bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alterations of the gut virome in patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: zhang wei , Wang Xiaoting , Guo Ruochun , Xing Guorui , Xu Dandan , Ma Xiaoyan , Chen Qiang , Li Shenghui , Qin Yi , Liu Jinping , Zhong Xueyan , Hu Xihong , Hu Xiaohui , Zheng Wenxu , Hu Zengchun , Yan Qiulong
Published: October 2024

Parkinson's disease (PD) ranks as the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, following Alzheimer's disease, and it has a significant link to the gut bacteriome. However, the relationship between PD and gut virome is unclear. To explore the gut virome's traits in PD, we analyzed the gut viral communities of 89 PD patients and 89 healthy individuals, utilizing metagenome-wide analysis of fecal metagenomes from two accessible public datasets. Our findings indicate that PD patients exhibit a marked increase in gut viral richness and diversity, alongside significant shifts in the overall viral composition. At the family level, PD patients showed elevated levels of Siphoviridae, Myoviridae, p-crAss-like, Podoviridae, Salasmaviridae, Circoviridae, and Herelleviridae, coupled with a reduced presence of Quimbyviridae. We identified 640 vOTUs that were differentially abundant between patients and controls, including a notable increase in Siphoviridae and Myoviridae viruses in PD patients. Interestingly, PD-enriched vOTUs predominantly infected a diverse array of bacterial hosts, including but not limited to Alistipes, Lawsonibacter, Oscillibacter, Faecalibacterium, Ruthenibacterium, Intestinimonas, Flavonifractor and Fournierella. Conversely, the major hosts for the HS-enriched vOTUs were primarily Bacteroides and Prevotella species. Additionally, certain viral functional orthologs, such as thymidylate synthase (K00560) and integrases (K14059), exhibited significant differences in prevalence between PD-enriched and HS-enriched vOTUs, highlighting the potential functional impact of these PD-associated viruses. Moreover, we developed classification models using gut viral signatures to distinguish PD patients from healthy subjects, achieving an optimal area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) of up to 0.854. The models also demonstrated high accuracy in predicting independent samples. This underscores the gut virome's clinical potential as a diagnostic tool for PD. This study pinpointed viral signatures that distinguish significantly between Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients and healthy subjects (HS), and showed that these distinctive viral markers hold promise as novel targets for PD intervention. This study lays a foundation for future research into the mechanisms and treatment strategies of this and potentially other autoimmune diseases.
Effects of blood flow restriction combined with electrical muscle stimulation on muscle functions and sports performance in male football players with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Yang Jinfeng , Li Na , He Sheng , Peng Xiao , Yang Jinqi , Chen Jianxin , Zheng Yan , Zou Yunyan , Liao Yuanpeng
Published: October 2024

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of combining BFRT with EMS on muscle functions and sports performance in football players with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). This parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted on 64 football players diagnosed with KOA at Chengdu Sport University. Participants were enrolled based on predefined eligibility criteria and randomly allocated to four groups: the control group (CTR, n = 16), BFRT-alone group (BFRT, n = 16), EMS-alone group (EMS, n = 16), and BFRT combined with EMS group (CMB, n = 16). Data were gathered via the 10-meter sprint, 20-meter sprint, countermovement jump (CMJ), and Illinois agility test (IAT) to assess sports performance. Additionally, peak torque (PT) was used to measure muscle strength, the root mean square (RMS) was used to assess muscle activation, and the cross-sectional area (CSA) was used to evaluate muscle volume. The data were statistically analyzed via SPSS software, and a p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Following the 8-week intervention, the CMB group exhibited greater improvement in the 10-m sprint compared to the CTR group and demonstrated significant enhancements in the 20-m sprint, CMJ, and IAT, outperforming the other three groups (p < 0.05). To PT, the CMB groups demonstrated significant superiority over the other three groups, while the BFRT group exhibited greater improvement in PT than the EMS group (p < 0.05). Concerning RMS, the EMS and CMB groups showed significant improvements compared with the CTR and BFRT groups, whereas the improvement in the BFRT group was significantly greater than that in the CTR group (p < 0.05). For CSA, the BFRT and CMB groups presented notable advancements compared with the CTR and EMS groups (p < 0.05). In summary, the results suggest that BFRT combined with EMS can increase muscle strength in male football players with KOA through improving muscle volume and neuromuscular recruitment under low-intensity resistance training, thereby increasing explosive power and agility.
A rare case of rhinosporidiosis of the lacrimal sac presenting as a diagnostic dilemma
Authors: Hegde Shruti P , Patil Shwetha , Pattnaik Anshuman , Shekhar Swetank
Published: October 2024

