bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of solid agents of the diphenyl ether herbicide degrading bacterium Bacillus sp. Za based on a mixed organic fertilizer carrier
Authors: Zhao Guoqiang , Tian Yanning , Yu Houyu , Li Jintao , Mao Dongmei , Faisal Rayan Mazin , Huang Xing
Published: November 2022

The long-term and widespread use of diphenyl ether herbicides has caused serious soil residue problems and threatens the agricultural ecological environment. The development of biodegrading agents using high-efficiency degrading strains as pesticide residue remediation materials has been widely recognized. In this study, the strain Bacillus sp. Za was used to prepare solid agents for the remediation of diphenyl ether herbicides-contaminated soil. The ratio of organic fertilizer was 1:3 (pig manure: cow dung), the inoculum amount of Za was 10%, the application amount of solid agents was 7%, and the application mode was mixed application, all of which were the most suitable conditions for solid agents. After the solid agents were stored for 120 days, the amount of Za remained above 108 CFU/g. The degradation rates of the solid agents for lactofen, bifenox, fluoroglycofen, and fomesafen in soil reached 87.40, 82.40, 78.20, and 65.20%, respectively, on the 7th day. The application of solid agents alleviated the toxic effect of lactofen residues on maize seedlings. A confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) was used to observe the colonization of Za-gfp on the surface of maize roots treated in the solid agents, and Za-gfp mainly colonized the elongation zone and the mature area of maize root tips, and the colonization time exceeded 21 days. High-throughput sequencing analysis of soil community structural changes in CK, J (solid agents), Y (lactofen), and JY (solid agents + lactofen) groups showed that the addition of solid agents could restore the bacterial community structure in the rhizosphere soil of maize seedlings. The development of solid agents can facilitate the remediation of soil contaminated with diphenyl ether herbicide residues and improve the technical level of the microbial degradation of pesticide residues.
An efficient computer vision-based approach for acute lymphoblastic leukemia prediction
Authors: Almadhor Ahmad , Sattar Usman , Al Hejaili Abdullah , Ghulam Mohammad Uzma , Tariq Usman , Ben Chikha Haithem
Published: November 2022

Leukemia (blood cancer) diseases arise when the number of White blood cells (WBCs) is imbalanced in the human body. When the bone marrow produces many immature WBCs that kill healthy cells, acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) impacts people of all ages. Thus, timely predicting this disease can increase the chance of survival, and the patient can get his therapy early. Manual prediction is very expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, automated prediction techniques are essential. In this research, we propose an ensemble automated prediction approach that uses four machine learning algorithms K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and Naive Bayes (NB). The C-NMC leukemia dataset is used from the Kaggle repository to predict leukemia. Dataset is divided into two classes cancer and healthy cells. We perform data preprocessing steps, such as the first images being cropped using minimum and maximum points. Feature extraction is performed to extract the feature using pre-trained Convolutional Neural Network-based Deep Neural Network (DNN) architectures (VGG19, ResNet50, or ResNet101). Data scaling is performed by using the MinMaxScaler normalization technique. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE), and Random Forest (RF) as feature Selection techniques. Classification machine learning algorithms and ensemble voting are applied to selected features. Results reveal that SVM with 90.0% accuracy outperforms compared to other algorithms.
Mild and moderate cardioembolic stroke patients may benefit more from direct mechanical thrombectomy than bridging therapy: A subgroup analysis of a randomized clinical trial (DIRECT-MT)
Authors: Cao Jie , Xing Pengfei , Zhu Xucheng , Chen Ronghua , Shao Huaming , Xuan Jinggang , Jiang Tianwei , Yang Pengfei , Zhang Yongwei , Li Zifu , Chen Wenhuo , Li Tianxiao , Wang Shouchun , Lou Min , Peng Ya , Liu Jianmin
Published: November 2022

Background

The benefit of intravenous alteplase before endovascular thrombectomy is unclear in patients with acute cardioembolic stroke.

Methods

We collected cardioembolic (CE) stroke patient data from the multicentre randomized clinical trial of Direct Intra-arterial Thrombectomy to Revascularize Acute Ischaemic Stroke Patients with Large Vessel Occlusion Efficiently in Chinese Tertiary Hospitals (DIRECT-MT). The primary outcome was the 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. Five subgroups of cardioembolic stroke patients were analyzed. A multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis analyzed the difference in the primary outcome between the direct mechanical thrombectomy (MT) and bridging therapy groups. An interaction term was entered into the model to test for subgroup interaction. The DIRECT-MT trial is registered with clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT03469206.

Results

A total of 290 CE stroke patients from the DIRECT-MT trial were enrolled in this study: 146 patients in the direct MT group and 144 patients in the bridging therapy group. No difference between the two treatment groups in the primary outcome was found (adjusted common odds ratio, 1.218; 95% confidence interval, 0.806 to 1.841; P = 0.34). In the subgroup analysis, CE stroke patients with an NIHSS ≤ 15 in the direct MT group were associated with better outcomes (47 vs. 53, acOR, 3.14 [1.497, 6.585]) and lower mortality (47 vs. 53, aOR, 0.16 [0.026, 0.986]) than those in the bridging therapy group, while there were no significant differences between the two treatment groups in the outcome and mortality of CE stroke patients with an NIHSS >15.

