bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theranostics in breast cancer
Authors: Vorster M. , Hadebe B. P. , Sathekge M. M.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Breast cancer is a complex disease and constitutes the leading cause of cancer in women globally. Conventional treatment modalities include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy; all of these have their limitations and often result in significant side effects or toxicity. Targeted radionuclide therapy based on a theranostic approach has been successfully applied in several malignancies, such as prostate cancer, thyroid cancer, and neuro-endocrine tumours. Several studies have also highlighted the potential of theranostic applications in breast cancer.

Aim

This review aims to provide an overview of the most promising current and future theranostic approaches in breast cancer.

Discussion

The discussion includes pre-clinical as well as clinical data on some of the most successful targets used to date. Examples of potential theranostic approaches include those targeting the Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression, angiogenesis, aspects of the tumour microenvironment, Gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR), Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and Chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR-4) expression. Several challenges to widespread clinical implementation remain, which include regulatory approval, access to the various radiopharmaceuticals and imaging technology, cost-effectiveness, and the absence of robust clinical data.

Conclusion

Theranostic approaches have the potential to greatly improve diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for patients with breast cancer. More research is needed to fully explore the potential of such approaches and to identify the best potential targets, considering feasibility, costs, efficacy, side effects and outcomes.
The effects of body dissatisfaction and depression levels on the dietary habits of university students in southern China during COVID-19
Authors: Wu Chunmei , Hao Ming , Liu Xuesheng , Yang Di , Liu Bang , Yan Wenjing , Wang Qi
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The novel coronavirus disease of 2019 has impacted people’s lives greatly. The spread of the pandemic has restricted many everyday social lives. Some studies have shown that strict risk control during the pandemic threatens people’s mental health and eating habits. University students vulnerable to mental health problems may have more prominent mental health and eating disorders during the pandemic. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between body dissatisfaction, depression, body mass index, and emotional eating among university students in the context of the pandemic in southern China. It provides a theoretical basis for developing future approaches to improve depression and emotional eating among university students.

Methods

A total of 1,135 university students were recruited for the study. All participants completed anthropometric, body dissatisfaction, eating behavior, and depression level surveys.

Results

The study finds that female students have higher levels of body dissatisfaction, depression, and emotional eating than male students. University students in the high body dissatisfaction group had higher levels of depression. Depression level (β = 0.33, p < 0.01), body dissatisfaction (β = 0.22, p < 0.01), sex (β = 0.16, p < 0.01), and income (β = 0.06, p < 0.01) were significant predictors of emotional eating. Fundamentally, this study highlights the impact of body dissatisfaction on depression and emotional eating.

Discussion

The potential to improve depression and emotional eating among university students by improving their levels of body dissatisfaction was demonstrated.
Efficacy and safety of different insulin infusion methods in the treatment of total parenteral nutrition-associated hyperglycemia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Cao Lu , Zhang Dan , Zhao Ying , Zhou Nan , Zhang Peng
Published: August 2023

Aims

To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of different insulin infusion methods in the treatment of total parenteral nutrition (TPN)-associated hyperglycemia based on published literature and the data of completed clinical trials using a network meta-analysis.

Methods

A comprehensive search of PubMed, Elsevier, Web of Science, EMBASE, Medline, clinicaltrials.gov, Cochrane Library, and three Chinese databases (Wanfang Data, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and SINOMED) up to December 15, 2022, was performed to collect information on different insulin infusion methods used for the treatment of TPN-associated hyperglycemia, and the Cochrane systematic review method was used to screen the literature, evaluate the quality of the included literature, and extract clinical characteristics for a network meta-analysis. Clinical outcomes included mean blood glucose (MBG), hypoglycemia, hospital length of stay, hyperglycemia, surgical site infection (SSI) and mean total daily insulin.

Results

A total of 21 articles, including 1,459 patients, were included to analyze 6 different routes of insulin infusion, including continuous intravenous insulin infusion (CVII), continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII), subcutaneous glargine insulin (s.c. GI), the addition of regular insulin to the PN mixture (RI-in-PN), multiple subcutaneous insulin injections (MSII) and 50% of insulin administered as RI-in-PN + 50% of insulin administered as s.c. GI (50% RI-in-PN + 50% s.c. GI). The results of the network meta-analysis showed that MSII was the least effective in terms of MBG, followed by CVII. The 6 interventions were basically equivalent in terms of the hypoglycemia incidence. In terms of the length of hospital stay, patients in the CVII group had the shortest hospital stay, while the MSII group had the longest. CVII was the best intervention in reducing the incidence of hyperglycemia. The incidence of SSI was the lowest in the CSII and CVII groups, and the mean daily insulin dosage was the lowest in the CVII group.

