cometadata/datacite-titles-descriptions-related-identifiers huggingface dataset:
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5128477
title: Supplementary Material for: Phenotyping Stroke in Sub-Saharan Africa: Stroke Investigative Research and Education Network (SIREN) Phenomics Protocol

description: <b><i>Background:</i></b> As the second leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult-onset disability, stroke is a major public health concern particularly pertinent in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where nearly 80% of all global stroke mortalities occur, and stroke burden is projected to increase in the coming decades. However, traditional and emerging risk factors for stroke in SSA have not been well characterized, thus limiting efforts at curbing its devastating toll. The Stroke Investigative Research and Education Network (SIREN) project is aimed at comprehensively evaluating the key environmental and genomic risk factors for stroke (and its subtypes) in SSA while simultaneously building capacities in phenomics, biobanking, genomics, biostatistics, and bioinformatics for brain research. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> SIREN is a transnational, multicentre, hospital and community-based study involving 3,000 cases and 3,000 controls recruited from 8 sites in Ghana and Nigeria. Cases will be hospital-based patients with first stroke within 10 days of onset in whom neurovascular imaging will be performed. Etiological and topographical stroke subtypes will be documented for all cases. Controls will be hospital- and community-based participants, matched to cases on the basis of gender, ethnicity, and age (±5 years). Information will be collected on known and proposed emerging risk factors for stroke. <b><i>Study Significance:</i></b> SIREN is the largest study of stroke in Africa to date. It is anticipated that it will shed light on the phenotypic characteristics and risk factors of stroke and ultimately provide evidence base for strategic interventions to curtail the burgeoning burden of stroke on the sub-continent.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5128480.v1
title: Supplementary Material for: Immune Reactivity of Synthetic Peptides Originated from Hypervariable Region 1 of Hepatitis C Synthetic Consensuses with Egyptian Sera Infected with Hepatitis C Virus Type 4

description: We have studied the immune reactivity of hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) against HCV immune positive and negative sera. Two published HVR1 consensus nucleotide sequences (Italian and Chinese) were synthesized, and with both of them, a splicing by overlap extension polymerase chain reaction, cloning and sequencing were performed. From the corresponding amino acid sequences, 3 Italian and 1 Chinese HVR1 peptides were selected for synthesis. The 4 peptides (MB1-MB4; GenBank No.: HQ846888-HQ846891) were used to screen 47 and 31 HCV (type 4) immune positive and negative sera, respectively, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The 3 Italian HVR1 peptides (MB1, MB2, MB3) showed reactivities of 83, 68 and 76.6%, respectively, while the Chinese HVR1 peptide (MB4) showed a reactivity of 80.8%. Our results supported that the HVR1 is an attractive target for a peptide-based vaccine as it contains neutralizing epitopes, and all of the HCV patients' sera used in this study have anti-HVR1 antibodies. Interestingly, the amino acid sequence of peptide MB1 has a close sequence similarity with the published mimotope R9, and it shows a high ELISA reactivity. So, MB1 could be tested in combination with other HCV-related peptides as a supplemental assay for HCV diagnosis.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5128483.v1
title: Supplementary Material for: Subclinical Thyroid Dysfunction and Depressive Symptoms among the Elderly: A Prospective Cohort Study

description: <b><i>Background:</i></b> Subclinical hypothyroidism has been associated with depressive symptoms in cross-sectional studies, but prospective data and data on subclinical hyperthyroidism are scarce. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In the Leiden substudy of the Prospective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk (PROSPER), thyroid-stimulating hormone and free T<sub>4</sub> levels were measured at baseline and repeated after 6 months in adults aged 70-82 years with preexisting cardiovascular disease or known cardiovascular risk factors to define persistent thyroid functional status. Main outcome measures were depressive symptoms, assessed with the Geriatric Depression Scale 15 (GDS-15) at baseline and after 3 years. All analyses were adjusted for age, gender and education. <b><i>Results:</i></b> In 606 participants (41% women; mean age 75 years) without antidepressant medication, GDS-15 scores at baseline did not differ for participants with subclinical hypothyroidism (n = 47; GDS-15 score 1.75, 95% CI 1.29-2.20, p = 0.53) or subclinical hyperthyroidism (n = 13; GDS-15 score 1.64, 95% CI 0.78-2.51, p = 0.96) compared to euthyroid participants (n = 546; mean GDS-15 score 1.60, 95% CI 1.46-1.73). After 3 years, compared to the euthyroid participants, changes in GDS-15 scores did not differ for participants with subclinical hypothyroidism (ΔGDS-15 score -0.03, 95% CI -0.50 to 0.44, p = 0.83), while subclinical hyperthyroidism was associated with an increase in GDS scores (ΔGDS-15 score 1.13, 95% CI 0.32-1.93, p = 0.04). All results were similar for persistent subclinical thyroid dysfunction. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> In this largest prospective study on the association of persistent subclinical thyroid dysfunction and depression, subclinical hypothyroidism was not associated with increased depressive symptoms among older adults at high cardiovascular risk. Persistent subclinical hyperthyroidism might be associated with increased depressive symptoms, which requires confirmation in a larger prospective study.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5128486.v1
title: Supplementary Material for: Treatment of Acute Hepatitis C Infection with Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin in Patients Coinfected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