Background
Rhinosporidiosis of the lacrimal sac commonly presents with swelling and epiphora. It is a rare granulomatous infection caused by Rhinosporidium Seeberi and eye along with the adnexa forms the second most common organ of involvement. Most of the reported cases involve the younger age group and are associated with a history of bathing in infested stagnant water.
Case presentation
A 70-year-old lady presented with a slow growing unusually large mass in lacrimal sac area. She was from an urban area and did not give history of bathing in the ponds. She was clinically diagnosed as lacrimal mucocele, managed with dacryocystectomy along with electrocautery intra-operatively and retrospectively diagnosed as rhinosporidiosis with the help of histopathology report.
Conclusion
This case highlights the importance of high suspicion, thorough excision, electrocautery and histopathological examination in all cases of lacrimal sac swellings. Age and classical history may not always be helpful in making proper diagnosis. Also, this is one of the largest lacrimal sac swelling due to rhinosporidiosis that has been reported in literature.
Achieving low radiation dose and contrast agents dose in coronary CT angiography at 60-kVp ultra-low tube voltage
Authors: He Weiling , Huang Feng , Wu Xi , Xie An , Sun Wenjie , Liu Peng , Hu Rui
Published: October 2024

Objectives
To explore the feasibility of a one-beat protocol and ultra-low tube voltage of 60 kVp in coronary CT angiography (CCTA).
Methods
This prospective study enrolled 107 patients (body mass index ≤ 26 kg/m2) undergoing CCTA examinations. Specificially, the conventional group (n = 52) underwent 100 kVp scanning with 45 ml iodine contrast agent and 4 ml/s injection rate, and the low-dose group (n = 55) underwent 60 kVp scanning with 28 ml iodine contrast agent and 2.5 ml/s injection rate. The CT value, signal-noise-ratio (SNR), contrast-noise-ratio (CNR) and subjective image quality score of two groups in aorta (AO), right coronary artery (RCA), left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex (LCX) are analyzed in this study. Three types of radiation doses [i.e., volume CT dose index (CTDIvol), dose length product (DLP), effective dose (ED)] of two groups are also compared.
Results
The quantitative results indicated that the low-dose group achieved higher CT values, SNR and CNR results of the AO than the conventional group(P values < 0.001). Both groups had similar CT values, SNR and CNR results in RCA, LAD, and LCX (P values > 0.05). A good agreement is noted with respect to subjective image quality scores in both groups, while the Cohen's kappa value is 0.815 in the low-dose group and 0.825 in conventional group, respectively. In addition, the radiation dose of the low-dose group are significantly lower than the conventional group in terms of CTDIvol, DLP and ED values, and the contrast dose in the low-dose group is also significantly reduced compared to the conventional group(P values < 0.001).
Conclusions
One-beat protocol with a ultra-low tube voltage of 60 kVp could provide improved coronary image quality, reduced radiation dose and reduced iodine contrast dose.
Domestic burning of incense and mosquito coils on the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Xu Jia-Xiu , Tse Lap Ah , Yu Ignatius Tak-sun , Xie Shao-Hua
Published: October 2024

Objectives
To clarify the association between incense and mosquito coils burning and the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), we performed this systematic review of epidemiological studies.
Methods
A search of studies published through October 2022 in MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was performed, supplemented by searches of reference lists, recent reviews, and Chinese databases. The quality of the included studies was assessed with special reference to exposure assessment. Random-effect meta-analysis estimated the pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) whenever applicable.
Results
One cohort and 12 case-control studies were identified. The cohort study found no association between incense burning and NPC risk. In meta-analysis of six case-control studies with reasonable quality, the pooled OR for incense burning during adulthood was 1.61 (95% CI 1.43–1.81). Five studies assessed association between exposures to incense smoke during childhood and NPC risk, and the pooled OR was 1.22 (95% CI 0.76–1.96) associated with incense burning at birth and was 1.37 (95% CI 1.10–1.71) for exposure at the age of 10 years. The pooled OR for mosquito coils burning during adulthood was 1.30 (95% CI 1.04–1.62). None of the four previous case-control studies found an increased risk of NPC associated with mosquito coils burning during childhood.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest an increased NPC risk associated with incense burning and mosquito coils. More epidemiological studies with refined exposure assessment are still warranted.
Looking backward at the future of AKI: A retrospective cohort study on the clinic-pathological variables affecting renal recovery after acute kidney injury
Authors: Jose Nisha , Roy Sanjeet , Eapen Jeethu Joseph , Thomas Athul , Johnny Joseph , Raj Selvin Sundar , Varughese Santosh , Alexander Suceena , David Vinoi George , K Reka
Published: October 2024

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is no longer considered a single hit disease but part of a spectrum that culminates in adverse renal and cardiovascular outcomes. What are the renal biopsy findings of patient with persistent AKI/AKD (acute kidney disease)? Are there renal biopsy characteristics which predict renal recovery. These are the questions that this study addresses. Methodology: A retrospective study was conducted analyzing all patients who underwent a renal biopsy with a diagnosis of acute kidney injury from January 2021 to January 2023 from the online hospital database. Patients with other glomerular disease and transplant patients were excluded from this cohort. The clinical and renal biopsy characteristics were analyzed for their correlation with renal recovery. Results: Of 420 patients screened, 54 were included in the study. Most patients had stage 3 AKI. The median follow up in this study was 80.50 days. Among those on dialysis, 55.6% of patients became free of KRT (kidney replacement therapy). 92.6% of the study population had diffuse tubular involvement on the renal biopsy. Clinical recovery correlated with the degree of vasculature involvement on the renal biopsy. Interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy corelated with progression to CKD. Among the clinical features, the cause of AKI, presence of pre-existing CKD and Charleston co-morbidity score correlated with independence from KRT. Conclusion: Specific findings on the renal biopsy such as atherosclerotic changes correlate negatively with long-term recovery in AKI and renal biopsy findings of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy may help to prognosticate progression to CKD.. Among clinical characteristics, the presence of co-morbidities and pre-existing CKD correlates negatively with renal recovery.
Endothelial function in high-risk patients with ezetimibe therapy
Authors: Günes-Altan Merve , Bosch Agnes , Striepe Kristina , Schiffer Mario , Achenbach Stephan , Schmieder Roland E. , Kannenkeril Dennis
Published: October 2024