Conclusion

Current literature shows that for the treatment of TPN-associated hyperglycemia, CVII is the most effective, reducing the incidence of hyperglycemia and shortening the length of hospital stay without increasing the incidence of hypoglycemia. MSII has the worst efficacy, leading to a higher MBG and longer hospital stay, and RI-in-PN, CSII, s.c. GI and 50% RI-in-PN + 50% s.c. GI are better in terms of efficacy and safety and can be substituted for each other.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier
CRD42023439290.
Identification of altered metabolic functional components using metabolomics to analyze the different ages of fruiting bodies of Sanghuangporus vaninii cultivated on cut log substrates
Authors: Xu Congtao , Zhao Shuang , Li Zihao , Pan Jinlong , Zhou Yuanyuan , Hu Qingxiu , Zou Yajie
Published: August 2023

Sanghuangporus vaninii is a profitable traditional and medicinal edible fungus with uncommon therapeutic properties and medicinal value. The accumulation of active ingredients in this fungus that is used in traditional Chinese medicine is affected by its years of growth, and their pharmacological activities are also affected. However, the effects of age on the medicinal value of fruiting bodies of S. vaninii cultivated on cut log substrate remain unclear. In this study, an untargeted liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics approach was performed to characterize the profiles of metabolites from 1-, 2- and 3-year-old fruiting bodies of S. vaninii. A total of, 156 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were screened based on the criterion of a variable importance projection greater than 1.0 and p < 0.01, including 75% up regulated and 25% down regulated. The results of enrichment of metabolic pathways showed that the metabolites involved the biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites, biosynthesis of amino acids, central carbon metabolism in cancer, steroid hormone biosynthesis, linoleic acid metabolism, prolactin signaling pathway, and arginine biosynthesis, and so on. The biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites pathway was significantly activated. Five metabolites were significantly elevated within the growth of fruiting bodies, including 15-keto-prostaglandin F2a, (4S, 5R)-4,5,6-trihydroxy-2-iminohexanoate, adenylsuccinic acid, piplartine, and chenodeoxycholic acid. 15-keto-prostaglandin F2a is related to the pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism and was significantly increased up to 1,320- and 535-fold in the 2- and 3-year-old fruiting bodies, respectively, compared with those in the 1-year-old group. The presence of these bioactive natural products in S. vaninii is consistent with the traditional use of Sanghuang, which prompted an exploration of its use as a source of natural prostaglandin in the form of foods and nutraceuticals. These findings may provide insight into the functional components of S. vaninii to develop therapeutic strategies.
Cordyceps cicadae polysaccharides alleviate hyperglycemia by regulating gut microbiota and its mmetabolites in high-fat diet/streptozocin-induced diabetic mice
Authors: Wang Yanan , Ni Zaizhong , Li Jinting , Shao Ying , Yong Yidan , Lv Wendi , Zhang Simeng , Fu Tingwei , Chen Anhui
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The polysaccharides found in Cordyceps cicadae (C. cicadae) have received increasing academic attention owing to their wide variety of therapeutic activities.

Methods

This study evaluated the hypoglycemic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects of polysaccharides from C. cicadae (CH-P). In addition, 16s rDNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics analysis by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) were used to estimate the changes and regulatory relationships between gut microbiota and its metabolites. The fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was used to verify the therapeutic effects of microbial remodeling.

Results

The results showed that CH-P treatment displayed hypoglycemic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects and alleviated tissue damage induced by diabetes. The CH-P treatment significantly reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and increased the abundance of Bacteroides, Odoribacter, Alloprevotella, Parabacteroides, Mucispirillum, and significantly decreased the abundance of Helicobacter and Lactobacillus compared to the diabetic group. The alterations in the metabolic pathways were mostly related to amino acid biosynthesis and metabolic pathways (particularly those involving tryptophan) according to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Correlation analysis showed that Bacteroides, Odoribacter, Alloprevotella, Parabacteroides, and Mucispirillum were positively correlated with indole and its derivatives, such as 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid. Indole intervention significantly improved hyperglycemic symptoms and insulin sensitivity, and increased the secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) in diabetic mice. FMT reduced blood glucose levels, improved glucose tolerance, and increased insulin sensitivity in diabetic mice. However, FMT did not significantly improve GLP-1 levels.

Discussion

This indicates that C. cicadae polysaccharides alleviate hyperglycemia by regulating the production of metabolites other than indole and its derivatives by gut microbiota. This study provides an important reference for the development of novel natural products.
The relationship between dietary patterns derived from inflammation and cognitive impairment in patients undergoing hemodialysis
Authors: Zhuang Yan , Wang Xinmei , Zhang Xuanrui , Fang Qian , Zhang Xinyi , Song Yan
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Dietary patterns were shown to be closely related to inflammation, which was independently associated with cognitive impairment (CI) in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). However, it remains unclear the influence of dietary patterns derived from inflammation on CI in this population. This study aimed to examine the association between dietary patterns derived from C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and CI in patients undergoing HD.

Methods

Dietary intake was obtained from the simplified quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Reduced rank regression (RRR) was used to extract two dietary patterns, with IL-6 and CRP as response variables. Cognitive function was examined by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (Beijing version). Venous blood was drawn for measuring IL-6 and CRP levels. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the association between dietary patterns and CI.