Conclusion

Mild and moderate cardioembolic stroke patients may benefit more from direct mechanical thrombectomy than bridging therapy. This need to be confirmed by further prospective studies in a larger number of patients.
Efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on chronic migraine: A meta-analysis
Authors: Zhong Jiugen , Lan Wanting , Feng Yanqing , Yu Ligen , Xiao Rang , Shen Yingying , Zou Zhi , Hou Xiaohui
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Migraine is a neurovascular disorder that affects the quality of life of more than 1 billion people worldwide. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a neuromodulation tool that uses pulsed magnetic fields to modulate the cerebral cortex. This meta-analysis ascertained the therapeutic or preventive effect of rTMS on chronic migraine.

Methods

We performed a database search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from January 2004 to December 2021. Eligible studies included randomized controlled studies of the analgesic effects of rTMS in patients with chronic migraine.

Results

Eight studies were included. Random effects analysis showed an effect size of −1.13 [95% confidence interval (CI): −1.69 to −0.58] on the frequency of migraine attacks, indicating that rTMS was more effective for decreasing migraine attacks than the sham rTMS.

Conclusions

The meta-analysis revealed that rTMS is an effective approach for reducing migraine attack when the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was stimulated. However, rTMS may not be suggested as a method to reduce the pain level.

Systematic review registration

http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier: CRD42021228344.
Research progress on molecular mechanisms of general anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment in the developing brain
Authors: Wang Jiaojiao , Liu Zhihui
Published: November 2022

General anesthetics-induced neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment in developing brains have become one of the current research hotspots in the medical science community. The underlying mechanisms are complex and involve various related molecular signaling pathways, cell mediators, autophagy, and other pathological processes. However, few drugs can be directly used to treat neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment caused by general anesthetics in clinical practice. This article reviews the molecular mechanism of general anesthesia-induced neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment in the neonatal brain after surgery in the hope of providing critical references for the treatments of clinical diseases.
Development of nomogram to predict in-hospital death for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Hu Linwang , Yu Jie , Deng Jian , Zhou Hong , Yang Feng , Lu Xiaohang
Published: November 2022

Aim

This study aimed to investigate the association between systemic immune-inflammation (SII) and the risk of in-hospital death for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in the intensive care units (ICU) and to further develop a prediction model related to SII in predicting the risk of in-hospital death for patients with ICH.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we included 1,176 patients with ICH from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database. All patients were randomly assigned to the training group for the construction of the nomogram and the testing group for the validation of the nomogram based on a ratio of 8:2. Predictors were screened by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to investigate the association between SII and in-hospital death for patients with ICH in the ICU and develop a model for predicting the in-hospital death risk for ICU patients with ICH. The receiver operator characteristic curve was used to assess the predicting performance of the constructed nomogram.

Results

In the training group, 232 patients with ICH died while 708 survived. LASSO regression showed some predictors, including white blood cell count, glucose, blood urea nitrogen, SII, the Glasgow Coma Scale, age, heart rate, mean artery pressure, red blood cell, bicarbonate, red blood cell distribution width, liver cirrhosis, respiratory failure, renal failure, malignant cancer, vasopressor, and mechanical ventilation. A prediction model integrating these predictors was established. The area under the curve (AUC) of the nomogram was 0.810 in the training group and 0.822 in the testing group, indicating that this nomogram might have a good performance.

Conclusion

Systemic immune-inflammation was associated with an increased in-hospital death risk for patients with ICH in the ICU. A nomogram for in-hospital death risk for patients with ICH in the ICU was developed and validated.
Brain arteriovenous malformation in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: Recent advances in cellular and molecular mechanisms
Authors: Drapé Elise , Anquetil Typhaine , Larrivée Bruno , Dubrac Alexandre
Published: November 2022

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a genetic disorder characterized by vessel dilatation, such as telangiectasia in skin and mucosa and arteriovenous malformations (AVM) in internal organs such as the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and brain. AVMs are fragile and tortuous vascular anomalies that directly connect arteries and veins, bypassing healthy capillaries. Mutations in transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling pathway components, such as ENG (ENDOGLIN), ACVRL1 (ALK1), and SMAD4 (SMAD4) genes, account for most of HHT cases. 10–20% of HHT patients develop brain AVMs (bAVMs), which can lead to vessel wall rupture and intracranial hemorrhages. Though the main mutations are known, mechanisms leading to AVM formation are unclear, partially due to lack of animal models. Recent mouse models allowed significant advances in our understanding of AVMs. Endothelial-specific deletion of either Acvrl1, Eng or Smad4 is sufficient to induce AVMs, identifying endothelial cells (ECs) as primary targets of BMP signaling to promote vascular integrity. Loss of ALK1/ENG/SMAD4 signaling is associated with NOTCH signaling defects and abnormal arteriovenous EC differentiation. Moreover, cumulative evidence suggests that AVMs originate from venous ECs with defective flow-migration coupling and excessive proliferation. Mutant ECs show an increase of PI3K/AKT signaling and inhibitors of this signaling pathway rescue AVMs in HHT mouse models, revealing new therapeutic avenues. In this review, we will summarize recent advances and current knowledge of mechanisms controlling the pathogenesis of bAVMs, and discuss unresolved questions.
SARS-CoV-2 infection increases risk of intracranial hemorrhage
Authors: Hawsawi Zuhair , Khan Dilaware , Fischer Igor , Cornelius Jan Frederick , Hänggi Daniel , Muhammad Sajjad
Published: November 2022

Introduction

SARS-CoV-2 virus infection causes a dysbalanced and severe inflammatory response, including hypercytokinemia and immunodepression. Systemic inflammation triggered by a viral infection can potentially cause vascular damage, which may lead to cardiovascular and neurovascular events.

