bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genomic regions associated with pseudorabies virus infection status in naturally infected feral swine (Sus scrofa)
Authors: Bowden Courtney F. , Kiser Jennifer N. , Miller Ryan S. , Buckley Alexandra C. , Boggiatto Paola M. , Giglio Rachael M. , Brown Vienna R. , Garrick Dorian , Neibergs Holly L. , Piaggio Antoinette J. , Speidel Scott E. , Smyser Timothy J.
Published: November 2023

Pseudorabies virus (PRV)—the causative agent of Aujeszky’s disease—was eliminated from commercial pig production herds in the United States (US) in 2004; however, PRV remains endemic among invasive feral swine (Sus scrofa). The circulation of PRV among abundant, widespread feral swine populations poses a sustained risk for disease spillover to production herds. Risk–based surveillance has been successfully implemented for PRV in feral swine populations in the US. However, understanding the role of host genetics in infection status may offer new insights into the epidemiology and disease dynamics of PRV that can be applied to management strategies. Genetic mechanisms underlying host susceptibility to PRV are relatively unknown; therefore, we sought to identify genomic regions associated with PRV infection status among naturally infected feral swine using genome–wide association studies (GWAS) and gene set enrichment analysis of single nucleotide polymorphism data (GSEA–SNP). Paired serological and genotypic data were collected from 6,081 feral swine distributed across the invaded range within the contiguous US. Three complementary study populations were developed for GWAS: 1) comprehensive population consisting of feral swine throughout the invaded range within the contiguous US; 2) population of feral swine under high, but temporally variable PRV infection pressure; and 3) population of feral swine under temporally stable, high PRV infection pressure. We identified one intronic SNP associated with PRV infection status within candidate gene AKAP6 on autosome 7. Various gene sets linked to metabolic pathways were enriched in the GSEA–SNP. Ultimately, improving disease surveillance efforts in feral swine will be critical to further understanding of the role host genetics play in PRV infection status, helping secure the health of commercial pork production.
We need a theoretical framework for the modernization of industrial legacy systems
Authors: Garcia Paulo , Sritriratanarak Warisa
Published: November 2023

Industrial informatics brings computational intelligence to industry, powering the “software-ization” of manufacturing processes. However, when faced with the myriad of legacy systems that cannot be fully replaced cost-effectively, practitioners must retrofit computational intelligence into legacy systems. This modernization of legacy industrial systems is deceptively challenging: poor retrofitting can cause more harm than good, hindering overall metrics. We argue for a theoretical framework for modernizing legacy industrial systems. We illustrate the challenge within the context of the real-time performance of industrial cyber-physical systems by depicting a formalization of the problem and illustrating its impact through Monte Carlo methods. We show how knowledge of extant system internals constrains possible optimizations. We conclude by highlighting several research directions, including some recommendations, that must be pursued to establish a common theoretical underpinning that can inform practitioners.
Integrin-linked kinase expression in myeloid cells promotes colon tumorigenesis
Authors: Ahmed Afsar U. , Almasabi Saleh , Firestein Ron , Williams Bryan R.G.
Published: November 2023

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common forms of cancer worldwide and treatment options for advanced CRC, which has a low 5-year survival rate, remain limited. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK), a multifunctional, scaffolding, pseudo-kinase regulating many integrin-mediated cellular processes, is highly expressed in many cancers. However, the role of ILK in cancer progression is yet to be fully understood. We have previously uncovered a pro-inflammatory role for myeloid-specific ILK in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. To establish a correlation between chronic intestinal inflammation and colorectal cancer (CRC), we investigated the role of myeloid-ILK in mouse models of CRC. When myeloid-ILK deficient mice along with the WT control mice were subjected to colitis-associated and APCmin/+-driven CRC, tumour burden was reduced by myeloid-ILK deficiency in both models. The tumour-promoting phenotype of macrophages, M2 polarization, in vitro was impaired by the ILK deficiency and the number of M2-specific marker CD206-expressing tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) in vivo were significantly diminished in myeloid-ILK deficient mice. Myeloid-ILK deficient mice showed enhanced tumour infiltration of CD8+ T cells and reduced tumour infiltration of FOXP3+ T cells in colitis-associated and APCmin/+-driven CRC, respectively, with an overall elevated CD8+/FOXP3+ ratio suggesting an anti-tumour immune phenotypes. In patient CRC tissue microarrays we observed elevated ILK+ myeloid (ILK+ CD11b+) cells in tumour sections compared to adjacent normal tissues, suggesting a conserved role for myeloid-ILK in CRC development in both human and animal models. This study identifies myeloid-specific ILK expression as novel driver of CRC, which could be targeted as a potential therapeutic option for advanced disease.
Plasma interleukin responses as predictors of outcome stratification in patients after major trauma: a prospective observational two centre study
Authors: Jones Matthew Allan , Hanison James , Apreutesei Renata , Allarakia Basmah , Namvar Sara , Ramaswamy Deepa Shruthi , Horner Daniel , Smyth Lucy , Body Richard , Columb Malachy , Nirmalan Mahesan , Nirmalan Niroshini
Published: November 2023

Background and objectives

There is a need to develop objective risk stratification tools to define efficient care pathways for trauma patients. Biomarker-based point of care testing may strengthen existing clinical tools currently available for this purpose. The dysregulation of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of organ failure is well recognised. This study was carried out to evaluate whether blood concentrations of IL-6, IL-10, and IL-6:IL-10 ratios in the early stages of the illness are significantly different in patients with worsening organ function.