Results

Dietary pattern derived from IL-6 was not significantly associated with CI. The third quartile of dietary pattern, which used CRP as the response variable, significantly contributed to the increased risk of CI (AOR 8.62, 95% CI 1.47–50.67) after controlling age, sex, education level, marital status, and residential pattern (p-for-trend = 0.028). After considering hypertension and diabetes, physical activity level, anxiety and depression, smoking and drinking status, social support, energy intake, and the dietary pattern derived from IL-6 (p-for-trend = 0.026), the relationship between the dietary pattern derived from CRP and CI remained significant (AOR 14.54, 95% CI 1.40–151.13).

Conclusion

Dietary pattern associated with high CRP level, including high intake of rice, liquor, fruit, tea and coffee and low intake of dark vegetables and juice, contributed to the increased risk of CI. The association between the consumption of seafood, sweet beverages, and alcohol and CI is yet to be established. However, they may be dietary contributing factors to inflammation in patients undergoing HD.
Association of vitamin D deficiency with post-stroke depression: a retrospective cohort study from the TriNetX US collaborative networks
Authors: Ho Chun-Ning , Sun Cheuk-Kwan , Wu Jheng-Yan , Chen Jen-Yin , Chang Ying-Jen , Chen I-Wen , Hung Kuo-Chuan
Published: August 2023

Background

Post-stroke depression (PSD) affects up to one-third of patients who survive stroke. This matched cohort study aimed to investigate the relationship between vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and PSD using a global health research network.

Methods

Adult patients with first-ever stroke were eligible for inclusion if their circulating vitamin D levels were available within 3 months before the onset of stroke. Patients were subdivided into those with VDD [VDD group, 25(OH) D < 20 ng/mL] and those with normal vitamin D levels [control group, 25(OH) D: 30–80 ng/mL]. By using propensity score matching (PSM), potential confounding factors were adjusted. The primary outcomes were the association of VDD with the risk of PSD at the 3-month and 12-month follow-ups, while the secondary outcomes were the relationships between VDD and the risk of pneumonia as well as emergency department visits at the 12-month follow-up.

Results

After PSM, 758 individuals were included in each group, with no significant differences in baseline characteristics. Musculoskeletal diseases, metabolic disorders, and hypertension were the three leading comorbidities in both the groups. The incidence of PSD was not significantly different between the two groups at the 3-month (5.8% vs. 4.7%, p = 0.358) and 12-month (11.6% vs. 10.2%, p = 0.364) follow-up. VDD was not associated with an increased risk of PSD at the 3-month [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.258, p = 0.358] or 12-month follow-up (HR = 1.210, p = 0.364). In addition, VDD was not associated with an increased risk of pneumonia (HR = 1.053, p = 0.823) or emergency visits at the 12-month follow-up (HR = 1.206, p = 0.148).

Conclusion

The results revealed no significant link between VDD and PSD risk during the 3-month and 12-month follow-up periods, suggesting that VDD might not play a substantial role in PSD risk. However, further extensive studies employing a prospective design are necessary to explore the potential protective effects of vitamin D against PSD and validate these findings.
Randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter phase III study of prevention of irinotecan-induced diarrhea by a probiotic mixture containing Bifidobacterium BB-12®Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG® in colorectal cancer patients
Authors: Mego Michal , Danis Radoslav , Chovanec Jozef , Jurisova Silvia , Bystricky Branislav , Porsok Stefan , Konkolovsky Peter , Vaclav Vladimir , Wagnerova Maria , Streško Marian , Brezinova Bibiana , Rečková Mária , Sutekova Dagmar , Pazderova Natalia , Novisedlakova Mária , Zomborska Eva , Ciernikova Sona , Svetlovska Daniela , Drgona Lubos
Published: August 2023

Background

The incidence of irinotecan-induced diarrhea varies between 60-90%, by which the incidence of severe diarrhea is 20-40%. The objective of this phase III trial was to determine the effectiveness of the probiotic mixture containing Bifidobacterium, BB-12® and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, LGG® in the prophylaxis of irinotecan-induced diarrhea in metastatic colorectal cancer patients due to a reduction in the activity of intestinal beta-D-glucuronidase.

Methods

From March 2016 to May 2022, a total of 242 patients with colorectal cancer starting a new line of irinotecan-based therapy were registered to the study in 11 cancer centers in Slovakia. Patients were randomized in a ratio 1:1 to probiotic formula vs. placebo that was administered for 6 weeks. Each capsule of Probio-Tec® BG-Vcap-6.5 contained 2.7x109 colony-forming units (CFU) of 2 lyophilized probiotic strains Bifidobacterium, BB-12® (50%) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, LGG® (50%).

