bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Oncologist Approaches to Communicating Uncertain Disease Status in Pediatric Cancer: A qualitative study
Authors: Porter Amy S. , Woods Cameka , Stall Melanie , Velrajan Srilakshmi , Baker Justin N. , Mack Jennifer W. , Kaye Erica C. 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Background: Most patients with cancer and their caregivers desire honest, clear prognostic communication, yet oncologists often disclose prognosis inconsistently. Prognostic communication becomes even more challenging when disease progression is unclear or equivocal. Presently, oncologist approaches for discussing uncertain disease findings are poorly understood. Methods: In this prospective, longitudinal study, we audio-recorded serial disease reevaluation conversations between children with high-risk cancer, their families, and their primary oncologists over 24 months and conducted content analysis at recorded timepoints when oncologists categorized disease progression as equivocal.Results: A total of 40 recorded discussions took place at equivocal timepoints, comprising >500 minutes of medical dialogue. Prognosis talk encompassed <3% of dialogue and was absent in nearly half of equivocal discussions (17/40, 42.5%). Curability statements were identified in only two conversations. Inductive content analysis of dialogue revealed four distinct patterns for communicating equivocal disease status: (1) up-front reassurance, (2) softening the message, (3) describing possible disease progression without interpretation, (4) expressing uncertainty without context.Conclusions: Oncologists rarely discuss prognosis with children with high-risk cancer and their families at timepoints when disease progression is not definitive. Formal guidance is needed to better support oncologists in navigating uncertainty while sharing honest, person- and family-centered information about prognosis.
Production and evaluation of a novel multi-epitope bivalent vaccine against Echinococcus multilocaularis metacestode
Authors: Li Runle , Xin Mingyuan , Liu Kunmei , Hu Bingwen , Ma Jingwei , Zhou Pei , Feng Lin , Pang Mingquan , Ge Ri-li , Fan Haining , Guo Le , Tang Feng 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Alveolar Echinococcosis is a globally widespread zoonotic disease caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus multilocularis (E.m.) and is seriously harmful to human health. In our previous studies, we found that Em-EMY162 has good protective and therapeutic effects against E.m. and the dominant epitopes of Em-EMY162 and Em-TSP3 were also identified. In this study, a mucosal immunity multi-epitope vaccine LTB-ETBM targeting both Em-EMY162 and Em-TSP3 was designed and constructed. Furtherly the immunogenicity and immunoprotection were evaluated in E.m. infected mice model. LTB-ETBM could induce the mice generating high levels of specific IgG against Em-EMY162 and Em-TSP3. Furtherly a Th1/Th2 mixed lymphocyte responses to LTB-ETBM was identified. Moreover, the LTB-ETBM significantly inhibited the formation of cysts in mice challenged with 1000 E.m. protoscoleces. In a therapeutic mouse model injected intraperitoneally with 1000 protoscoleces, vaccination with LTB-ETBM using either Freund's or CpG as an adjuvant significantly decreased the growth of protoscoleces and the formation of cysts. LTB-ETBM may be efficacious for activating the immune system and for use as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent against E.m. infection.
Flood Risk: Evolution and Analysis in a Mediterranean area
Authors: Flores M. Julia , Ropero Rosa F. , Rumí Rafael 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Natural disasters, especially those related with water-like storms and floods-have been increased over the last decades both in number and intensity. According to Insurance Federation data, storms and floods comprise more than 75% of economic losses with respect to the total of natural disasters. Firstly, this paper aims to analyze how the flood risk analysis has been studied and evaluated through a literature review. It shows an evolution from a technical vision (dams, dikes an retention systems constructions) to a more complex risk management framework. Despite their importance, risk studies in water area hardly achieves the 3% of the total published papers. Under the current Climate Change framework, several reports predict an increase of these extreme events at a global scale. However, regional studies often find trends that do not match with the global behavior. So, a second goal of the paper is to study flood events evolution on both Spain and Andalusian Mediterranean region using National and regional dataset. The analysis shows a positive tendency in the number of annual events.
