bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The ability of Interleukin–10 to negate haemozoin-related pro-inflammatory effects has the potential to restore impaired macrophage function associated with malaria infection
Authors: Tembo Dumizulu , Harawa Visopo , Tran Tam C. , Afran Louise , Molyneux Malcolm E. , Taylor Terrie E. , Seydel Karl B. , Nyirenda Tonney , Russell David G. , Mandala Wilson
Published: April 2023

Background

Although pro-inflammatory cytokines are involved in the clearance of Plasmodium falciparum during the early stages of the infection, increased levels of these cytokines have been implicated in the pathogenesis of severe malaria. Amongst various parasite-derived inducers of inflammation, the malarial pigment haemozoin (Hz), which accumulates in monocytes, macrophages and other immune cells during infection, has been shown to significantly contribute to dysregulation of the normal inflammatory cascades.

Methods

The direct effect of Hz-loading on cytokine production by monocytes and the indirect effect of Hz on cytokine production by myeloid cells was investigated during acute malaria and convalescence using archived plasma samples from studies investigating P. falciparum malaria pathogenesis in Malawian subjects. Further, the possible inhibitory effect of IL-10 on Hz-loaded cells was examined, and the proportion of cytokine-producing T-cells and monocytes during acute malaria and in convalescence was characterized.

Results

Hz contributed towards an increase in the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as Interferon Gamma (IFN-γ), Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) and Interleukin 2 (IL-2) by various cells. In contrast, the cytokine IL-10 was observed to have a dose-dependent suppressive effect on the production of TNF among other cytokines. Cerebral malaria (CM) was characterized by impaired monocyte functions, which normalized in convalescence. CM was also characterized by reduced levels of IFN-γ-producing T cell subsets, and reduced expression of immune recognition receptors HLA-DR and CD 86, which also normalized in convalescence. However, CM and other clinical malaria groups were characterized by significantly higher plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines than healthy controls, implicating anti-inflammatory cytokines in balancing the immune response.

Conclusions

Acute CM was characterized by elevated plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines but lower proportions of cytokine-producing T-cells and monocytes that normalize during convalescence. IL-10 is also shown to have the potential to indirectly prevent excessive inflammation. Cytokine production dysregulated by the accumulation of Hz appears to impair the balance of the immune response to malaria and exacerbates pathology.
RBM14 as a novel epigenetic-activated tumor oncogene is implicated in the reprogramming of glycolysis in lung cancer
Authors: Hu Yan , Mu Hanshuo , Deng Zhiping
Published: April 2023

Background

RNA-binding motif protein 14 (RBM14) is upregulated in a variety of tumors. However, the expression and biological role of RBM14 in lung cancer remain unclear.

Methods

Chromatin immunoprecipitation and PCR were carried out to measure the levels of sedimentary YY1, EP300, H3K9ac, and H3K27ac in the RBM14 promoter. Co-immunoprecipitation was used to verify the interaction between YY1 and EP300. Glycolysis was investigated according to glucose consumption, lactate production, and the extracellular acidification rate (ECAR).

Results

RBM14 level is increased in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells. The increased RBM14 expression was correlated with TP53 mutation and individual cancer stages. A high level of RBM14 predicted a poorer overall survival of LUAD patients. The upregulated RBM14 in LUAD is induced by DNA methylation and histone acetylation. The transcription factor YY1 directly binds to EP300 and recruits EP300 to the promoter regions of RBM14, which further enhances H3K27 acetylation and promotes RBM14 expression. YY1-induced upregulation of RBM14 promoted cell growth and inhibited apoptosis by affecting the reprogramming of glycolysis.

Conclusions

These results indicated that epigenetically activated RBM14 regulated growth and apoptosis by regulating the reprogramming of glycolysis and RBM14 may serve as a promising biomarker and therapeutic target for LUAD.
Genetic variants of Dabie bandavirus: classification and biological/clinical implications
Authors: Liu Bingyan , Zhu Jie , He Tengfei , Zhang Zhenhua
Published: April 2023

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by Dabie bandavirus (DBV), a novel Bandavirus in the family Phenuiviridae. The first case of SFTS was reported in China, followed by cases in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. With clinical manifestations including fever, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and gastrointestinal symptoms, SFTS has a fatality rate of approximately 10%. In recent years, an increasing number of viral strains have been isolated and sequenced, and several research groups have attempted to classify the different genotypes of DBV. Additionally, accumulating evidence indicates certain correlations between the genetic makeup and biological/clinical manifestations of the virus. Here, we attempted to evaluate the genetic classification of different groups, align the genotypic nomenclature in different studies, summarize the distribution of different genotypes, and review the biological and clinical implications of DBV genetic variations.
Effects of magnesium sulfate on periarticular infiltration analgesia in total knee arthroplasty: a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial
Authors: Zhao Chengcheng , Wang Liying , Chen Liyile , Wang Qiuru , Kang Pengde
Published: April 2023