Results

Administration of probiotics compared to placebo was not associated with a significant reduction of grade 3/4 diarrhea (placebo arm 11.8% vs. probiotic arm 7.9%, p=0.38). Neither the overall incidence of diarrhea (46.2% vs. 41.2%, p=0.51) nor the incidence of enterocolitis (3.4% vs. 0.9%, p=0.37) was different in the placebo vs. probiotic arm. Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with colostomy had higher incidence of any diarrhea and grade 3/4 diarrhea in the placebo arm compared to the probiotic arm (48.5% vs. 22.2%, p=0.06 and 15.2% vs. 0%, p=0.06, respectively). Moreover, patients on probiotic arm had significantly better diarrhea-free survival (HR = 0.41, 95%CI 0.18 – 0.95, p=0.05) and needed less loperamide (p=0.01) compared to patients on placebo arm. We did not observe any infection caused by probiotic strains used in this study.

Conclusion

This study failed to achieve its primary endpoint, and results suggest a lack of benefit of administered probiotic formula for the prevention of irinotecan-induced diarrhea. However, subgroup analysis suggests a possible benefit in patients with colostomy.
EGFR alterations in glioblastoma play a role in antitumor immunity regulation
Authors: Li Xiao-Peng , Guo Zheng-Qian , Wang Bao-Feng , Zhao Min
Published: August 2023

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is the most frequently altered gene in glioblastoma (GBM), which plays an important role in tumor development and anti-tumor immune response. While current molecular targeted therapies against the EGFR signaling pathway and its downstream key molecules have not demonstrated favorable clinical outcomes in GBM. Whereas tumor immunotherapies, especially immune checkpoint inhibitors, have shown durable antitumor responses in many cancers. However, the clinical efficacy is limited in patients carrying EGFR alterations, indicating that EGFR signaling may involve tumor immune response. Recent studies reveal that EGFR alterations not only promote GBM cell proliferation but also influence immune components in the tumor microenvironment (TME), leading to the recruitment of immunosuppressive cells (e.g., M2-like TAMs, MDSCs, and Tregs), and inhibition of T and NK cell activation. Moreover, EGFR alterations upregulate the expression of immunosuppressive molecules or cytokines (such as PD-L1, CD73, TGF-β). This review explores the role of EGFR alterations in establishing an immunosuppressive TME and hopes to provide a theoretical basis for combining targeted EGFR inhibitors with immunotherapy for GBM.
Potential use of the Asteraceae family as a cure for diabetes: A review of ethnopharmacology to modern day drug and nutraceuticals developments
Authors: Mohanta Yugal Kishore , Mishra Awdhesh Kumar , Nongbet Amilia , Chakrabartty Ishani , Mahanta Saurov , Sarma Bhaskar , Panda Jibanjyoti , Panda Sujogya Kumar
Published: August 2023

The diabetes-associated mortality rate is increasing annually, along with the severity of its accompanying disorders that impair human health. Worldwide, several medicinal plants are frequently urged for the management of diabetes. Reports are available on the use of medicinal plants by traditional healers for their blood-sugar-lowering effects, along with scientific evidence to support such claims. The Asteraceae family is one of the most diverse flowering plants, with about 1,690 genera and 32,000 species. Since ancient times, people have consumed various herbs of the Asteraceae family as food and employed them as medicine. Despite the wide variety of members within the family, most of them are rich in naturally occurring polysaccharides that possess potent prebiotic effects, which trigger their use as potential nutraceuticals. This review provides detailed information on the reported Asteraceae plants traditionally used as antidiabetic agents, with a major focus on the plants of this family that are known to exert antioxidant, hepatoprotective, vasodilation, and wound healing effects, which further action for the prevention of major diseases like cardiovascular disease (CVD), liver cirrhosis, and diabetes mellitus (DM). Moreover, this review highlights the potential of Asteraceae plants to counteract diabetic conditions when used as food and nutraceuticals. The information documented in this review article can serve as a pioneer for developing research initiatives directed at the exploration of Asteraceae and, at the forefront, the development of a botanical drug for the treatment of DM.
Inhibitory effects of Jasminum grandiflorum L. essential oil on lipopolysaccharide-induced microglia activation-integrated characteristic analysis of volatile compounds, network pharmacology, and BV-2 cell
Authors: Lu Jingya , Zeng Xiaoyan , Feng Yanping , Li Siyi , Wang Yun , Liu Youlin , Chen Feilong , Guan Zhenfeng , Chen Tiantian , Wei Fenghuan
Published: August 2023