Comparative study on treatment satisfaction of low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy versus on-demand sildenafil for erectile dysfunction in young men and their partners
Authors: wang Dong , Wang Shijun , Li Yingjie , Liu Chunhui , Li Yongqiang , Zhang Yinsheng , Yan Su 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Background: Recently, it is reported that erectile dysfunction (ED) is very prevalent among young males that has a great impact on patients' and their partners' sexual satisfaction. PDE5is and other more invasive options merely provide symptom relief rather than a permanent improvement of the condition, while the lasting improvement of low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (Li-ESWT) on ED has been confirmed. We aimed to compare treatment satisfaction rates in young men and their partners who received treatment for with sildenafil and Li-ESWT.Methods: Patients complaining of ED during a consultation at our andrology and urology outpatient clinic between April 2019 and April 2020 were considered candidates for study. Participants choose to enter one of 2 active treatment groups according to their treatment intention after a 4-week washout period of past ED treatment, either 9-week Li-ESWT or 100mg on-demand sildenafil. The erectile function was evaluated by the erectile function domain of the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaires (IIEF-EF), while the treatment satisfaction in patients and their partners was evaluated by the Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction questionnaires (EDITS) of patient version and partner version respectively.Results: 72 participants completed the study (42 in the Li-ESWT group and 30 in the sildenafil group). Patients in both groups are young men. 4-week after the last session, the score of IIEF-EF for Li-ESWT and sildenafil was 16.3± 5.5 and 18.3± 6.5 (P>0.05) respectively. The total EDITS index of patient version and partner version are similar in the two groups. Among EDITS questions measuring overall satisfaction and efficacy lasting time, the score was higher in the Li-ESWT group.Conclusions: We found that Li-ESWT may have better satisfaction than on-demand sildenafil for young ED patients. However, Further studies are needed to determine the factors influencing satisfaction.Trial registration: This is a non-randomized clinical trial, registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR, http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=36572&htm=4), number ChiCTR1900021685, date 05/03/2019.
WITHDRAWN: Double layer polarization insensitive rGO absorber for side lobe suppression of two-dimensional antenna array
Authors: Rani Surekha , Marwaha Anupma , Marwaha Sanjay 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Reduced graphene oxides based double layer polarization insensitive electromagnetic absorber has been integrated with two-dimensional antenna array to reduce the interference from side lobes and to decrease the bit error rate of array signal which ultimately leads to enhanced antenna array performance. 2×8 elements antenna array has been designed on aluminium oxide substrate having dielectric constant εr = 9.8 used for advanced radio function conceptual based multi-function X-band radar applications. Reduced graphene oxides based microwave absorber consists of matched layer and lossy layer having 16 GHz effective wide bandwidth from 2 GHz to 18 GHz at normal incident angle for transverse electric mode. The frequency compatible absorber when integrated with antenna array on same substrate leads to reduction in number of side lobes as well as side lobe levels of array and from results, it has been authenticated that antenna array gain and directivity has been greatly improved.
Predictive performance of PD-L1 tumor proportion score for nivolumab response evaluated using archived specimens in patients with non-small cell lung cancer experiencing a postoperative recurrence
Authors: Shima Yusuke , Sato Yuki , Morimoto Takeshi , Hara Shigeo , Hirabayashi Ryosuke , Nagata Kazuma , Nakagawa Atsushi , Tachikawa Ryo , Hamakawa Hiroshi , Takahashi Yutaka , Tomii Keisuke 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Objectives
Postoperative recurrence in patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is a major issue for life expectancy. Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression on tumor cells is important in the prognosis of NSCLC. However, the predictive ability of PD-L1 evaluated with archived surgical specimens for nivolumab treatment have remained unknown. This study was aimed to analyze the predictive ability of the PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) for nivolumab response in patients with NSCLC experiencing a postoperative recurrence using archived surgical specimens.
Materials and methods
This retrospective cohort study involved patients with advanced NSCLC (N = 78) treated with nivolumab between April 2016 and September 2018. They were categorized into postoperative recurrence (N = 24) and non-postoperative recurrence (N = 54) groups. The predictive ability of PD-L1 TPS for response to nivolumab treatment in these two groups was determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Additionally, we evaluated the predictive ability of PD-L1 TPS using rebiopsy specimens collected from the recurrent lesions in six patients of the postoperative recurrence group.
