bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kallistatin deficiency exacerbates neuronal damage after cardiac arrest
Authors: Kim Hayoung , Suh Gil Joon , Kwon Woon Yong , Kim Kyung Su , Jung Yoon Sun , Kim Taegyun , Park Heesu
Published: February 2024

The purpose of study was to evaluate that kallistatin deficiency causes excessive production of reactive oxygen species and exacerbates neuronal injury after cardiac arrest. For in vitro study, kallistatin knockdown human neuronal cells were given ischemia–reperfusion injury, and the oxidative stress and apoptosis were evaluated. For clinical study, cardiac arrest survivors admitted to the ICU were divided into the good (CPC 1–2) and poor (CPC 3–5) 6-month neurological outcome groups. The serum level of kallistatin, Nox-1, H2O2 were measured. Nox-1 and H2O2 levels were increased in the kallistatin knockdown human neuronal cells with ischemia–reperfusion injury (p < 0.001) and caspase-3 was elevated and apoptosis was promoted (SERPINA4 siRNA: p < 0.01). Among a total of 62 cardiac arrest survivors (16 good, 46 poor), serum kallistatin were lower, and Nox-1 were higher in the poor neurological group at all time points after admission to the ICU (p = 0.013 at admission; p = 0.020 at 24 h; p = 0.011 at 72 h). At 72 h, H2O2 were higher in the poor neurological group (p = 0.038). Kallistatin deficiency exacerbates neuronal ischemia–reperfusion injury and low serum kallistatin levels were associated with poor neurological outcomes in cardiac arrest survivors.
Isolation of circulating endothelial cells provides tool to determine endothelial cell senescence in blood samples
Authors: Kalies Katrin , Knöpp Kai , Wurmbrand Leonie , Korte Laura , Dutzmann Jochen , Pilowski Claudia , Koch Susanne , Sedding Daniel
Published: February 2024

Circulating endothelial cells (CEC) are arising as biomarkers for vascular diseases. However, whether they can be utilized as markers of endothelial cell (EC) senescence in vivo remains unknown. Here, we present a protocol to isolate circulating endothelial cells for a characterization of their senescent signature. Further, we characterize different models of EC senescence induction in vitro and show similar patterns of senescence being upregulated in CECs of aged patients as compared to young volunteers. Replication-(ageing), etoposide-(DNA damage) and angiotensin II-(ROS) induced senescence models showed the expected cell morphology and proliferation-reduction effects. Expression of senescence-associated secretory phenotype markers was specifically upregulated in replication-induced EC senescence. All models showed reduced telomere lengths and induction of the INK4a/ARF locus. Additional p14ARF-p21 pathway activation was observed in replication- and etoposide-induced EC senescence. Next, we established a combined magnetic activated- and fluorescence activated cell sorting (MACS-FACS) based protocol for CEC isolation. Interestingly, CECs isolated from aged volunteers showed similar senescence marker patterns as replication- and etoposide-induced senescence models. Here, we provide first proof of senescence in human blood derived circulating endothelial cells. These results hint towards an exciting future of using CECs as mirror cells for in vivo endothelial cell senescence, of particular interest in the context of endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases.
Construction and optimization of multi-platform precision pathways for precision medicine
Authors: Tran Andy , Wang Andy , Mickaill Jamie , Strbenac Dario , Larance Mark , Vernon Stephen T. , Grieve Stuart M. , Figtree Gemma A. , Patrick Ellis , Yang Jean Yee Hwa
Published: February 2024

In the enduring challenge against disease, advancements in medical technology have empowered clinicians with novel diagnostic platforms. Whilst in some cases, a single test may provide a confident diagnosis, often additional tests are required. However, to strike a balance between diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness, one must rigorously construct the clinical pathways. Here, we developed a framework to build multi-platform precision pathways in an automated, unbiased way, recommending the key steps a clinician would take to reach a diagnosis. We achieve this by developing a confidence score, used to simulate a clinical scenario, where at each stage, either a confident diagnosis is made, or another test is performed. Our framework provides a range of tools to interpret, visualize and compare the pathways, improving communication and enabling their evaluation on accuracy and cost, specific to different contexts. This framework will guide the development of novel diagnostic pathways for different diseases, accelerating the implementation of precision medicine into clinical practice.
Development of a necroptosis-related prognostic model for uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Qi , Luo Yongfu , Zhang Shiyao , Huang Qianpeng , Liu Gang
Published: February 2024