Neuroinflammation is considered to have a prominent role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Microglia are the resident macrophages of the central nervous system, and modulating microglia activation is a promising strategy to prevent AD. Essential oil of Jasminum grandiflorum L. flowers is commonly used in folk medicine for the relief of mental pressure and disorders, and analyzing the volatile compound profiles and evaluating the inhibitory effects of J. grandiflorum L. essential oil (JGEO) on the excessive activation of microglia are valuable for its application. This study aims to explore the potential active compounds in JGEO for treating AD by inhibiting microglia activation-integrated network pharmacology, molecular docking, and the microglia model. A headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry procedure was used to analyze the volatile characteristics of the compounds in J. grandiflorum L. flowers at 50°C, 70°C, 90°C, and 100°C for 50 min, respectively. A network pharmacological analysis and molecular docking were used to predict the key compounds, key targets, and binding energies based on the detected compounds in JGEO. In the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV-2 cell model, the cells were treated with 100 ng/mL of LPS and JGEO at 7.5, 15.0, and 30 μg/mL, and then, the morphological changes, the production of nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species, and the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 of BV-2 cells were analyzed. A total of 34 compounds with significantly different volatilities were identified. α-Hexylcinnamaldehyde, nerolidol, hexahydrofarnesyl acetone, dodecanal, and decanal were predicted as the top five key compounds, and SRC, EGFR, VEGFA, HSP90AA1, and ESR1 were the top five key targets. In addition, the binding energies between them were less than −3.9 kcal/mol. BV-2 cells were activated by LPS with morphological changes, and JGEO not only could clearly reverse the changes but also significantly inhibited the production of NO and reactive oxygen species and suppressed the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1. The findings indicate that JGEO could inhibit the overactivation of microglia characterized by decreasing the neuroinflammatory and oxidative stress responses through the multi-compound and multi-target action modes, which support the traditional use of JGEO in treating neuroinflammation-related disorders.
Evaluation of bumetanide as a potential therapeutic agent for Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Boyarko Ben , Podvin Sonia , Greenberg Barry , Momper Jeremiah D. , Huang Yadong , Gerwick William H. , Bang Anne G. , Quinti Luisa , Griciuc Ana , Kim Doo Yeon , Tanzi Rudolph E. , Feldman Howard H. , Hook Vivian
Published: August 2023

Therapeutics discovery and development for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been an area of intense research to alleviate memory loss and the underlying pathogenic processes. Recent drug discovery approaches have utilized in silico computational strategies for drug candidate selection which has opened the door to repurposing drugs for AD. Computational analysis of gene expression signatures of patients stratified by the APOE4 risk allele of AD led to the discovery of the FDA-approved drug bumetanide as a top candidate agent that reverses APOE4 transcriptomic brain signatures and improves memory deficits in APOE4 animal models of AD. Bumetanide is a loop diuretic which inhibits the kidney Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransporter isoform, NKCC2, for the treatment of hypertension and edema in cardiovascular, liver, and renal disease. Electronic health record data revealed that patients exposed to bumetanide have lower incidences of AD by 35%–70%. In the brain, bumetanide has been proposed to antagonize the NKCC1 isoform which mediates cellular uptake of chloride ions. Blocking neuronal NKCC1 leads to a decrease in intracellular chloride and thus promotes GABAergic receptor mediated hyperpolarization, which may ameliorate disease conditions associated with GABAergic-mediated depolarization. NKCC1 is expressed in neurons and in all brain cells including glia (oligodendrocytes, microglia, and astrocytes) and the vasculature. In consideration of bumetanide as a repurposed drug for AD, this review evaluates its pharmaceutical properties with respect to its estimated brain levels across doses that can improve neurologic disease deficits of animal models to distinguish between NKCC1 and non-NKCC1 mechanisms. The available data indicate that bumetanide efficacy may occur at brain drug levels that are below those required for inhibition of the NKCC1 transporter which implicates non-NKCC1 brain mechansims for improvement of brain dysfunctions and memory deficits. Alternatively, peripheral bumetanide mechanisms may involve cells outside the central nervous system (e.g., in epithelia and the immune system). Clinical bumetanide doses for improved neurological deficits are reviewed. Regardless of mechanism, the efficacy of bumetanide to improve memory deficits in the APOE4 model of AD and its potential to reduce the incidence of AD provide support for clinical investigation of bumetanide as a repurposed AD therapeutic agent.
Real-world experience with selinexor-containing chemotherapy-free or low-dose chemotherapy regimens for patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia and myeloid sarcoma
Authors: Tong Xiwen , Jin Jie , Xu Bin , Su Shuai , Li Li , Li Mengyuan , Peng Yizhou , Mao Xia , Huang Wei , Zhang Donghua
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML) and myeloid sarcoma (MS) has presented challenges for decades. Studies on selinexor in combination with various standard or intensive chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of R/R AML have demonstrated promising results. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of chemotherapy-free or low-dose chemotherapy regimens with selinexor for R/R AML and MS patients.

Methods: Ten patients with R/R AML or MS who received chemotherapy-free or low-dose chemotherapy regimens in combination with selinexor at Tongji Hospital from October 2021 to August 2022 were included in this study. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR) and secondary endpoints included complete remission (CR), CR with incomplete hematological recovery (CRi), partial remission (PR), transplantation rate, and safety.

Results: All patients were evaluable for response, achieving CR in four (40.0%) patients and CRi in two (20.0%) patients for a total CR/CRi of 60.0%. The ORR was 80.0% when patients with PR were included. Five (50.0%) patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) after treatment with selinexor-containing regimens. At the end of the follow-up, seven (70.0%) patients were alive, and three patients died of transplant-related complications or disease progression. The most frequently reported nonhematologic adverse events (AEs) in patients were grade 1 or 2 asymptomatic hyponatremia.