Research question

The aim was to investigate whether CNS complications are related to COVID-19.

Materials and methods

We examined 21 patients suffering from stroke and intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and 9 (43%) of them were male. We compared relative frequencies using Fisher’s exact test. As we had few observations and many variables, we used principal component analysis (PCA) to reduce data dimensionality. We trained a linear support vector machine (SVM) on the first two PCs of the laboratory data to predict COVID-19.

Results

Patients suffering from stroke had either hypertension or SARS-CoV-2 infection, but seldom both (OR = 0.05, p = 0.0075). The presence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was strongly associated with the logarithm of CRP (p = 1.4e–07) and with D-DIMER (p = 1.6e–05) and moderately with PT (p = 0.0024). SARS-CoV-2 infection was not related to any other factor. CRP, D-DIMER, PT, and INR were all related to each other (R2 ranging from 0.19 to 0.52, p ranging from 0.012 to < 0.0001). The first two PCs covered 96% of the variance in the four variables. Using them, perfect linear discrimination between patients suffering from COVID-19 and other patients could be achieved.

Discussion and conclusion

SARS-CoV-2 infection causes systemic inflammation, which is suggested as a predictor of the severe course of ICH. SARS-CoV-2 infection is an additional risk factor for vascular complications.
The effect of home-based transcranial direct current stimulation in cognitive performance in fibromyalgia: A randomized, double-blind sham-controlled trial
Authors: Serrano Paul Vicuña , Zortea Maxciel , Alves Rael Lopes , Beltrán Gerardo , Bavaresco Cibely , Ramalho Leticia , Alves Camila Fernanda da Silveira , Medeiros Liciane , Sanches Paulo R. S. , Silva Danton P. , Lucena da Silva Torres Iraci , Fregni Felipe , Caumo Wolnei
Published: November 2022

Background

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a promising approach to improving fibromyalgia (FM) symptoms, including cognitive impairment. So, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of home-based tDCS in treating cognitive impairment. Besides, we explored if the severity of dysfunction of the Descendant Pain Modulation System (DPMS) predicts the tDCS effect and if its effect is linked to changes in neuroplasticity as measured by the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

Methods

This randomized, double-blind, parallel, sham-controlled clinical trial, single-center, included 36 women with FM, aged from 30 to 65 years old, assigned 2:1 to receive a-tDCS (n = 24) and s-tDCS (n = 12). The primary outcome was the Trail Making Test’s assessment of executive attention, divided attention, working memory (WM), and cognitive flexibility (TMT-B-A). The secondary outcomes were the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), the WM by Digits subtest from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III), and quality of life. Twenty-minute daily sessions of home-based tDCS for 4 weeks (total of 20 sessions), 2 mA anodal-left (F3) and cathodal-right (F4) prefrontal stimulation with 35 cm2 carbon electrodes.

Results

GLM showed a main effect for treatment in the TMT-B-A [Wald χ2 = 6.176; Df = 1; P = 0.03]. The a-tDCS improved cognitive performance. The effect size estimated by Cohen’s d at treatment end in the TMT-B-A scores was large [–1.48, confidence interval (CI) 95% = –2.07 to–0.90]. Likewise, the a-tDCS effects compared to s-tDCS improved performance in the WM, verbal and phonemic fluency, and quality-of-life scale. The impact of a-tDCS on the cognitive tests was positively correlated with the reduction in serum BDNF from baseline to treatment end. Besides, the decrease in the serum BDNF was positively associated with improving the quality of life due to FM symptoms.

Conclusion

These findings revealed that daily treatment with a home-based tDCS device over l-DLPFC compared to sham stimulation over 4 weeks improved the cognitive impairment in FM. The a-tDCS at home was well-tolerated, underlining its potential as an alternative treatment for cognitive dysfunction. Besides, the a-tDCS effect is related to the severity of DPMS dysfunction and changes in neuroplasticity state.

Clinical trial registration

[www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT03843203].
Short-term high-fat diet alters the mouse brain magnetic resonance imaging parameters consistently with neuroinflammation on males and metabolic rearrangements on females. A pre-clinical study with an optimized selection of linear mixed-effects models
Authors: Campillo Basilio Willem , Galguera David , Cerdan Sebastian , López-Larrubia Pilar , Lizarbe Blanca
Published: November 2022

Introduction

High-fat diet (HFD) consumption is known to trigger an inflammatory response in the brain that prompts the dysregulation of energy balance, leads to insulin and leptin resistance, and ultimately obesity. Obesity, at the same, has been related to cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) alterations, but the onset of HFD-induced neuroinflammation, however, has been principally reported on male rodents and by ex vivo methods, with the effects on females and the origin of MRI changes remaining unassessed.