Materials and methods

In this prospective observational cohort study, plasma concentrations of IL-6 and IL-10 on days 1, 3 and 5 were measured in 91 major trauma patients using a multiplexed cytometric bead array approach. A composite measure of adverse outcome - defined as SOFA ≥ 2 or mortality at 7 days, was the primary outcome. IL-6 and IL-10 concentrations in early samples (days 1, 3 & 5) in patients who developed SOFA ≥ 2 on day 7 were compared against those who did not. Similar composite outcome groups at day 5 and in groups with worsening or improving SOFA scores (ΔSOFA) at days 7 and 5 were undertaken as secondary analyses.

Results

Stratification on day 7, 44 (48%) patients showed adverse outcomes. These adverse outcomes associated with significantly greater IL-6 concentrations on days 1 and 5 (Day 1: 47.65 [23.24-78.68] Vs 73.69 [39.93 – 118.07] pg/mL, P = 0.040 and Day 5: 12.85 [5.80-19.51] Vs 28.90 [8.78-74.08] pg/mL; P = 0.0019). Similarly, IL-10 levels were significantly greater in the adverse outcome group on days 3 and 5 (Day 3: 2.54 [1.76-3.19] Vs 3.16 [2.68-4.21] pg/mL; P = 0.044 and Day 5: 2.03 [1.65-2.55] Vs 2.90 [2.00-5.06] pg/mL; P <0.001). IL-6 and IL-10 concentrations were also significantly elevated in the adverse outcome groups at day 3 and day 5 when stratified on day 5 outcomes. Both IL-6 and IL-6:IL-10 were found to be significantly elevated on days 1 and 3 when stratified based on ΔSOFA at day 5. This significance was lost when stratified on day 7 scores.

Conclusions

Early IL-6 and IL-10 concentrations are significantly greater in patients who develop worsening organ functions downstream. These differences may provide an alternate biomarker-based approach to strengthen risk stratification in trauma patients.
Evaluation of coarse aggregate quality grade of recycled concrete based on the principal component analysis-cloud model
Authors: Zhao Bing , Xue Er-Wei , Gu Xin-Bao
Published: November 2023

The quality grade assessment of coarse aggregate in recycled concrete has great significance for engineering quality, so the accurate estimation of its quality grade is vital. However, many factors affect its quality level, and its assessment procedure has a certain fuzziness and randomness. To overcome the abovementioned problems, the principal component analysis-cloud model was introduced. It is a combination of the principal component analytical method (PCA) and the normal cloud model and has the advantages of the two methods, as well as being widely applied to assess the quality level of different construction materials. To evaluate the coarse aggregate quality grade of recycled concrete in the present paper, the principal component analytical method (PCA) was applied to reduce the dimension of data and calculate the weight of each index, then a model of coarse aggregate quality based on cloud theory was constructed. According to the characteristic parameters of the cloud model, the coarse aggregate quality grade was determined. The conclusions indicate that the method is feasible for the accurate assessment of quality grade assessment of coarse aggregate, and its accuracy is very high. So, a new approach can be provided for the quality grade assessment of coarse aggregate in the future.
Lateral impact response of circular hollow steel tubes with mid-span localized penetrating notches
Authors: Huang Xiaoli , Wang Yulin
Published: November 2023

In this study, 32 numerical models of CHST columns were established in the ABAQUS program to evaluate the effect of mid-span local defects on the impact resistance of circular hollow steel tube (CHST) columns. The simulation studies were conducted from three aspects: notch length, notch angle, and impact energy. The results showed that under a lateral impact load, the mid-span of the CHST column presented global bending failure patterns accompanied by local indentation deformation in the impact region and local buckling deformation at the bottom of the fixed end. Compared with the mid-span indentation displacement of the non-notch model, when the impact velocities were 30 km/h and 60 km/h, the horizontal notch model surpassed the maximum by 29.3% and 36.3%, the oblique notch model surpassed the maximum by 47.8% and 115.6%, and the vertical notch model only increased by 9.7% and 1.1%. The local damage area and impact force time-history curves of the vertical notch model agreed well with those of the non-notch model. Among the three notch angles, the impact plateau values of the vertical notch model and the global bending displacement in the mid-span were least affected by the notch length, notch location, and impact energy. The energy absorption of the CHST column was mainly due to indentation deformation in the mid-span, and the global bending deformation was auxiliary. Compared with the energy absorption ratio (EAR) of the non-notch model, with increased impact energy, the EAR of the vertical notch model increased by 20.2%, 13.5%, and 17.3% on average. The horizontal and oblique notch models decreased by 28.2%, 61.0%, 42.4%, and 29.1%, 62.7%, and 49.3%, respectively. The Rd of all notch models showed an overall upward trend as the impact energy increased, and the Rd of the horizontal notch model increased the most. According to the parametric analysis results, the dynamic flexural capacity prediction formula of the CHST columns section was obtained, considering the influence of notch length, notch angle, and impact energy within the parameter range of this study.
Real-world national trends and influencing factors preference of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in China
Authors: Zhu Shaojing , Li Mengjie , Wang Lujun , Hou Lu , Li Dandan , Liu Jiuhong , Lu Yanxia
Published: November 2023