Necroptosis is a recently identified caspase-independent form of cell death which plays a significant role in the onset and progression of cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are vital for the development of uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) because they are an important regulatory component in necroptosis. This study developed a new necroptosis-related miRNAs profile to predict the prognosis of patients with UCEC. The TCGA-UCEC cohort’s RNA sequencing data, consisting of 534 tumor samples and 33 normal samples, was downloaded. Ten differentially expressed miRNAs related to necroptosis were identified. A prediction model for necroptosis-related miRNAs was then created through COX regression and nomograms analysis. Clinical and pathological parameters were integrated to construct a nomogram and evaluate the model. Prognosis-related miRNAs were further used to predict target genes, and functional analysis was conducted to explore the potential mechanisms of these target genes. Subsequently, immune infiltration analysis was performed using transcriptome data to identify immune genes associated with prognosis, and the expression levels of target gene was validated using UCEC tissues. We identified 7 up-regulated miRNAs (hsa-miR-577, hsa-miR-7-5p, hsa-miR-210-3p, hsa-miR-210-5p, hsa-miR-200a-5p, hsa-miR-141-3p, hsa-miR-425-5p) and 3 down-regulated miRNAs (hsa-miR-7-2-3p, hsa-miR-383-5p, hsa-miR-29a-3p). The risk signature was based on univariate and multivariate COX analyses, constructed using 2 independent prognostic factors and miRNAs (hsa-miR-425-5p, hsa-miR-7-5p) associated with necroptosis. Nomograms demonstrated the prognostic value of risk level, age, FIGO stage, and histological type. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed significant differences in overall survival (OS) outcomes associated with the expression of hsa-miR-425-5p (P < 0.001) and hsa-miR-7-5p (P = 0.015). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) investigations indicated that these miRNAs play crucial roles in tumor development, metastasis, and prognosis. Immune infiltration analysis showed decreased infiltration of CD8+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, NK cells, and M1 macrophages in normal tissues. Subsequently, a necroptosis-related immune gene significantly associated with prognosis (THRB) was identified, western blot and immunohistochemical staining confirmed the differential expression of THRB in normal endometrial tissues and tumor. Our findings demonstrate a close association between necroptosis and UCEC. The two necroptosis-related miRNAs used in this study may serve as valuable prognostic markers for UCEC patients, and are associated with immune cell infiltration. This suggests that necroptosis may be involved in the development of UCEC through its interaction with immune responses.
Fabricating high-purity graphite disk electrodes as a cost-effective alternative in fundamental electrochemistry research
Authors: Spallacci Claudia , Görlin Mikaela , Kumar Amol , D’Amario Luca , Cheah Mun Hon
Published: February 2024

Graphite electrodes offer remarkable electrochemical properties, emerging as a viable alternative to glassy carbon (GCE) and other carbon-based electrodes for fundamental electrochemistry research. We report the fabrication and characterization of high-purity graphite disk electrodes (GDEs), made from cost-effective materials and a solvent-free methodology employing readily available laboratory equipment. Analysis of their physical properties via SEM, EDX and XPS reveals no metallic interferences and a notably high porosity, emphasizing their potential. The electrochemical performances of GDEs were found to be comparable to those of GCE. Immobilization of peptides and enzymes, both via covalent coupling and surface adsorption, was used to explore potential applications of GDEs in bioelectrochemistry. Enzyme activity could be addressed both via direct electron transfer and mediated electron transfer mechanism. These results highlight the interesting properties of our GDEs and make them a low-cost alternative to other carbon-based electrodes, with potential for future real-world applications.
Tuning attention based long-short term memory neural networks for Parkinson’s disease detection using modified metaheuristics
Authors: Cuk Aleksa , Bezdan Timea , Jovanovic Luka , Antonijevic Milos , Stankovic Milos , Simic Vladimir , Zivkovic Miodrag , Bacanin Nebojsa
Published: February 2024

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressively debilitating neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects the dopaminergic system in the basal ganglia, impacting millions of individuals globally. The clinical manifestations of the disease include resting tremors, muscle rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability. Diagnosis relies mainly on clinical evaluation, lacking reliable diagnostic tests and being inherently imprecise and subjective. Early detection of PD is crucial for initiating treatments that, while unable to cure the chronic condition, can enhance the life quality of patients and alleviate symptoms. This study explores the potential of utilizing long-short term memory neural networks (LSTM) with attention mechanisms to detect Parkinson’s disease based on dual-task walking test data. Given that the performance of networks is significantly inductance by architecture and training parameter choices, a modified version of the recently introduced crayfish optimization algorithm (COA) is proposed, specifically tailored to the requirements of this investigation. The proposed optimizer is assessed on a publicly accessible real-world clinical gait in Parkinson’s disease dataset, and the results demonstrate its promise, achieving an accuracy of 87.4187 % for the best-constructed models.
Quality of life and level of satisfaction with pharmacotherapeutic follow-up in a transgender health center in Brazil
Authors: Lima Silva Carla Maria , Oliveira Matos Luiz Eduardo , Ribeiro Sassaqui Andressa , Dias de Oliveira Filho Alfredo , da Rocha Chiara Erminia , de Carvalho Brito Giselle
Published: February 2024