Background

To investigate whether adding magnesium sulfate to a periarticular infiltration analgesia (PIA) cocktail could improve pain control and functional outcomes in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods

Ninety patients were randomly assigned to the magnesium sulfate and control groups, with 45 patients in each group. In the magnesium sulfate group, patients were given a periarticular infusion of a cocktail of analgesics consisting of epinephrine, ropivacaine, magnesium sulfate, and dexamethasone. The control group received no magnesium sulfate. The primary outcomes consisted of visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores, postoperative morphine hydrochloride consumption for rescue analgesia, and time to first rescue analgesia. Secondary outcomes were postoperative inflammatory biomarkers (IL-6 and CRP), postoperative length of stay, and knee functional recovery (assessed by knee range of motion, quadriceps strength, daily mobilization distance, and time to first straight-leg raising). Tertiary outcomes included the postoperative swelling ratio and complication rates.

Results

Within 24 h of surgery, patients in the magnesium sulfate group had markedly lower VAS pain scores during motion and at rest. After the addition of magnesium sulfate, the analgesic effect was dramatically prolonged, leading to a reduction in morphine dosage within 24 h and the total morphine dosage postoperatively. Postoperative inflammatory biomarker levels were significantly reduced in the magnesium sulfate group compared with the control. There were no considerable differences between the groups in terms of the postoperative length of stay and knee functional recovery. Both groups had similar postoperative swelling ratios and incidences of complications.

Conclusions

The addition of magnesium sulfate to the analgesic cocktail for PIA can prolong postoperative analgesia, decrease the consumption of opioids, and effectively alleviate early postoperative pain after TKA.

Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2200056549. Registered on 7 February 2022,https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=151489.
Factors influencing on-scene time in a physician-staffed helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS): a retrospective observational study
Authors: Fuchs Alexander , Huber Markus , Riva Thomas , Becker Stefan , Albrecht Roland , Greif Robert , Pietsch Urs
Published: April 2023

Background

For helicopter emergency service systems (HEMS), the prehospital time consists of response time, on-scene time and transport time. Little is known about the factors that influence on-scene time or about differences between adult and paediatric missions in a physician-staffed HEMS.

Methods

We analysed the HEMS electronic database of Swiss Air-Rescue from 01-01-2011 to 31-12-2021 (N = 110,331). We included primary missions and excluded missions with National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics score (NACA) score 0 or 7, resulting in 68,333 missions for analysis. The primary endpoint ‘on-scene time’ was defined as first physical contact with the patient until take-off to the hospital. A multivariable linear regression model was computed to examine the association of diagnosis, type and number of interventions and monitoring, and patient's characteristics with the primary endpoint.

Results

The prehospital time and on-scene time of the missions studied were, respectively, 50.6 [IQR: 41.0–62.0] minutes and 21.0 [IQR: 15.0–28.6] minutes. Helicopter hoist operations, resuscitation, airway management, critical interventions, remote location, night-time, and paediatric patients were associated with longer on-scene times.

Conclusions

Compared to adult patients, the adjusted on-scene time for paediatric patients was longer. Besides the strong impact of a helicopter hoist operation on on-scene time, the dominant factors contributing to on-scene time are the type and number of interventions and monitoring: improving individual interventions or performing them in parallel may offer great potential for reducing on-scene time. However, multiple clinical interventions and monitoring interact and are not single interventions. Compared to the impact of interventions, non-modifiable factors, such as NACA score, type of diagnosis and age, make only a minor contribution to overall on-scene time.
A comparative study of the effects of Kangaroo care by mothers and maternal grandmothers on the vital signs of hospitalized preterm newborns: a randomized controlled clinical trial study
Authors: Dargahiyan Zahra , Ghasemi Fatemeh , Karami Kimia , Valizadeh Fatemeh , Mohammadi Rasool
Published: April 2023

Background

Kangaroo care (KC) is an effective technique to prevent injury in newborns due to prematurity and hospitalization. Mothers of preterm newborns experience their own set of physical and mental problems. Such circumstances call for another family member to take care of the newborn. This study compared the effect of KC by mothers and maternal grandmothers on the vital signs of preterm newborns.

Methods

This parallel randomized controlled trial was done at the neonatal and NICU departments of the hospital in Kuhdasht in Iran. Eighty preterm neonates were selected through convenience sampling according to the eligibility criteria, then by stratified block randomization allocated to two groups. The control group received KC from the mother, and the intervention group received KC from the maternal grandmothers on the vital signs of preterm newborns. Vital signs were assessed 15 min before, during, and after the KC as the primary outcome. The data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire and a form to record the vital signs. Vital signs were measured by a pulse oximeter, an electronic thermometer, and observation. Data were analyzed by the chi-square test, the independent t-test, and the repeated measures ANOVA.

