bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Global research trends of acupuncture therapy on cancer pain: A bibliometric and visualized study
Authors: Li Chunyu , Zhao Can , Zhao Jingjing , Wang Min , Luo Furong , Zhou Jianwei
Published: March 2023

Background

The number of publications on acupuncture for cancer pain is increasing rapidly with an upward tendency. Considering that no bibliometric articles related to this topic have been published yet. It is necessary to evaluate the global scientific output of research in this field, and shed light on the direction of clinical cancer pain management in the future.

Methods

Research publications regarding acupuncture on cancer pain from inception to 2022 were downloaded from the Web of Science Core Collection. Bibliometric analyses were performed using CiteSpace software, the bibliometrix R package, and VOSviewer software. Network maps were generated to assess the collaborations between different countries, institutions, authors, and keywords. And clusters map was generated to evaluate reference.

Results

A total of 790 articles related to acupuncture therapy for cancer pain were identified. We observe that the number of publications is gradually increasing over time. China and the United States were the main contributors. Mem Sloan Kettering Canc Ctr (38 papers) and Beijing Univ Chinese Med (28 papers) contributed the most publications, becoming the leading contributors in this field. Although J Clin Oncol (28 articles) ranked ninth in terms of publication volume, it was the journal with the most citations and the highest number of IF (50.717) and H-index (494) at the same time. MAO J from Mem Sloan Kettering Canc Ctr was the most prolific author (23 articles). The main hot topics included matters related to acupuncture (239 times), pain (199 times), management (139 times), quality of life (107 times), electroacupuncture (100 times), and breast cancer (82 times).

Conclusion

Our bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the development of acupuncture for cancer pain, enabling relevant authors and research teams to identify the current research status in this field. At the same time, acupuncture for breast cancer (BC) pain, aromatase inhibitor-induced arthralgia (AIA), and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) may soon become prospective focus.
The effect of gastric fundus radiation dose on postoperative anastomotic leakage in esophageal cancer
Authors: Kundel Yulia , Kurman Noga , Sulimani Omri , Gavrielli Shlomo , Nachalon Yuval , Moore Assaf , Kashtan Hanoch , Fenig Eyal , Brenner Baruch , Popovtzer Aron , Fredman Elisha
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Standard-of-care treatment for locally advanced esophageal carcinoma (LAEC) includes neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by esophagectomy. A potentially catastrophic surgical complication is the development of a postoperative anastomotic leak. To date, the association with radiation dose exposure had been inconclusive. We examined the correlation between radiation exposure to the gastric fundus and risk of postoperative leakage using contemporary radiation doses and fractionation.

Methods

A total of 69 consecutive patients with LAEC who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by esophagectomy in our tertiary center were prospectively followed (median, 27 months). Neoadjuvant regimen included 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin and 41.4 Gy in 23 fractions with carboplatin and paclitaxel. The gastric fundus was contoured and dosimetric and radiation technique parameters were retrospectively evaluated.

Results

Of the total number of patients, 71% and 29% had esophageal and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) tumors, respectively. Fourteen patients (20.3%) experienced anastomotic leaks within a median of 2 days postoperatively, 78.6% of whom had lower third esophagus or GEJ primaries. Mean and minimum fundus dose did not significantly differ between those with and those without leakage (p = 0.42, p = 0.51). Mean fundus V25, V30, and V35 doses were numerically but not statistically higher in those with anastomotic leak (p = 0.58, p = 0.39, and p = 0.30, respectively). No correlation with incidence of leakage was seen between 3D and IMRT treatment modalities.

Conclusions

In our comparatively large prospectively collected series of patients treated for LAEC, radiation dose to the gastric fundus during neoadjuvant combination therapy prior to surgery did not correlate with the risk of postoperative anastomotic leak.
Multigene signatures for early breast cancer in clinical practice: A report of the Lombardy genomic assays for breast cancer working group
Authors: Licata Luca , Cosentini Deborah , De Sanctis Rita , Iorfida Monica , Caremoli Elena Rota , Vingiani Andrea , Simoncini Edda Lucia , Pruneri Giancarlo , Munzone Elisabetta , Bianchini Giampaolo , Zambelli Alberto , Tondini Carlo
Published: March 2023

The increasing understanding of breast cancer biology has provided the basis for the development of multigene signatures aimed to improve the capability of clinicians to assess patients’ prognostication and risk stratification. Incorporating these tools in clinical practice has profoundly impacted on the decision-making process for the adjuvant therapy of patients with ER+/HER2- early breast cancer and the results from prospective adjuvant trials have strengthened the clinical utility of multigene signatures in this setting. In July 2019, Lombardy was the first Region in Italy to reimburse genomic testing for patients with ER+/HER2- early breast cancer. Three years later, a group of investigators from six referral Cancer Centers in Lombardy convened to debate the use of multigene signatures in clinical practice and share their own experience with the tests after reimbursement. Here, we reviewed relevant data on the role of multigene signatures in tailoring adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with ER+/HER2- early breast cancer and discussed about the optimal use of these assays in current clinical practice. As the treatment landscape of early breast cancer evolves and novel questions about the possible additional applications of multigene assays arise, we also provide our viewpoint on the potential implementation of the assays in the evolving scenario ER+/HER2- early breast cancer treatment.
The implications and prospect of cuproptosis-related genes and copper transporters in cancer progression
Authors: Zhao Qianwen , Qi Tonggang
Published: March 2023