Trans people face numerous barriers to access and permanence in health services, which makes it difficult, among other things, to know about their quality of life and satisfaction with health services related to these users. Thus, the objective was to describle the quality of life and satisfaction with pharmacotherapeutic follow-up in transgender people. A cross-sectional, descriptive, and quantitative study was conducted between January and September 2022 at a specialized outpatient clinic for transgender individuals. The following aspects were describle: sociodemographic and medication profiles; quality of Life, which was measured using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire; and levels of satisfaction with Pharmacotherapeutic Monitoring, assessed through the Pharmacy Services Satisfaction Questionnaire (QSSF). Descriptive analyses employed measures of central tendency, absolute and relative frequencies, while inferential analyses used the Student’s t test. A total of 101 transgender individuals participated in the study, with a mean age of 25 years, the majority being single (79.2%/80), having more than 11 years of education (47.5%/n = 48), and comprising 48.5% (n = 49) transgender women. Hormone use was reported by 59.4% (n = 60) of the participants, with 18.3% (n = 11) of self-medication. Testosterone cypionate was the most common hormone used by transgender men (84%), while cyproterone acetate and estradiol represented 60.4% of hormone use among transgender women. Additionally, 36 transgender individuals were taking other drugs (n = 60), mainly antidepressives (28%). The WHOQOL-BREF showed higher scores in the domains of self-rated Quality of Life, and physical, and psychological well-being among transgender women compared to transgender men, but without statistical differences. Income revealed a statistically significant association with psychological domains and overall quality of life. The results of the QSSF indicated that the overall mean and average scores per question were higher than 4, suggesting that 100% of the sample was satisfied with the provided service. No statistically significant differences were observed in the Quality of Life between transgender men and women, but income was associated with the psychological domain and overall Quality of Life. All participants reported satisfaction with the Pharmacotherapeutic Monitoring service; however, there is a need to expand service offerings, such as medication dispensing.
Counting cells in motion by quantitative real-time magnetic particle imaging
Authors: Remmo Amani , Kosch Olaf , Kampen Lena , Ludwig Antje , Wiekhorst Frank , Löwa Norbert
Published: February 2024

Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is an advanced and powerful imaging modality for visualization and quantitative real-time detection of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). This opens the possibility of tracking cells in vivo once they have been loaded by MNPs. Imaging modalities such as optical imaging, X-ray computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) face limitations, from depth of penetration and radiation exposure to resolution and quantification accuracy. MPI addresses these challenges, enabling radiation-free tracking of MNP-loaded cells with precise quantification. However, the real-time tracking of MNP-loaded cells with MPI has not been demonstrated yet. This study establishes real-time quantitative tracking of MNP-loaded cells. Therefore, THP-1 monocytes were loaded with three different MNP systems, including the MPI gold standard Resovist and Synomag. The real-time MPI experiments reveal different MPI resolution behaviors of the three MNP systems after cellular uptake. Real-time quantitative imaging was achieved by time-resolved cell number determination and comparison with the number of inserted cells. About 95% of the inserted cells were successfully tracked in a controlled phantom environment. These results underline the potential of MPI for real-time investigation of cell migration and interaction with tissue in vivo.
Directed functional connectivity of the default-mode-network of young and older healthy subjects
Authors: Goelman Gadi , Dan Rotem , Bezdicek Ondrej , Jech Robert , Ekstein Dana
Published: February 2024

Alterations in the default mode network (DMN) are associated with aging. We assessed age-dependent changes of DMN interactions and correlations with a battery of neuropsychological tests, to understand the differences of DMN directed connectivity between young and older subjects. Using a novel multivariate analysis method on resting-state functional MRI data from fifty young and thirty-one healthy older subjects, we calculated intra- and inter-DMN 4-nodes directed pathways. For the old subject group, we calculated the partial correlations of inter-DMN pathways with: psychomotor speed and working memory, executive function, language, long-term memory and visuospatial function. Pathways connecting the DMN with visual and limbic regions in older subjects engaged at BOLD low frequency and involved the dorsal posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), whereas in young subjects, they were at high frequency and involved the ventral PCC. Pathways combining the sensorimotor (SM) cortex and the DMN, were SM efferent in the young subjects and SM afferent in the older subjects. Most DMN efferent pathways correlated with reduced speed and working memory. We suggest that the reduced sensorimotor efferent and the increased need to control such activities, cause a higher dependency on external versus internal cues thus suggesting how physical activity might slow aging.
Epigenetic variation in early and late flowering plants of the rubber-producing Russian dandelion Taraxacum koksaghyz provides insights into the regulation of flowering time
Authors: Roelfs Kai-Uwe , Känel Andrea , Twyman Richard M. , Prüfer Dirk , Schulze Gronover Christian
Published: February 2024

The Russian dandelion (Taraxacum koksaghyz) grows in temperate zones and produces large amounts of poly(cis-1,4-isoprene) in its roots, making it an attractive alternative source of natural rubber. Most T. koksaghyz plants require vernalization to trigger flower development, whereas early flowering varieties that have lost their vernalization dependence are more suitable for breeding and domestication. To provide insight into the regulation of flowering time in T. koksaghyz, we induced epigenetic variation by in vitro cultivation and applied epigenomic and transcriptomic analysis to the resulting early flowering plants and late flowering controls, allowing us to identify differences in methylation patterns and gene expression that correlated with flowering. This led to the identification of candidate genes homologous to vernalization and photoperiodism response genes in other plants, as well as epigenetic modifications that may contribute to the control of flower development. Some of the candidate genes were homologous to known floral regulators, including those that directly or indirectly regulate the major flowering control gene FT. Our atlas of genes can be used as a starting point to investigate mechanisms that control flowering time in T. koksaghyz in greater detail and to develop new breeding varieties that are more suited to domestication.
The development of priority decision model for old urban community renovation in China
Authors: Wang Wei , Yang Huawei , Jing Shuwei
Published: February 2024