Results

The vital signs of newborns in each group showed a significant difference before, during, and after receiving KC (P < 0.05). Nevertheless, the vital signs of the newborns did not differ significantly between the mother and the maternal grandmother KC groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

KC by maternal grandmother may stabilize the vital signs of preterm newborns as much as when this type of care is provided by the mother. We, therefore, recommend the provision of KC by the maternal grandmother, as a support and substitute for the mother whenever she is incapable of being at the hospital and to enable the mother to rest.

Trial registration

Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT20211225053516N1, March 31, 2022.
The malignancy suppression and ferroptosis facilitation of BCL6 in gastric cancer mediated by FZD7 repression are strengthened by RNF180/RhoC pathway
Authors: Guo Shiwei , Deng Jingyu , Wang Pengliang , Kou Fan , Wu Zizhen , Zhang Nannan , Zhao Zhenzhen , Nie Yongzhan , Yang Lili
Published: April 2023

Background

B-cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) is a transcription repressor that plays a tumor suppressor or promoting role in various tumors. However, its function and molecular mechanism in gastric cancer (GC) remain unclear. Ferroptosis, a novel programmed cell death, is closely related to tumor development. In this research, we aimed to explore the role and mechanism of BCL6 in malignant progression and ferroptosis of gastric cancer.

Methods

Firstly, BCL6 was identified as an important biomarker that attenuated the proliferation and metastasis of GC through tumor microarrays and confirmed in GC cell lines. RNA sequence was performed to explore the downstream genes of BCL6. The underlying mechanisms were further investigated by ChIP, dual luciferase reporter assays and rescue experiments. Cell death, lipid peroxidation, MDA and Fe2+ level were detected to determine the effect of BCL6 on ferroptosis and the mechanism was revealed. CHX, MG132 treatment and rescue experiments were used to explore the upstream regulatory mechanism of BCL6.

Results

Here we showed that BCL6 expression was significantly decreased in GC tissues, and patients with low BCL6 expression showed more malignant clinical features and poor prognosis. The upregulation of BCL6 may significantly inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of GC cells in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we found that BCL6 directly binds and transcriptionally represses Wnt receptor Frizzled 7 (FZD7) to inhibit the proliferation, metastasis of GC cells. We also found that BCL6 promoted lipid peroxidation, MDA and Fe2+ level to facilitate ferroptosis of GC cells by FZD7/β-catenin/TP63/GPX4 pathway. Furthermore, the expression and function of BCL6 in GC were regulated by the ring finger protein 180 (RNF180)/ras homolog gene family member C (RhoC) pathway, which had been elucidated to be involved in significantly mediating the proliferation and metastasis of GC cells.

Conclusions

In summary, BCL6 should be considered a potential intermediate tumor suppressor to inhibit the malignant progression and induce ferroptosis, which might be a promising molecular biomarker for further mechanistic investigation of GC.
A split-federated learning and edge-cloud based efficient and privacy-preserving large-scale item recommendation model
Authors: Qin Jiangcheng , Zhang Xueyuan , Liu Baisong , Qian Jiangbo
Published: April 2023

The combination of federated learning and recommender system aims to solve the privacy problems of recommendation through keeping user data locally at the client device during the model training session. However, most existing approaches rely on user devices to fully compute the deep model designed for the large-scale item recommendation; therefore, imposing high calculation and communication overheads on resource-constrained user devices. Consequently, achieving efficient federated recommendations across ubiquitous mobile devices remains an open research problem. To this end, in this paper we propose an efficient and privacy-preserving federated learning framework which is based on the cloud-edge collaboration for large-scale item recommendation called SpFedRec. In our method, to reduce the computation and communication cost of the federated two-tower model, a split learning approach is applied to migrate the item model from participants’ edge devices to the computationally powerful cloud side and compress item data while transmitting. Meanwhile, to enhance the feature representation, the Squeeze-and-Excitation network mechanism is used on the backbone model to optimize the perception of dominant features. Moreover, because the gradients transmitted contain private information about the user; therefore, we propose a multi-party circular secret-sharing chain based on secret sharing for better privacy protection. Extensive experiments using plausible assumptions on two real-world datasets demonstrate that our proposed method improves the average computation time and communication cost by 23% and 49%, respectively. Furthermore, the proposed model accomplishes comparable performance with other state-of-art federated recommendation models.
Prevalence and predictors of delayed initiation of breastfeeding among postnatal women at a tertiary hospital in Eastern Uganda: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Kusasira Loyce , Mukunya David , Obakiro Samuel , Kenedy Kiyimba , Rebecca Nekaka , Ssenyonga Lydia , Immaculate Mbwali , Napyo Agnes
Published: April 2023

Background

The rates for the delayed initiation of breastfeeding in Uganda remain unacceptably high between 30% and 80%. The reasons for this are not well understood. We aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors for the delayed initiation of breastfeeding in Eastern Uganda.