Backgrounds

Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been recommended as the first choice over warfarin for non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). However, there is limited data about their usage in mainland China.

Methods

Prescriptions of patients diagnosed with AF and containing OACs were extracted from Hospital Prescription Cooperation Project from January 2016 to March 2021. The primary outcome was the changing percentage of different OACs. The secondary outcomes were frequencies as well as factors with the choice of different OACs and dosage of NOACs. Univariate and Multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to explore possible factors. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS software (Version 9.4).

Results

Among the 220,083 distinct prescriptions diagnosed with AF and prescribed with OACs, the percentage of NOACs increased over years, exceeding warfarin in 2018. Until March 2021, 83.53% of included patients were prescribed with NOACs. Rivaroxaban (62.25%) and dabigatran (37.65%) were the most commonly prescribed NOACs. Low dosage was common for NOACs (44.54%), this was mainly driven by rivaroxaban, 67.98% of which were low dosage. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that several factors were positively associated with the preference of low dosage, including outpatients (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.26–1.39), patients with hypertension (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.40–1.58), acute coronary syndrome (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.12–1.22), stroke (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.33–1.52), and kidney disease (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.34–1.97), as well as concomitantly using antiplatelet agents (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.40–1.66), and steroids (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.50–2.07). On the contrary, they were less common in health insurance holder (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.75–0.84), patients taking apixaban (vs. rivaroxaban, OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.18–0.81), dabigatran (vs. rivaroxaban, OR 0.01, 95% CI 0.01–0.01), edoxaban (vs. rivaroxaban, OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.23–0.55), diagnosed with heart failure (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.81–0.93), deep vein thrombosis (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.29–0.46), pulmonary embolism (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.28–0.43), and peripheral artery disease (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.55–0.85).

Conclusion

The usage of OACs for AF was overall complying with updated guidelines. Low dosage was common for NOACs, further studies were warranted to verify its effectiveness and explore the underlying mechanism.
The effectiveness and safety of one-stage iStent-based micro-invasive glaucoma surgery—A retrospective study
Authors: Hajduga-Szewczyk Marta , Smedowski Adrian , Filipecka Iwona , Mrukwa-Kominek Ewa
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Micro-invasive glaucoma surgery involves a group of treatment methods associated with a low rate of side effects and good effectiveness outcomes. One of the most frequently performed procedures belonging to this group is iStent microstent implantation. The aim of this study was to perform a retrospective evaluation of the safety and efficacy of a combined procedure involving cataract phacoemulsification and single iStent microstent implantation, performed simultaneously.

Materials and methods

The complete medical records of 62 patients (91 eyes) were analyzed retrospectively, including the best corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, the mean defect of visual fields, and the number of active substances used in eye drops. The follow-up times were 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after the surgical procedure.

Results

A significant improvement in the best corrected visual acuity and a reduction of the intraocular pressure were achieved after the surgery. On average, after 12 months, the best corrected visual acuity improved from 0.70 (0.25) to 0.91 (0.18; p = 0.001), the intraocular pressure reduced from 17.76 (3.95) to 14.91 (3.04; p = 0.0001), and the number of active substances used in eye drops reduced from 2.07 (1.08) to 0.70 (0.06; p = 0001). In addition, we found that patients who initially showed higher intraocular pressure values did not benefit from surgery in the aspect of the number of active substances used in their eye drops. Intraoperative and postoperative adverse events were transient and ultimately did not affect the outcomes.

Conclusion

Simultaneous cataract phacoemulsification with single iStent implantation in patients with open-angle glaucoma is a safe and effective method for reducing intraocular pressure and the number of topical medications that must be used. Having initially higher intraocular pressure values may limit the beneficial effects of iStent implantation by subordinating patients from topical treatment; thus, single iStent implantation may not be the most favorable choice in uncontrolled glaucoma cases.
Case report: Uncommon presentation of Salmonella Dublin infection as a large paravertebral abscess
Authors: An Kang , Wu Zengxiang , Zhong Cejun , Li Shuangqing
Published: November 2023

Background

Salmonella Dublin is a zoonotic pathogen that is associated with invasive infections and high morbidity and mortality rates. Here we present the case of a 78-year-old man with a rare manifestation of a paravertebral abscess in the thoracolumbar spine caused by Salmonella Dublin.