Old urban community renovation is an important task of urban renewal in China. In order to ensure the quality and efficiency of renovation work, the government requires a method to assess the priority for old urban community renovation. This paper proposes an evaluation model from a more comprehensive perspective. It establishes the evaluation index system with CIPP model. The method of Cloud-VIKOR is selected to construct the evaluation model. Finally, selects nine case communities to verify the evaluation model. The results show that the evaluation index system covers the whole process of renovation project and the evaluation indexes proposed in the existing research. The priority decision result of 9 case communities is basically consistent with the actual renovation sequence and does not change greatly due to the fluctuation of decision-making mechanism coefficient or the evaluation index weight. This evaluation model can help decision-makers diagnose and optimize the renovation project.
Blood urea nitrogen to albumin ratio is associated with cerebral small vessel diseases
Authors: Nam Ki-Woong , Kwon Hyung-Min , Jeong Han-Yeong , Park Jin-Ho , Min Kyungha
Published: February 2024

Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) to albumin ratio (BAR) is a comprehensive parameter that reflects renal, inflammatory, nutritional, and endothelial functions. BAR has been shown to be associated with various cancers, pneumonia, sepsis, and pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases; however, few studies have been conducted on its association with cerebrovascular diseases. In this study, we evaluated the association between BAR and cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) in health check-up participants. We assessed consecutive health check-up participants between January 2006 and December 2013. For the cSVD subtype, we quantitatively measured the volume of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) and qualitatively measured the presence of lacune and cerebral microbleeds (CMBs). The BAR was calculated by dividing BUN by albumin as follows: BAR = BUN (mg/dl)/albumin (g/dl). A total of 3012 participants were evaluated. In multivariable linear regression analysis, BAR showed a statistically significant association with WMH volume after adjusting for confounders [β = 0.076, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.027–0.125]. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, BAR was significantly associated with lacunes [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.00–1.44] and CMBs (aOR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.06–1.55). BAR was associated with all types of cSVD in the health check-up participants.
Correlation between surrogate endpoints and overall survival in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Huang Litao , Kang Deying , Zhao Chongyang , Liu Xueting
Published: February 2024

This study aimed to assess the therapeutic effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) and investigate the correlation between surrogate endpoints and overall survival (OS). A systematic literature search included phase I, II, and III clinical trials comparing ICIs to placebo or other therapies for uHCC treatment. Correlations between OS and surrogate endpoints were evaluated using meta-regression analyses and calculating the surrogate threshold effect (STE). The correlation analysis showed a weak association between OS and progression-free survival (PFS), with an R2 value of 0.352 (95% CI: 0.000–0.967). However, complete response (CR) exhibited a strong correlation with OS (R2 = 0.905, 95% CI: 0.728–1.000). Subgroup analyses revealed high correlations between OS and PFS, CR, stable disease (SD), and DC in phase III trials (R2: 0.827–0.922). For the ICI + IA group, significant correlations were observed between OS and SD, progressive disease (PD), and grade 3–5 immune-related adverse events (irAEs) (R2: 0.713–0.969). Analyses of the correlation between survival benefit and risk of mortality across various time points showed a strong association within the first year (R2: 0.724–0.868) but a weak association beyond one year (R2: 0.406–0.499). In ICI trials for uHCC, PFS has limited utility as a surrogate endpoint for OS, while CR exhibits a strong correlation with OS. Subgroup analyses highlight high correlations between OS and PFS, SD, and DC in phase III trials. Notably, the ICI + IA group shows significant associations between OS and SD, PD, and grade 3–5 irAEs. These findings offer valuable insights for interpreting trial outcomes and selecting appropriate endpoints in future clinical studies involving ICIs for uHCC patients.
Rheological properties of blood in multiple myeloma patients
Authors: Ptaszek Bartłomiej , Podsiadło Szymon , Jandziś Zuzanna , Teległów Aneta , Piotrowska Anna , Jurczyszyn Artur , Czerwińska-Ledwig Olga
Published: February 2024

Multiple myeloma (MM) is considered to be one of the hematological malignancies formed by excessive and abnormal proliferation of plasmocytes. Among other parameters, several blood tests are used to diagnose multiple myeloma. The hemorheological profile in multiple myeloma is not widely studied. Hemorheology includes the study of measuring the deformability and aggregation of erythrocytes, blood viscosity, and sedimentation rate. The degree of deformability of blood cells is necessary to maintain proper vital functions. Proper deformability of red blood cells ensures proper blood circulation, tissue oxidation and carbon dioxide uptake. The aim of the study was to compare morphology and blood rheology parameters in patients with MM and healthy individuals. The study included 33 patients with MM, and 33 healthy subjects of the same age. The hematological blood parameters were evaluated using ABX MICROS 60 hematology analyzer. The LORCA Analyzer to study erythrocyte aggregation and deformability. Patients with MM had lower red blood cells count (RBC) (9.11%) (p < 0.001) and half time of total aggregation (T1/2) (94.29%) (p < 0.001) values and higher mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (5.50%) (p < 0.001), aggregation index (AI) (68.60%) (p < 0.001), total extent of aggregation (AMP) (87.92%) (p < 0.001) values than the healthy control group. Aggregation in patients with MM is different compared to healthy individuals. It was observed that the percentage of cell aggregation is almost 50% higher than in the control group. The study of morphology, aggregation and deformability of erythrocytes in patients with suspected MM may be helpful in making clinical decisions.
Simulation and experimental evaluation of laser-induced graphene on the cellulose and lignin substrates
Authors: Ghavipanjeh Ali , Sadeghzadeh Sadegh
Published: February 2024