Background
Impaired endothelial function predicts cardiovascular (CV) events, especially in patients with established CV disease. The aim of this post hoc analysis was to compare the endothelial function between high-risk patients on optimized statin therapy with and without additional ezetimibe treatment.
Methods
A total of 91 patients with CV and statin treatment (Atorvastatin or Rosuvastatin) were included and underwent examination of endothelial function by the UNEX EF device. Endothelial function parameters were compared between patients with (E + group) and without ezetimibe therapy (E- group) (NCT03626831).
Results
Compared to patients in the E- group (n = 70), patients in the E + group (n = 21) were younger (67.0 ± 7.4 versus 61.2 ± 7.2 years; p = 0.002), had lower low density lipoprotein cholesterol (91.2 ± 13.3 versus 102.0 ± 18.1 mg/dl (p = 0.013) and lower office systolic blood pressure (123.9 ± 11.4 versus 130.2 ± 14.5 mmHg (p = 0.042). High sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was lower in the E + group than in the E- group (0.5 ± 0.4 versus 1.1 ± 0.9 mg/L; p = 0.037). We found a greater flow-mediated vasodilation (6.1 ± 2.0 versus 3.7 ± 3.2%; p = 0.004) and lower brachial intima-media thickness (0.28 ± 0.1 versus 0.32 ± 0.0 mm; p = 0.011) in the E + group compared to the E- group. When confounders were entered in a covariance analysis, differences of FMD (p = 0.034) and hsCRP (p = 0.049) between the groups remained significant.
Conclusion
Our data indicate that endothelial function is better in high-risk patients with preexisting CV disease treated with ezetimibe along with statin than in patients with statin monotherapy.
Trial registration Number:
NCT03626831
Date of registration: 2018-08-08
Autologous stem cell transplantation from 2000 to 2022 in Japanese patients aged ≥65 years with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Yamasaki Satoshi , Mizuno Shohei , Yoshifuji Kota , Matsuki Eri , Sawa Masashi , Akasaka Takashi , Uchida Naoyuki , Uchiyama Hitoji , Kataoka Keisuke , Hiramoto Nobuhiro , Kanda Yoshinobu , Ishiwata Kazuya , Wakayama Toshio , Fukuda Takahiro , Yoshimitsu Makoto , Onizuka Makoto , Ohbiki Marie , Atsuta Yoshiko , Suzuki Ritsuro , Kako Shinichi
Published: October 2024

High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is an option for patients aged ≥ 65 years with relapsed or refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Few data are available to select patients suitable for chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy or bispecific antibodies. We retrospectively analyzed the risk factors for poor outcomes for 575 Japanese patients aged ≥ 65 years with R/R DLBCL who received ASCT at either second complete remission or first partial remission between 2000 and 2010 (n = 82 and 42) or 2011 and 2022 (n = 336 and 115), respectively. CAR-T became commercially available in Japan in March 2019, and the annual number of ASCTs for older patients with R/R DLBCL increased significantly until 2018. However, the number of ASCT cases plateaued in 2018. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified performance status of 0 at ASCT and receiving ASCT after 2011 as independent predictors of overall survival and an association with late recurrence and better progression-free survival. CAR-T therapy or bispecific antibodies may be used initially instead of ASCT for early relapsed and refractory patients. ASCT remains beneficial for older chemo-sensitive patients with late recurrence and good performance status at ASCT.
Advanced Lung Cancer Inflammation Index ： A Key Predictor of Hepatic Steatosis and Fibrosis Severity
Authors: Master Yajie LIU , WANG Ruilin
Published: October 2024

Background
Inflammation and nutrition are crucial pathogenic mechanisms in Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The Advanced Lung Cancer Inflammation Index (ALI) effectively reflects the systemic inflammation level and nutritional metabolic status of patients. However, its relationship with hepatic steatosis and hepatic fibrosis remains unclear. The study aimed to provide novel insights into the prevention of hepatic steatosis and hepatic fibrosis by examining the relationship between the ALI and Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP) and Liver Stiffness Measurement (LSM).
Methods
To identify the connection between ALI and hepatic steatosis and hepatic fibrosis, this study utilized descriptive analysis, multivariate linear regression, smooth curve fitting, and threshold effect analysis to investigate data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2017–2020.
Results
The ALI levels in the NAFLD and Advanced liver fibrosis (AHF) groups were considerably elevated than the control group, with statistical significance (NAFLD: 70.980 vs. 58.680, P < 0.001; AHF: 72.420 vs. 63.360, P < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analyses indicated significant positive associations between ALI and its quartiles with both CAP and LSM levels. There was a positive smooth curve fitting relationship between ALI and the levels of CAP and LSM, with threshold effect inflection points at 88.287 and 98.420, respectively.
Conclusion
The findings suggest a positive correlation between elevated ALI levels and the levels of CAP and LSM. Maintaining ALI within an appropriate range may help mitigate the prevalence of hepatic steatosis and hepatic fibrosis.
Bronchial Artery Pseudoaneurysm Presenting with Hemoptysis and Hemothorax after Pulmonary Lobectomy: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Zhang Weihao , Jin Chengyan , Qi Xiao , Zhang Guangxin , Tong Ti
Published: October 2024

