefore a keen interest in designing therapeutic interventions to improve emotion recognition in individuals who struggle with social interaction. The neuropeptide oxytocin has been proposed as a potential physiological intervention due to its important role in emotion recognition and other aspects of social cognition. However, there are a number of caveats to consider with the current form of intranasal oxytocin commonly used in the literature. Psychological interventions, on the other hand, do not carry the same caveats, and there is, therefore, a need to understand how intranasal oxytocin administration compares to psychological interventions designed to target the same psychological phenomena; and whether a combined intervention approach may provide additive benefits. Here we present a pilot, proof-of-concept study in healthy volunteers comparing the effect of intranasal oxytocin against a validated emotion training programme, finding that the psychological intervention, and not intranasal oxytocin, improved emotion recognition specifically for angry expressions. We discuss the theoretical implications of the research for future clinical trials.
This article is part of the theme issue ‘Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours’.
Oxytocin and microglia in the development of social behaviour
Authors: Gonzalez Alicia , Hammock Elizabeth A. D. 
Published: July 2022

Oxytocin is a well-established regulator of social behaviour. Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, regulate brain development and maintenance in health and disease. Oxytocin and microglia interact: microglia appear to regulate the oxytocin system and are, in turn, regulated by oxytocin, which appears to have anti-inflammatory effects. Both microglia and oxytocin are regulated in sex-specific ways. Oxytocin and microglia may work together to promote experience-dependent circuit refinement through multiple developmental-sensitive periods contributing to individual differences in social behaviour.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours’.
Interactions between theκopioid system, corticotropin-releasing hormone and oxytocin in partner loss
Authors: Bales Karen L. , Rogers Forrest D. 
Published: July 2022

Selective adult social attachments, or ‘pair bonds’, represent central relationships for individuals in a number of social species, including humans. Loss of a pair mate has emotional consequences that may or may not diminish over time, and that often translate into impaired psychological and physical health. In this paper, we review the literature on the neuroendocrine mechanisms for the emotional consequences of partner loss, with a special focus on hypothesized interactions between oxytocin, corticotropin-releasing hormone and theκopioid system.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours’.
PI3K/AKT signaling allows for MAPK/ERK pathway independency mediating dedifferentiation-driven treatment resistance in melanoma
Authors: Corrales Eyleen , Levit-Zerdoun Ella , Metzger Patrick , Mertes Ralf , Lehmann Ariane , Münch Julia , Lemke Steffen , Kowar Silke , Boerries Melanie 
Published: July 2022

AbstractCurrent therapeutic management of advanced melanoma patients largely depends on their BRAF mutation status. However, the vast heterogeneity of the tumors hampers the success of therapies targeting the MAPK/ERK pathway alone. Dissecting this heterogeneity will contribute to identifying key players in the oncogenic progression to tailor more effective therapies. We performed a comprehensive molecular and phenotypic characterization of a panel of patient-derived BRAFV600E-positive melanoma cell lines. Transcriptional profiling was used to identify groups of coregulated genes whose expression relates to an increased migratory potential and a higher resistance. A decrease in sensitivity to MAPK/ERK pathway inhibition with vemurafenib or trametinib corresponded with an increasing quiescence and migratory properties of the cells. This was accompanied by the loss of transcriptional signatures of melanocytic differentiation, and the gain of stem cell features that conferred highly-resistant/mesenchymal-like cells with increased xenobiotic efflux capacity. Nevertheless, targeting of the implicated ABC transporters did not improve the response to vemurafenib, indicating that incomplete BRAF inhibition due to reduced drug uptake is not a main driver of resistance. Rather, indifference to MAPK/ERK pathway inhibition arose from the activation of compensatory signaling cascades. The PI3K/AKT pathway in particular showed a higher activity in mesenchymal-like cells, conferring a lower dependency on MAPK/ERK signaling and supporting stem-like properties that could be reverted by dual PI3K/mTOR inhibition with dactolisib. In case of MAPK/ERK independency, therapeutic focus may be shifted to the PI3K/AKT pathway to overcome late-stage resistance in melanoma tumors that have acquired a mesenchymal phenotype.
Assessing inhibitory control deficits in adult ADHD: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the stop-signal task
Authors: Senkowski Daniel , Ziegler Theresa , Singh Mervyn , Heinz Andreas , He Jason , Silk Tim , Lorenz Robert C. 
Published: July 2022

AbstractBackgroundIn recent years, there has been an increasing quest in improving our understanding of neurocognitive deficits underlying adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Current statistical manuals of psychiatric disorders emphasize inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms, but empirical studies have also shown consistent alterations in inhibitory control. Thus far, there is no established neuropsychological test to assess inhibitory control deficits in adult ADHD. A common paradigm for assessing response inhibition is the stop-signal task (SST).MethodsFollowing PRISMA-selection criteria, our systematic review and meta-analysis integrated the findings of 26 publications with 27 studies examining the SST in adult ADHD.ResultsThe meta-analysis, which included 883 patients with adult ADHD and 916 control participants, revealed reliable inhibitory control deficits, as expressed in prolonged SST response times, with a moderate effect size g = 0.51. The deficits were not moderated by study quality, sample characteristics or clinical parameters, suggesting that they may be a phenotype in this disorder. The analyses of secondary outcome measures revealed greater SST omission errors and reduced go accuracy in patients, indicative of altered sustained attention. However, only few (N<10) studies were available for these measures.DiscussionOur meta-analysis suggests that the SST could, in conjunction with other tests and questionnaires, become a valuable tool for the assessment of inhibitory control deficits in adult ADHD.
Modeling infections and deaths averted due to COVID-19 vaccination strategies in Ghana
Authors: Ofori Sylvia K. , Schwind Jessica S. , Sullivan Kelly L. , Chowell Gerardo , Cowling Benjamin J. , Fung Isaac Chun-Hai 
Published: July 2022

AbstractThis study assessed the impact of various COVID-19 vaccination strategies on health outcomes in Ghana using an age-stratified compartmental model. The population was stratified into three age groups: <25 years, 25-64 years, and 65+ years. Five vaccination optimization scenarios were explored, assuming that one million persons could be vaccinated in three versus six months. We also performed uncertainty analysis by assuming that the available doses were halved and doubled. The vaccine optimization strategies were assessed for the initial strain, followed by a sensitivity analysis for the delta variant by varying the reproduction number and vaccine efficacy. The results showed that vaccinating individuals <65 years was associated with the lowest cumulative infections when one million persons were vaccinated over three months for both the initial strain and the delta variant. On the contrary, prioritizing the elderly (65+) was associated with the lowest cumulative deaths for both strains.One-sentence summaryAn age-stratified model of COVID-19 vaccination in Ghana found vaccinating individuals <65 years was associated with the lowest cumulative infections when one million persons were vaccinated over three months while prioritizing the elderly (65+) was associated with the lowest cumulative deaths.