Results
PD-L1 TPS exhibited lower predictive performance in the postoperative recurrent group (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.58) compared with that in the non-post operative recurrent group (AUC = 0.81). Furthermore, PD-L1 TPS was significantly increased in rebiopsy specimens. The predictive performance of PD-L1 TPS in these specimens was higher (AUC = 0.90) than that in the archived surgical specimens.
Conclusions
The study revealed that archived surgical specimens are inadequate for assessing the predictive ability of PD-L1 for nivolumab response, while rebiopsy specimes are adequate.
Hyperbranched polyglycerol coated vascular stents – a non-pharmacological approach to reducing device-triggered thrombosis and restenosis
Authors: Moore Eli , Cockshell Michaelia , Nankivell Victoria , Burzava Anouck , Tondl Markus , Benveniste Glen , Finnie John , Psaltis Peter , Greisser Hans , Bursill Christina , Voelcker Nicolas , Simula Tony , Bonder Claudine 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Synthetic materials with an innate ability to avoid the foreign-body-response remain an unrealized goal that would transform the medical device industry. The balance of bulk material properties, that enable a device to perform as intended, with surface properties, that provide bio- and hemocompatibility, has always required the former to be prioritized. While all materials used in modern devices have an acceptable level of biocompatibility, imperfection remains, ultimately leading to device failure, or requiring pharmacological intervention for it to be tolerated. Where such devices cause damage or place strain on the normal architecture of the surrounding tissue, these impacts may initiate inflammatory responses that can also led to failure. This is most evident in the treatment of vessels in the lower extremity in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), where in-stent restenosis (ISR) remains a significant challenge for vascular surgeons. Blood-contacting devices, such as stents and artificial grafts, are considered particularly difficult to shield from the foreign-body-response due to the immediate and direct exposure to blood and therefore, the full gamut of the body’s immune responses. Pharmacological treatment is currently paramount to successful percutaneous vascular intervention (PVI) with antiplatelet therapies being prescribed to manage the risk of thrombosis and cytotoxic drug-eluting coatings to reduce restenosis. Here, we present data that indicate a nano-thin coating of hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPG) can greatly improve the safety and durability of endovascular metal stents. The HPG coating successfully prevents the binding and activation of platelets and greatly reduces the thrombogenicity of nitinol stents when studied ex vivo, using fresh human blood. In vivo, HPG-coated stainless-steel stents remained patent after 28 days in apolipoprotein E (ApoE) knockout mice while control stents all became completely occluded, highlighting the HPG coating’s ability to reduce restenosis. Together, these properties could help alleviate the industry’s dependence on blood-thinning and antiproliferative drugs to resolve device compatibility issues; thereby greatly improve patients’ quality of life through faster recovery, fewer complications and fewer repeat interventions. Furthermore, this coating technology is compatible with a range of materials commonly used in the production of implantable medical devices, such as stainless steel, nitinol, silicone, and polytetrafluoroethylene, while being highly scalable, cost effective and stable. Taken together, HPG presents itself as an alternative coating suitable for a broad range of vascular devices including stents and grafts.