In this article, the formation of laser-induced graphene on the two natural polymers, cellulose, and lignin, as precursors was investigated with molecular dynamics simulations and some experiments. These eco-friendly polymers provide significant industrial advantages due to their low cost, biodegradability, and recyclable aspects. It was discovered during the simulation that LIG has numerous defects and a porous structure. Carbon monoxide, H2, and water vapor are gases released by cellulose and lignin substrates. H2O and CO are released when the polymer transforms into an amorphous structure. Later on, as the amorphous structure changes into an ordered graphitic structure, H2 is released continuously. Since cellulose monomer has a higher mass proportion of oxygen (49%) than lignin monomer (29%), it emits more CO. The LIG structure contains many 5- and 7-carbon rings, which cause the structure to have bends and undulations that go out of the plane. In addition, to verify the molecular dynamics simulation results with experimental tests, we used a carbon dioxide laser to transform filter paper, as a cellulose material, and coconut shell, as a lignin material, into graphene. Surprisingly, empirical experiments confirmed the simulation results.
Multidimensional assessment of the biological effects of electronic cigarettes on lung bronchial epithelial cells
Authors: Wang Meng , Cheng Qing , Wu Zehong , Fan Longjiang , Zeng Linghui , Chen Hongyu
Published: February 2024

Cigarette smoke (CS) exposure is known to cause injury to respiratory tract epithelial cells and is a contributing factor in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are gaining popularity as a potential substitute for conventional cigarettes due to their potential for aiding smoking cessation. However, the safety of e-cigarettes remains uncertain, and scientific evidence on this topic is still limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of CS and e-cigarette smoke (ECS) of different flavors on human lung bronchial epithelial cells. Real-time smoke exposure was carried out using an air–liquid interface system, and cell viability was assessed. RNA-Seq transcriptome analysis was performed to compare the differences between CS and ECS. The transcriptome analysis revealed a significantly higher number of differentially expressed genes in CS than in ECS. Moreover, the impact of mint-flavored e-cigarettes on cells was found to be greater than that of tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes, as evidenced by the greater number of differentially expressed genes. These findings provide a reference for future safety research on traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes, particularly those of different flavors. The use of omics-scale methodologies has improved our ability to understand the biological effects of CS and ECS on human respiratory tract epithelial cells, which can aid in the development of novel approaches for smoking cessation and lung disease prevention.
A whirl of radiomics-based biomarkers in cancer immunotherapy, why is large scale validation still lacking?
Authors: Ligero Marta , Gielen Bente , Navarro Victor , Cresta Morgado Pablo , Prior Olivia , Dienstmann Rodrigo , Nuciforo Paolo , Trebeschi Stefano , Beets-Tan Regina , Sala Evis , Garralda Elena , Perez-Lopez Raquel
Published: February 2024

The search for understanding immunotherapy response has sparked interest in diverse areas of oncology, with artificial intelligence (AI) and radiomics emerging as promising tools, capable of gathering large amounts of information to identify suitable patients for treatment. The application of AI in radiology has grown, driven by the hypothesis that radiology images capture tumor phenotypes and thus could provide valuable insights into immunotherapy response likelihood. However, despite the rapid growth of studies, no algorithms in the field have reached clinical implementation, mainly due to the lack of standardized methods, hampering study comparisons and reproducibility across different datasets. In this review, we performed a comprehensive assessment of published data to identify sources of variability in radiomics study design that hinder the comparison of the different model performance and, therefore, clinical implementation. Subsequently, we conducted a use-case meta-analysis using homogenous studies to assess the overall performance of radiomics in estimating programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. Our findings indicate that, despite numerous attempts to predict immunotherapy response, only a limited number of studies share comparable methodologies and report sufficient data about cohorts and methods to be suitable for meta-analysis. Nevertheless, although only a few studies meet these criteria, their promising results underscore the importance of ongoing standardization and benchmarking efforts. This review highlights the importance of uniformity in study design and reporting. Such standardization is crucial to enable meaningful comparisons and demonstrate the validity of biomarkers across diverse populations, facilitating their implementation into the immunotherapy patient selection process.
Stroma-specific gene expression signature identifies prostate cancer subtype with high recurrence risk
Authors: Rasmussen Martin , Fredsøe Jacob , Salachan Paul Vinu , Blanke Marcus Pii Lunau , Larsen Stine Hesselby , Ulhøi Benedicte Parm , Jensen Jørgen Bjerggaard , Borre Michael , Sørensen Karina Dalsgaard
Published: February 2024

