Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic performance of elastosonography in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant salivary gland tumors: A meta-analysis

Purpose The clinical practice of elastosonography for the detection of salivary gland tumors is still a controversial issue. The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of elastosonography for the diagnosis of salivary gland tumors and to compare the diagnostic value of elastosonography and conventional ultrasound in the diagnosis of salivary gland tumors. Methods A comprehensive literature search through PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library was carried out from inception to November 2021. Two researchers independently extracted the data from the enrolled papers using a standard data extraction form. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic performance of elastosonography. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies—2 (QUADAS-2) tool was utilized to evaluate the quality of each included study. Meta-DiSc version 1.4, Review Manager 5.3, and StataSE 15 were used. Results Sixteen studies with a total of 1105 patients with 1146 lesions were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, and DOR of elastosonography for the differentiation between benign and malignant salivary gland tumors were 0.73 (95%CI, 0.66–0.78), 0.64 (95%CI, 0.61–0.67), 2.83 (95%CI, 1.97–4.07), 0.45 (95%CI, 0.32–0.62), and 9.86 (95%CI, 4.49–21.62), respectively, with an AUC of 0.82. Four studies provided data regarding the conventional ultrasound for the differentiation between benign and malignant salivary gland tumors. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and DOR were 0.62 (95%CI, 0.50–0.73), 0.93 (95%CI, 0.90–0.96), and 25.07 (95%CI, 4.28–146.65), respectively. The meta-regression and subgroup analyses found that assessment methods were associated with significant heterogeneity, and quantitative or semiquantitative elastosonography performed better than the qualitative one. Conclusions Elastosonography showed a limited value for diagnosing malignant salivary gland tumors; it could be considered as a supplementary diagnostic technology to conventional ultrasound, and quantitative or semiquantitative elastosonography was superior to the qualitative one.
Exosomes form tunneling nanotubes (TUNTs) in the blood-brain barrier: a nano-anatomical perspective of barrier genesis

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a robust interface between the blood and the central nervous system. Barrier type endothelium is able to limit paracellular (PC) movement, relegating molecular flux to the transendothelial pathways of brain endothelial cells (BECs). It is, therefore, apparent that any leakage via the PC shunts would effectively nullify the regulation of molecular flux across the transcellular pathways. The application of higher-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM) illuminates the heterogenous, morphological profile that exists on the surface of BEC membranes and the relationship between these ultrastructures during the molecular construction of the PC space between adjacent BECs. In this study developing BEC monolayers were grown on mixed, cellulose esters insert membranes in a bicameral system. BEC monolayers were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde, hydrated, critically dried, and sputter-coated, for imaging utilizing HR-SEM. This study, for the first time, showed membrane-bound exosomes were attached to the plasma membrane surfaces of the BECs. The exosomes were characterized as small membrane-bound, nano-sized exosomes (30–300 nm). Based on their membrane morphology and anatomical structure, exosomes appear to possess two distinct functions, namely: paracrine secretion and nanotube construction between adjacent BECs, during in vitro barrier genesis. The HR-SEM micrographs in conjunction with the Tipifarnib inhibition of exosome formation, suggests that brain capillary endothelial exosomes play a prominent role in the bilateral signaling, which contribute to the regulation of the permeability of the BBB. Given that blood-brain barrier permeability has been implicated in the progression of many neurodegenerative pathologies, the role of these exosomes and TUNTs posits the capacity of these structures to exacerbate neuropathologies that implicate BBB permeability. These findings could lead to the development of novel treatment interventions and moreover, the characterization of BBB exosomes may be a reliable target for identifying therapeutic biomarkers in neurodegenerative disease. Conversely, the presence of BBB exosomes raises a critical enterprise to target the exosome-induced nanotubes as a vehicle for transferring therapeutic treatments across the BBB.
Genome-wide identification of calcineurin B-like protein-interacting protein kinase gene family reveals members participating in abiotic stress in the ornamental woody plant Lagerstroemia indica