Methods

This study employed a cross-sectional study design. A total of 404 mother-infant pairs were enrolled onto the study between July and November, 2020 at Mbale regional referral hospital (MRRH). They were interviewed on socio-demographic related, infant-related, labour and delivery characteristics using a structured questionnaire. We estimated adjusted odds ratios using multivariable logistic regression models. All variables with p < 0.25 at the bivariate level were included in the initial model at the multivariate analysis. All variables with p < 0.1 and those of biological or epidemiologic plausibility (from previous studies) were included in the second model. The variables with odds ratios greater than 1 were considered as risk factors; otherwise they were protective against the delayed initiation of breastfeeding.

Results

The rate of delayed initiation of breastfeeding was 70% (n = 283/404, 95% CI: 65.3 – 74.4%). The factors that were associated with delayed initiation of breastfeeding were maternal charateristics including: being single (AOR = 0.37; 95%CI: 0.19–0.74), receiving antenatal care for less than 3 times (AOR = 1.85, 95%CI: 1.07–3.19) undergoing a caesarean section (AOR = 2.07; 95%CI: 1.3–3.19) and having a difficult labour (AOR = 2.05; 95%CI: 1.25–3.35). Infant characteristics included: having a health issue at birth (AOR = 9.8; 95%CI: 2.94–32.98).

Conclusions

The proportion of infants that do not achieve early initiation of breastfeeding in this setting remains high. Women at high risk of delaying the initiation of breastfeeding include those who: deliver by caesarean section, do not receive antenatal care and have labour difficulties. Infants at risk of not achieving early initiation of breastfeeding include those that have a health issue at birth. We recommend increased support for women who undergo caesarean section in the early initiation of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding support can be initiated in the recovery room after caesarean delivery or in the operating theatre. The importance of antenatal care attendance should be emphasized during health education classes. Infants with any form of health issue at birth should particularly be given attention to ensure breastfeeding is initiated early.
Substance use disorder bridge clinics: models, evidence, and future directions
Authors: Taylor Jessica L. , Wakeman Sarah E. , Walley Alexander Y. , Kehoe Laura G.
Published: April 2023

Background

The opioid overdose and polysubstance use crises have led to the development of low-barrier, transitional substance use disorder (SUD) treatment models, including bridge clinics. Bridge clinics offer immediate access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and other SUD treatment and are increasingly numerous. However, given relatively recent implementation, the clinical impact of bridge clinics is not well described.

Methods

In this narrative review, we describe existing bridge clinic models, services provided, and unique characteristics, highlighting how bridge clinics fill critical gaps in the SUD care continuum. We discuss available evidence for bridge clinic effectiveness in care delivery, including retention in SUD care. We also highlight gaps in available data.

Results

The first era of bridge clinic implementation has yielded diverse models united in the mission to lower barriers to SUD treatment entry, and preliminary data indicate success in patient-centered program design, MOUD initiation, MOUD retention, and SUD care innovation. However, data on effectiveness in linking to long-term care are limited.

Conclusions

Bridge clinics represent a critical innovation, offering on-demand access to MOUD and other services. Evaluating the effectiveness of bridge clinics in linking patients to long-term care settings remains an important research priority; however, available data show promising rates of treatment initiation and retention, potentially the most important metric amidst an increasingly dangerous drug supply.
High-flow nasal oxygen vs. standard oxygen therapy for patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement with conscious sedation: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Scheuermann S. , Tan A. , Govender P. , Mckie M. , Pack J. , Martinez G. , Falter F. , George S. , A. Klein A.
Published: April 2023

Background

Minimally invasive surgery is becoming more common and transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement is offered to older patients with multiple comorbidities. Sternotomy is not required but patients must lie flat and still for up to 2–3 h. This procedure is increasingly being performed under conscious sedation with supplementary oxygen, but hypoxia and agitation are commonly observed.

Methods

In this randomised controlled trial, we hypothesised that high-flow nasal oxygen would provide superior oxygenation as compared with our standard practice, 2 l min−1 oxygen by dry nasal specs. This was administered using the Optiflow THRIVE Nasal High Flow delivery system (Fisher and Paykel, Auckland, New Zealand) at a flow rate of 50 l min−1 and FiO2 0.3. The primary endpoint was the change in arterial partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) during the procedure. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of oxygen desaturation, airway interventions, the number of times the patient reached for the oxygen delivery device, incidence of cerebral desaturation, peri-operative oxygen therapy duration, hospital length of stay and patient satisfaction scores.

Results

A total of 72 patients were recruited. There was no difference in change in pO2 from baseline using high-flow compared with standard oxygen therapy: median [IQR] increase from 12.10 (10.05–15.22 [7.2–29.8]) to 13.69 (10.85–18.38 [8.5–32.3]) kPa vs. decrease from 15.45 (12.17–19.33 [9.2–22.8]) to 14.20 (11.80–19.40 [9.7–35.1]) kPa, respectively. The percentage change in pO2 after 30 min was also not significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.171). There was a lower incidence of oxygen desaturation in the high-flow group (p = 0.027). Patients in the high-flow group assigned a significantly higher comfort score to their treatment (p ≤ 0.001).