Current prognostic tools cannot clearly distinguish indolent and aggressive prostate cancer (PC). We hypothesized that analyzing individual contributions of epithelial and stromal components in localized PC (LPC) could improve risk stratification, as stromal subtypes may have been overlooked due to the emphasis on malignant epithelial cells. Hence, we derived molecular subtypes of PC using gene expression analysis of LPC samples from prostatectomy patients (cohort 1, n = 127) and validated these subtypes in two independent prostatectomy cohorts (cohort 2, n = 406, cohort 3, n = 126). Stroma and epithelium-specific signatures were established from laser-capture microdissection data and non-negative matrix factorization was used to identify subtypes based on these signatures. Subtypes were functionally characterized by gene set and cell type enrichment analyses, and survival analysis was conducted. Three epithelial (E1-E3) and three stromal (S1-S3) PC subtypes were identified. While subtyping based on epithelial signatures showed inconsistent associations to biochemical recurrence (BCR), subtyping by stromal signatures was significantly associated with BCR in all three cohorts, with subtype S3 indicating high BCR risk. Subtype S3 exhibited distinct features, including significantly decreased cell-polarity and myogenesis, significantly increased infiltration of M2-polarized macrophages and CD8 + T-cells compared to subtype S1. For patients clinically classified as CAPRA-S intermediate risk, S3 improved prediction of BCR. This study demonstrates the potential of stromal signatures in identification of clinically relevant PC subtypes, and further indicated that stromal characterization may enhance risk stratification in LPC and may be particularly promising in cases with high prognostic ambiguity based on clinical parameters.
m6A-methylated KCTD21-AS1 regulates macrophage phagocytosis through CD47 and cell autophagy through TIPR
Authors: Liang Dong-Min , Li You-Jie , Zhang Jia-Xiang , Shen Huan-Huan , Wu Chun-Xia , Xie Ning , Liang Yan , Li Yan-Mei , Xue Jiang-Nan , Sun Hong-Fang , Wang Qin , Yang Jian , Li Xiao-Hua , Wang Ping-Yu , Xie Shu-Yang
Published: February 2024

Blocking immune checkpoint CD47/SIRPα is a useful strategy to engineer macrophages for cancer immunotherapy. However, the roles of CD47-related noncoding RNA in regulating macrophage phagocytosis for lung cancer therapy remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) on the phagocytosis of macrophage via CD47 and the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) via TIPRL. Our results demonstrate that lncRNA KCTD21-AS1 increases in NSCLC tissues and is associated with poor survival of patients. KCTD21-AS1 and its m6A modification by Mettl14 promote NSCLC cell proliferation. miR-519d-5p gain suppresses the proliferation and metastasis of NSCLC cells by regulating CD47 and TIPRL. Through ceRNA with miR-519d-5p, KCTD21-AS1 regulates the expression of CD47 and TIPRL, which further regulates macrophage phagocytosis and cancer cell autophagy. Low miR-519d-5p in patients with NSCLC corresponds with poor survival. High TIPRL or CD47 levels in patients with NSCLC corresponds with poor survival. In conclusion, we demonstrate that KCTD21-AS1 and its m6A modification promote NSCLC cell proliferation, whereas miR-519d-5p inhibits this process by regulating CD47 and TIPRL expression, which further affects macrophage phagocytosis and cell autophagy. This study provides a strategy through miR-519-5p gain or KCTD21-AS1 depletion for NSCLC therapy by regulating CD47 and TIPRL.
Nutrient adequacy for poor households in Africa would improve with higher income but not necessarily with lower food prices
Authors: McCullough Ellen B. , Lu Meichen , Nouve Yawotse , Arsenault Joanne , Zhen Chen
Published: February 2024

Healthy diets are not affordable to all in Africa due to a combination of high food prices and low incomes. However, how African consumers might change demand patterns if prices or incomes were to change remains poorly understood. Using nationally representative household panel survey data from five sub-Saharan African countries, we model consumer preferences and examine how nutrient intake responds to changing food prices, total expenditures and other demand determinants. Here we find a stronger positive relationship between growth in poor consumers’ total expenditures and their nutrient intake adequacy than has been previously documented. We also find that poor consumers’ intake adequacy is especially sensitive to food staple prices in countries where one food staple dominates poor consumers’ diets. In countries with multiple food staples, no single staple’s price is a strong determinant of poor consumers’ dietary intake adequacy.
Geospatial investigations in Colombia reveal variations in the distribution of mood and psychotic disorders
Authors: Song Janet , Ramírez Mauricio Castaño , Okano Justin T. , Service Susan K. , de la Hoz Juan , Díaz-Zuluaga Ana M. , Upegui Cristian Vargas , Gallago Cristian , Arias Alejandro , Sánchez Alexandra Valderrama , Teshiba Terri , Sabatti Chiara , Gur Ruben C. , Bearden Carrie E. , Escobar Javier I. , Reus Victor I. , Jaramillo Carlos Lopez , Freimer Nelson B. , Olde Loohuis Loes M. , Blower Sally
Published: February 2024

Background

Geographical variations in mood and psychotic disorders have been found in upper-income countries. We looked for geographic variation in these disorders in Colombia, a middle-income country. We analyzed electronic health records from the Clínica San Juan de Dios Manizales (CSJDM), which provides comprehensive mental healthcare for the one million inhabitants of Caldas.

Methods

We constructed a friction surface map of Caldas and used it to calculate the travel-time to the CSJDM for 16,295 patients who had received an initial diagnosis of mood or psychotic disorder. Using a zero-inflated negative binomial regression model, we determined the relationship between travel-time and incidence, stratified by disease severity. We employed spatial scan statistics to look for patient clusters.

Results

We show that travel-times (for driving) to the CSJDM are less than 1 h for ~50% of the population and more than 4 h for ~10%. We find a distance-decay relationship for outpatients, but not for inpatients: for every hour increase in travel-time, the number of expected outpatient cases decreases by 20% (RR = 0.80, 95% confidence interval [0.71, 0.89], p = 5.67E-05). We find nine clusters/hotspots of inpatients.