Calcineurin B-like protein-interacting protein kinases (CIPKs) play important roles in plant responses to stress. However, their function in the ornamental woody plant Lagerstroemia indica is remains unclear. In this study, the LiCIPK gene family was analyzed at the whole genome level. A total of 37 LiCIPKs, distributed across 17 chromosomes, were identified. Conserved motif analysis indicated that all LiCIPKs possess a protein kinase motif (S_TKc) and C-terminal regulatory motif (NAF), while seven LiCIPKs lack a protein phosphatase interaction (PPI) motif. 3D structure analysis further revealed that the N-terminal and C-terminal 3D-structure of 27 members are situated near to each other, while 4 members have a looser structure, and 6 members lack intact structures. The intra- and interspecies collinearity analysis, synonymous substitution rate (Ks) peaks of duplicated LiCIPKs, revealed that ∼80% of LiCIPKs were retained by the two whole genome duplication (WGD) events that occurred approximately 56.12–61.16 million year ago (MYA) and 16.24–26.34 MYA ago. The promoter of each LiCIPK contains a number of auxin, abscisic acid, gibberellic acid, salicylic acid, and drought, anaerobic, defense, stress, and wound responsive cis-elements. Of the 21 members that were successfully amplified by qPCR, 18 LiCIPKs exhibited different expression patterns under NaCl, mannitol, PEG8000, and ABA treatments. Given that LiCIPK30, the AtSOS2 ortholog, responded to all four types of stress it was selected for functional verification. LiCIPK30 complements the atsos2 phenotype in vivo. 35S:LiCIPK-overexpressing lines exhibit increased leaf area increment, chlorophyll a and b content, reactive oxygen species scavenging enzyme activity, and expression of ABF3 and RD22, while the degree of membrane lipid oxidation decreases under NaCl treatment compared to WT. The evolutionary history, and potential mechanism by which LiCIPK30 may regulate plant tolerance to salt stress were also discussed. In summary, we identified LiCIPK members involved in abiotic stress and found that LiCIPK30 transgenic Arabidopsis exhibits more salt and osmotic stress tolerance than WT. This research provides a theoretical foundation for further investigation into the function of LiCIPKs, and for mining gene resources to facilitate the cultivation and breeding of new L. indica varieties in coastal saline-alkali soil.
Characterising the spatial and oscillatory unfolding of Theory of Mind in adults using fMRI and MEG

Theory of Mind (ToM) is a core social cognitive skill that refers to the ability to attribute mental states to others. ToM involves understanding that others have beliefs, thoughts and desires that may be different from one's own and from reality. ToM is crucial to predict behaviour and navigate social interactions. This study employed the complementary methodological advantages of both functional MRI (fMRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) to examine the neural underpinnings of ToM in adults. Twenty healthy adults were first recruited to rate and describe 28 videos (15s long), each containing three moving shapes designed to depict either social interactions or random motion (control condition). The first sample of adults produced consistent narratives for 6 of those social videos and of those, 4 social videos and 4 control videos were chosen to include in the neuroimaging study. Another sample of twenty-five adults were then recruited to complete the neuroimaging in MEG and fMRI. In fMRI, we found increased activation in frontal-parietal regions in the social compared to the control condition corroborating previous fMRI findings. In MEG, we found recruitment of ToM networks in the social condition in theta, beta and gamma bands. The right supramarginal and angular gyri (right temporal parietal junction), right inferior parietal lobe and right temporal pole were recruited in the first 5s of the videos. Frontal regions such as the superior frontal gyrus were recruited in the second time window (5–10s). Brain regions such as the bilateral amygdalae were also recruited (5–10s), indicating that various social processes were integrated in understanding the social videos. Our study is one of the first to combine multi-modal neuroimaging to examine the neural networks underlying social cognitive processes, combining the strengths of the spatial resolution of fMRI and temporal resolution of MEG. Understanding this information from both modalities helped delineate the mechanism by which ToM processing unfolds over time in healthy adults. This allows us to determine a benchmark against which clinical populations can be compared.
Detection of thyroglobulin in fine-needle aspiration for diagnosis of metastatic lateral cervical lymph nodes in papillary thyroid carcinoma: A retrospective study

Objective We analysed the diagnostic performance of thyroglobulin in fine-needle aspiration (FNA-Tg) in the suspicious lateral cervical lymph nodes (CLNs) in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), proposed the best cutoff value and discussed the factors that may affect the diagnostic value of FNA-Tg. Methods In the present study, a retrospective analysis of 403 patients with PTC with 448 suspected lateral CLNs metastasis from October 2019 to May 2021 was performed. The cutoff value according to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was determined, and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to evaluate the correlation between FNA-Tg and factors. Results According to the ROC curve, the cutoff value of FNA-Tg was 3.69 ng/ml (sensitivity, 92.48%; specificity, 75.00%). Patients who underwent total thyroidectomy were excluded. Compared with US and FNAC, the diagnostic performance of FNA-Tg was the greatest, especially for small CLNs (diameter ≤ 1 cm), cystic CLNs, and patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT). Moreover, FNA-Tg levels were correlated with the presence of HT (p = 0.003), the anti-thyroglobulin antibody (Tg-Ab) (p < 0.001), the ratio of metastatic lateral CLNs (p = 0.004) and Tg assay kits (p < 0.001). Conclusions FNA-Tg measurement is sensitive enough for diagnosing lateral CLN metastases from PTC, but its diagnostic value is compromised by a number of factors.
Willingness to pay for and willingness to vaccinate with the COVID-19 vaccine booster dose in China