Case presentation

The patient had a history of spinal tuberculosis and poorly controlled diabetes. The abscess was successfully managed by drainage, and a 12-week course of moxifloxacin resulted in complete recovery. Salmonella Dublin was identified using culture-based serotyping. The patient resided in an environment where cattle farming is common; he consumed raw beef and unpasteurized milk, suggesting a potential source of infection.

Discussion

Increasing the awareness of Salmonella Dublin as a potential cause of spinal abscesses is important, particularly in patients with structural spinal abnormalities. The timely initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy based on susceptibility testing is recommended. This case highlights the pathogenic potential of Salmonella Dublin and emphasizes the importance of effectively managing invasive Salmonella infections.
Perioperative management for elderly patients undergoing day surgery: evidence-based practice for nursing care and day surgery
Authors: Wu Mei , Xia Lu , Zhang Li , Xu Yamin , Cheng Yun , Zhang Xiaoju , Chen Long
Published: November 2023

Introduction

It is necessary to explore the evidence-based practice of perioperative management of elderly patients undergoing ambulatory surgery, to optimize the clinical workflow and improve the quality of nursing care.

Methods

Based on the best evidence obtained from the previous study, the perioperative management model and examination index of elderly patients undergoing day surgery were established, and the evidence of best practice was obtained by using the evidence-based methodology. Then, we integrated evidence into clinical practice and improved the process. We made a comparative analysis of the effect before and after the implementation of the evidence.

Results

This study summarized 26 pieces of evidence of perioperative management of elderly patients undergoing day surgery and transformed the evidence into 7 items and 11 items of examination index. After the application of the best evidence, knowledge, belief, and practice of perioperative management of nurses for elderly patients in the day operation ward reached 100%, and the rate of reaching the standard of most indicators increased after the application of evidence. The length of waiting for admission and waiting for operation and returning to the ward to discharge of elderly patients decreased significantly, and the difference was statistically significant (All p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Evidence-based perioperative management of elderly patients undergoing day surgery improves the nursing practice of clinical nurses and shortens the waiting time and hospitalization time of elderly patients undergoing day surgery, which should be promoted in clinical nursing care.
microBiomeGSM: the identification of taxonomic biomarkers from metagenomic data using grouping, scoring and modeling (G-S-M) approach
Authors: Bakir-Gungor Burcu , Temiz Mustafa , Jabeer Amhar , Wu Di , Yousef Malik
Published: November 2023

Numerous biological environments have been characterized with the advent of metagenomic sequencing using next generation sequencing which lays out the relative abundance values of microbial taxa. Modeling the human microbiome using machine learning models has the potential to identify microbial biomarkers and aid in the diagnosis of a variety of diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, colorectal cancer, and many others. The goal of this study is to develop an effective classification model for the analysis of metagenomic datasets associated with different diseases. In this way, we aim to identify taxonomic biomarkers associated with these diseases and facilitate disease diagnosis. The microBiomeGSM tool presented in this work incorporates the pre-existing taxonomy information into a machine learning approach and challenges to solve the classification problem in metagenomics disease-associated datasets. Based on the G-S-M (Grouping-Scoring-Modeling) approach, species level information is used as features and classified by relating their taxonomic features at different levels, including genus, family, and order. Using four different disease associated metagenomics datasets, the performance of microBiomeGSM is comparatively evaluated with other feature selection methods such as Fast Correlation Based Filter (FCBF), Select K Best (SKB), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB), Conditional Mutual Information Maximization (CMIM), Maximum Likelihood and Minimum Redundancy (MRMR) and Information Gain (IG), also with other classifiers such as AdaBoost, Decision Tree, LogitBoost and Random Forest. microBiomeGSM achieved the highest results with an Area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.98% at the order taxonomic level for IBDMD dataset. Another significant output of microBiomeGSM is the list of taxonomic groups that are identified as important for the disease under study and the names of the species within these groups. The association between the detected species and the disease under investigation is confirmed by previous studies in the literature. The microBiomeGSM tool and other supplementary files are publicly available at: https://github.com/malikyousef/microBiomeGSM.
Study on the correlation between the dominant microflora and the main flavor substances in the fermentation process of cigar tobacco leaves
Authors: Wu Xue , Hu Yanqi , Wang Qian , Liu Jian , Fang Song , Huang Dewen , Pang Xueli , Cao Jianmin , Gao Yumeng , Ning Yang
Published: November 2023