METTL1 promotes Neuroblastoma development through m 7 G tRNA modification and selective oncogenic gene translation
Authors: Huang Ying , Ma Jieyi , Yang Cuiyun , Wei Paijia , Yang Minghui , Han Hui , Chen HuaDong , Yue Tianfang , Xiao Shu , Chen Xuanyu , Li Zuoqing , Tang Yanlai , Luo Jiesi , Lin Shuibin , Huang Libin 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
BackgroundNeuroblastoma (NBL) is a common but aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis in childhood. Despite existing therapy approaches, the 5-year survival rate for patients with advanced NBL remains below 30%, emphasizing urgent necessary for novel therapeutic strategies. Studies have shown that epigenetic disorders play an essential role in the pathogenesis of NBL. However, the function and mechanism of N7-methylguanosine (m7G) methyltransferase in NBL remains unknown.MethodsThe expression levels of m7G tRNA methyltransferase METTL1 (Methyltransferase-like 1) were analyzed by querying the GEO database and further confirmed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay. The prognostic role of METTL1 were analyzed by the R2 genomics analysis and visualization platform. Function studies were performed to evaluate how METTL1 works in proliferation, apoptosis and migration in cell lines and xenograft mouse models. The role of METTL1 on NBL cells mRNA translation activity was measured using puromycin intake assay and polysome profiling assay. The m7G modified tRNAs were identified by tRNA reduction and cleavage sequencing (TRAC-seq). Ribosome nascent-chain complex-bound mRNA sequencing (RNC-seq) was utilized to analyzed genes with alterative translation efficiency. Analyzed the codon frequency decoded by m7G tRNA in genes to clarify the mechanism of m7G modification in translation regulation.ResultsThis study found METTL1 was significantly upregulated in advanced NBL and was associated with a poor prognosis. Further in vitro and in vivo assays showed METTL1 played a crucial role in promoting NBL progression. Furthermore, m7G profiling and translation analysis revealed downregulation of METTL1 inhibited puromycin intake efficiency of NBL cells, indicating the crucial METTL1 did count in regulation of NBL cell translation. With all tRNAs with m7G modification identified in NBL cells, METTL1 knockdown significantly lowered both m7G modification level and m7G tRNAs expressions. RNC-seq revealed 339 overlapped genes with impaired translation in NBL cells upon METTL1 knockdown. Further analysis revealed these genes contained higher frequency of codons decoded by m7G-modified tRNAs and were enriched in oncogenic pathways.ConclusionThis study revealed the critical role and mechanism of METTL1-mediated tRNA m7G modification in regulating NBL progression, providing new insights for developing therapeutic approaches for NBL patients.
T cell maturation and senescence after HCV cure in HIV-HCV coinfected patients: a prospective study
Authors: Martínez-Román Paula , Cortegano Isabel , Millares Daniel Valle , Crespo-Bermejo Celia , Rallón Norma , Benito José Miguel , Lara-Aguilar Violeta , Arca-Lafuente Sonia , Martín-Carbonero Luz , Domínguez-Domínguez Lourdes , Ryan Pablo , Santos Ignacio de los , Coiras Mayte , Palladino Claudia , Gaspar María Luisa , Fernández-Rodríguez Amanda , Briz Verónica 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Previously, we identified a stabilization of the HIV reservoir size in HIV + monoinfected and HIV+/HCV + coinfected patients who eliminated HCV with DAAs as well as a decrease in HIV reservoir size in HIV+/HCV- spontaneously clearers. However, variations in the distribution of memory CD4 + T cell subpopulations in coinfected patients after HCV clearance remains unclear. To analyze the expression pattern of T cell maturation (CD45RA and CD27) and senescence (CD28 and CD57) markers by flow cytometry in those patients. Longitudinal study (52 weeks follow-up) of 49 HIV+/HCV+, 38 HIV+/HCV- and 59 HIV + subjects, all of them aviremic. A generalized increase in expression of CD28 was observed for CD8 + and in CD4 + CD27 + cells. The proportion of both CD4 + TEM TH1 and TH2 cells decreased significantly in HIV+/HCV- while remained stable in HIV + and HIV+/HCV + individuals. The general decline in cell senescence of cytotoxic lymphocytes may be due to reduced antigenic stimulation of HIV-specific and HCV-specific lymphocytes. The dynamic of HIV viral reservoir in HIV+/HCV- patients matches the dynamic of CD4 + cells with a TH1 phenotype, which could mean a decrease in the number of circulating TFH1 lymphocytes after an improvement in generalized inflammation state.
Supporting Dynamic Update Scheme for Assured Deletion Based-Multi-Copy Association Tree
Authors: Tian Junfeng , Bai Ruxin , Zhang Tianfeng 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
As one of the most important cloud computing services, cloud storage provides storage resources for resource-constrained users, which reduces their local overhead and computing cost. As an extension of cloud computing, fog computing introduces a fog layer between the cloud and users to deploy computing, storage, and other types of equipment, allowing users to operate outsourced data conveniently. Although cloud storage brings many conveniences to users, assured data deletion is still one of the crucial security challenges. In addition, since cloud servers usually store data in a decentralized manner, it is difficult for users to centrally and securely operate data blocks. This paper proposes an efficient and secure cloud data deletion scheme (SDUS-AD) that supports dynamic data updates in multi-copy scenarios. In this scheme, a new dynamic structure is designed, which improves the traditional Merkle hash tree, thereby realizing the dynamic update of outsourced data efficiently and safely. A cloud-fog-user layer structure is used to meet the needs of resource-constrained users (such as mobile users) to update data, and a secure and trusted fog cluster is constructed using the trusted cloud platform management model based on TPM alliance to ensure the confidentiality of data privacy. Security analysis shows that SDUS-AD meets real-world security requirements. Detailed performance analysis and simulation experiments show that SDUS-AD is efficient, safe, and feasible.