Objective: The present study aims to assess the willingness to pay (WTP) for and willingness to vaccinate (WTV) with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine booster dose in China when the pandemic is under adequate control and the majority of the population is vaccinated. This study is also to identify significant factors associated with the WTP. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on adults with no past or present COVID-19 infection. An online questionnaire was distributed to collect data on vaccination status, quarantine experience, and factors related to health beliefs on vaccination. The WTV was assessed through the vaccination preference. The WTP was examined by payment scale (PS) and iterative bidding game (IBG) administered in random order. Three IBG algorithms with different starting-price were presented randomly. The average WTP of PS and IBG were analyzed as primary outcomes using univariate and multivariate analyses. Multivariate ordered logistic regression was performed to identify significant factors for the WTP. Results: The survey recruited 543 participants with a mean age of 32 years and 57.80% being female. The WTV rate was 86.74%, while 94.66% of participants completed full-schedule or enhanced vaccination. The mean WTP was CNY 149 (±CNY 197) and the median WTP was CNY 80. Regarding significant factors for the WTP, urban residents were 57% more likely (95% CI: 1.11-2.22) to pay for a high-priced vaccine than rural residents. Respondents who completed full-schedule vaccination were 46% more likely (95% CI: 1.03–2.07) to pay for a high-priced vaccine than those who completed enhanced vaccination. Respondents with a low household income of CNY 40k or lower were 62% less likely (95% CI: 0.21–0.66) to pay for a high-priced vaccine than those with a middle household income of CNY 110k–210k. Other significant factors associated with the WTP included the perceived benefit of vaccination and peer environmental pressure in the health belief model. Conclusion: The WTV with the COVID-19 vaccine booster dose was high in China. The WTP was influenced by the place of residence, vaccination status, household income, perceived benefit of vaccination, and environmental peer pressure. Study findings can inform policymakers to better design vaccination programs and financial schemes involving out-of-pocket payments.
Systemic steroid administration combined with intratympanic steroid injection in the treatment of a unilateral sudden hearing loss prognosis prediction model: A retrospective observational study

Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) is an emergency ear disease that is referred to as a sensorineural hearing loss of at least 30 dB in three sequential frequencies and occurs over a period of < 72 h. Because of its etiology, pathogenesis, and prognostic factors, the current treatment methods are not ideal. Previous studies have developed prognostic models to predict hearing recovery from ISSNHL, but few studies have incorporated serum biochemical indicators into previous models. The aim of this study was to explore the factors influencing the ISSNHL prognosis of combination therapy (combined intratympanic and systemic use of steroids, CT), among the patient population data, the serum biochemical indicators before the treatment, and the clinical features of ISSNHL. The new prediction model was developed through these factors. From November 2015 to April 2022, 430 patients who underwent CT at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University for ISSNHL, were reviewed retrospectively. We found significant differences in age (P = 0.018), glucose (P = 0.035), white blood cell (WBC) (P = 0.021), vertigo (P = 0.000) and type (P = 0.000) with different therapeutic efficacies. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR = 0.715, P = 0.023), WBC (OR = 0.527, P = 0.01), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (OR = 0.995, P = 0.038), vertigo (OR = 0.48, P = 0.004), course (time from onset to treatment) (OR = 0.681, P = 0.016) and type (OR = 0.409, P = 0.000) were independent risk factors for ISSNHL prognosis. Based on independent risk factors, a predictive model and nomogram were developed to predict hearing outcomes in ISSNHL patients. The area under the curve (AUC) value of the model developed in this study was 0.773 (95% CI = 0.730–0.812), which has a certain predictive ability. The calibration curve indicated good consistency between the actual diagnosed therapeutic effectiveness and the predicted probability. The model and nomogram can predict the hearing prognosis of ISSNHL patients treated with CT and can provide help for medical staff to make the best clinical decision. This study has been registered with the registration number ChiCTR2200061379.
Pharmacological basis of the antifibrotic effects of pirfenidone: Mechanistic insights from cardiac in-vitro and in-vivo models

Pirfenidone is a small drug with marked antifibrotic activity approved for the treatment of Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Recently, its peculiar pharmacological profile has attracted attention for its potential therapeutic benefit for extra-pulmonary disorders characterized by pathological fibrosis, such as kidney, liver, and cardiac failure. A major pitfall of pirfenidone is the lack of consistent understanding of its mechanism of action, regardless of the target. In addition to the increasing attention to the role of inflammation and its mediators in several processes, a better knowledge of the variety of fibroblasts' population, of signals controlling their activation and trans-differentiation, and of crosstalk with other cell resident and non-resident cell types is needed for prevention, treatment and possibly reverse of fibrosis. This review will focus on pirfenidone's pharmacological profile and its effects on cardiac fibroblasts.
Testing non-linear effect of urbanization on environmental degradation: Cross-country evidence