Currently, cancer has become one of the major public health problems worldwide. Apoptosis is an important anti-cancer defense mechanism, which is used in the development of targeted drugs. Because cancer cells have endogenous resistance to apoptosis,the clinical efficacy of related drugs is not ideal. Therefore, non-apoptotic regulatory cell death may bring new therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. Cuproptosis is a novel form of regulatory cell death which is copper-dependent, regulated and distinct from other known cell death regulatory mechanisms. FDX1,LIAS,and DLAT named cuproptosis-related genes play an essential role in regulating cuproptosis. Meanwhile, abnormal accumulation of copper can be observed in various malignant tumors. The correlation has been established between elevated copper levels in serum and tissues and the progression of several cancers. Copper transporters, CTR1 and Copper-transporting ATPases(ATP7A and ATP7B), are mainly involved in regulating the dynamic balance of copper concentration to maintain copper homeostasis. Thus,cuproptosis-related genes and copper transporters will be the focus of cancer research in future. This review elaborated the basic functions of cuproptosis-related genes and copper transporters by retrievalling PubMed. And then we analyzed their potential relationship with cancer aiming to provide theoretical support and reference in cancer progression, diagnosis and treatment for future study.
Clinical significance of the histopathological metastatic largest lymph node size in colorectal cancer patients
Authors: Omeroglu Sinan , Gulmez Selcuk , Uzun Orhan , Senger Aziz Serkan , Bostanci Ozgur , Guven Onur , Polat Erdal , Duman Mustafa
Published: March 2023

Background

The metastatic lymph nodes (MLN) are interpreted to be correlated with prognosis of the colorectal cancers (CRC). The present retrospective study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of the largest MLN size in terms of postoperative outcomes and its predictive value in the prognosis of the patients with stage III CRC.

Methods

Between May 2013 and December 2018, a total of 101 patients who underwent curative resection for stage III CRC retrospectively reviewed. All patients were divided into two groups regarding cut-off value (<1.05 cm and ≥1.05 cm) of maximum MLN diameter measured histopathologically. A comparative analysis of demographic and clinicopathological characteristics of the patients and their postoperative outcomes were performed.

Results

Two groups carried similar demographic data and preoperative laboratory variables except the lymphocyte count, hematocrit (HCT) ratio, hemoglobin level and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) value (p<0.05). The patients with MLN diameter ≥1.05 cm (n=46) needed more erythrocyte suspension and were hospitalized longer than the patients with a diameter <1.05 cm (n=55) (p=0.006 and 0.0294, respectively). Patients with MLN diameter < 1.05 cm had a significantly longer overall survival than patients with MLN diameter ≥ 1.05 cm (75,29 vs. 52,57 months, respectively). Regarding the histopathologic features, the patients with MLN diameter ≥1.05 cm had larger tumor size and higher number of MLN than those with diameter <1.05 cm (p=0.049 and 0.001).

Conclusion

The size of MLN larger than 1.05 cm may be predictive for a poor prognosis and lower survival of stage III CRC patients. The largest MLN size may be a proper alternative factor to the number of MLNs in predicting prognosis or in staging CRC patients.
Deep learning-assisted diagnosis of chronic atrophic gastritis in endoscopy
Authors: Shi Yanting , Wei Ning , Wang Kunhong , Wu Jingjing , Tao Tao , Li Na , Lv Bing
Published: March 2023

Background

Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is a precancerous condition. It is not easy to detect CAG in endoscopy. Improving the detection rate of CAG under endoscopy is essential to reduce or interrupt the occurrence of gastric cancer. This study aimed to construct a deep learning (DL) model for CAG recognition based on endoscopic images to improve the CAG detection rate during endoscopy.

Methods

We collected 10,961 endoscopic images and 118 video clips from 4,050 patients. For model training and testing, we divided them into two groups based on the pathological results: CAG and chronic non-atrophic gastritis (CNAG). We compared the performance of four state-of-the-art (SOTA) DL networks for CAG recognition and selected one of them for further improvement. The improved network was called GAM-EfficientNet. Finally, we compared GAM-EfficientNet with three endoscopists and analyzed the decision basis of the network in the form of heatmaps.

Results

After fine-tuning and transfer learning, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of GAM-EfficientNet reached 93%, 94%, and 93.5% in the external test set and 96.23%, 89.23%, and 92.37% in the video test set, respectively, which were higher than those of the three endoscopists.