Methods

We characterized the onset and evolution of obesity on male and female mice during standard or HFD administration by physiological markers and multiparametric MRI on four cerebral regions involved in appetite regulation and energy homeostasis. We investigated the effects of diet, time under diet, brain region and sex by identifying their significant contributions to sequential linear mixed-effects models, and obtained their regional neurochemical profiles by high-resolution magic angle spinning spectroscopy.

Results

Male mice developed an obese phenotype paralleled by fast increases in magnetization transfer ratio values, while females delayed the obesity progress and showed no MRI-signs of cerebral inflammation, but larger metabolic rearrangements on the neurochemical profile.

Discussion

Our study reveals early MRI-detectable changes compatible with the development of HFD-induced cerebral cytotoxic inflammation on males but suggest the existence of compensatory metabolic adaptations on females that preclude the corresponding detection of MRI alterations.
Nigral volumetric and microstructural measures in individuals with scans without evidence of dopaminergic deficit
Authors: Langley Jason , Hwang Kristy S. , Hu Xiaoping P. , Huddleston Daniel E.
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging using 123I-ioflupane single photon positron emitted computed tomography (SPECT) (DaTScan, GE) identifies 5−20% of newly diagnosed Parkinson’s disease (PD) subjects enrolling in clinical studies to have scans without evidence of dopaminergic deficit (SWEDD). These individuals meet diagnostic criteria for PD, but do not clinically progress as expected, and they are not believed to have neurodegenerative Parkinsonism. Inclusion of SWEDD participants in PD biomarker studies or therapeutic trials may therefore cause them to fail. DaTScan can identify SWEDD individuals, but it is expensive and not widely available; an alternative imaging approach is needed. Here, we evaluate the use of neuromelanin-sensitive, iron-sensitive, and diffusion contrasts in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) to differentiate SWEDD from PD individuals.

Methods

Neuromelanin-sensitive, iron-sensitive, and diffusion imaging data for SWEDD, PD, and control subjects were downloaded from the Parkinson’s progression markers initiative (PPMI) database. SNpc volume, SNpc iron (R2), and SNpc free water (FW) were measured for each participant.

Results

Significantly smaller SNpc volume was seen in PD as compared to SWEDD (P < 10–3) and control (P < 10–3) subjects. SNpc FW was elevated in the PD group relative to controls (P = 0.017). No group difference was observed in SNpc R2.

Conclusion

In conclusion, nigral volume and FW in the SWEDD group were similar to that of controls, while a reduction in nigral volume and increased FW were observed in the PD group relative to SWEDD and control participants. These results suggest that these MRI measures should be explored as a cost-effective alternative to DaTScan for evaluation of the nigrostriatal system.
Non-nicotine constituents in cigarette smoke extract enhance nicotine addiction through monoamine oxidase A inhibition
Authors: Liu Guanglin , Wang Ruiyan , Chen Huan , Wu Ping , Fu Yaning , Li Kaixin , Liu Mingda , Shi Zhihao , Zhang Yuan , Su Yue , Song Lingxiao , Hou Hongwei , Hu Qingyuan
Published: November 2022

Tobacco addiction has been largely attributed to nicotine, a component in tobacco leaves and smoke. However, extensive evidence suggests that some non-nicotine components of smoke should not be overlooked when considering tobacco dependence. Yet, their individual effect and synergistic effect on nicotine reinforcement remain poorly understood. The study herein focused on the role of non-nicotine constituents in promoting the effects of nicotine and their independent reinforcing effects. Denicotinized cigarettes were prepared by chemical extracting of cut tobacco, and the cigarette smoke extracts (CSE, used as a proxy for non-nicotine ingredients) were obtained by machine-smoking the cigarettes and DMSO extraction. The compositions of harmful components, nicotine, and other minor alkaloids in both cut tobacco and the CSE of experimental denicotinized cigarettes were examined by GC-MS, and compared with 3R4F reference cigarettes. individually and in synergy with nicotine were determined by conditioned place preference (CPP), dopamine (DA) level detection, the open field test (OFT), and the elevated plus maze (EPM). Finally, the potential enhancement mechanism of non-nicotinic constituents was investigated by nicotine metabolism and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) activity inhibition in the striatum of mice and human recombinant MAOA. Thenicotine content in smoke from the experimental denicotinized cigarettes (under ISO machine-smoking conditions) was reduced by 95.1% and retained most minor alkaloids, relative to the 3R4F reference cigarettes. It was found that non-nicotine constituents increased acute locomotor activities. This was especially pronounced for DA levels in NAc and CPP scores, decreased the time in center zone. There were no differences in these metrics with DNC group when compared to the NS group. Non-nicotine constituents alone did not show reinforcing effects in CPP or striatum DA levels in mice. However, in the presence of nicotine, non-nicotine constituents further increased the reinforcing effects. Furthermore, non-nicotine constituents may enhance nicotine’s reinforcing effects by inhibiting striatum MAOA activity rather than affecting nicotine metabolism or total striatum DA content in mice. These findings expand our knowledge of the effect on smoking reinforcement of non-nicotine constituents found in tobacco products.
Higher blood cotinine level is associated with worse cognitive functioning in non-smoking older adults
Authors: Fu Zhenmei , Qi Guiye , Qu Zhe , Lin Xuechun , Xu Li , Shen Biyu , Dong Fanghong , Ge Song
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Secondhand smoke (SHS) is common in older adults; however, its cognitive effect is unclear. We aimed to examine the association between serum cotinine level and cognitive functioning among non-smoking older adults.