Conclusions

Our results reveal inequities in access to healthcare: many individuals requiring only outpatient treatment may live too far from the CSJDM to access healthcare. Targeting of resources to comprehensively identify severely ill individuals living in the observed hotspots could further address treatment inequities and enable investigations to determine factors generating these hotspots.
Preparation of hydroxyapatite nanoparticle-hyaluronic acid hybrid membranes through citric acid molecular mediation
Authors: Endo Aoi , Liu Zizhen , Noda Daichi , Miyata Mari , Tagaya Motohiro
Published: February 2024

Citric acid (Cit)-coordinated hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully nanohybridized with hyaluronic acid (HYA) to form transparent membranes, where hydrogen bonds were formed between the NPs and HYA through Cit mediation.
Bacteriophage-based particles carrying the TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) gene for targeted delivery in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Sittiju Pattaralawan , Wudtiwai Benjawan , Chongchai Aitthiphon , Hajitou Amin , Kongtawelert Prachya , Pothacharoen Peraphan , Suwan Keittisak
Published: February 2024

The TRAIL (Tumour Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand) is a promising candidate for cancer treatment due to its unique ability to selectively induce programmed cell death, or apoptosis, in cancer cells while sparing healthy ones.
Fast synthesis of nanoporous Cu/Ag bimetallic triangular nanoprisms via galvanic replacement for efficient 4-nitrophenol reduction
Authors: Liu Qiang , Lyu Xuelian , Chen Qiusui , Qin Yanmin , Wang Xing , Li Chen , Fang Zheng , Bao Haifeng
Published: February 2024

We report the synthesis of nanoporous Cu/Ag bimetallic triangular nanoprisms (BTNPs) using a galvanic replacement method.
Development of In–Cu binary oxide catalysts for hydrogenating CO2via thermocatalytic and electrocatalytic routes
Authors: Mezzapesa Marco Pietro , Salomone Fabio , Guzmán Hilmar , Zammillo Federica , Millini Roberto , Bua Letizia , Marra Gianluigi , Tacca Alessandra , Marrazzo Rosamaria , Russo Nunzio , Pirone Raffaele , Hernández Simelys , Bensaid Samir
Published: February 2024

Carbon dioxide (CO2) hydrogenation to obtain valuable chemicals and fuels via thermocatalysis or electrocatalysis is a promising and sustainable method for CO2 utilization.
Symmetric dicyanobenzothiadiazole (DCBT) dyes with a 1.5 eV excited state reduction potential range
Authors: Li Qing Yun , Lambert Ethan C. , Kaur Ravinder , Hammer Nathan I. , Delcamp Jared H.
Published: February 2024

Dicyanobenzothiadiazole based dyes have shown exceptional tunability of oxidizing strength and absorption energy. The photophysical thermodynamic and kinetic properties are studied with desirable properties shown for future use in photocatalysis.
Molecular dynamics simulation on the displacement behaviour of crude oil by CO2/CH4 mixtures on a silica surface
Authors: Feng Ping , Zhu Yangwen , Zhao Keling , Gao Ying , Liao Haiying , Dai Quanqi , Tang Yongqiang , Gou Kezhen , Zhu Xueshuai
Published: February 2024

The presence of CH4 has a synergistic effect on CO2, facilitating the diffusion of CO2 into the oil film. During the gas stripping process, CO2 is the main factor separating oil from quartz, while CH4 mainly contributes to oil expansion.
Continuous-flow copper hydride-catalyzed reduction of 2,1-benzoisoxazoles
Authors: Cavedon Cristian , Mear Sarah Jane , Croke Austin , Jamison Timothy F.
Published: February 2024

Copper hydride catalysis was used for selective N,O-reduction of 2,1-benzoisoxazoles in continuous flow to access 2-aminobenzophenones, key intermediates and cost drivers in the synthesis of benzodiazepines.
Synthesis of cyclobutane-fused chromanones via gold-mediated photocatalysis
Authors: Voloshkin Vladislav A. , Villa Marco , Martynova Ekaterina A. , Beliš Marek , Van Hecke Kristof , Ceroni Paola , Nolan Steven P.
Published: February 2024

A new general protocol for the synthesis of cyclobutane-fused chromanones via gold-mediated photocatalysis is reported. Gold photocatalyst proved more efficient than widely employed iridium- and organo-photocatalysts.
Boosting charge transport in the BiVO4 photoanode interface modified with an aluminum hydroxide layer for solar water oxidation
Authors: Matsumoto Waka , Fukushima Takashi , Heguri Satoshi , Fujii Syuji , Higashimoto Shinya
Published: February 2024

Modifying BiVO4 with Al(OH)3 layers improved its PEC properties due to an increase of surface wettability. The strong interfacial interaction with H2O played a vital role in efficient charge carrier transportation on the BiVO4 interface.
A robust Ni single-atom catalyst for industrial current and exceptional selectivity in electrochemical CO2 reduction to CO
Authors: Liu Zhicheng , Cao Longsheng , Wang Manli , Zhao Yun , Hou Ming , Shao Zhigang
Published: February 2024