Conclusions

The CAG recognition model based on deep learning has high sensitivity and accuracy, and its performance is higher than that of endoscopists.
Notch-Jagged1 signaling and response to bevacizumab therapy in advanced colorectal cancer: A glance to radiomics or back to physiopathology?
Authors: Negri Francesca , Bottarelli Lorena , Pedrazzi Giuseppe , Maddalo Michele , Leo Ludovica , Milanese Gianluca , Sala Roberto , Lecchini Michele , Campanini Nicoletta , Bozzetti Cecilia , Zavani Andrea , Di Rienzo Gianluca , Azzoni Cinzia , Silini Enrico Maria , Sverzellati Nicola , Gaiani Federica , de’ Angelis Gian Luigi , Gnetti Letizia
Published: March 2023

Introduction

The Notch intracellular domain (NICD) and its ligands Jagged-1(Jag1), Delta-like ligand (DLL-3) and DLL4 play an important role in neoangiogenesis. Previous studies suggest a correlation between the tissue levels of NICD and response to therapy with bevacizumab in colorectal cancer (CRC). Another marker that may predict outcome in CRC is radiomics of liver metastases. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of NICD and its ligands and the role of radiomics in the selection of treatment-naive metastatic CRC patients receiving bevacizumab.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for NICD, Jag1 and E-cadherin was performed on the tissue microarrays (TMAs) of 111 patients with metastatic CRC treated with bevacizumab and chemotherapy. Both the intensity and the percentage of stained cells were evaluated. The absolute number of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes was counted in three different high-power fields and the mean values obtained were used to determine the CD4/CD8 ratio. The positivity of tumor cells to DLL3 and DLL4 was studied. The microvascular density (MVD) was assessed in fifteen cases by counting the microvessels at 20x magnification and expressed as MVD score. Abdominal CT scans were retrieved and imported into a dedicated workstation for radiomic analysis. Manually drawn regions of interest (ROI) allowed the extraction of radiomic features (RFs) from the tumor.

Results

A positive association was found between NICD and Jag1 expression (p < 0.001). Median PFS was significantly shorter in patients whose tumors expressed high NICD and Jag1 (6.43 months vs 11.53 months for negative cases; p = 0.001). Those with an MVD score ≥5 (CD31-high, NICD/Jag1 positive) experienced significantly poorer survival. The radiomic model developed to predict short and long-term survival and PFS yielded a ROC-AUC of 0.709; when integrated with clinical and histopathological data, the integrated model improved the predictive score (ROC-AUC of 0.823).

Discussion

These results show that high NICD and Jag1 expression are associated with progressive disease and early disease progression to anti VEGF-based therapy; the preliminary radiomic analyses show that the integration of quantitative information with clinical and histological data display the highest performance in predicting the outcome of CRC patients.
Knockdown of SPON2 inhibits the growth of triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: Hu Xueyi , Su Caiwu , Wei Jian
Published: March 2023

Objective

Spondin-2 (SPON2) is highly expressed in a variety of tumors and has been associated with poor prognosis, but the relationship to triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of SPON2 in TNBC and its function.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the SPON2 protein in TNBC and in normal tissue adjacent to cancer and breast fibroadenoma. The GEO database GSE76275 dataset was used to study the expression of SPON2 mRNA in TNBC and non-TNBC. ​The expression of SPON2 mRNA was detected by qPCR in TNBC cells MDA-MB-231, non-TNBC breast cancer cells MCF-7, and normal breast cells MCF-10A. ​Kaplan Meier-Plotter database was used to analyze the relationship between SPON2 expression and TNBC prognosis. ​ShRNA lentivirus was used to knock down high expression of SPON2 in TNBC cells. The effects of knockdown of SPON2 expression on the proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and subcutaneous tumorigenic ability of TNBC cells in nude mice were analyzed using CCK8, clone formation assay, scratch assay, transwell migration assay, transwell invasion assay, Hoechst apoptosis assay, and tumorigenic ability in nude mice. Transcriptome sequencing of TNBC cells with knockdown SPON2 expression. ​In combination with the GEO database, GO and KEGG analyses were performed, and psychophysiological interaction Protein-Protein Interaction Networks (PPI) analysis was performed for transcriptome sequencing of the differentially expressed genes. ​The changes in the expression of PI3K-ATK pathway proteins after SPON2 knockdown were detected by Western blot.

Results

Our study shows that upregulation of SPON2 in TNBC is associated with poorer patient outcomes. Knockdown of SPON2 inhibited TNBC cell proliferation, clone formation, migration, invasion, and tumorigenic ability and promoted apoptosis. Knockdown of SPON2 up-regulated TNBC cell adhesion and down-regulated PI3K-ATK pathway, and PPI results showed that CCL2 was the key protein.

Conclusions

SPON2 may be a valuable biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of TNBC and is a potential therapeutic target for TNBC.
Using optogenetics to dissect rod inputs to OFF ganglion cells in the mouse retina
Authors: Sladek Asia L. , Thoreson Wallace B.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Light responses of rod photoreceptor cells traverse the retina through three pathways. The primary pathway involves synapses from rods to ON-type rod bipolar cells with OFF signals reaching retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) via sign-inverting glycinergic synapses. Secondly, rod signals can enter cones through gap junctions. Finally, rods can synapse directly onto cone OFF bipolar cells.

Methods

To analyze these pathways, we obtained whole cell recordings from OFF-type α RGCs in mouse retinas while expressing channelrhodopsin-2 in rods and/or cones.