The contribution of structural transformation and urban development is considered crucial for the long run socio-economic growth but has adversely affected environmental sustainability over last few decades. This empirical research makes an innovative and holistic addition to the prior literature by examining the non-linear effect of economic growth and urban dynamics on environmental degradation in a comprehensive panel data of 66 countries and across respective income groups for the period 1990–2016. For empirical analysis, the robust econometric methods of two-way fixed effects (2W-FE), panel fully modified ordinary least squares (PFMOLS), and Driscoll-Kraay regressions have been applied to account for all econometric issues. The study unveils the bell-shaped effect of economic growth on environmental degradation which confirms the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) and structural change hypotheses. The results of this study signifies the inverted U influence of urbanization and urban agglomerations on CO2 emissions and hence supports Ecological Modernization Theory (EMT). Our empirical findings also unfold the heterogeneous non-linear effects of urban dynamics across various income categories of selected economies. By employing the heterogeneous Dumitrescu and Hurlin (D-H) (Granger non-causality tests), the findings of this study confirm the prior estimations and establish significant unilateral and bilateral causal nexus of structural change and urban dynamics with environmental degradation. By verifying the existence of Environmental Kuznets Curve phenomenon in Low and Lower Middle Income (LLMI) and Upper Middle Income (UMI) group countries, this study necessitates for the policy makers to adopt the eco-friendly industrial and energy policies for the long run social, economic and environmental sustainability.
Key biomarkers and latent pathways of dysferlinopathy: Bioinformatics analysis and in vivo validation

Background Dysferlinopathy refers to a group of muscle diseases with progressive muscle weakness and atrophy caused by pathogenic mutations of the DYSF gene. The pathogenesis remains unknown, and currently no specific treatment is available to alter the disease progression. This research aims to investigate important biomarkers and their latent biological pathways participating in dysferlinopathy and reveal the association with immune cell infiltration. Methods GSE3307 and GSE109178 were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and differential expression analysis, coupled with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), the key genes for dysferlinopathy were identified. Functional enrichment analysis Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were applied to disclose the hidden biological pathways. Following that, the key genes were approved for diagnostic accuracy of dysferlinopathy based on another dataset GSE109178, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were executed to confirm their expression. Furthermore, the 28 immune cell abundance patterns in dysferlinopathy were determined with single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA). Results 1,579 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened out. Based on WGCNA, three co-expression modules were obtained, with the MEskyblue module most strongly correlated with dysferlinopathy. 44 intersecting genes were recognized from the DEGs and the MEskyblue module. The six key genes MVP, GRN, ERP29, RNF128, NFYB and KPNA3 were discovered through LASSO analysis and experimentally verified later. In a receiver operating characteristic analysis (ROC) curve, the six hub genes were shown to be highly valuable for diagnostic purposes. Furthermore, functional enrichment analysis highlighted that these genes were enriched mainly along the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP). Ultimately, ssGSEA showed a significant immune-cell infiltrative microenvironment in dysferlinopathy patients, especially T cell, macrophage, and activated dendritic cell (DC). Conclusion Six key genes are identified in dysferlinopathy with a bioinformatic approach used for the first time. The key genes are believed to be involved in protein degradation pathways and the activation of muscular inflammation. And several immune cells, such as T cell, macrophage and DC, are considered to be implicated in the progression of dysferlinopathy.
Metabolic syndrome associated with higher glycemic variability in type 1 diabetes: A multicenter cross-sectional study in china

Aims The comorbidity of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an obstacle to glucose control in patients with T1DM. We compared glycemic profiles using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems in patients with T1DM with or without MetS. Methods This was a multicenter cross-sectional study of patients with T1DM (N = 207) with or without MetS. CGM data were collected from study enrollment until discharge during a 1-week study session. We analyzed baseline HbA1c, average glucose, estimated HbA1c, time in range (TIR), time above range (TAR), time below range (TBR), coefficient of variation (CV), postprandial glucose excursions (PPGE) and other glycemic variability (GV) metrics. Logistic regression was developed to investigate the association between MetS and CGM metrics. Results The results showed higher average baseline HbA1c levels, and a higher percentage of patients with baseline HbA1c levels ≥7.5%, in the T1DM with MetS group. Furthermore, MetS was associated with GV, which indicated a higher CV in patients with T1DM with MetS. However, our results showed that TAR, TIR, TBR and other GV metrics were comparable between the two groups. The T1DM with MetS group also had a higher proportion of patients with high CV (≥ 36%) than the group without MetS. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, the presence of MetS was a risk factor for high CV (≥ 36%) in our study participants. Conclusions T1DM patients with MetS in our study had better β-cell function. However, MetS was associated with worse glycemic control characterized by higher GV and HbA1c levels. Efforts should be expanded to improve treatment of MetS in patients with T1DM to achieve better glycemic control.