Conclusion

This study has demonstrated that high flow, compared with standard oxygen therapy, does not improve arterial oxygenation over the course of the procedure. There are suggestions that it may improve the secondary outcomes studied.

Trial registration

International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 13,804,861. Registered on 15 April 2019. https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN13804861
Redox dysregulation as a driver for DNA damage and its relationship to neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Shadfar Sina , Parakh Sonam , Jamali Md Shafi , Atkin Julie D.
Published: April 2023

Redox homeostasis refers to the balance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and their elimination by antioxidants. It is linked to all important cellular activities and oxidative stress is a result of imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidant species. Oxidative stress perturbs many cellular activities, including processes that maintain the integrity of DNA. Nucleic acids are highly reactive and therefore particularly susceptible to damage. The DNA damage response detects and repairs these DNA lesions. Efficient DNA repair processes are therefore essential for maintaining cellular viability, but they decline considerably during aging. DNA damage and deficiencies in DNA repair are increasingly described in age-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Huntington’s disease. Furthermore, oxidative stress has long been associated with these conditions. Moreover, both redox dysregulation and DNA damage increase significantly during aging, which is the biggest risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases. However, the links between redox dysfunction and DNA damage, and their joint contributions to pathophysiology in these conditions, are only just emerging. This review will discuss these associations and address the increasing evidence for redox dysregulation as an important and major source of DNA damage in neurodegenerative disorders. Understanding these connections may facilitate a better understanding of disease mechanisms, and ultimately lead to the design of better therapeutic strategies based on preventing both redox dysregulation and DNA damage.
Cross-cultural adaptation of the Job Insecurity Scale (JIS) in Brazil and cross-national analysis of Job Insecurity effects in Brazil and Spain
Authors: Llosa José Antonio , Agulló-Tomás Esteban , Menéndez-Espina Sara , Heleno Camila Teixeira , de Olivera Borges Livia
Published: April 2023

Background

Job flexibilisation has increased interest in job insecurity and its consequences. Job insecurity, understood as a fear of losing employment, is linked to a deterioration of mental health, social relations or job satisfaction. Its study has been developed primarily in Europe, in the absence of validated psychometric scales in the Latin American context. To bridge this knowledge gap, the aim of this study is to cross-culturally adapt the Job Insecurity Scale (JIS) in Brazil, and secondly, to establish a cross-national analysis between people employed in Brazil and Spain.

Methods

As criteria for the sample, people with formally established employment in Brazil and Spain were selected. For the scale adaptation process, a sequence of EFA, CFA and validity tests are carried out, as well as a multigroup invariance according to the gender variable. The cross-national comparison compares the effect sizes of affective and cognitive job insecurity on the mental health variable measured with the GHQ-28 scale in both countries.

Results

1165 employed people participate in the study, of whom 573 reside in Brazil and 592 in Spain. The results of the scale adaptation show that the JIS is suitable for use in the Brazilian employment context. The scale offers a factorialisation in two dimensions (affective and cognitive) (CFI = 0.993; TLI = 0.987; RMSEA = 0.04; SRMR = 0.049; GFI = 0.999; NFI = 0.980) with good reliability (ω > 0.84). The cross-national comparison shows that job insecurity has a greater weight in explaining the mental health of the employed population in Brazil than in Spain, which is related to higher indicators of job insecurity in the Brazilian context.

Conclusions

With this validation we now have a validated scale of job insecurity validated for the Brazilian context. The comparison between countries shows the need to establish these analyses, since the behaviour of the phenomenon is different in the contexts studied.
Effect of renin angiotensin blockers on angiotensin converting enzyme 2 level in cardiovascular patients
Authors: Farid fahmy Sarah , El Derany Marwa Omar , Khorshid Hazem , Saleh Ayman , El-Demerdash Ebtehal
Published: April 2023

Background

Renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) is hypothesized to be in the center of COVID pathophysiology as the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) represents the main entrance of the virus, thus there is a need to address the effect of chronic use of RAAS blockers, as in case of treatment of cardiovascular diseases, on the expression of ACE2. Accordingly, this study aimed to clarify the effect of ACE inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) on ACE2 and to assess the correlation between ACE2 and several anthropometric and clinic-pathological factors.

Methods

A total of 40 healthy controls and 60 Egyptian patients suffering from chronic cardiovascular diseases were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into 40 patients treated with ACEIs and 20 patients treated with ARBs. Serum ACE2 levels were assessed by ELISA.