Results

Optogenetic stimulation of rods or cones evoked large fast currents in OFF RGCs. Blocking the primary rod pathway with L-AP4 and/or strychnine reduced rod-driven optogenetic currents in OFF RGCs by ~1/3. Blocking kainate receptors of OFF cone bipolar cells suppressed both rod- and cone-driven optogenetic currents in OFF RGCs. Inhibiting gap junctions between rods and cones with mecloflenamic acid or quinpirole reduced rod-driven responses in OFF RGCs. Eliminating the exocytotic Ca2+ sensor, synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1), from cones abolished cone-driven optogenetic responses in RGCs. Rod-driven currents were not significantly reduced after isolating the secondary pathway by eliminating Syt1 and synaptotagmin 7 (Syt7) to block synaptic release from rods. Eliminating Syt1 from both rods and cones abolished responses to optogenetic stimulation. In Cx36 KO retinas lacking rod-cone gap junctions, optogenetic activation of rods evoked small and slow responses in most OFF RGCs suggesting rod signals reached them through an indirect pathway. Two OFF cells showed faster responses consistent with more direct input from cone OFF bipolar cells.

Discussion

These data show that the secondary rod pathway supports robust inputs into OFF α RGCs and suggests the tertiary pathway recruits both direct and indirect inputs.
A Canadian, retrospective, multicenter experience with selexipag for a heterogeneous group of pediatric pulmonary hypertension patients
Authors: Youssef David , Richards Susan , Lague Sabine , Sheppard Catherine , Smith Jenna , Vorhies Erika , Hosking Martin , Pietrosanu Matthew , Bates Angela
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Selexipag, an oral nonprostanoid prostaglandin receptor agonist, has led to reduced morbidity and mortality in adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). While the adult literature has been extrapolated to suggest selexipag as an oral treatment for severe pediatric pulmonary hypertension (PH), longitudinal, multicenter data on the benefits of selexipag in this population are lacking. The purpose of this study is to present a longitudinal, multicentre experience with selexipag in a relatively large cohort of pediatric PH patients and add to the existing selexipag literature.

Materials and methods

We performed a retrospective, multicenter review describing the clinical outcomes of pediatric PH patients receiving selexipag in addition to standard oral pulmonary vasodilator therapy across three Canadian centers between January 2005 and June 2021.

Results

Twenty-four pediatric patients (fifteen female) with a mean age of 9.7 (range 2.0–15.5) years were included. Of this cohort, eighteen (75.0%) were in group 1, one (4.2%) was in group 2, four (16.7%) were in group 3, and one (4.2%) was in group 4. Twenty-two (91.7%) patients were on dual PH therapy after six months. Dosing was targeted to achieve 20–30 mcg/kg/dose orally every twelve hours. Median dose after twelve months was 30 mcg/kg/dose. Twelve months following selexipag initiation, median decreases of 0.2 cm in tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, 3.5 mmHg in right-ventricular systolic pressure, and 6.1 mmHg in mean pulmonary arterial pressure were observed; none of these changes were statistically significant. Three patients died, one clinically deteriorated and required admission to a pediatric intensive care unit, ten had gastrointestinal symptoms, and three had flushing.

Conclusion

Selexipag appears to be a safe and effective adjunctive therapy for pediatric PH patients and has a tolerable adverse effect profile aside from gastrointestinal disturbances. Additional prospective studies of changes in hemodynamics and functional classification over a longer period and with a larger sample are needed. Future research should aim to identify subgroups that stand to benefit from the addition of selexipag as well as optimal timing and dosing for the pediatric population.
A horse or a zebra? Unusual manifestations of common cutaneous infections in primary immunodeficiency pediatric patients
Authors: Ollech Ayelet , Simon Amos J , Lev Atar , Stauber Tali , Sherman Gilad , Solomon Michal , Barzilai Aviv , Somech Raz , Greenberger Shoshana
Published: March 2023

Background

Patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders (PIDs) often suffer from recurrent infections because of their inappropriate immune response to both common and less common pathogens. These patients may present with unique and severe cutaneous infectious manifestations that are not common in healthy individuals and may be more challenging to diagnose and treat.

Objective

To describe a cohort of patients with PIDs with atypical presentations of skin infections, who posed a diagnostic and/or therapeutic challenge.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of pediatric patients with PID with atypical presentations of infections, who were treated at the immunodeficiency specialty clinic and the pediatric dermatology clinic at the Sheba Medical Center between September 2012 and August 2022. Epidemiologic data, PID diagnosis, infectious etiology, presentation, course, and treatment were recorded.

Results

Eight children with a diagnosis of PID were included, five of whom were boys. The average age at PID diagnosis was 1.7 (±SD 3.2) years. The average age of cutaneous infection was 6.9 (±SD 5.9) years. Three patients were born to consanguineous parents. The PIDs included the following: common variable immunodeficiency, severe combined immunodeficiency, DOCK8 deficiency, ataxia telangiectasia, CARD11 deficiency, MALT1 deficiency, chronic granulomatous disease, and a combined cellular and humoral immunodeficiency syndrome of unknown etiology. The infections included the following: ulcerative-hemorrhagic varicella-zoster virus (two cases) atypical fungal and bacterial infections, resistant Norwegian scabies, giant perianal verrucae (two cases), and diffuse molluscum contagiosum.