description: <b><i>Background/Aims:</i></b> Of the 35 million human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients worldwide, 10-40% are coinfected with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). Compared to HCV-monoinfected patients, those coinfected experience decreased spontaneous HCV clearance, accelerated liver fibrosis, and a decreased response to anti-HCV therapy. We conducted a meta-analysis to estimate the efficacy of treating acute HCV in HIV-positive patients with peginterferon and ribavirin combination therapy. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Two authors independently searched MEDLINE and EMBASE (2014) for English articles, and reviewed bibliographies and abstracts from major liver and HIV conferences (2011-2013). Original studies featuring at least 10 treatment-naive, HIV-positive adults infected with acute HCV and treated with peginterferon and ribavirin were included. Analyses were calculated using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using the Cochrane Q test (p &lt; 0.05) and the I<sup>2</sup> statistic (&gt;50%). <b><i>Results:</i></b> From 12 studies (450 patients), the pooled sustained virological response (SVR) was 71.4% (95% CI 64.7-77.4; Q statistic = 22.20, p = 0.023, I<sup>2</sup> = 50.44). The rapid virological response (RVR; 7 studies, 196 patients) was 47.4% (95% CI 40.6-54.7), and the early virological response (EVR; 9 studies, 283 patients) was 82.8% (95% CI 67.0-92.0). The probability of an SVR was 93.1% (95% CI 84.9-97.0) in those who obtained an RVR (6 studies, 82 patients) and 85.9% (95% CI 78.7-91.0) if an EVR (7 studies, 168 patients) was reached. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Peginterferon with ribavirin is an effective option for treating acute HCV in HIV-positive patients, especially if they achieve an RVR or an EVR.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5128492.v1
title: Supplementary Material for: Social Function and Frontopolar Activation during a Cognitive Task in Patients with Bipolar Disorder

description: <b><i>Background:</i></b> It is important to understand the neural basis of functional impairments in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) in order to be able to address the recovery. Recently, neurocognitive impairment emerged as a predictor of psychosocial function. A number of functional brain imaging studies have shown that social function is associated with activation of the prefrontal cortex during a cognitive task in healthy adults, and in patients with major depressive disorder and schizophrenia. However, few studies have been conducted in patients with BD. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We performed multichannel near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) imaging to investigate the activation of the prefrontal cortex during a verbal fluency task (VFT). We also used the Social Adaptation Self-Evaluation Scale (SASS) to assess social functioning in patients with BD. Thirty-three depressed patients with BD and 65 age-, gender- and task performance-matched healthy controls (HCs) participated in this study. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Depressed patients with BD showed reduced activation in the broader bilateral prefrontal cortex during the VFT compared to HCs. Moreover, a significant positive correlation was observed between the total SASS scores and right prefrontal activation in patients with BD. In the SASS subscores, the interest and motivation factor was also positively correlated with frontopolar activation. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> These results suggest an association between social function and prefrontal activation in depressed patients with BD. The present study provides evidence that NIRS imaging could be helpful in understanding the neural basis of social function.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5128465
title: Supplementary Material for: Molecular Mechanisms of Renal Ischemic Conditioning Strategies

description: Ischemia-reperfusion injury is the leading cause of acute kidney injury in a variety of clinical settings such as renal transplantation and hypovolemic and/or septic shock. Strategies to reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury are obviously clinically relevant. Ischemic conditioning is an inherent part of the renal defense mechanism against ischemia and can be triggered by short periods of intermittent ischemia and reperfusion. Understanding the signaling transduction pathways of renal ischemic conditioning can promote further clinical translation and pharmacological advancements in this era. This review summarizes research on the molecular mechanisms underlying both local and remote ischemic pre-, per- and postconditioning of the kidney. The different types of conditioning strategies in the kidney recruit similar powerful pro-survival mechanisms. Likewise, renal ischemic conditioning mobilizes many of the same protective signaling pathways as in other organs, but differences are recognized.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5128474
title: Supplementary Material for: Upper Respiratory Infections and MRI Activity in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