The flavor of cigar tobacco leaf determines the quality of finished cigar tobacco, and the enhancement of flavor generally relies on microbial fermentation. In this paper, the correlation between the dominant microorganisms and the main flavor substances of cigar tobacco leaves during fermentation and the correlation between the two were investigated to reveal the correlation between microorganisms and flavor and the metabolic pathways of microorganisms affecting the flavor substances. During the fermentation process, the main flavors of cigar tobacco leaves were sweet, light and grassy, with hexanal, 2,6-dimethylpyridine, nonanal, phenylacetaldehyde, naphthalene, and methyl benzoate as the main constituents, and the key microorganisms Haloferax mediterranei, Haloterrigena limicola, Candidatus Thorarchaeota archaeon SMTZ-45, the genera Methyloversatilis, Sphingomonas, Thauera, Pseudomonas, Penicillium, and Aspergillus. Correlation analysis revealed that fungi were negatively correlated with the main aroma and inhibited the main flavor substances, while bacteria were positively correlated with Benzoic acid, methyl ester in the main flavor substances, which was conducive to the accumulation of green aroma. Functional analysis revealed that the dominant bacterial population was producing aroma by metabolizing glycoside hydrolases and glycosyltransferases, performing amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and film transport metabolism. The present study showed that the bacterial and fungal dominant microorganisms during the fermentation of cigar tobacco were influencing the production and degradation of the main flavor substances through the enzyme metabolism by the occurrence of the Merad reaction.
Establishment and application of a VP3 antigenic domain-based peptide ELISA for the detection of antibody against goose plague virus infection
Authors: Qiao Dandan , Wu Lainlian , Gu Chenxi , Shao Hongxia , Yao Yongxiu , Qin Aijian , Hu Ankang , Qian Kun
Published: November 2023

The detection of antibody against goose plague virus (GPV) infection has never had a commercialized test kit, which has posed challenges to the prevention and control of this disease. In this study, bioinformatics software was used to analyze and predict the dominant antigenic regions of the main protective antigen VP3 of GPV. Three segments of bovine serum albumin (BSA) vector-coupled peptides were synthesized as ELISA coating antigens. Experimental results showed that the VP3-1 (358-392aa) peptide had the best reactivity and specificity. By using the BSA-VP3-1 peptide, a detection method for antibody against GPV infection was established, demonstrating excellent specificity with no cross-reactivity with common infectious goose pathogen antibodies. The intra-batch coefficient of variation and inter-batch coefficient of variation were both less than 7%, indicating good stability and repeatability. The dynamic antibody detection results of gosling vaccines and the testing of 120 clinical immune goose serum samples collectively demonstrate that BSA-VP3-1 peptide ELISA can be used to detect antibody against GPV in the immunized goose population and has higher sensitivity than traditional agar gel precipitation methods. Taken together, the developed peptide-ELISA based on VP3 358-392aa could be useful in laboratory viral diagnosis, routine surveillance in goose farms. The main application of the peptide-ELISA is to monitor the antibody level and vaccine efficacy for GPV, which will help the prevention and control of gosling plague.
Assessing the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of the ProACTIVE SCI physical activity counseling intervention among physiotherapists and SCI peer coaches during the transition from rehabilitation to community
Authors: Olsen Kenedy , Martin Ginis Kathleen A. , Lawrason Sarah , McBride Christopher B. , Walden Kristen , Le Cornu Levett Catherine , Colistro Regina , Plashkes Tova , Bass Andrea , Thorson Teri , Clarkson Ryan , Bitz Rod , Ma Jasmin K.
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Physical Activity (PA) levels for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) peak during rehabilitation and sharply decline post-discharge. The ProACTIVE SCI intervention has previously demonstrated very large-sized effects on PA; however, it has not been adapted for use at this critically understudied timepoint. The objective is to evaluate the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of the ProACTIVE SCI intervention delivered by physiotherapists and SCI peer coaches during the transition from rehabilitation to community.

Methods

A single-group, within-subjects, repeated measures design was employed. The implementation intervention consisted of PA counseling training, champion support, prompts and cues, and follow-up training/community of practice sessions. Physiotherapists conducted counseling sessions in hospital, then referred patients to SCI peer coaches to continue counseling for 1-year post-discharge in the community. The RE-AIM Framework was used to guide intervention evaluation.

Results

Reach: 82.3% of patients at the rehabilitation hospital were reached by the intervention. Effectiveness: Interventionists (physiotherapists and SCI peer coaches) perceived that PA counseling was beneficial for patients. Adoption: 100% of eligible interventionists attended at least one training session. Implementation: Interventionists demonstrated high fidelity to the intervention. Intervention strategy highlights included a feasible physiotherapist to SCI peer coach referral process, flexibility in timepoint for intervening, and time efficiency. Maintenance: Ongoing training, PA counseling tracking forms, and the ability to refer to SCI peer coaches at discharge are core components needed to sustain this intervention.