Background: Bronchial artery pseudoaneurysm is a rare vascular disorder, and cases of bronchial pseudoaneurysms reported after lung surgery are even rarer. The number of reported cases is very limited due to the unclear pathogenesis, lack of diagnostic criteria and treatment guidelines, and nonspecific clinical manifestations.
Case presentation: The paper reports a case of a patient with primary lung adenocarcinoma who developed hemoptysis, chest and back pain, and right hemothorax after lobectomy. Due to the lack of experience in treatment, we suspected that the above symptoms were caused by postoperative bronchovascular fistula. The second thoracotomy and bronchoscopydid not reveal any obvious hemorrhage or fistula, and a subsequent bronchial arteriography confirmed the presence of a pseudoaneurysm in the right main bronchial artery. Later, the patient underwent transcatheter bronchial artery embolization and was followed up for half of a year after the operation without experiencing any of the previously mentioned symptoms.
Conclusion: The case reports the successful cure of bronchial artery pseudoaneurysm after pulmonary lobectomy through bronchial artery embolization.
Global, regional, and national burdens of blindness and vision loss attributable to diabetes from 1990 to 2021, and forecasts to 2045: analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
Authors: Ye Lingxia , Huang Xin , Xu Yufeng
Published: October 2024

Background
Blindness and vision loss (BVL) is a major public health concern. Diabetes is associated with a series of vision loss causes. An understanding of the trend of the burden of BVL attributable to diabetes is critical for planning health policy.
Methods
We obtained global, regional, national, age- and sex-specific data on the prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs) of BVL attributable to diabetes mellitus from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 (GBD 2021) and performed a secondary comparative analysis by time, location, SDI, age, gender and severity.
Results
From 1990 to 2021, the global incidence and age-standardized rate of BVL continuously increased. In 2021, 5836.5 thousand BVL cases attributable to diabetes occurred globally, and the age‐standardized rate for YLDs was 67.3 per 100,000 population. Great disparities were found across different genders, ages, and locations. Higher burdens appeared in females, elderly individuals, and regions with less advanced health systems.
Conclusions
The burden of BVLs attributable to diabetes has increased significantly since 1990 and varies widely across regions. Greater efforts are needed in diabetes control and vision protection, especially in elderly individuals and females, in regions with middle and low-middle SDI regions, and in regions with less advanced health systems.
The Role of Endoscopic Ultrasound in Detecting Common Bile Duct Stones Missed Post-Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Patients with Calculous Obstructive Jaundice
Authors: Hassan Mohamed Badr , Hashim Ahmed Morad , darwish Mahmoud Abd Elnabi Mohamed , Abdellatef Abeer
Published: October 2024

Background
Choledocholithiasis occurs in up to 20% of patients with gallstones. Diagnosing choledocholithiasis can be challenging. Previously, the gold standard for diagnosis was endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). However, small stones often evade detection through ERCP and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has proven effective in identifying common bile duct (CBD) stones that MRCP and ERCP might miss, particularly small stones or those lodged in the distal CBD or papillary region. The study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of EUS in detecting CBD stones missed by MRCP and ERCP.
Methods
A case-control study was conducted; we enrolled 30 patients who were presented with calculous obstructive jaundice and had undergone both ERCP and MRCP. A stent was inserted in these patients. Prior to stent removal, these patients underwent EUS to evaluate its effectiveness in detecting any remaining CBD stones post-ERCP. The sensitivity and specificity of EUS, ERCP, and MRCP were compared based on the presence, size, and number of detected stones.
Results
The mean age of involved patients was 50.3 ± 10.2 years. ERCP demonstrated a sensitivity of 44.4%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 100%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 16.6%, and an accuracy of 50%. MRCP showed a sensitivity of 81.5%, specificity of 100%, PPV of 100%, NPV of 37.5%, and an accuracy of 83.3% when compared to EUS results. The complication rate for EUS was significantly lower than that for diagnostic ERCP. Additionally, an EUS-based strategy was more cost-effective than diagnostic ERCP for patients with low, moderate, or intermediate risk.
Conclusion
Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a promising, non-invasive, non-contrast technique that may serve as a superior diagnostic tool compared to MRCP and ERCP, particularly for detecting small stones or those impacted in the distal CBD or papillary region.
Streptococcus Suis Infective Endocarditis in Patients With Streptococcus Suis Septicemia : A Retrospective Study of Prevalence and Outcomes
Authors: Kedsawadevong Pongsira , Jamnongprasatporn Sirichai , Ratanasit Nithima
Published: October 2024