Materials and methods

A total of 2,703 older adults aged 60 and above from the National Health and Nutrition Examination (NHANES) Survey 2011–2014 were included. Serum cotinine level was analyzed in the laboratory. A level ≤10 ng/ml and a response of “no” to the question “Do you currently smoke?” were used to select non-smokers. Cognitive functioning was measured using the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s disease Word Learning subtest (CERAD-WL) immediate and delayed recall tests, the Animal Fluency test (AFT), and the Digit Symbol Substitution test (DSST). Multivariable linear regression models were constructed to examine the association between serum cotinine level quartile and test-specific and global cognition z scores adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education, depressive symptoms, body mass index, alcohol use, smoking history, prevalent coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and systolic blood pressure.

Results

About half of the participants (mean age 70.5 years) were female (53.6%), non-Hispanic White (48.3%), and completed some college and above (50.2%). Multivariate linear regressions with a reference group being those in the 1st quantile (lowest) showed that participants in the 4th quartile (highest) of serum cotinine level had lower immediate recall [β = −0.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.29, −0.03], AFT (β = −0.19, 95% CI = −0.33, −0.05), DSST (β = −0.27, 95% CI = −0.39, −0.15), and global cognition (β = −0.26, 95% CI = −0.39, −0.14) z scores. Participants in the 3rd quartile had lower immediate recall (β = −0.16, 95% CI = −0.30, −0.02) and global cognition (β = −0.16, 95% CI = −0.29, −0.02) z scores. Participants in the 2nd quartile had lower delayed recall z scores (β = −0.16, 95% CI = −0.29, −0.02).

Conclusion

Higher serum cotinine level was associated with worse cognitive functioning in non-smoking older adults. Prevention and reduction of SHS in older adults may help protect their cognitive functioning.
Multi-scale information fusion network with label smoothing strategy for corneal ulcer classification in slit lamp images
Authors: Lv Linquan , Peng Mengle , Wang Xuefeng , Wu Yuanjun
Published: November 2022

Corneal ulcer is the most common symptom of corneal disease, which is one of the main causes of corneal blindness. The accurate classification of corneal ulcer has important clinical importance for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. To achieve this, we propose a deep learning method based on multi-scale information fusion and label smoothing strategy. Firstly, the proposed method utilizes the densely connected network (DenseNet121) as backbone for feature extraction. Secondly, to fully integrate the shallow local information and the deep global information and improve the classification accuracy, we develop a multi-scale information fusion network (MIF-Net), which uses multi-scale information for joint learning. Finally, to reduce the influence of the inter-class similarity and intra-class diversity on the feature representation, the learning strategy of label smoothing is introduced. Compared with other state-of-the-art classification networks, the proposed MIF-Net with label smoothing achieves high classification performance, which reaches 87.07 and 83.84% for weighted-average recall (W_R) on the general ulcer pattern and specific ulcer pattern, respectively. The proposed method holds promise for corneal ulcer classification in fluorescein staining slit lamp images, which can assist ophthalmologists in the objective and accurate diagnosis of corneal ulcer.
Religious fasting and its impacts on individual, public, and planetary health: Fasting as a “religious health asset” for a healthier, more equitable, and sustainable society
Authors: Trabelsi Khaled , Ammar Achraf , Boujelbane Mohamed Ali , Puce Luca , Garbarino Sergio , Scoditti Egeria , Boukhris Omar , Khanfir Saber , Clark Cain C. T. , Glenn Jordan M. , Alhaj Omar A. , Jahrami Haitham , Chtourou Hamdi , Bragazzi Nicola Luigi
Published: November 2022

Religious fasting is practiced by people of all faiths, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, as well as Hinduism, Judaism, and Taoism. Individual/clinical, public, global, and planetary health has traditionally been studied as separate entities. Nevertheless, religious fasting, in conjunction with other religious health assets, can provide several opportunities, ranging from the individual to the population, environmental, and planetary levels, by facilitating and supporting societal transformations and changes, such as the adoption of healthier, more equitable, and sustainable lifestyles, therein preserving the Earth's systems and addressing major interconnected, cascading, and compound challenges. In this review, we will summarize the most recent evidence on the effects of religious fasting, particularly Orthodox and Ramadan Islamic fasting, on human and public health. Further, we will explore the potential effects of religious fasting on tackling current environmental issues, with a special focus on nutrition/food restriction and planetary health. Finally, specific recommendations, particularly around dietary intake during the fasting rituals, will be provided to ensure a sustainable healthy planet.
Insights into the effects of different drying methods on protein oxidation and degradation characteristics of golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus)
Authors: Chen Peng , Qiu Yingjie , Chen Shengjun , Zhao Yongqiang , Wu Yanyan , Wang Yueqi
Published: November 2022