Discussion

The ProACTIVE SCI intervention was successfully adapted for use by physiotherapists and SCI peer coaches during the transition from rehabilitation to community. Findings are important for informing intervention sustainability and scale-up.
Evaluation of taVNS for extreme environments: an exploration study of health benefits and stress operationality
Authors: Le Roy Barbara , Martin-Krumm Charles , Gille Adèle , Jacob Sandrine , Vigier Cécile , Laborde Sylvain , Claverie Damien , Besnard Stéphane , Trousselard Marion
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Long-duration space missions will be a real challenge for maintaining astronauts' adaptability. Research on transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is expanding rapidly, and its modalities constitute a major research challenge. A growing number of reviews stress the need to validate biomarkers for monitoring effects to enhance our understanding of the processes by which taVNS acts. Heart rate variability (HRV) appears to be a relevant candidate that informs on the autonomic nervous system (ANS). This is a promising technique to minimize the pathogenic effects of such large-scale missions and thus might be a relevant countermeasure. This study aimed to investigate the impact of taVNS on cognitive, psychological, and physiological functioning, including ANS functioning, and the benefits of increasing the number of taVNS sessions.

Method

A total of 44 healthy participants were randomly assigned to one of the two cross-over protocols: a single session protocol (one taVNS and one sham simulation) or a repeated session protocol (three taVNS and three sham simulations). Cognitive, psychological, and physiological measures were performed before (pre) and after (post) each intervention. Sleep monitoring was only recorded before the first and after the last intervention in each protocol. For the repeated session protocol only, participants were allocated to two groups according to their parasympathetic activation gain during the three interventions: high parasympathetic delta (HPd) and low parasympathetic delta (LPd).

Results

Participants in the repeated session protocol increased their HRV, cognitive performance, and sleep efficiency. In particular, taVNS induced higher parasympathetic activation and cardiac flexibility compared to the sham simulation in the repeated session protocol. Nevertheless, the perception of stress may indicate a nocebo effect of the repeated session. The HPd profile had higher interoceptive awareness, HRV highlighted by non-linear measures, and cognitive performance, but presented a decrease in some indicators of sleep efficiency compared to the LPd profile.

Conclusion

taVNS seems to induce positive health outcomes, especially when the stimulation is repeated three times per week. Our findings highlight the benefits of parasympathetic activation during taVNS on psychophysiological and cognitive functioning. Further research is needed to validate these results on a large sample, using longitudinal measures over several months. This intervention appears promising as a countermeasure to extreme missions and occupations.
Flow diverter tail malapposition after implantation in the internal carotid artery for aneurysm treatment: a preliminary study
Authors: Wan Zheng , Liu Tianyi , Xu Ning , Zhu Wenhao , Qi Yuan , Ma Chunyang , Chen Hao , Wang Honglei
Published: November 2023

Background and purpose

Favorable wall apposition of a flow diverter (FD) is essential for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. The irretrievability and final drop point uncertainty of the proximal tail of the FD increase the difficulty of achieving good tail apposition. Therefore, understanding the factors associated with FD tail malapposition would be helpful for clinical practice.

Methods

A total of 153 patients with 161 FD deployments in the carotid artery between 2020 and 2023 were retrospectively collected from our center’s database for this study. Patient demographics, aneurysm characteristics, FDs, carotid artery anatomy, periprocedural complications, discharge modified Rankin scale (MRS) scores, and follow-up outcomes were investigated by comparing patients with and without FD tail malapposition. Comparisons were made with t tests or Kruskal–Wallis tests for continuous variables and the Pearson χ2 or Fisher exact test for categorical variables. Logistic regression was conducted to determine the predictors of malapposition.

Results

Tail malapposition occurred for 41 out of the 161 FDs (25.5%). Univariate analysis revealed that the FD brand, FD length, FD distal to proximal vessel diameter ratio, FD tail position (straight or curved), and curvature of the vessel curve were significantly associated with FD tail malapposition (p < 0.05). Further multivariate analysis demonstrated that the application of a surpass FD (p = 0.04), the FD distal to proximal vessel diameter ratio (p = 0.022), the FD tail position (straight or curved) (p < 0.001) and the curvature of the vessel curve (p < 0.001) were factors significantly associated with FD tail malapposition. No significant difference was found in periprocedural or follow-up outcomes. The classification of FD tail malapposition was determined from imaging. The two major patterns of FD tail malapposition are unattached tails and protrusive tails.

Conclusion

FD tail malapposition might be associated with a larger FD distal to the proximal vessel diameter difference, a curved vessel where the FD tail is located, and a larger curvature of the vessel curve. FD tail malapposition can be classified into unattached tails and protrusive tails, which have their own characteristics and should be noted in clinical practice.
Functional graph contrastive learning of hyperscanning EEG reveals emotional contagion evoked by stereotype-based stressors
Authors: Huang Jingyun , Amey Rachel C. , Liu Mengting , Forbes Chad E.
Published: November 2023

Introduction

This study delves into the intricacies of emotional contagion and its impact on performance within dyadic interactions. Specifically, it focuses on the context of stereotype-based stress (SBS) during collaborative problem-solving tasks among female pairs. Through an exploration of emotional contagion, this study seeks to unveil its underlying mechanisms and effects.