Background
Streptococcus suis (S. suis) is a zoonotic disease that transmits to humans by contact or oral route. Although the major clinical presentation of this pathogen has been known as meningitis, S. suis infective endocarditis (IE) has recently emerged as a field of interest. However, echocardiography is underutilized in patients with S. suis septicemia.
Objective
The primary objective was to study the prevalence of S. suis IE in patients with S. suis septicemia. The secondary objective was to assess the predictors, echocardiographic features, and clinical outcomes.
Materials and method
The authors conducted a single-center retrospective study. The patients who were older than 18 years and admitted to Siriraj Hospital due to S. suis septicemia between January 2007 and September 2023 were included. Prevalence was defined as a percent and confidence interval (CI). Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to determine the predictors of S. suis IE. Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with and without IE were compared. A p-value < 0.05 was defined as statistically significant.
Result
A total of 71 patients with S. suis septicemia were included in the study. The prevalence of S. suis IE was 26.8% (95%CI 17.85 to 38.05) and heart failure was an independent predictor of IE. Perivalvular complications and significant valvular regurgitation were found in 52.6% and 80%, respectively. 13 out of 19 patients (68.4%) required valvular surgery according to standard guidelines.
Conclusion
The present study reveals a sizable proportion of S. suis IE in patients with S. suis septicemia, in conjunction with a high rate of valvular damage and perivalvular complications. Therefore, echocardiography should be considered in patients with S. suis septicemia, especially with a heart failure presentation. Further reclassification of this pathogen as a “typical” organism should be deliberated.
Persistent compression of uterine insertion on maternal blood dynamic change in fetoscopic laser photocoagulation surgery: a novel method
Authors: Tang Huirong , Tian Xingbo , Dai Chenyan , Wang Ya , Wang Yuan , Jin Liang , Xiao Xian , Chen Gongli , Zheng Mingming
Published: October 2024

Background
Fetoscopic laser photocoagulation (FLP) has been performed as first-line approach for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) in monochorionic twin pregnancies. The majority of researches are focusing on advances in fetal treatment and long-term outcome, few reports on maternal surgery-related complications are reported. This study is to compare the maternal blood dynamic changes in women with and without persistent compression on the uterine insertion after the FLP procedure and to evaluate whether the method of persistent compression can reduce blood loss effectively in FLP surgery.
Methods
This was a retrospective study conducted at two tertiary referral centers in China between November 2018 and July 2023. TTTS-cases undergoing FLP surgery were enrolled and divided into two groups upon whether having compression on the uterine insertion after FLP. The changes of maternal hemoglobin, hematocrit before and after the procedure were compared between the two groups.
Results
A total of 111 TTTS-cases were finally analyzed including 46 cases with persistent compression and 65 cases without persistent compression. The two groups had similar values of hemoglobin (10.7 ± 1.1 versus 10.5 ± 1.2 g/dl, p = 0.513) and hematocrit (32.3 ± 3 versus 31.3 ± 3.2, p = 0.099) before FLP. There was a significant reducing of hemoglobin decreasing in TTTS-cases with persistent compression (1.1g/dL) than those without persistent compression (1.5g/dL) (p = 0.014). A decrease trend in change of hematocrit was observed between cases with persistent compression (3.1%) and those without persistent compression (4.0%), while it did not achieve a significant difference (p = 0.050). The blood transfusion rate in TTTS-cases with and without compression was 2.2% and 7.7% respectively (p = 0.205).
Conclusion
Prevention of hemoglobin and hematocrit decreasing could be obtained by persistent compression of uterine insertion after FLP, which is an economical, simple and convenient method.
Elite leader Dwarf Mongoose Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Lin Anping , Liao Yong , Peng Chengfeng
Published: October 2024

To improve the performance of original dwarf mongoose optimization algorithm, this study proposes an elite leader dwarf mongoose optimization algorithm (EL-DMOA). EL-DMOA adopts two stage structure. The leader stage employs differential operator to improve the selected leaders. The artificial fitness is introduced for selecting the swarm leaders. If one individual’s fitness ceasing to improve, the artificial fitness method will imposes additional punishment to the relevant individual, thereby the newly founded solution is encouraged to lead the swarm. In the follower stage, each individual learns from the leaders. The crossover operation is employed to enhance swarm diversity. The experiments on CEC2017 test suite and real-life application problems show that EL-DMOA performs better than FIPS, DE/rand/1 and four recently meta-heuristics.
Development of the Tele-Neurological Assessment for the level, severity, and completeness of Spinal Cord Injury (TNASCI): reliability and validity
Authors: Waongenngarm Pooriput , Techaworarak Phantira , Eitivipart Aitthanatt , Pattanakuhar Sintip
Published: October 2024