Conclusion: The chemotherapy-free or low-dose chemotherapy regimens in combination with selinexor for R/R AML are feasible and tolerable and provide an opportunity for patients to receive transplantation.
Multi-state polarization switching and multifunction-integrated terahertz metadevice enabled by inverse resonance responses
Authors: Deng Yuwang , Zhou Qingli , Zhang Xuteng , Zhang Pujing , Liang Wanlin , Ning Tingyin , Shi Yulei , Zhang Cunlin
Published: August 2023

Dynamical control of terahertz metadevices and integration of versatile functions are highly desired due to increasing practical demands. Here, we propose a multifunctional photosensitive Si hybrid metastructure consisting of twisted split-ring resonator pairs that could empower multi-state polarization switching and object-recognized imaging. The theoretical and simulated results show that inverse complete modulation of cross-polarized components could be realized via tuning the conductivity of the Si-bridge. The calculated ellipticity indicates that our metadevices possess the ability to convert linearly polarized light into left-hand circular-polarized or right-hand circular-polarized waves, as well as left-hand circular-polarized or right-hand circular-polarized into linearly polarized states. Combined with these properties, mono-parameter amplitude imaging and amplitude-phase synergistic encryption imaging are accomplished. Our research provides a new strategy to develop reconfigurable and multifunctional components in the terahertz regime.
Identifying key nodes in complex networks based on an improved gravity model
Authors: Zhong Linfeng , Gao Xiangying , Zhao Liang , Zhang Lei , Chen Pengfei , Yang Hao , Huang Jin , Pan Weijun
Published: August 2023

The identification of key nodes in complex networks is a hot topic. Therefore, it attracts increasing attention from different fields, like airline networks and social networks. To identify the key nodes in complex network, we suggest an improved gravity model method that takes propagation features into account. Relevant experiments were carried out in four actual airline networks based on the Susceptible Infected Recovered (SIR) model. First, we analyze the correlation between the proposed method and other benchmark methods.Then, Kendall’s correlation coefficient and the imprecision function were used as evaluation metrics to analyze and validate the proposed method. Empirical results reveal that the suggested method outperforms previous benchmark methods in terms of precision and effectiveness for identifying key nodes, especially in the US air network, where Kendall’s tau achieves a 107% improvement compared to the gravity centrality method.
A mathematical model to serve as a clinical tool for assessing obstructive sleep apnea severity
Authors: Qayyum Nida T. , Wallace C. Hunter , Khayat Rami N. , Grosberg Anna
Published: August 2023

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder caused by periodic airway obstructions and has been associated with numerous health consequences, which are thought to result from tissue hypoxia. However, challenges in the direct measurement of tissue-level oxygenation make it difficult to analyze the hypoxia exposure pattern in patients. Furthermore, current clinical practice relies on the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and pulse oximetry to assess OSA severity, both of which have limitations. To overcome this, we developed a clinically deployable mathematical model, which outputs tissue-level oxygenation. The model incorporates spatial pulmonary oxygen uptake, considers dissolved oxygen, and can use time-dependent patient inputs. It was applied to explore a series of breathing patterns that are clinically differentiated. Supporting previous studies, the result of this analysis indicated that the AHI is an unreliable indicator of hypoxia burden. As a proof of principle, polysomnography data from two patients was analyzed with this model. The model showed greater sensitivity to breathing in comparison with pulse oximetry and provided systemic venous oxygenation, which is absent from clinical measurements. In addition, the dissolved oxygen output was used to calculate hypoxia burden scores for each patient and compared to the clinical assessment, highlighting the importance of event length and cumulative impact of obstructions. Furthermore, an intra-patient statistical analysis was used to underscore the significance of closely occurring obstructive events and to highlight the utility of the model for quantitative data processing. Looking ahead, our model can be used with polysomnography data to predict hypoxic burden on the tissues and help guide patient treatment decisions.
Fertility loss: negative effects of environmental toxicants on oogenesis
Authors: Yao Xiaoxi , Liu Weijing , Xie Yidong , Xi Mingrong , Xiao Li
Published: August 2023

There has been a global decline in fertility rates, with ovulatory disorders emerging as the leading cause, contributing to a global lifetime infertility prevalence of 17.5%. Formation of the primordial follicle pool during early and further development of oocytes after puberty is crucial in determining female fertility and reproductive quality. However, the increasing exposure to environmental toxins (through occupational exposure and ubiquitous chemicals) in daily life is a growing concern; these toxins have been identified as significant risk factors for oogenesis in women. In light of this concern, this review aims to enhance our understanding of female reproductive system diseases and their implications. Specifically, we summarized and categorized the environmental toxins that can affect oogenesis. Here, we provide an overview of oogenesis, highlighting specific stages that may be susceptible to the influence of environmental toxins. Furthermore, we discuss the genetic and molecular mechanisms by which various environmental toxins, including metals, cigarette smoke, and agricultural and industrial toxins, affect female oogenesis. Raising awareness about the potential risks associated with toxin exposure is crucial. However, further research is needed to fully comprehend the mechanisms underlying these effects, including the identification of biomarkers to assess exposure levels and predict reproductive outcomes. By providing a comprehensive overview, this review aims to contribute to a better understanding of the impact of environmental toxins on female oogenesis and guide future research in this field.
Uncovering transcriptional reprogramming during callus development in soybean: insights and implications
Authors: Park Joo-Seok , Choi Yoram , Jeong Min-Gyun , Jeong Yeong-Il , Han Ji-Hyun , Choi Hong-Kyu
Published: August 2023