Conclusions

In this case series, we present unusual manifestations of infectious skin diseases in pediatric patients with PID. In some of the cases, recognition of the infectious process prompted life-saving treatment. Increasing familiarity with these dermatological manifestations, as well as keeping a high index of suspicion, is important to enabling early diagnosis of cutaneous infections in PIDs and initiation of prompt suitable treatment.
Exploring listening-related fatigue in children with and without hearing loss using self-report and parent-proxy measures
Authors: Adams Bethany , Thornton Sally K. , Naylor Graham , Spriggs Ruth V. , Wiggins Ian M. , Kitterick Padraig T.
Published: March 2023

Children with hearing loss appear to experience greater fatigue than children with normal hearing (CNH). Listening-related fatigue is often associated with an increase in effortful listening or difficulty in listening situations. This has been observed in children with bilateral hearing loss (CBHL) and, more recently, in children with unilateral hearing loss (CUHL). Available tools for measuring fatigue in children include general fatigue questionnaires such as the child self-report and parent-proxy versions of the PedsQLTM-Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (MFS) and the PROMIS Fatigue Scale. Recently, the Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale (VFS-C: child self-report; VFS-P: parent-proxy report) was introduced with a specific focus on listening-related fatigue. The aims of this study were to compare fatigue levels experienced by CNH, CUHL and CBHL using both generic and listening-specific fatigue measures and compare outcomes from the child self-report and parent-proxy reports. Eighty children aged 6–16 years (32 CNH, 19 CUHL, 29 CBHL), and ninety-nine parents/guardians (39 parents to CNH, 23 parents to CUHL, 37 parents to CBHL), completed the above fatigue questionnaires online. Kruskal-Wallis H tests were performed to compare fatigue levels between the CNH, CUHL and CBHL. To determine the agreement between parent-proxy and child self-report measures, Bland-Altman 95% limits of agreement were performed. All child self-report fatigue measures indicated that CBHL experience greater fatigue than CNH. Only the listening-specific tool (VFS-C) was sufficiently able to show greater fatigue in CUHL than in CNH. Similarly, all parent-proxy measures of fatigue indicated that CBHL experience significantly greater fatigue than CNH. The VFS-P and the PROMIS Fatigue Parent-Proxy also showed greater fatigue in CUHL than in CNH. Agreement between the parent-proxy and child self-report measures were found within the PedsQL-MFS and the PROMIS Fatigue Scale. Our results suggest that CBHL experience greater levels of daily-life fatigue compared to CNH. CUHL also appear to experience more fatigue than CNH, and listening-specific measures of fatigue may be better able to detect this effect. Further research is needed to understand the bases of fatigue in these populations and to clarify whether fatigue experienced by CBHL and CUHL is comparable in nature and degree.
The dangers of castor oil tea in neonates in rural Haiti: A case report
Authors: Jean Baptiste Wilhermine , Casseus Michelucia , Dev Alka , Joseph Patrice , Wright Peter F.
Published: March 2023

During a 2-year period, eight cases of a distinct illness were seen among 1,424 neonates admitted to a newly established neonatal care unit in southern Haiti. The newborns presented with a picture of sepsis with shock, vomiting, hypotonia, lethargy, and abdominal distention. Five cases proved fatal and another case left the hospital against advice in extremis with little chance of survival. In each case, the illness was associated with a history of ingestion of teas that included castor oil, known as lok in Haitian Creole. The presumptive cause of the illness was established by the presence of a dark, oily substance in drainage from the nares and nasogastric tubes and by subsequent admission on direct questioning of the caregivers, who said that the infants had been given large amounts of lok. The castor oil tea had been given to three infants in the immediate neonatal period where its use is attributed to encouraging the passage of meconium. The five remaining infants were between 15 and 30 days of life when they were given lok shortly before admission to the neonatal unit for treatment of an undefined illness. All of them were term infants with no identified risks at birth. As nasogastric tubes are not routinely placed in sick neonates, and the parents did not volunteer information about lok administration, the practice may be more widespread than that recorded here. Although our data are confined to observations in Haiti, the use of traditional medicines is a globally widespread phenomenon. Attention must be drawn to the potential toxicity of such preparations and means found to ban their use in neonates.
Banzhilian formula alleviates psoriasis-like lesions via the LCN2/MMP-9 axis based on transcriptome analysis
Authors: Xing Meng , Yan Xiaoning , Guo Jiangtao , Li Wenbin , Li ZhangJun , Dong Chun , Guo Jiao , Qu Keshen , Luo Ying
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Oral Banzhilian formula (BZLF) is effective in the clinical treatment of psoriasis. However, the effectiveness and mechanism of different drug delivery routes deserve further study.

Methods: First, we established the mouse model of psoriasis using imiquimod (IMQ), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for the quality control of BZLF. Secondly, Total RNA Sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were used to explore the regulatory mechanism of BZLF in improving psoriatic lesions. Finally, further verification was based on animal experiments.

Results: we externally applied BZLF for skin lesions in an imiquimod-induced psoriasis mouse model and found that BZLF alleviated psoriasis-like skin lesions while inhibiting the expression of Ki67 and inflammatory factors (Il17a, Tnf-α, S100a7 and Cxcl1) in skin lesions. Transcriptome sequencing results suggested that BZLF inhibited signalling pathways closely related to psoriatic inflammation, such as the IL-17 signalling pathway, chemokine signalling pathway, TNF signalling pathway, and NF-kappa B signalling pathway, and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network identified LCN2 as one of the core target genes and screened out its regulated downstream gene MMP9.