STUDY DESIGN: Psychometric study.OBJECTIVES To introduce a novel, simple, tele-assessment tool designed to evaluate the level and severity of spinal cord injury (SCI) and to assess its reliability and validity.SETTING: Two academic-affiliated rehabilitation facilities in Thailand.METHODS The Tele-Neurological Assessment for the level, severity, and completeness of Spinal Cord Injury (TNASCI) was designed to assess the SCI level and severity according to the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) using telecommunication. This study comprised three phases: (1) the development process involving three experts using the Delphi method, (2) a face validity examination focusing on the comprehension and suitability of each TNASCI item, and (3) an evaluation of the concurrent validity, intra-rater reliability, and inter-rater reliability using data from 40 participants with chronic SCI.RESULTS The TNASCI, which contains four sections, including sensory, muscle strength, anorectal function, and summary sections to assess the SCI level and severity, was developed. The assessment tool exhibited good face validity. When compared with the ISNCSCI, the TNASCI showed good to excellent inter-rater and intra-rater reliability, with an interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) (2, 1) of 0.791–0.941 and an ICC (3, 1) of 0.785–1.00, and good to excellent validity in almost all sections except for the sensory-related components (r = 0.764–0.986).CONCLUSIONS Our TNASCI tool had acceptable inter-rater and intra-rater reliability, face validity, and concurrent validity. It serves as an alternative tool to evaluate the SCI level and severity in people with chronic SCI who cannot be evaluated using the ISNCSCI.
Selective delivery of G-quadruplex ligand in glioma cell lines: the power of cyclic-RGD peptide
Authors: Doria Filippo , Pirota Valentina , Bisbano Giovanni , Oldani Amanda , Bernardi Eric , Serra Massimo , Paolillo Mayra
Published: October 2024

Compounds targeting non-canonical secondary structures of nucleic acids, known as G-quadruplexes, are highly cytotoxic, both for cancer and healthy cells, because of their action mechanism's lack of appropriate selectivity. The targeted delivery of cytotoxic molecules to cancer cells is a valuable strategy to expand the repertoire of potential drugs, especially for cancer types for which new therapeutic tools are urgently needed, like glioblastoma. In this work, we conjugated a cyclic arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid peptide to a naphthalene diimide, previously described as a highly performing stabilizing ligand for DNA G-quadruplexes, to specifically target glioma cells overexpressing RGD-binding integrin receptors. Our results, which include confocal microscopy and cell toxicity assays, demonstrated improved efficacy and selective cellular absorption of the new conjugate.
Exosomal miR-146a-5p mediates macrophage polarization through TRAF6/NF-κB signaling in endometriosis
Authors: Yuan Ming , Lu Xingfei , Tang Yuxia , Li Jiayi , Lin Kaiqing
Published: October 2024

Exosomes play significant roles in immune responses, neurogenesis, and angiogenesis, directly impacting the progression and symptomatic manifestations of endometriosis. This study aimed to investigate the role of exosomal miR-146a-5p in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Through high-throughput RNA sequencing and qRT‒PCR, we revealed significant upregulation of miR-146a-5p in ectopic endothelial tissues, and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis revealed that miR-146a-5p has only one target, TNF receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6). KEGG pathway analysis indicated that the NF-κB signaling pathway is the key signaling pathway involved. The study revealed that the upregulation of miR-146a-5p in macrophages is associated with an increase in M2 macrophages. In the U937 macrophage line, miR-146a-5p was capable of suppressing TRAF6 expression, which in turn decreased the phosphorylation level of NF-κB, whereas the overexpression of TRAF6 increased the activity of this pathway. Furthermore, we incorporated the NF-κB inhibitor EVP4593 into a macrophage culture, which revealed that blocking this pathway significantly induced both M1 and M2 macrophage polarization, particularly enhancing M2 polarization. In conclusion, exosome-derived miR-146a-5p promotes M2 polarization of macrophages by regulating the TRAF6/NF-κB pathway in endometriosis.
Genome-wide association analysis and multi-omic Mendelian randomization study exploring the immune response in vitiligo
Authors: Yu Yongkai , Meng Xinxin , Wang Yidan , Lu Yan
Published: October 2024

The etiology of vitiligo involves immune dysregulation, though its precise genetic underpinnings remain incompletely understood. Here, we employ a multi-omics approach, integrating genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and Mendelian randomization (MR), to investigate the association between immune response-related genes and vitiligo. We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of three GWAS encompassing generalized vitiligo cohorts from Jin et al., the FinnGen cohort, and the UK Biobank to identify novel genetic determinants of vitiligo susceptibility. Using the results from this meta-analysis, we employed Mendelian randomization (MR) and summary data-based MR (SMR) to discern immune response genes having a putative causal relationship with vitiligo on the level of plasma proteome. Additionally, we integrated summary data on immune response methylation and expression abundance levels for multi-omics validation. Further exploration involved assessing the differential abundance of immune response genes at the single-cell transcriptomic level and tracking their expression dynamics during cellular differentiation. Our meta-analysis unveiled 25 genome-wide significant vitiligo risk variants, six of which were previously unreported. Notably, the predicted protein levels of eight genes displayed associations with vitiligo, encompassing the methylation levels of CD160 and TYRO3, as well as the gene expression level of CD160. These genes were predominantly expressed in T cells and mononuclear phagocytes within vitiligo skin lesions, exhibiting distinct expression patterns and temporal changes across various disease states. Through the integration of GWAS and multi-omics MR approaches, this study identifies several immune response genes implicated in vitiligo pathogenesis, offering promising targets for future therapeutic and preventive strategies.
Decision Application Based on Partial Ordered Set to Improve QUALIFLEX Model
Authors: Qinghua Chen , Lizhu Yue
Published: October 2024