description: <b><i>Background:</i></b> Although clinical reports have suggested a relationship between systemic infections and multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses, MRI evidence supporting an association is conflicting. Here we evaluated the temporal relationship between upper respiratory infections (URIs) and MRI activity in relapsing-remitting (RR) MS. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We combined individual data on URI with data on active lesions in pre-scheduled MRI examinations performed every 4 weeks for 28 weeks in 69 patients. A 4-week at-risk (AR) period started, by definition, 1 week before the onset of a URI. We recorded the relationship between the number of active lesions in each MRI with (1) the number of days of AR time in the immediately preceding 4-week period and (2) the number of days passed since the onset of a preceding URI. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Average MRI lesions/day showed no difference between AR (0.0764) and not-AR (0.0774) periods. The number of lesions in 483 pre-scheduled MRI examinations did not correlate with the AR proportion in the prior 4-week period (rho = -0.03), and time from URI onset did not correlate with lesion number on the next MRI examination (rho = 0.003). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The occurrence of a URI did not increase the risk of MRI activity evaluated in an adjacent 4-week window in RRMS.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5128468
title: Supplementary Material for: Metformin Is Associated with a Favorable Outcome in Diabetic Patients with Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

description: <b><i>Background and Objective:</i></b> Type 2 diabetes is known to increase the risk and progression of certain types of cancer. Metformin treatment of diabetic patients is reported to have beneficial effects on some cancers. We evaluated the clinical outcome of diabetic patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) according to metformin treatment. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We reviewed 943 patients diagnosed with DTC after total thyroidectomy between 1995 and 2005 in a tertiary hospital. The study involved 60 diabetic patients and 210 control patients matched for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and tumor size. <b><i>Results:</i></b> There were no differences in the clinicopathological features and disease-free survival (DFS) between diabetic patients and the control group over 8.9 years of follow-up. Of the diabetic patients with DTC, 35 patients (58%) were treated with metformin. There were no differences in age, sex, BMI, tumor size, antidiabetic medication, glycated hemoglobin, or C-peptide levels in metformin and nonmetformin groups. However, cervical lymph node (LN) metastasis was more prevalent in the metformin group than in the nonmetformin group (OR 3.52, p = 0.035). Among diabetic patients with cervical LN metastasis of DTC, the metformin subgroup (17.1 years) was associated with longer DFS than the nonmetformin subgroup (8.6 years) (HR 0.16, p = 0.021); metformin treatment was also associated with longer DFS in this subgroup in multivariate analysis after adjusting age, BMI, duration of diabetes, presence of tumor at resection margin, and serum thyroglobulin level at ablation (HR 0.03, p = 0.035). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Metformin treatment is associated with low recurrence in diabetic patients with cervical LN metastasis of DTC.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5128471
title: Supplementary Material for: Tissue-Specific Regulation of <b><i>Drosophila</i></b> NF-κB Pathway Activation by Peptidoglycan Recognition Protein SC

description: In <i>Drosophila</i>, peptidoglycan (PGN) is detected by PGN recognition proteins (PGRPs) that act as pattern recognition receptors. Some PGRPs such as PGRP-LB or PGRP-SCs are able to cleave PGN, therefore reducing the amount of immune elicitors and dampening immune deficiency (IMD) pathway activation. The precise role of PGRP-SC is less well defined because the <i>PGRP-SC</i> genes <i>(PGRP-SC1a</i>, <i>PGRP-SC1b</i> and <i>PGRP-SC2)</i> lie very close on the chromosome and have been studied using a deletion encompassing the three genes. By generating <i>PGRP-SC-</i>specific mutants, we reevaluated the roles of PGRP-LB, PGRP-SC1 and PGRP-SC2, respectively, during immune responses. We showed that these genes are expressed in different gut domains and that they follow distinct transcriptional regulation. Loss-of-function mutant analysis indicates that PGRP-LB is playing a major role in IMD pathway activation and bacterial load regulation in the gut, although PGRP-SCs are expressed at high levels in this organ. We also demonstrated that PGRP-SC2 is the main negative regulator of IMD pathway activation in the fat body. Accordingly, we showed that mutants for either <i>PGRP-LB</i> or <i>PGRP-SC2</i> displayed a distinct susceptibility to bacteria depending on the infection route. Lastly, we demonstrated that PGRP-SC1 and PGRP-SC2 are required in vivo for full Toll pathway activation by Gram-positive bacteria.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5128462
title: Supplementary Material for: Electrochemical Skin Conductance in Diabetic Kidney Disease