Discussion: Our findings suggest that the anti-psoriatic mechanism of BZLF involved in downregulating the LCN2/MMP-9 axis.
Pharmacogenetic association of the NR1H3 promoter variant with antihypertensive response among patients with hypertension: A longitudinal study
Authors: Chen Yu , Han Yuqing , Wu Yiyi , Hui Rutai , Yang Yunyun , Zhong Yixuan , Zhang Shuyuan , Zhang Weili
Published: March 2023

Background: The genetic factors in assessing therapeutic efficacy and predicting antihypertensive drug response are unclear. Therefore, this study aims to identify the associations between variants and antihypertensive drug response.

Methods: A longitudinal study including 1837 hypertensive patients was conducted in Northern China and followed up for a median 2.24 years. The associations of 11 candidate variants with blood pressure changes in response to antihypertensive drugs and with the risk of cardiovascular events during the follow-up were examined. The dual-luciferase assay was carried out to assess the effect of genetic variants on gene transcriptional activity.

Results: The variant rs11039149A>G in the promoter of nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group H member 3 (NR1H3) was associated with the change in systolic blood pressure (ΔSBP) in response to calcium channel blockers (CCBs) monotherapy. Patients carrying rs11039149AG genotype showed a significant increase of systolic blood pressure (SBP) at follow-up compared with AA carriers, and the difference of ΔSBP between AG and AA carriers was 5.94 mm Hg (95%CI: 2.09–9.78, p = 0.002). In 1,184 patients with CCBs therapy, SBP levels decreased in AA carriers, but increased in AG carriers, the difference of ΔSBP between AG and AA carriers was 8.04 mm Hg (95%CI: 3.28–12.81, p = 0.001). Further analysis in 359 patients with CCBs monotherapy, the difference of ΔSBP between AG and AA carriers was 15.25 mm Hg (95%CI: 6.48–24.02, p = 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in ΔSBP between AG and AA carriers with CCBs multitherapy. The rs11039149A>G was not associated with the cardiovascular events incidence during the follow-up. Additionally, transcriptional factor forkhead box C1 (FOXC1) bound to the NR1H3 promoter containing rs11039149A and significantly increased the transcriptional activity, while rs11039149 A to G change led to a loss-of-function and disabled FOXC1 binding. For the other 10 variants, associations with blood pressure changes or risk of cardiovascular events were not observed.

Conclusion: Hypertensive patients with rs11039149AG genotype in the NR1H3 gene have a significant worse SBP control in response to CCBs monotherapy compared with AA carriers. Our findings suggest that the NR1H3 gene might act as a promising genetic factor to affect individual sensitivity to antihypertensive drugs.
Virulence and molecular genetic diversity, variation, and evolution of the Puccinia triticina population in Hebei Province of China from 2001 to 2010
Authors: Zhang Lin , Zhang Linya , Meng Qingfang , Yan Hongfei , Liu Daqun
Published: March 2023

Wheat leaf rust, caused by Puccinia triticina, is one of the most important fungal diseases of wheat in China. However, little is known about the dynamic changes of population structure and genetic diversity of P. triticina during a period of time. In this study, 247 isolates of P. triticina collected from Hebei Province from 2001 to 2010 were tested on 36 Thatcher near-isogenic lines for virulence diversity and detected by 21 pairs of Expressed Sequence Tag derived Simple Sequence Repeat (EST-SSR) primers for genetic diversity. A total of 204 isolates were successfully identified as 164 races, and THTT, THST, PHRT, THTS, and PHTT were the most common races in Hebei Province from 2001 to 2010. The cluster analysis based on virulence showed that P. triticina has a rich virulence polymorphism, which had a certain correlation with the years, while the cluster analysis based on EST-SSR showed that the genetic diversity of the P. triticina population was significantly different between years in Hebei Province from 2001 to 2010. In addition, the population structure of P. triticina may have changed greatly in 2007 and 2009, which was significantly different from that of 2001–2006 on either virulence or genetic characteristics. The variation frequency of the population structure had an increasing trend during this period. From 2001 to 2010, there was a certain degree of gene flow among the P. triticina populations. No significant correlation was found between virulence and molecular polymorphism. The genetic differentiation analysis of the 10 tested populations (each year as a population) showed that the coefficient of genetic differentiation (Gst) was 0.27, indicating that there was a certain genetic differentiation among or within populations of P. triticina in Hebei Province. The genetic variation within populations (73.08%) was higher than that among populations (26.92%), which indicated that the genetic variations were mainly found within populations. Our study provides the foundation for a better understanding of the population structure change and genetic diversity of P. triticina over a period in Hebei Province of China.
Core endophytic mycobiome in Ulmus minor and its relation to Dutch elm disease resistance
Authors: Macaya-Sanz David , Witzell Johanna , Collada Carmen , Gil Luis , Martín Juan A.
Published: March 2023