The conventional QUALIFLEX model is unable to solve the uncertainty weighting problem when solving the multi-criteria problem. The weighting problem is resolved by enhancing the QUALIFLEX model based on the set of partial orders, accumulating and transforming weights according to their order to produce the weight space. The order of arrangement between schemas is displayed using the Hastings graph, and the arrangement of schemas is stratified. As can be seen from the sample results, after the QUALIFLEX model is improved by using partially ordered sets, the scope of its application is expanded and the stability of the scheme’s ranking results is increased.
Adaptive Resampling and Weighted Ensemble method for Dynamic Imbalance Data Stream Classification
Authors: Zhang Tuyi , Liu Sanmin , Huang Subin , Zhang Ping , Chen Xinquan , Zhu Jian , Yu Wentao
Published: October 2024

Class imbalance inevitably occurs in dynamic data stream scenarios and can pose tremendous challenges for data stream mining. To address these challenges, an adaptive resampling and weighted ensemble method (ARWE) is proposed in this paper. First, the dynamic subdivision Poisson resampling (DSPR) module in ARWE is developed to address the class imbalance problem in thedata stream. DSPR combines local information from minority class samples with the imbalance rate to design a sample-weighting scheme that can enhance the visibility of minority class samples, particularly those at the boundaries. This approach ensures that the model pays more attention to minority class boundary samples. Second, to address drift, the detection mechanism is designed with a drift warning stage that extends the search for marginal samples when a drift warning occurs and recalculates the weights to cope with simultaneous changes in the data distribution and imbalance rate. Finally, the ensemble update and decision-making are achieved through a co-constructed weighting scheme that utilizes Hellinger distance and accuracy. To compare the proposed method with eight state-of-the-art methods, simulation experiments are conducted on 17 data streams with concept drift and class imbalance. The results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed model in handling dynamically unbalanced data streams.
Cloning and transcriptional activity analysis of the bovine CDH11 gene promoter: transcription factors Sp1 and GR regulate bovine CDH11 expression
Authors: Liu Zhanxin , Bai Yanbin , Chen Zongchang , Niu Yanmei , Jia Xue , Li Liang , Zhang Xiaolan , Shi Bing gang , Zhao Zhidong , Hu Jiang , Wang Jiqing , Liu Xiu , Li Shaobin , Zhao Fangfang
Published: October 2024

Growth rate of bovine skeletal muscle has a major impact on beef yield. Cadherin-11 (CDH11) was found to be a potential candidate gene for growth and development in beef cattle. This study confirmed the high expression of CDH11 in bovine longissimus dorsi muscle by tissue expression analysis. To understand the transcriptional regulation mechanism of CDH11 gene, we constructed a double luciferase vector for the promoter region of CDH11 gene and determined that the core transcriptional regulatory region was located at -129/+55 bp relative to the transcription start site (TSS). In addition, we confirmed that skeletal muscle growth and development-related transcription factor-specific protein 1 (SP1) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) bind to the CDH11 gene promoter region at -36/-27 bp and − 20/-11 bp, respectively, to regulate CDH11 expression. These interactions provide valuable information for understanding the mechanism of transcriptional regulation of the bovine CDH11 gene during muscle growth and development.
Enhanced Model Compression through Counterclockwise Progressive Blockwise Knowledge Distillation
Authors: Li Yanshun , Xu Shuobo , Wang Peng , Hong Yuan , Liu Lele
Published: October 2024

Model compression reduces the size of large neural networks while preserving performance. Progressive Blockwise Progressive Blockwise Knowledge Distillation (PBKD) is a model compression technique that achieves a lightweight and efficient student model by progressively replacing the teacher model's subnet-work block sequence with the student model's subnetwork block sequence through a block-by-block opti-mization process. We propose a novel approach to designing student subnetwork blocks that emphasizes greater compression of the deeper subnetwork blocks within the teacher network in the PBKD framework. Compared with the previous subnet block design methods used for PBKD, our proposed student subnet-work block design approach can achieve several times higher parameter compression ratio and lower accu-racy loss at similar GFLOPs(Giga Floating-point Operations Per Second) compression ratio.Furthermore, we introduce a new distillation method, Counterclockwise Progressive Blockwise Knowledge Distillation (CCW-PBKD), which addresses the generation gap between teacher and student models. Exper-iments using VGG-16 and ResNet-18 as teacher models on tiny-imagenet-200 and CIFAR-10 datasets demonstrate that our student subnetwork design yields models with fewer parameters and higher accuracy at similar GFLOPs. Additionally, CCW-PBKD is easier to implement and consistently produces higher-accuracy student models. Mainstream knowledge distillation methods also benefit from integration with CCW-PBKD.
Genome-wide Association Analysis of Body Conformation Traits in Chinese Holstein Cattle
Authors: Li Shuangshuang , Chen Lili , Liu Yuxin , Ge Fei , Jiang Hui , Wang Hongzhuang , Chen Yan , Ma Yi
Published: October 2024