The quality of dried fish products differs based on the drying method employed owing to the different drying principles, with changes in protein affecting the quality of these products. Therefore, we investigated the differences in golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) fish tissue structure and protein physicochemical properties under different drying methods. Freeze drying (FD) induced less tissue damage, leaving more intact myofibrils, than that of hot air drying (HAD) and heat pump drying (HPD). The structural stability of myofibrillar protein was retained to a greater extent after FD, while myoglobin oxidation was lower, and fish meat color was well maintained. Our findings not only elucidated the effects of several drying methods on the physicochemical properties of fish protein, but also determined the mechanism underlying quality changes observed during the drying process. This provides a theoretical reference for the study of dried fish filet processing.
FCGR3A: A new biomarker with potential prognostic value for prostate cancer
Authors: Zha Zeyu , Hong Yuan , Tang ZhenFeng , Du Qiuling , Wang Yan , Yang Shengbang , Wu Yongding , Tan Huijing , Jiang Funneng , Zhong Weide
Published: November 2022

To screen target gene cluster by bioinformatics analysis and verify them by in vitro experiment and clinicopathological correlation analysis. We try to find a new biomarker with prognostic value for prostate cancer (PCa). 42 candidate marker genes were constructed by protein protein interaction (PPI) network and enriched by KEGG pathway to find out the gene cluster we are interested in. Prognostic model was established to preliminarily analyze the prognostic value of this gene cluster in PCa, and Cox risk regression was used for comparative analysis. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of each gene in clinical tissue microarray. Finally, we analyzed the correlation between each gene and their clinicopathological features of PCa combined with TCGA clinical data. Based on the analysis of PPI and KEGG, we found the target gene cluster (FCGR3A, HAVCR2, CCR7 and CD28). Prognostic model analysis showed that this gene cluster had the ability to predict biochemical recurrence, and the survival rate and ROC analysis showed favorable prediction effect. Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that the risk scores of Gleason score (GS), T stage, N stage and PSA were significantly different (P<0.05), and the risk ratio of high expression was 2.30 times that of low expression (P=0.004). However, it was not statistically significant in multivariate Cox regression analysis (P>0.05). The results of tissue microarray showed that FCGR3A and HAVCR2 were highly expressed in PCa (P<0.01), while the expression of CCR7 and CD28 had no significant difference (P>0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that there was significant difference in BCR free survival of FCGR3A and HAVCR2 (FCGR3A, P=0.010; HAVCR2, P=0.018), while the expression of CCR7 and CD28 had no significant difference on the survival and prognosis of PCa patients (P>0.05). TCGA clinical data analysis found that the expression of FCGR3A had a unique correlation with the clinicopathological features of PCa, which was closely related to the tumor stage. The expression of FCGR3A is related to BCR free survival of PCa patients. Therefore, FCGR3A is a new biomarker with potential prognostic value of PCa.
Clinical use and adjustment of ultrasound elastography for breast lesions followed WFUMB guidelines and recommendations in the real world
Authors: Tang Lei , Wang Yuqun , Chen Pingping , Chen Man , Jiang Lixin
Published: November 2022

Objective

This study aimed to explore the value of strain elastography (SE) and shear wave elastography (SWE) following the World Federation of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) guidelines and recommendations in the real world in distinguishing benign and malignant breast lesions and reducing biopsy of BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System) 4a lesions.

Methods

This prospective study included 274 breast lesions. The elastography score (ES) by the Tsukuba score, the strain ratio (SR) for SE, and Emax for SWE of the lesion(A) and the regions(A’) included the lesion and the margin (0.5-5 mm) surrounding the lesion were measured. The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were calculated and compared by the cutoff values recommended by WFUMB guidelines.

Results

When scores of 1 to 3 were classified as probably benign by WFUMB recommendation, the ES was significantly higher in malignant lesions compared to benign lesions (p < 0.05) in all lesions. For the cohort by size >20 mm, the sensitivity was 100%, and the specificity was 45.5%. ES had the highest AUC: 0.79(95% CI 0.72-0.86) with a sensitivity of 96.2%, and a specificity of 61.8% for the cohort by size ≤20 mm. For the Emax-A’-S2.5mm, when the high stiffness would be considered with Emax above 80 kPa in SWE, the malignant lesions were diagnosed with a sensitivity of 95.8%, a specificity of 43.3% for all lesions, a sensitivity of 88.5% for lesions with size ≤20 mm, and sensitivity of 100.0% for lesions with size >20 mm. In 84 lesions of BI-RADS category 4a, if category 4a lesions with ES of 1-3 points or Emax-A’-S2.5 less than 80 kPa could be downgraded to category 3, 52 (61.9%) lesions could be no biopsy, including two malignancies. If category 4a lesions with ES of 1-3 points and Emax-A’-S2.5 less than 80kPa could be downgraded to category 3, 23 (27.4%) lesions could be no biopsy, with no malignancy.