The core microbiota of plants exerts key effects on plant performance and resilience to stress. The aim of this study was to identify the core endophytic mycobiome in U. minor stems and disentangle associations between its composition and the resistance to Dutch elm disease (DED). We also defined its spatial variation within the tree and among distant tree populations. Stem samples were taken i) from different heights of the crown of a 168-year-old elm tree, ii) from adult elm trees growing in a common garden and representing a gradient of resistance to DED, and iii) from trees growing in two distant natural populations, one of them with varying degrees of vitality. Endophyte composition was profiled by high throughput sequencing of the first internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1) of the ribosomal DNA. Three families of yeasts (Buckleyzymaceae, Trichomeriaceae and Bulleraceae) were associated to DED-resistant hosts. A small proportion (10%) of endophytic OTUs was almost ubiquitous throughout the crown while tree colonization by most fungal taxa followed stochastic patterns. A clear distinction in endophyte composition was found between geographical locations. By combining all surveys, we found evidence of a U. minor core mycobiome, pervasive within the tree and ubiquitous across locations, genotypes and health status.
QTL mapping and transcriptome analysis of sugar content during fruit ripening of Pyrus pyrifolia
Authors: Jiang Shuang , Li Shuigen , Luo Jun , Wang Xiaoqing , Shi Chunhui
Published: March 2023

Sugar content is an important trait of fruits. The genetic background of fruits can affect their sugar content in different cultivars. The quantitative trait loci and genes related to sugar content during fruit ripening remain unclear. In this study, we performed quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping of sugar content. Two QTLs (qSugar-LG6-Chr7 and qSugar-LG12-Chr3) were identified based on their total sugar contents. A total of 577 and 519 genes were annotated around these two QTL loci. The contents of fructose, sorbitol, glucose, and sucrose were measured at six time points in four cultivars before fruit maturation, including two sweet cultivars (“Zaoshengxinshui” and “ZQ65”) and two general cultivars (“Qiushui” and “ZQ82”). In sweet cultivars, sucrose and fructose accumulate substantially, and sorbitol content decreases significantly during fruit ripening. A transcriptome analysis identified 125 upregulated and 222 downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in sweet cultivars. Two sucrose transport genes (PpSUT, LOC103964096, and LOC103940043) were negatively correlated with sugar content. A weighted gene co-expression network analysis showed that two genes, sorbitol dehydrogenase (PpSDH, LOC103960512 and LOC103960513), around the locus of qSugar-LG6-Chr7 were negatively co-expressed with the total sugar content, which was downregulated in the sweet cultivars. PpSDH and PpSUT may play important roles in regulating sugar content during pear ripening. Transcriptome analysis also revealed that some DEGs were related to sugars (PpS6PDH and ATP-PpPFK), hormones (PpARG7), and transcription factors (PpEMB1444, PpCYP734A1, and PpWRKY50). In conclusion, this study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms associated with sugar content in the fruit ripening of Pyrus pyrifolia.
Pre-treatment of melatonin enhances the seed germination responses and physiological mechanisms of soybean (Glycine max L.) under abiotic stresses
Authors: Awan Samrah Afzal , Khan Imran , Wang Qi , Gao Jing , Tan Xianming , Yang Feng
Published: March 2023

The germination of soybean (Glycine max L.) seeds is critically affected by abiotic stresses which resulting in decreasing crop growth and yield. However; little is known about the physiological mechanisms of germination and the potential role of melatonin on soybean seed germination under drought, salt, cold, and heat stresses. Therefore, the current study investigated the possible effects of melatonin to enhance germination indices and other physiological attributes by alleviating the harmful impacts of these stresses during germination. Seeds of soybean were pre-treated (seed priming) with melatonin at MT1 (20 μmol L-1), MT2 (50 μmol L-1), MT3 (100 μmol L-1), MT4 (200 μmol L-1), and MT5 (300 μmol L-1) and exposed to the four stresses (drought at PEG 15%, salt at 150mM, cold at 10 °C, and heat at 30 °C) . It was noted that MT1 (20 μmol L-1), MT2 (50 μmol L-1), and MT3 (100 μmol L-1) remarkably improved the germination potential, germination rate, radical length, and biomass under given stresses. Furthermore, MT1, MT2, and MT3 progressively increased the proline to minimize the impact of drought, salt, cold, and heat stresses. In addition, all stresses significantly induced oxidative damage however, salt (150 mM NaCl) and heat (30 °C) stresses highly increased the malondialdehyde content (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as compared to drought (PEG 15%) and cold (10 °C) stresses. Moreover, MT2 and MT3 significantly enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) to reduce the oxidative damage in soybean seeds during the germination. Overall, melatonin at 50 μmol L-1 and 100 μmol L-1 considerably mitigated the harmful impacts of drought, salt, cold, and heat stress by enhancing germination and other physiological mechanisms of soybean. This study could provide bases to enhance the melatonin-mediated tolerance of soybean and other related crops at early growth stages when exposed to abiotic stresses.
Understanding gambling in the United Kingdom: A qualitative study on the experiences of gamblers’ families
Authors: Azemi Ferid , Avdyli Merita , Bytyqi Vilard
Published: March 2023