Callus, a valuable tool in plant genetic engineering, originates from dedifferentiated cells. While transcriptional reprogramming during callus formation has been extensively studied in Arabidopsis thaliana, our knowledge of this process in other species, such as Glycine max, remains limited. To bridge this gap, our study focused on conducting a time-series transcriptome analysis of soybean callus cultured for various durations (0, 1, 7, 14, 28, and 42 days) on a callus induction medium following wounding with the attempt of identifying genes that play key roles during callus formation. As the result, we detected a total of 27,639 alterations in gene expression during callus formation, which could be categorized into eight distinct clusters. Gene ontology analysis revealed that genes associated with hormones, cell wall modification, and cell cycle underwent transcriptional reprogramming throughout callus formation. Furthermore, by scrutinizing the expression patterns of genes related to hormones, cell cycle, cell wall, and transcription factors, we discovered that auxin, cytokinin, and brassinosteroid signaling pathways activate genes involved in both root and shoot meristem development during callus formation. In summary, our transcriptome analysis provides significant insights into the molecular mechanisms governing callus formation in soybean. The information obtained from this study contributes to a deeper understanding of this intricate process and paves the way for further investigation in the field.
Initial examination of the mental health disorders: screening instrument for athletes
Authors: Donohue Brad , Scott Jesse , Goodwin Grace , Barchard Kimberly A. , Bohall Greg , Allen Daniel N.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

There is a need to psychometrically develop assessment instruments capable of screening mental health disorders in athlete populations. The current study was conducted to determine reliability, validity and clinical utility of the Mental Health Disorders Screening Instrument for Athletes (MHDSIA).

Methods and results:

259 collegiate athletes completed the MHDSIA. Factor analysis determined a single factor with good internal consistency, and this factor was positively correlated with an established measure of psychiatric symptomology (Symptom Checklist 90-R), demonstrating its concurrent validity. An optimum clinical cutoff score (i.e., 32) was determined using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analyses to assist appropriate mental health referrals.

Discussion

Results suggest the MHSIA is a reliable, valid, and relatively quick and easy to interpret screen for the broad spectrum of mental health disorders in collegiate athletes. As expected, NCAA athletes reported lower MHDSIA scores than club and intramural athletes, while males reported similar severity scores as females.
Parental reports on the lexicon of children from diverse bilingual populations
Authors: Ohana Odelya , Armon-Lotem Sharon
Published: August 2023

Parental questionnaires have been widely used to assess children’s vocabularies. The MacArthur-Bates Communicative Developmental Inventories (MB-CDI) have been adapted into over 100 languages, providing researchers with access to various languages. As the vocabularies of bilingual children are distributed across their two languages, language knowledge must be assessed in both languages. While this can be done with two questionnaires, one for each language, the present study makes use of a multicultural adaptation of the MB-CDI, within a single questionnaire, that was geared specifically for bilingual context. In order to explore the developmental trajectories of the vocabularies of 90 bilingual children from diverse linguistic populations (English-Hebrew (n = 30), French-Hebrew (n = 30), and Russian-Hebrew (n = 30) speaking families) parents reported on both the Home Language (HL) and the Societal Language-Hebrew (SL-Hebrew). Parents also provided background information about the child, the child’s family, and exposure to each language. Our findings show no significant difference between vocabulary size of children from diverse bilingual populations in the HL and the SL, for both production and comprehension. Moreover, children from all three groups demonstrate balanced bilingualism at the group level. Correlations were found between both exposure to and use of each language by children, and various vocabulary measures across the three groups. The similar vocabulary levels demonstrated by the three groups as well as the balanced bilingualism can be explained by the relatively high prestige of all languages tested. Exposure to each language shows support in that language and a negative effect on the other language, demonstrating the crucial role exposure plays in bilingual children’s language performance.
The study on the effects of gamified interactive e-books on students’ learning achievements and motivation in a Chinese character learning flipped classroom
Authors: Chen Chuang , Jamiat Nurullizam , Mao Yongchun
Published: August 2023