Conclusions

The elastography score for SE and Emax-A’ for SWE after our modification were beneficial in the diagnosis of breast cancer. The combination of SWE and SE could effectively reduce the biopsy rate of BI-RADS category 4a lesions.
Safety and efficacy of radiotherapy combined with lenvatinib plus PD-1 inhibitors as neo-adjuvant therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein thrombus: protocol of an open-label, single-arm, prospective, multi-center phase I trial
Authors: Li Guangxin , Shu Bin , Zheng Zhuozhao , Yin Hongfang , Zhang Chen , Xiao Ying , Yang Yanmei , Yan Zhe , Zhang Xiaofei , Yang Shizhong , Li Gong , Dong Jiahong
Published: November 2022

Background

Surgical resection is a mainstay to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) in east Asia. However, the postoperative recurrence rate is high. It is necessary to explore neo-adjuvant therapy to increase the surgical resection rate and improve overall survival. Evidence has shown that lenvatinib combined with PD-1 inhibitors is safe and effective in the treatment of advanced unresectable HCC. Radiotherapy is also an effective treatment method for PVTT and has a synergistic effect in combination with PD-1 inhibitors. Surgical resection after Lenvatinib and sintilimab combined with radiotherapy as a neoadjuvant treatment regimen may be a new exploration of HCC with PVTT, but there were not any reported.

Methods

This open-label, single-arm, prospective, multi-center Phase I trial will enroll 20 HCC patients with PVTT who have a resectable primary tumor and no extra-hepatic metastasis. Eligible patients will be given radiotherapy, 3Gy*10 fraction, and will receive lenvatinib 8-12mg once daily and sintilimab 200mg once every three weeks. Surgical resection will be performed 6-8 weeks after radiotherapy. The primary endpoint is safety (number of patients ≥3G TRAE) and the number of patients who complete pre-op treatment and proceed to surgery. The secondary study endpoints include Major Pathological Response (MPR), 1-year tumor recurrence-free rate, Objective Response Rate (ORR), Imaging-Pathology Concordance Rate (IPCR), PVTT regression rate, Median Overall Survival (OS) and Recurrence Free Survival (RFS).

Discussion

This trial may confirm that surgical resection following intensive neoadjuvant therapy can provide a safe and efficient regimen for BCLC stage C patients with PVTT.

Clinical trial registration

https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier (NCT05225116).
The transcriptomic landscape of elderly acute myeloid leukemia identifies B7H3 and BANP as a favorable signature in high-risk patients
Authors: Villar Sara , Ariceta Beñat , Agirre Xabier , Urribarri Aura Daniela , Ayala Rosa , Martínez-Cuadrón David , Bergua Juan Miguel , Vives Susana , Algarra Lorenzo , Tormo Mar , Martínez Pilar , Serrano Josefina , Simoes Catia , Herrera Pilar , Calasanz Maria José , Alfonso-Piérola Ana , Paiva Bruno , Martínez-López Joaquín , San Miguel Jesús F. , Prósper Felipe , Montesinos Pau
Published: November 2022

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the elderly remains a clinical challenge, with a five-year overall survival rate below 10%. The current ELN 2017 genetic risk classification considers cytogenetic and mutational characteristics to stratify fit AML patients into different prognostic groups. However, this classification is not validated for elderly patients treated with a non-intensive approach, and its performance may be suboptimal in this context. Indeed, the transcriptomic landscape of AML in the elderly has been less explored and it might help stratify this group of patients. In the current study, we analyzed the transcriptome of 224 AML patients > 65 years-old at diagnosis treated in the Spanish PETHEMA-FLUGAZA clinical trial in order to identify new prognostic biomarkers in this population. We identified a specific transcriptomic signature for high-risk patients with mutated TP53 or complex karyotype, revealing that low expression of B7H3 gene with high expression of BANP gene identifies a subset of high-risk AML patients surviving more than 12 months. This result was further validated in the BEAT AML cohort. This unique signature highlights the potential of transcriptomics to identify prognostic biomarkers in in elderly AML.
Associations between disrupted functional brain network topology and cognitive impairment in patients with rectal cancer during chemotherapy
Authors: Guo Yesong , Liu Siwen , Yan Fei , Yin Na , Ni Jie , Li Chenchen , Pan Xuan , Ma Rong , Wu Jianzhong , Li Shengwei , Li Xiaoyou
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Cognitive impairment has been identified in patients with non-central nervous system cancer received chemotherapy. Chemotherapy-induced changes in the brain are considered as the possible causes of the cognitive deficits of patients. This study aimed to explore chemotherapy-related functional brain changes and cognitive impairment in rectal cancer (RC) patients who had just finished chemotherapy treatment.

Methods

In this study, RC patients after chemotherapy (on the day patients received the last dose of chemotherapy) (n=30) and matched healthy controls (HCs) (n=30) underwent cognitive assessments, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and resting-state functional MRI. The functional brain networks were constructed by thresholding the partial correlation matrices of 90 brain regions in the Anatomical Automatic Labeling template and the topologic properties were evaluated by graph theory analysis. Moreover, correlations between altered topological measures and scores of cognitive scales were explored in the patient group.

Results

Compared with HCs, RC patients had lower scores of cognitive scales. The functional brain network had preserved small-world topological features but with a tendency towards higher path length in the whole network. In addition, patients had decreased nodal global efficiency (Eglo(i)) in the left superior frontal gyrus (dorsolateral), superior frontal gyrus (orbital part), inferior frontal gyrus (opercular part), inferior frontal gyrus (triangular part) and right inferior frontal gyrus (triangular part). Moreover, values of Eglo(i) in the superior and inferior frontal gyrus were positively associated with cognitive function in the patient group.