This study focuses on understanding the experiences of family members of problem gamblers in the United Kingdom and the gambling consequences in their lives. Family members of problem gamblers, even though they suffer from gambling consequences, the impacts of gambling are under-researched. Qualitative research through in-depth interviews was employed. Thematic analysis was used to gain a deeper insight into gambling. Nine female participants were interviewed based on a semi-structured questionnaire. The results of this study indicated that close family members of problem gamblers had suffered not only financial devastation but also harsh psychological and mental health damages. Furthermore, family members suffer from gamblers’ abusive and violent behaviors. Addiction was a key factor of gamblers’ habit; fear, anxiety, and depression were some of the health issues derived from gambling. Overall, gambling addiction leads to further addiction, crime, and severe, family-relation sufferings. The study results suggest that the London Gambling Commission and regulating authority should change gambling policy, reduce gambling points, and limit gambling slot machines in food markets and community areas. More support is needed for family members affected by gamblers’ addictive gambling behaviors.
Measuring affect and complex working memory in natural and urban environments
Authors: Scott Emily E. , Crabtree Kaedyn W. , McDonnell Amy S. , LoTemplio Sara B. , McNay Glen D. , Strayer David L.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Research suggests that spending time in natural environments is associated with cognitive and affective benefits, while increased use of technology and time spent in urban environments are associated with depletion of cognitive resources and an increasing prevalence of mental illness. Attention Restoration Theory suggests that exposure to natural environments can restore depleted attentional resources and thereby improve cognitive functioning and mood. Specifically, recent meta-analyses have revealed that the most improved cognitive abilities after nature exposure include selective attention, working memory, and cognitive flexibility.

Methods

While existing studies examined these cognitive abilities, few have examined the Operation Span (OSPAN), a complex measure of working memory capacity. Therefore, the current study (N = 100) compared performance on the OSPAN and self-reported mood using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule before and after a 30-min walk in a natural or urban environment.

Results

Results from the study showed that both groups exhibited an increase in positive affect and a decrease in negative affect, suggesting that going outside for a walk can boost mood regardless of environment type. Inconsistent with past work, there were no significant changes in OSPAN scores before and after the walk for either environment type.

Discussion

Future studies should analyze how the length of time spent in the environment, certain characteristics of the environment, and individual differences in connectedness to nature may impact attention restoration to gain insight on nature’s ability to improve our affect and cognition.
The influence of family function on online prosocial behaviors of high school students: A moderated chained mediation model
Authors: Cui Lulu , Li Zhaoliang
Published: March 2023

The frequency of cyberbullying incidents is gradually increasing, and the seriousness of the consequences is gradually becoming more prominent. Previous studies have shown that cyberbullying bystander behaviors play an important role in reducing cyberbullying. This study aims to explore the mechanisms that high school students’ family function, empathy, and social support levels how to affect their implementation of online prosocial behaviors when they act as cyberbullying bystanders. The study was conducted in 1961 high school students (M = 16.84 years; SD = 1.08) in China. Results found that family function promotes online prosocial behaviors through (a) empathy, (b) social support, and (c) chain mediating path of empathy and social support. There were interactions between gender and family function as well as social support, which played a moderating role in the paths of family function and online prosocial behaviors and social support and online prosocial behaviors, respectively. We investigated how family function affected online prosocial behaviors in high school students and how empathy and social support worked to promote them to carry out online prosocial behaviors.
Psychometric validation of the sibling inventory of behavior in three- to six-year-old Chinese children
Authors: Xu Huiyan , Wang Zhenlin , Gao Xiaozi , Wang Xiaoying , Wu Qiong
Published: March 2023

With increasing attention on sibling relationship studies in China, one problem that has been neglected is the limited validation of instruments used to assess these relationships. The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Sibling Inventory of Behavior to measure Chinese children’s sibling relationships using a stratified random sample of 590 parents of three- to six-year-olds in three economic regions. The confirmatory factor analysis obtained an adequate fit, suggesting that the Chinese version of the instrument had a six-factor structure (i.e.,Companionship,Empathy,Teaching,Rivalry,Aggression, andAvoidance). It demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency as well as test–retest reliability. Results of discriminant, convergent, and criterion-related validity test also fulfilled psychometric requirements. Furthermore, the residual measurement invariance across regions was discovered. Given the importance, emergence, and tendency of sibling studies in China, having a reliable and valid instrument with robust psychometric properties is essential and impactful.
“Our City Will Be the First to Hold Both Summer and Winter Olympics”: A comparative analysis of how media coverage and public opinion were framed on social media in the lead up to the Beijing 2022 winter Olympic games
Authors: Yang Zesheng , Ruan Yang , Zhang Jianing
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Beijing is the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Mega sporting events such as the Olympic Games, which attract mass audiences, benefit greatly from social media. This article examines how the news coverage and public opinion about the Beijing 2022 were articulated on social media in the lead up to the Beijing 2022.

Method

We employed computational content analysis to examine 9,439 individual posts and 450 official media posts that appeared before the Beijing 2022 Olympics. We also used ROSTCM6 to investigate the sentiment of official media and public opinion toward Beijing 2022.

Results

The results of this study reveal that members of public are more inclined to highlight certain aspects of Beijing 2022 based on their individual perspectives. Official media, whose work generally aligns with the government’s interests. Through a sentiment analysis of these posts, we found strongly positive attitudes concerning Beijing 2022 among the Chinese public and the media.

Discussion

Our results provide ample evidence of an overall relative convergence of positions between public opinion and news coverage about the Beijing 2022, despite their divergences. This study indicates that social media presents itself as a space for broader public statements, and empowers ordinary people to discuss China’s social issues of concern. Meanwhile, official media represents the government’s position, strategically framing Beijing 2022 as a landmark event in the new era of China.