A promising Ni single-atom catalyst was prepared for CO2 electroreduction to CO, which not only shows excellent selectivity (96% FECO) but also achieves a high CO partial current density (577 mA cm−2).
Concentration-tuned diverse response to selective biogenic amines using a reusable fluorophore: monitoring protein-rich food spoilage
Authors: Chakraborty Madhuparna , Sivasakthi Pandiyan , Samanta Pralok K. , Chakravarty Manab
Published: February 2024

Cyanoacrylic acid-based fluorophore shows concentration-based selective response to aliphatic biogenic amines and thus, is demonstrated to monitor spoilage of protein-rich food items progressively through emission shifts visible to the naked eye.
Core fucosylation of maternal milk N-glycans imparts early-life immune tolerance through gut microbiota-dependent regulation in RORγt+ Treg cells
Authors: Li Yuyuan , Ning Xixi , Zhao Zihui , He Xi , Xue Qidi , Zhou Manlin , Li Wenzhe , Li Ming
Published: February 2024

Core fucosylation i breast milk N-glycans was benificial for the establishmet of RORγt+ Treg cells-mediated-early-life immune tolerance through manipulation of symbiotic bacteria in neonates.
Control of positive and negative photo- and thermal-responses in a single PbI2@CH3NH3PbI3 micro/nanowire-based device for real-time sensing, nonvolatile memory, and logic operation
Authors: Gou Runna , Zhou Shuanfu , Shi Cencen , Sun Qinghua , Huang Zhikang , Zhao Jie , Xiao Yanhe , Lei Shuijin , Cheng Baochang
Published: February 2024

By introducing PbI2 quantum dots as trap centres in CH3NH3PbI3 micro/nanowires, abnormal optical and electrical responses can be achieved, allowing versatile integration of sensing, memory, and operation for optical and thermal data.
An interface-engineered Co2P/CoMoP2 heterojunction with greatly improved electrocatalytic activity in water/seawater splitting
Authors: Sun Bo , Li Chunhu , Yang Jie , Bai Hongcun , Meng Xiangchao
Published: February 2024

In this work, an interface-engineered Co2P/CoMoP2 heterojunction has been prepared with greatly improved electrocatalytic activity in both water and seawater splitting.
Csp2–H functionalization of phenols: an effective access route to valuable materials via Csp2–C bond formation
Authors: Brufani Giulia , Di Erasmo Benedetta , Li Chao-Jun , Vaccaro Luigi
Published: February 2024

Simple phenols are crucial in the chemical value chain. Efforts aim to enhance their molecular complexity, with direct functionalization of Csp2–H as a key technique, facilitating economical and atomic construction of new Csp2–C bonds.
LSTM‐based post‐processing for noise reduction in SVD‐based particulate matter digital twinning on lightweight embedded devices
Authors: Lee Seungmin , Park Daejin
Published: February 2024

Among various applications of digital twins, measuring particulate matter in the context of air pollution has become increasingly important due to growing interest in atmospheric environments. By obtaining particle count values from analogue‐to‐digital converter raw data through photodiode and calibrating them, particulate matter values can be acquired. The singular‐value–decomposition is efficient transfer function learning method. However, due to the linear nature of the transfer function of singular‐value–decomposition, it also conveys noise information, necessitating post‐processing to suppress noise. This study proposes a method that utilizes long short‐term memory neural networks to effectively stabilize noise based on the output of continuous dust sensor particulate matter distributions. Using the singular value decomposition based particulate matter shows relative root‐mean‐square error (4.4761, 100%) as a reference, the proposed long short‐term memory post‐processing demonstrates an improved result (2.9328, 65.52%) compared to other post‐processing method: the mean filter (3.6704, 82.00%), low‐pass filter (3.7719, 84.27%) and Kalman filter (3.5550, 79.42%). Furthermore, to address the limitation of initial delay in long short‐term memory to achieve stable data output, a method of iteratively training the initial input data sample is proposed. For the initial input data, the non‐initialization approach exhibited a relative error of 87.57% and it took around 5 samples to predict stable output. In contrast, the proposed iterative training method, applied five times to the initial data sample, achieved a relative error of 9.51% and immediately obtained stable data.
TMNIO:Triplet merged network with involution operators for improved few‐shot image classification
Authors: Lulu Qi , Ranhui Xu , Shaojie Zhao , Mingming Zheng , Weiqin Yu
Published: February 2024

Few‐shot learning enables machines to learn efficiently from limited labelled data. However, existing few‐shot learning methods may perform poorly when there is a lack of sufficient samples, and may encounter problems such as domain shift or overfitting when applied to new domains or tasks. To address the issues of poor fitting and insufficient generalization ability in new domains, a new method called triplet merged network with involution operators (TMNIO) is proposed. This method employs dual encoders that extract common and distinctive features from the prototype network, thereby enhancing the model's feature extraction capability. To further improve this ability, the traditional convolutional kernels are replaced with involution operators, which not only reduce the parameter count but also enlarge the receptive field to better extract local feature information. Additionally, this method employs a two‐stage training strategy, where triplet loss is used in the first stage to train the model and enhance its robustness and generalization ability. Extensive experiments on the miniImageNet, Omniglot, and Caltech‐UCSD Birds‐200 (CUB) datasets have shown that our proposed method achieved significant improvements in both training speed and accuracy, particularly on the miniImageNet dataset, where it achieved an outstanding 10% performance improvement.