Existing empirical research has demonstrated the positive effects of flipping the classroom to improve student motivation and achievement by flipping in-class learning content to pre-class. However, the flipped classroom approach requires that students be engaged and motivated in the pre-class stage to ensure that the in-class learning activities run smoothly. Previous studies have highlighted the difficulties that students often encounter when trying to learn Chinese characters in Chinese language classes, especially those who are in the early stages of learning the language. Therefore, in this study, a gamified interactive e-book was developed and used in a flipped classroom for Chinese character learning. To evaluate the effectiveness of this approach, a pre-test and post-test control group experimental design was used. The participants were 90 s-grade students from a public primary school in Zhengzhou, China, who were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group: the students who used a gamified interactive e-book in a Chinese character learning flipped classroom (GIEFC group), the students who used a traditional flipped classroom (TFC group), and the students who used a traditional teaching classroom (TTC group). The experimental results indicated that students in the GIEFC group scored higher than those in the TFC and TTC groups in terms of learning achievements and motivation. In addition, the experimental results also demonstrated the positive effects of gamified interactive e-books in flipped classroom learning. Future research could explore a variety of different types of game elements as well as the extension of research to other subjects.
Impact of perceived ease of use, organizational support mechanism, and industry competitive pressure on physicians’ use of liver cancer screening technology in medical alliances
Authors: Lu Junhong , Deng Qingwen , Chen Yuehua , Liu Wenbin
Published: August 2023

Background

Liver cancer is one of the malignant tumors worldwide, while the prevention and control situation is grim at present, and the diffusion of its early screening technology still faces some challenges. This study aims to investigate the influencing mechanism of perceived ease of use, organizational support mechanism, and industry competitive pressure on hepatic early screening technologies use by physicians, so as to promote the wider use of corresponding technologies.

Methods

Under the theoretical guidance of technology-organization-environment framework and mindsponge theory, this study took hepatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound as an example, and conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire by randomly selecting physicians from Fujian and Jiangxi provinces in China with a high and low incidence of liver cancer, respectively. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the correlation among perceived ease of use, organizational support mechanism, and industry competitive pressure, as well as their impact on the physicians’ behavior toward contrast-enhanced ultrasound use.

Results

The hypothesis model fits well with the data (χ2/df = 1.863, GFI = 0.937, AGFI = 0.908, RMSEA = 0.054, NFI = 0.959, IFI = 0.980, CFI = 0.980). Under technology-organization-environment framework, the perceived ease of use (β = 0.171, p < 0.05), organizational support mechanism (β = 0.423, p < 0.01), industry competitive pressure (β = 0.159, p < 0.05) significantly influenced physicians’ use of hepatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Besides, perceived ease of use and organizational support mechanism (β = 0.216, p < 0.01), perceived ease of use and industry competitive pressure (β = 0.671, p < 0.01), organizational support mechanism and industry competitive pressure (β = 0.330, p < 0.01) were all associated significantly.

Conclusion

From the lens of information processing (mindsponge theory) and technology-organization-environment framework, this study clarified the social and psychological influencing mechanism of perceived ease of use, organizational support mechanism, and industry competitive pressure on physicians’ use of hepatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound. The results will directly propose recommendations for expanding hepatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound utilization and indirectly promoting other appropriate and effective health technologies diffusion within the integrated health system.
Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on eating habits and lifestyle of college students in Tabriz, Iran: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Rafraf Maryam , Molani-Gol Roghayeh , Sahebjam Mina
Published: August 2023

Background

The pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has influenced lifestyle behaviors and the health of populations worldwide. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the eating habits and lifestyle behaviors of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences students in Tabriz, Iran.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 220 college students selected using a convenience sampling method in May–June 2022. Data were collected by the questionnaire, which included information on eating habits, physical activity, smoking, watching television, social media use, sleep, anxiety and stress, and smoking before and during the pandemic. The Chi-square test was used to analyze the association of COVID-19 with lifestyle behaviors.

Results

The median age of participants was 22.00 (IQR: 3.00) years old. The median BMI was 21.69 (IQR: 3.82) kg/m2, and 74.5% of participants had a BMI of 18.5 to 25 kg/m2. Around 34.5% of participants reported a weight gain during the pandemic. During the pandemic, students’ eating habits improved by maintaining a regular meal pattern, eating a balanced diet, consuming 2–3 servings of milk or its products, consuming one or more servings of pulses, eggs, or meat per day, decreasing consumption of fast food, fried, and junk foods, adding less sugar to meals and beverages, and consuming fewer sugar-sweetened beverages and foods with high sugar (all p = 0.000). They also reported less physical activity and more sitting and screen time. Sleep time and poorer quality of sleep increased during the pandemic (p = 0.000). Feeling stress or anxiety in a day increased, and 2.2% of our participants decided to smoke. The biggest reasons for eating habits changes were less eating out, fear of coronavirus spreading through food, preferring home-cooked food, and improved knowledge about nutrition.

Conclusion

The results indicated that the eating habits of university students improved; however, participants stated increased weight gain, screen, sitting, and sleep time, declined physical activity, worse sleep quality, and feeling stress or anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings can help to develop nutritional and behavioral recommendations for maintaining adults’ health during and after the pandemic.