Benzoylpaeoniflorin activates anti-inflammatory mechanisms to mitigate sepsis in cell-culture and mouse sepsis models
Authors: Kim Chaeyeong , Sim Hyunchae , Kim Nayeon , Bae Jong-Sup 
Published: April 2022

Abstract
Background: Xuebijing injection (XBJI) (comprising of five herbs) is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine for sepsis treatment. However, the bioactive components of XBJI and the mechanisms responsible for its sepsis-mitigating action have not been experimentally determined. One of the main bioactive compounds in XBJI- benzoylpaeoniflorin (BPF) - inhibits the expressions of key mediators of inflammation such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and COX-2. However, its effects on sepsis are not determined yet. Therefore, here, we investigated the immunomodulatory effect of BPF on severely inflamed endothelial cells, THP-1 macrophages, peritoneal macrophages, and mice.Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and THP-1-macrophages were activated using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) after pretreatment with BPF. Subsequently, changes in expression profiles of pro-inflammatory cytokines including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6 were determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blot analysis. Further, we monitored the phosphorylation of NF-kB and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) to determine their activation levels. Using LPS-induced mouse model of sepsis we studied the effects of BPF on inflammatory cytokine production, pulmonary histopathology, and survival rates. Finally, we evaluated if BPF protects against cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis, as it closely mimics human sepsis.Results: BPF pretreatment inhibited LPS-induced increase in mRNA and protein levels of iNOS, TNF-α, and IL-6 in HUVECs and THP-1-macrophages. It also suppressed LPS-mediated phosphorylation p65, p38, JNK, and ERK. Mice with LPS-induced-sepsis who were treated with BPF had lower serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, CXCL1, and CXCL2 than the control mice treated with BPF. Histopathology revealed that BPF treatment alleviated LPS-induced lung damage. In addition, in mice given a lethal dose of LPS, BPF treatment showed a dose-dependent improvement in survival rates. BPF treatment dose-dependently inhibited the LPS-induced IL-6, TNF-α, and CXCL1 production in peritoneal macrophages. BPF treatment also dose-dependently improved the survival rates in mice with CLP-induced sepsis. Conclusion: These results show that BPF alleviates LPS-stimulated septic conditions and protects mice from CLP-induced sepsis. Our research marks BPF as a potential drug in the treatment of sepsis and various inflammatory diseases.
Clinical features, therapeutic outcomes and recovery period of long COVID
Authors: Takakura Kazuki , Suka Machi , Kajihara Mikio , Koido Shigeo 
Published: April 2022

Abstract

To characterize the clinical features of long COVID, 286 patients who received care in our outpatient clinic for long COVID from May 2021 through December 2021 were surveyed. The recovery periods of each symptom and the key factors contributing to early recovery were statistically analysed. The median age of the patients was 35.8 years, with 137 men and 149 women. The median number of symptoms was 2.8. The most frequent symptoms were respiratory manifestations (52.1%), followed by fatigue (51.4%). Respiratory symptoms, fatigue and headache/arthralgia were major complaints in the initial phase, whereas hair loss was a major complaint in the late phase, suggesting that the chief complaint of patients with long COVID may vary temporally. The best treatment outcome was observed for pulmonary symptoms, and hair loss had the worst outcome. COVID-19 severity, the number of manifestations and delay in starting treatment exerted a negative effect on the recovery period of long COVID. In addition, a smoking habit was an independent risk factor for slowing the recovery period from long COVID. This study provides insights into the clinical course of each manifestation and therapeutic options with a futuristic overview of long COVID to meet the unmet medical needs.