Methods

Leveraging EEG-based hyperscanning technology, we introduced an innovative approach known as the functional graph contrastive learning (fGCL), which extracts subject-invariant representations of neural activity patterns from feedback trials. These representations are further subjected to analysis using the dynamic graph classification (DGC) model, aimed at dissecting the process of emotional contagion along three independent temporal stages.

Results

The results underscore the substantial role of emotional contagion in shaping the trajectories of participants' performance during collaborative tasks in the presence of SBS conditions.

Discussion

Overall, our research contributes invaluable insights into the neural underpinnings of emotional contagion, thereby enriching our comprehension of the complexities underlying social interactions and emotional dynamics.
Apolipoprotein-E deficiency leads to brain network alteration characterized by diffusion MRI and graph theory
Authors: Stapleton Margaret Caroline , Koch Stefan Paul , Cortes Devin Raine Everaldo , Wyman Samuel , Schwab Kristina E. , Mueller Susanne , McKennan Christopher Gordon , Boehm-Sturm Philipp , Wu Yijen Lin
Published: November 2023

Late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) is a major health concern for senior citizens, characterized by memory loss, confusion, and impaired cognitive abilities. Apolipoprotein-E (ApoE) is a well-known risk factor for LOAD, though exactly how ApoE affects LOAD risks is unknown. We hypothesize that ApoE attenuation of LOAD resiliency or vulnerability has a neurodevelopmental origin via changing brain network architecture. We investigated the brain network structure in adult ApoE knock out (ApoE KO) and wild-type (WT) mice with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) followed by graph theory to delineate brain network topology. Left and right hemisphere connectivity revealed significant differences in number of connections between the hippocampus, amygdala, caudate putamen and other brain regions. Network topology based on the graph theory of ApoE KO demonstrated decreased functional integration, network efficiency, and network segregation between the hippocampus and amygdala and the rest of the brain, compared to those in WT counterparts. Our data show that brain network developed differently in ApoE KO and WT mice at 5 months of age, especially in the network reflected in the hippocampus, amygdala, and caudate putamen. This indicates that ApoE is involved in brain network development which might modulate LOAD risks via changing brain network structures.
Decoding executed and imagined grasping movements from distributed non-motor brain areas using a Riemannian decoder
Authors: Ottenhoff Maarten C. , Verwoert Maxime , Goulis Sophocles , Colon Albert J. , Wagner Louis , Tousseyn Simon , van Dijk Johannes P. , Kubben Pieter L. , Herff Christian
Published: November 2023

Using brain activity directly as input for assistive tool control can circumventmuscular dysfunction and increase functional independence for physically impaired people. The motor cortex is commonly targeted for recordings, while growing evidence shows that there exists decodable movement-related neural activity outside of the motor cortex. Several decoding studies demonstrated significant decoding from distributed areas separately. Here, we combine information from all recorded non-motor brain areas and decode executed and imagined movements using a Riemannian decoder. We recorded neural activity from 8 epilepsy patients implanted with stereotactic-electroencephalographic electrodes (sEEG), while they performed an executed and imagined grasping tasks. Before decoding, we excluded all contacts in or adjacent to the central sulcus. The decoder extracts a low-dimensional representation of varying number of components, and classified move/no-move using a minimum-distance-to-geometric-mean Riemannian classifier. We show that executed and imagined movements can be decoded from distributed non-motor brain areas using a Riemannian decoder, reaching an area under the receiver operator characteristic of 0.83 ± 0.11. Furthermore, we highlight the distributedness of the movement-related neural activity, as no single brain area is the main driver of performance. Our decoding results demonstrate a first application of a Riemannian decoder on sEEG data and show that it is able to decode from distributed brain-wide recordings outside of the motor cortex. This brief report highlights the perspective to explore motor-related neural activity beyond the motor cortex, as many areas contain decodable information.
Oral nutritional supplement helps to improve nutritional status of dialysis dependent patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Ren Song , Yao Xiaoxiu , Ren Shangqing , Feng Yunlin
Published: November 2023

Background

The prevention and treatment of malnutrition holds remarkable implications in the overall management of dialysis patients. However, there remains a dearth of comprehensive evaluations regarding the impact of oral nutrition supplement (ONS) on all pertinent dimensions of malnutrition in the dialysis population.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Library. RCTs that had assessed the effects of oral nutritional supplement in dialysis-dependent populations were considered eligible. Outcomes included laboratory indicators, anthropometric measures, nutritional indices, dialysis adequacy, body composition analysis measures, and systemic inflammation indicators. The risk of bias was assessed according to Cochrane guidelines. Weighted mean difference (WMD) or standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using a random-effects model.