Conclusion

These results suggested that cognitive impairment was associated with disruptions of the topological organization in functional brain networks of RC patients who had just finished chemotherapy, which provided new insights into the pathophysiology underlying acute effects of chemotherapy on cognitive function.
Efficacy of dabrafenib/trametinib in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with BRAF NVTAP deletion: A case report
Authors: Shin Ji Eun , An Ho Jung , Park Hyung Soon , Kim Hyunho , Shim Byoung Yong
Published: November 2022

Studies have been actively conducted to identify actionable mutations and incorporate them into clinical practice in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which is known to have a poor prognosis with traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy. A BRAF point mutation in V600E is commonly reported in KRAS wild-type PDAC, and targeting BRAF_V600E is already being applied to various carcinomas, including PDAC. Accumulated evidence also shows that not only BRAF_V600E but also short in-frame deletions of BRAF have an oncogenic function. Here, we report that a patient with BRAF N486_P490 deletion initiated on dabrafenib or trametinib, a BRAF inhibitor, and a MEK inhibitor, respectively, after cytotoxic chemotherapy failure. The patient then presented with a partial response.
Neoadjuvant therapy in pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Li Yongzheng , Fan Zhiyao , Zhang Feifei , Yang Jian , Shi Ming , Liu Shujie , Meng Yufan , Zhan Hanxiang
Published: November 2022

Background and Objectives

Neoadjuvant therapy plays an increasingly important role in pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs), but the systematic evaluation of its efficacy is still lacking. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of neoadjuvant therapy in pNENs.

Methods

We systematically reviewed the literatures published online until October 1, 2021. Meta-analysis was conducted to generate proportion with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for tumor response, resection rate, R0 resection rate and survival time.

Results

Nine studies with 468 patients were involved in the systematic review. None of these patients met complete response (CR). Furthermore, 43.6% (95% CI [18.1, 69.0]) patients were expected to achieve partial response (PR), 51.3% (95% CI [27.9, 78.3]) to stable disease (SD), and 4.3% (95% CI [0.7, 7.9]) to progressive disease (PD). The estimate resection rate and R0 resection rate after neoadjuvant therapy were 68.2% (95% CI [44.5, 91.9]) and 60.2% (95% CI [53.5, 66.9]), respectively. There was no significant difference in resection rate between different chemotherapy regimens (41.67% vs 33.93%, P=0.453), as well as R0 resection rate (62.50% vs 68.30%, P=0.605). In terms of objective response rate (ORR), there was no significant difference between CAPTEM and FAS (41.67% vs 33.93%, P=0.453), while PRRT showed a higher ORR compared with chemotherapy, although there was also no statistical difference (49.06% vs 36.96%, P=0.154).

Conclusion

Neoadjuvant therapies could reduce the tumor size and stage of some borderline resectable or unresectable pNENs, and give some patients the chance of radical resection. However, according to the current data, the best treatment regimen for pNENs neoadjuvant therapy is still unknown.
Suicide risk among female breast cancer survivors: A population–based study
Authors: Shi Jian , Yang Yongping , Guo Yu , Ren Wu
Published: November 2022

Background

Breast cancer is the most common cancer type for females and has the highest relative number of suicide cases among female-specific cancers. This study aimed to demonstrate suicide rates and changing trends and to identify risk factors for suicide among female breast cancer survivors.

Methods

Data were derived from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database for women diagnosed with breast cancer from 2000 to 2017. Mortality rate and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated to describe the incidence rate and trend of suicide among female breast cancer survivors. Gray’s test and cumulative incidence function (CIF) curves were used to assess difference of cumulative suicide incidence in subgroups. Multivariate Fine-Gray competing risk model was used to identify risk factors for individual survivors and nomogram model was used to estimate the probability of suicide.

Result

There were 414 suicide cases among 638,547 female breast cancer survivors observed for 5,079,194 person-years, and the suicide rate and SMRs gradually increased with the year of diagnosis. Female breast cancer survivors had a higher risk of suicide than the general population (SMR = 1.19; 95% CI (1.08–1.31)). Based on the result of Fine-Gray competing risk models, age group (50-70 vs <50: HR=0.65, 95% CI:0.52-0.80; >70 vs <50: HR=0.22, 95% CI:0.15-0.32), race/ethnicity (black vs white: HR= 0.20, 95% CI: 0.11-0.36; other race vs white: HR= 0.67, 95% CI: 0.46-0.97), marital status (separated vs married: HR= 1.50, 95% CI: 1.16-1.94; single vs married: HR= 1.70, 95% CI: 1.31-2.20), stage (distant vs regional: HR= 0.30, 95% CI: 0.14-0.63), radiotherapy (Yes vs No/Unknown: HR= 0.62, 95% CI: 0.49-0.77), and molecular subtypes (HER-2 vs Luminal B (HR= 2.53, 95% CI: 1.10-5.82), TNBC vs Luminal B (HR= 2.11, 95% CI: 1.01-4.42)) were independent predictors of suicide among female breast cancer patients. A nomogram was constructed to predict the suicide probability for individual survivors with a C-index of 0.62 (95%CI: 0.59-0.66).

Conclusion

Female breast cancer survivors with younger age (less than 50 years old), white race, unmarried status, regional stage, HER-2 or TNBC subtype, and no radiotherapy performed were more likely to commit suicide. The clinicians and family members should pay more attention to patients with high risk factors of suicide to decrease the mortality rate.