Results

Assessment of serum ACE2 level in different groups showed a significant difference between ACEIs and healthy groups and ACEIs and ARBs group, while there was no difference between ARBs and healthy. Multivariate analysis using ACE2 level as constant and age, female sex, ACEIs use and myocardial infarction (MI) showed that there was a significant effect of female sex and ACEIs use on ACE2 level with no effect of age, MI and diabetes.

Conclusion

ACE2 levels varied between ACEIs and ARBs. It tends to be lower in ACEIs group and there is a strong positive association between ACE2 level and the female sex. This needs to be considered in Future studies to further understand the relationship between gender, sex hormones and ACE2 level.

Trial registration

Retrospectively registered ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05418361 (June 2022).

Graphical abstract
Free trade as domestic, economic, and strategic issues: a big data analytics approach
Authors: Karim Moch Faisal , Rahutomo Reza , Manuaba Ida Bagus Kerthyayana , Purwandari Kartika , Mursitama Tirta Nugraha , Pardamean Bens
Published: April 2023

This article examines the engagement of domestic actors in public conversation surrounding free trade negotiations with a focus on the framing of these negotiations as economic, strategic or domestic issues. To analyse this topic, this article utilises the use of Twitter as a barometer of public sentiment toward the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). We employ topic classification and sentiment analysis to understand how RCEP is discussed in 345,015 tweets. Our findings show that the overall sentiment score towards RCEP is neutral. However, we find that when RCEP is discussed as a strategic issue, the sentiment is slightly more negative than when discussed as a domestic or economic issue. This article further suggests that discussion of RCEP is driven by the fear of China’s geopolitical ambitions, domestic protectionist agendas, and impact of RCEP on the domestic economy. This article contributes to the growing use of big data in understanding trade negotiations. Furthermore, it contributes to the study of free trade negotiation by examining how domestic political actors frame free trade negotiations.
KAGN:knowledge-powered attention and graph convolutional networks for social media rumor detection
Authors: Cui Wei , Shang Mingsheng
Published: April 2023

Rumor posts have received substantial attention with the rapid development of online and social media platforms. The automatic detection of rumor from posts has emerged as a major concern for the general public, the government, and social media platforms. Most existing methods focus on the linguistic and semantic aspects of posts content, while ignoring knowledge entities and concepts hidden within the article which facilitate rumor detection. To address these limitations, in this paper, we propose a novel end-to-end attention and graph-based neural network model (KAGN), which incorporates external knowledge from the knowledge graphs to detect rumor. Specifically, given the post's sparse and ambiguous semantics, we identify entity mentions in the post’s content and link them to entities and concepts in the knowledge graphs, which serve as complementary semantic information for the post text. To effectively inject external knowledge into textual representations, we develop a knowledge-aware attention mechanism to fuse local knowledge. Additionally, we construct a graph consisting of posts texts, entities, and concepts, which is fed to graph convolutional networks to explore long-range knowledge through graph structure. Our proposed model can therefore detect rumor by combining semantic-level and knowledge-level representations of posts. Extensive experiments on four publicly available real-world datasets show that KAGN outperforms or is comparable to other state-of-the-art methods, and also validate the effectiveness of knowledge.
Preparation and properties of cotton fabrics dyed by Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa) extract and chitosan
Authors: Hong Kyung Hwa
Published: April 2023

Naturally occurring compounds can be utilized as coloring and finishing agents in environmentally friendly textile products. Aronia melanocarpa (Aronia) fruits (berries) are rich in bioactive compounds such as various form of polyphenolic compounds showing antibacterial and antioxidant, and thus numerous studies have been actively conducted on Aronia berry extract (AE) in recent years. However, most natural compounds including pigments exhibit inferior fixation and fastness when applied to cellulosic fibers. Therefore, in this study, coloring and functional compounds were extracted from Aronia berries and applied with or without chitosan to cotton fabrics to improve dyeability and functionality. The cotton fabrics were treated as follows: dyed with an AE single aqueous solution; dyed with an AE–chitosan mixture; and dyed with AE after being pretreated with a chitosan solution. Cotton fabrics dyed with AE and/or chitosan were investigated for their coloring properties and functionality, such as antibacterial properties and antioxidant capacity. It was proven that AE can be used to dye chitosan pretreated cotton fabrics, obtaining good color properties. Moreover, the cotton fabrics dyed with AE after chitosan pretreatment completely inhibited the growth of bacteria (> 99.9%) and exhibited antioxidant properties.
Fourteen days free-living evaluation of an open-source algorithm for counting steps in healthy adults with a large variation in physical activity level
Authors: Holm Ivar , Fridolfsson Jonatan , Börjesson Mats , Arvidsson Daniel
Published: April 2023

Background

The number of steps by an individual, has traditionally been assessed with a pedometer, but increasingly with an accelerometer. The ActiLife software (AL) is the most common way to process accelerometer data to steps, but it is not open source which could aid understanding of measurement errors. The aim of this study was to compare assessment of steps from the open-source algorithm part of the GGIR package and two closed algorithms, AL normal (n) and low frequency extension (lfe) algorithms to Yamax pedometer, as reference. Free-living in healthy adults with a wide range of activity level was studied.