Background
The body conformation traits of dairy cattle are closely related to their production performance and health. The present study aimed to identify gene variants associated with body conformation traits in Chinese Holstein cattle and provide marker loci for genomic selection in dairy cattle breeding. The study findings could offer robust theoretical support to optimize the health of dairy cattle and enhance their production performance.
Results
This study involved 586 Chinese Holstein cows, using the predicted transmitting abilities (PTAs) of 17 body conformation traits evaluated by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding in the USA as phenotypic values. These traits were categorized into body size traits, rump traits, feet/legs traits, udder traits, and dairy characteristic traits. Based on the genomic profiling results from the Genomic Profiler Bovine 100K SNP chip, genotype data were quality-controlled using PLINK software, retaining 586 individuals and 80,713 SNPs for further analysis. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were conducted using the GEMMA software, employing both univariate linear mixed models (LMM) and multivariate linear mixed models (mvLMM). The Bonferroni method was used to determine the significance threshold, identifying gene variants significantly associated with body conformation traits in Chinese Holstein cows. The single-trait GWAS identified 24 SNPs significantly associated with body conformation traits (P < 0.01), with annotation leading to the identification of 21 candidate genes. The multivariate GWAS identified 54 SNPs, which were annotated to 57 candidate genes, including 39 new SNPs not identified in the single-trait GWAS. Additionally, 14 SNPs in the 86.84–87.41 Mb region of chromosome 6 were significantly associated with multiple traits such as body size, udder, and dairy characteristics. Four genes—SLC4A4, GC, NPFFR2, and ADAMTS3—were annotated in this region.
Conclusions
A total of 63 SNPs were identified as significantly associated with the 17 body conformation traits in Chinese Holstein cows through both single-trait and multivariate GWAS analyses. Sixty-six candidate genes were annotated, with 12 genes identified by both methods, including SLC4A4, GC, NPFFR2, and ADAMTS3, which are involved in biological processes such as active glucose transport, adipogenesis, and neural development. Thus, the study findings provided potential genetic marker information related to body conformation traits for the breeding of Chinese Holstein cattle.
“Everybody's voice is important”: Using Translational Simulation as a component of change management
Authors: Oliver Nathan , Twentyman Kathryn , Howie Katie
Published: October 2024

Background
Changes in healthcare systems are often highly stressful experiences for healthcare teams, contributing to disengagement and resistance to change. Translational simulation has been shown to be impactful at both organisational and department-based levels, however its impact on the experience of change for frontline staff has not, to date, been explicitly explored. Understanding the impact of translational simulation on the perception of teams exposed to healthcare system changes, and how to optimise our approaches to support change management on a team and individual level, may be the difference between an overwhelmed and disengaged workforce and a positive and engaged one.
Methods
We used a constructivist phenomenological approach to gain new understanding of the impact of translational simulation on the experiences of staff members undergoing change. Guided by Bartunek et al.’s conceptual framework, we interviewed nine Registered Nurses involved in a major relocation from an old and into a purpose-built paediatric hospital in Edinburgh, UK. We sequenced the interviews to take place firstly, in the lead up to a planned translational simulation event, with a follow up second interview one month after the hospital move. On the day of the simulation, we additionally collected a series of “headline” thoughts from the group to track their thoughts and feelings of the move. Interviews and ‘headlines’ were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analysed.
Results
Our findings illustrate that the use of translational simulation in the lead up to the hospital played a significant role in allowing participants to make sense of the upcoming change from an individual and departmental level and profoundly impacted their sense of preparedness and positive engagement toward it.
Conclusions
Whilst further research is required, these findings promote the considered use of translational simulation as a potentially significant component of the change management process.
Fe-NODE: Feature extension Neural Ordinary Differential Equations for Modeling Black-box Control Systems
Authors: Xia Zhehao , Wu Yizhong , Xu Haoyu , Xing Yihang
Published: October 2024

This paper introduces a novel Feature-Extended Neural Ordinary Differential Equation (Fe-NODE) method for modeling black-box control systems by incorporating control parameters into the ordinary differential equation. Since the input to the model should consider both the system state and the control parameters, this is a challenge to the modeling process. The primary contribution of the proposed method is employing feature expansion to add information to the model input and enhance the perception ability of the model while utilizing intermediate state supervision and teacher forcing to optimize the training process, and effectively identify potential models for black-box control systems. The experimental results demonstrate that the Fe-NODE method outperforms the baseline in prediction accuracy and modeling efficiency. Additionally, we investigate the impact of different feature expansion coefficients on the model’s prediction accuracy, identifying the optimal coefficient through comparative analysis. This approach provides a novel methodology for modeling black-box control systems and lays the foundation for model-based reinforcement learning to achieve optimal control.
Optimizing Shor’s algorithm through approximate fractions for quantum factorization
Authors: Fernández-Alegre Pablo , de Pedro Luis , de Vergara Jorge Enrique López
Published: October 2024

This paper presents a way to increase the success of Shor's algorithm by applying a well-known procedure to the results. The work leverages the continued fractions algorithm, a key component of Shor’s algorithm, to find close approximations when the initial estimation is insufficient. Factorization may still be achieved with these close fractions if their denominators are multiples of the exact fraction denominator. By implementing this approach with Qiskit and Beauregard’s version of Shor’s algorithm, we demonstrate a significant enhancement in its success rate in a quantum computer.