Results

In all, 22 RCTs with 1,281 patients were included. The pooled analyses revealed the serum ALB, BMI, nPCR, and MIS improved by 1.44 g/L (95% CI: 0.76, 2.57), 0.35 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.17, 0.52), 0.07 g/(kg d) (95% CI, 0.05, 0.10), and −2.75 (95% CI, −3.95, −1.54), respectively following ONS treatments when compared to control treatments. However, no significant differences were observed in relation to the other outcomes examined. 15 studies were rated as having high risk of bias. Visual inspection of the funnel plot and Egger test argued against the presence of publication bias.

Conclusion

ONS treatments helps to improve the nutritional status of dialysis dependent patients. More evidence is needed from future investigations with longer study duration and standardized procedures to support long-term use of ONS in this population.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, Identifier CRD 42023441987.
Body composition parameters combined with blood biomarkers and magnetic resonance imaging predict responses to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer
Authors: Yang Jianguo , Deng Qican , Chen Zhenzhou , Chen Yajun , Fu Zhongxue
Published: November 2023

Aim

To investigate whether body composition parameters combined with systemic inflammatory markers and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can predict the pathological complete response (pCR) following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

Methods

A retrospective analysis of data on LARC patients treated with NCTR and radical surgery between January 2013 and May 2023 was performed. Body composition parameters were assessed by measuring the skeletal muscle index (SMI), subcutaneous adipose index (SAI), and visceral adipose index (VAI) at the third lumbar vertebra level by computed tomography (CT). Inflammatory markers such as neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were obtained from laboratory tests performed prior to NCRT. MRI was conducted to evaluate MRI tumor regression grading (mrTRG). Logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors affecting the pCR. The risk score of pCR was computed by a nomogram. The discrimination of the nomogram was determined using C-index and calibration curve.

Results

Two hundred and ninety-one patients with LARC were enrolled in the study, 55 (18.9%) of whom achieved pCR after NCRT. Multivariate analysis suggested that pre-NCRT NLR≥2.6 (OR=0.378, 95% CI 0.164-0.868, P=0.022), mrTRG 3-5 (OR=0.256, 95%CI 0.121-0.54, P<0.001), and pre-NCRT L-SMI (OR=0.292, 95% CI 0.097-0.883, P=0.029) were independent risk factors for pCR. ROC curves analysis demonstrated that the performance of mrTRG combined with pre-NCRT NLR and pre-NCRT L-SMI in predicting pCR was significantly improved compared with mrTRG alone (AUC: 0.763 vs. 0.667). Additionally, mrTRG 3-5 (OR=0.375, 95% CI 0.219-0.641, P<0.001) was also an independent predictor for poor tumor regression.

Conclusion

The pathological complete response of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer can be effectively predicted by combining the body composition parameters with blood biomarkers and magnetic resonance imaging.
Pre-treatment inflamed tumor immune microenvironment is associated with FOLFIRINOX response in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Gao Zachary , Kang Sung Wook , Erstad Derek , Azar Joseph , Van Buren George , Fisher William , Sun Zequn , Rubinstein Mark P. , Lee Hyun-Sung , Camp E. Ramsay
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive tumor with limited response to both chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Pre-treatment tumor features within the tumor immune microenvironment (TiME) may influence treatment response. We hypothesized that the pre-treatment TiME composition differs between metastatic and primary lesions and would be associated with response to modified FOLFIRINOX (mFFX) or gemcitabine-based (Gem-based) therapy.

Methods

Using RNAseq data from a cohort of treatment-naïve, advanced PDAC patients in the COMPASS trial, differential gene expression analysis of key immunomodulatory genes in were analyzed based on multiple parameters including tumor site, response to mFFX, and response to Gem-based treatment. The relative proportions of immune cell infiltration were defined using CIBERSORTx and Dirichlet regression.

Results

145 samples were included in the analysis; 83 received mFFX, 62 received Gem-based therapy. Metastatic liver samples had both increased macrophage (1.2 times more, p < 0.05) and increased eosinophil infiltration (1.4 times more, p < 0.05) compared to primary lesion samples. Further analysis of the specific macrophage phenotypes revealed an increased M2 macrophage fraction in the liver samples. The pre-treatment CD8 T-cell, dendritic cell, and neutrophil infiltration of metastatic samples were associated with therapy response to mFFX (p < 0.05), while mast cell infiltration was associated with response to Gem-based therapy (p < 0.05). Multiple immunoinhibitory genes such as ADORA2A, CSF1R, KDR/VEGFR2, LAG3, PDCD1LG2, and TGFB1 and immunostimulatory genes including C10orf54, CXCL12, and TNFSF14/LIGHT were significantly associated with worse survival in patients who received mFFX (p = 0.01). There were no immunomodulatory genes associated with survival in the Gem-based cohort.

Discussion

Our evidence implies that essential differences in the PDAC TiME exist between primary and metastatic tumors and an inflamed pretreatment TiME is associated with mFFX response. Defining components of the PDAC TiME that influence therapy response will provide opportunities for targeted therapeutic strategies that may need to be accounted for in designing personalized therapy to improve outcomes.