Results

A total 46 participants divided by activity level into a low-medium active group and a high active group, wore both an accelerometer and a pedometer for 14 days. In total 614 complete days were analyzed. A significant correlation between Yamax and all three algorithms was shown but all comparisons were significantly different with paired t-tests except for ALn vs Yamax. The mean bias shows that ALn slightly overestimated steps in the low-medium active group and slightly underestimated steps in high active group. The mean percentage error (MAPE) was 17% and 9% respectively. The ALlfe overestimated steps by approximately 6700/day in both groups and the MAPE was 88% in the low-medium active group and 43% in the high active group. The open-source algorithm underestimated steps with a systematic error related to activity level. The MAPE was 28% in the low-medium active group and 48% in the high active group.

Conclusion

The open-source algorithm captures steps fairly well in low-medium active individuals when comparing with Yamax pedometer, but did not show satisfactory results in more active individuals, indicating that it must be modified before implemented in population research. The AL algorithm without the low frequency extension measures similar number of steps as Yamax in free-living and is a useful alternative before a valid open-source algorithm is available.
Comparison of ovarian stimulation in follicular and luteal phases in an ovarian cycle (DuoStim) in patients with poor ovarian response
Authors: Naghshineh Elham , Aalami-harandi Rezvan , Heydari Nasrin , Shahabi Vahid , Borumandnia Nasrin , Salehi Safa
Published: April 2023

Background

Infertility is a global problem that refers to the absence of pregnancy after 12 months of intercourse without using contraception. Assisted reproductive techniques (ART) are a treatment technique for infertile patients. Poor ovarian response to stimulation (POR) is one of the challenges in the field of ART. POR refers to people in whom, despite appropriate ovarian stimulation, the number of oocytes retrieved is less than expected. Several ovarian stimulation protocols are applied in POR patients, but the best protocol is not defined. One of the protocols used in POR patients is the "double stimulation in the same ovarian cycle" (DuoStim) protocol. During the DuoStim protocol, both follicular and luteal phases of an ovarian cycle are stimulated. It allows us to retrieve oocytes twice in one ovarian cycle. In the current study, ovarian stimulation in follicular and luteal phases in an ovarian cycle in patients with the poor ovarian response is compared.

Results

Twenty-six infertile patients with poor ovarian enrolled. They had a mean ± standard deviation age of 36.3 ± 3.15 years. The duration of follicular phase stimulation (FPS) was shorter than luteal phase stimulation (LPS) (pvalue = 0.003). The total dose of gonadotropin was significantly lower in FPS than in LPS (pvalue = 0.013). Significantly fewer total oocytes were retrieved after FPS than after LPS (pvalue = 0.001).

Conclusion

This study supports the putative benefits of LPS in infertile women with POR. Utilizing the DuoStim strategy in people with poor ovarian response caused more oocytes to be retrieved.

Trial registration: irct.ir identifier: IRCT20221001056068N1, 11/22/2022, https://www.irct.ir/trial/66187.
Identification of novel functional brain proteins for treatment-resistant schizophrenia: Based on a proteome-wide association study
Authors: Wei Wenming , Zhang Huijie , Cheng Bolun , Qin Xiaoyue , He Dan , Zhang Na , Zhao Yijing , Cai Qingqing , Shi Sirong , Chu Xiaoge , Wen Yan , Liu Huan , Jia Yumeng , Zhang Feng
Published: April 2023

Objective

Genetic approaches are increasingly advantageous in characterizing treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). We aimed to identify TRS-associated functional brain proteins, providing a potential pathway for improving psychiatric classification and developing better-tailored therapeutic targets.

Methods

TRS-related proteome-wide association studies (PWAS) were conducted on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) from CLOZUK and the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC), which provided TRS individuals (n = 10,501) and non-TRS individuals (n = 20,325), respectively. The reference datasets for the human brain proteome were obtained from ROS/MAP and Banner, with 8,356 and 11,518 proteins collected, respectively. We then performed colocalization analysis and functional enrichment analysis to further explore the biological functions of the proteins identified by PWAS.