description: <b><i>Background:</i></b> There is a need to identify patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) using noninvasive, cost-effective screening tests. Sudoscan®, a device using electrochemical skin conductance (ESC) to measure sweat gland dysfunction, is valuable for detecting peripheral neuropathy. ESC was tested for association with DKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) &lt;60 ml/min/1.73 m<sup>2</sup>) in 383 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D)-affected patients; diagnostic thresholds were determined in 540 patients. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Relationships between ESC with eGFR and urine albumin:creatinine ratio (UACR) were assessed in 202 European Americans and 181 African Americans with T2D. <b><i>Results:</i></b> In 92 European American DKD cases and 110 T2D non-nephropathy controls, respectively, mean (SD) ages were 69 (9.7) and 61 (10.8) years, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 7.4 (1.2) and 7.4 (1.3)%, eGFR 29.6 (12.2) and 87.8 (14.2) ml/min/1.73 m<sup>2</sup>, and UACR 1,214 (1,705) and 7.5 (5.8) mg/g. In 57 African American cases and 124 controls, respectively, mean (SD) ages were 64.0 (11.9) and 59.5 (9.7) years, HbA1c 7.4 (1.3) and 7.5 (1.7)%, eGFR 29.6 (13.3) and 90.2 (16.2) ml/min/1.73 m<sup>2</sup>, and UACR 1,172 (1,564) and 7.8 (7.1) mg/g. Mean (SD) ESC (μS) was lower in cases than controls (European Americans: case/control hands 49.5 (18.5)/62.3 (16.2); feet 62.1 (17.9)/73.6 (13.8), both p &lt; 1.3 × 10<sup>-6</sup>; African Americans: case/control hands 39.8 (19.0)/48.5 (17.1); feet 53.2 (21.3)/63.5 (19.4), both p ≤ 0.01). Adjusting for age, sex, body mass index and HbA1c, hands and feet ESC associated with eGFR &lt;60 ml/min/1.73 m<sup>2</sup> (p ≤ 7.2 × 10<sup>-3</sup>), UACR &gt;30 mg/g (p ≤ 7.0 × 10<sup>-3</sup>), UACR &gt;300 mg/g (p ≤ 8.1 × 10<sup>-3</sup>), and continuous traits eGFR and UACR (both p ≤ 5.0 × 10<sup>-9</sup>). HbA1c values were not useful for risk stratification. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> ESC measured using Sudoscan® is strongly associated with DKD in African Americans and European Americans. ESC is a useful screening test to identify DKD in patients with T2D.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5128468.v1
title: Supplementary Material for: Metformin Is Associated with a Favorable Outcome in Diabetic Patients with Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

description: <b><i>Background and Objective:</i></b> Type 2 diabetes is known to increase the risk and progression of certain types of cancer. Metformin treatment of diabetic patients is reported to have beneficial effects on some cancers. We evaluated the clinical outcome of diabetic patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) according to metformin treatment. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We reviewed 943 patients diagnosed with DTC after total thyroidectomy between 1995 and 2005 in a tertiary hospital. The study involved 60 diabetic patients and 210 control patients matched for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and tumor size. <b><i>Results:</i></b> There were no differences in the clinicopathological features and disease-free survival (DFS) between diabetic patients and the control group over 8.9 years of follow-up. Of the diabetic patients with DTC, 35 patients (58%) were treated with metformin. There were no differences in age, sex, BMI, tumor size, antidiabetic medication, glycated hemoglobin, or C-peptide levels in metformin and nonmetformin groups. However, cervical lymph node (LN) metastasis was more prevalent in the metformin group than in the nonmetformin group (OR 3.52, p = 0.035). Among diabetic patients with cervical LN metastasis of DTC, the metformin subgroup (17.1 years) was associated with longer DFS than the nonmetformin subgroup (8.6 years) (HR 0.16, p = 0.021); metformin treatment was also associated with longer DFS in this subgroup in multivariate analysis after adjusting age, BMI, duration of diabetes, presence of tumor at resection margin, and serum thyroglobulin level at ablation (HR 0.03, p = 0.035). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Metformin treatment is associated with low recurrence in diabetic patients with cervical LN metastasis of DTC.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5128474.v1
title: Supplementary Material for: Upper Respiratory Infections and MRI Activity in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

description: <b><i>Background:</i></b> Although clinical reports have suggested a relationship between systemic infections and multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses, MRI evidence supporting an association is conflicting. Here we evaluated the temporal relationship between upper respiratory infections (URIs) and MRI activity in relapsing-remitting (RR) MS. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We combined individual data on URI with data on active lesions in pre-scheduled MRI examinations performed every 4 weeks for 28 weeks in 69 patients. A 4-week at-risk (AR) period started, by definition, 1 week before the onset of a URI. We recorded the relationship between the number of active lesions in each MRI with (1) the number of days of AR time in the immediately preceding 4-week period and (2) the number of days passed since the onset of a preceding URI. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Average MRI lesions/day showed no difference between AR (0.0764) and not-AR (0.0774) periods. The number of lesions in 483 pre-scheduled MRI examinations did not correlate with the AR proportion in the prior 4-week period (rho = -0.03), and time from URI onset did not correlate with lesion number on the next MRI examination (rho = 0.003). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The occurrence of a URI did not increase the risk of MRI activity evaluated in an adjacent 4-week window in RRMS.