Results

In PWAS, two statistically significant proteins were identified using the ROS/MAP and then replicated using the Banner reference dataset, including CPT2 (PPWAS-ROS/MAP = 4.15 × 10−2 and PPWAS-Banner = 3.38 × 10−3) and APOL2 (PPWAS-ROS/MAP = 4.49 × 10−3 and PPWAS-Banner = 8.26 × 10−3). Colocalization analysis identified three variants that were causally related to protein expression in the human brain, including CCDC91 (PP4 = 0.981), PRDX1 (PP4 = 0.894), and WARS2 (PP4 = 0.757). We extended PWAS results from gene-based analysis to pathway-based analysis, identifying 14 gene ontology (GO) terms and the only candidate pathway for TRS, metabolic pathways (all P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Our results identified two protein biomarkers, and cautiously support that the pathological mechanism of TRS is linked to lipid oxidation and inflammation, where mitochondria-related functions may play a role.
Outcomes of Older Adults With AML Treated in Community Versus Academic Centers: An Analysis of Alliance Trials
Authors: Bhatt Vijaya Raj , Ulrich Angela M. , Uy Geoffrey L. , Stone Richard M. , Stock Wendy , Ojelabi Michael O. , Yin Jun , Kohlschmidt Jessica , Eisfeld Ann-Kathrin , Baer Maria R. , Chow Selina , Klepin Heidi , Le-Rademacher Jennifer , Jatoi Aminah
Published: April 2023

PURPOSE:

Clinical trials are important for managing older patients with AML. We investigated differences in outcomes of older patients with AML on the basis of whether patients participated in intensive chemotherapy trials at community versus academic cancer centers.

METHODS:

We used data from the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology phase III trials that enrolled patients age ≥ 60 years with newly diagnosed AML between 1998 and 2002 in the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) 9720 trial and between 2004 and 2006 in the CALGB 10201 trial. Centers funded by the NCI Community Oncology Research Program were identified as community cancer centers; others were designated as academic cancer centers. Logistic regression models and Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare 1-month mortality and overall survival (OS) by center type.

RESULTS:

Seventeen percent of the 1,170 patients were enrolled in clinical trials in community cancer centers. The study results demonstrated comparable rates of grade ≥3 adverse events (97% v 93%), 1-month mortality (19.1% v 16.1%), and OS (43.9% v 35.7% at 1 year) between community versus academic cancer centers, respectively. After adjusting for covariates, 1-month mortality (odds ratio, 1.40; 95% CI, 0.92 to 2.12; P = .11) and OS (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.88 to 1.22; P = .67) were not statistically different among patients treated in community versus academic cancer centers.

CONCLUSION:

An older patient population, who have complex health care needs, can be successfully treated on intensive chemotherapy trials in select community cancer centers with outcomes comparable with that achieved at academic cancer centers.
Comprehensive Management of the Patient With Traumatic Cardiac Injury
Authors: Gupta Babita , Singh Yudhyavir , Bagaria Dinesh , Nagarajappa Abhishek
Published: April 2023

Cardiac injuries are rare but potentially life-threatening, with a significant proportion of victims dying before arrival at the hospital. The in-hospital mortality among patients who arrive in-hospital alive also remains significantly high, despite major advancements in trauma care including the continuous updating of the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) program. Stab and gunshot wounds due to assault or self-inflicted injuries are the common causes of penetrating cardiac injuries, while motor vehicular accidents and fall from height are attributable causes of blunt cardiac injury. Rapid transport of victim to trauma care facility, prompt recognition of cardiac trauma by clinical evaluation and focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) examination, quick decision-making to perform emergency department thoracotomy, and/or shifting the patient expeditiously to the operating room for operative intervention with ongoing resuscitation are the key components for a successful outcome in cardiac injury victims with cardiac tamponade or exsanguinating hemorrhage. Blunt cardiac injury with arrhythmias, myocardial dysfunction, or cardiac failure may need continuous cardiac monitoring or anesthetic care for operative procedure of other associated injuries. This mandates a multidisciplinary approach working in concert with agreed local protocols and shared goals. An anesthesiologist has a pivotal role to play as a team leader or member in the trauma pathway of severely injured patients. They are not only involved in in-hospital care as a perioperative physician but also participate in the organizational aspects of prehospital trauma systems and training of prehospital care providers/paramedics. There is sparse literature available on the anesthetic management of cardiac injury (penetrating as well as blunt) patients. This narrative review discusses the comprehensive management of cardiac injury patients, focusing on the anesthetic concerns and is guided by our experience in managing cardiac injury cases at Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Center (JPNATC), All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. JPNATC is the only level 1 trauma center in north India, providing services to a population of approximately 30 million with around 9000 operations being performed annually.
Pro-Con Debate: Peripheral Nerve Blockade Should Be Provided Routinely in Extremity Trauma, Including in Patients At Risk for Acute Compartment Syndrome
Authors: Samet Ron E. , Torrie Arissa M. , Chembrovich Svetlana V. , Ihnatsenka Barys V.
Published: April 2023

In this Pro-Con commentary article, we discuss the controversial debate of whether to provide peripheral nerve blockade (PNB) to patients at risk of acute extremity compartment syndrome (ACS). Traditionally, most practitioners adopt the conservative approach and withhold regional anesthetics for fear of masking an ACS (Con). Recent case reports and new scientific theory, however, demonstrate that modified PNB can be safe and advantageous in these patients (Pro). This article elucidates the arguments based on a better understanding of relevant pathophysiology, neural pathways, personnel and institutional limitations, and PNB adaptations in these patients.