bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome-wide identification of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum small RNAs and their endogenous targets
Authors: Regmi Roshan , Newman Toby E. , Khentry Yuphin , Kamphuis Lars G. , Derbyshire Mark C.
Published: October 2023

Background

Several phytopathogens produce small non-coding RNAs of approximately 18–30 nucleotides (nt) which post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. Commonly called small RNAs (sRNAs), these small molecules were also reported to be present in the necrotrophic pathogenSclerotinia sclerotiorum.S. sclerotiorumcauses diseases in more than 400 plant species, including the important oilseed cropBrassica napus. sRNAs can further be classified as microRNAs (miRNAs) and short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Certain miRNAs can activate loci that produce further sRNAs; these secondary sRNA-producing loci are called ‘phased siRNA’ (PHAS) loci and have only been described in plants. To date, very few studies have characterized sRNAs and their endogenous targets in S. sclerotiorum.

Results

We used Illumina sequencing to characterize sRNAs from fungal mycelial mats of S. sclerotiorum spread over B. napus leaves. In total, eight sRNA libraries were prepared from in vitro, 12 h post-inoculation (HPI), and 24 HPI mycelial mat samples. Cluster analysis identified 354 abundant sRNA clusters with reads of more than 100 Reads Per Million (RPM). Differential expression analysis revealed upregulation of 34 and 57 loci at 12 and 24 HPI, respectively, in comparison to in vitro samples. Among these, 25 loci were commonly upregulated. Altogether, 343 endogenous targets were identified from the major RNAs of 25 loci. Almost 88% of these targets were annotated as repeat element genes, while the remaining targets were non-repeat element genes. Fungal degradome reads confirmed cleavage of two transposable elements by one upregulated sRNA. Altogether, 24 milRNA loci were predicted with both mature and milRNA* (star) sequences; these are both criteria associated previously with experimentally verified miRNAs. Degradome sequencing data confirmed the cleavage of 14 targets. These targets were related to repeat element genes, phosphate acetyltransferases, RNA-binding factor, and exchange factor. A PHAS gene prediction tool identified 26 possible phased interfering loci with 147 phasiRNAs from theS. sclerotiorum genome, suggesting this pathogen might produce sRNAs that function similarly to miRNAs in higher eukaryotes.

Conclusions

Our results provide new insights into sRNA populations and add a new resource for the study of sRNAs in S. sclerotiorum.
Antimicrobial resistance pattern of Klebsiella isolated from various clinical samples in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Gebremeskel Leake , Teklu Tewolde , Kasahun Gebremicheal Gebreslassie , Tuem Kald Beshir
Published: October 2023

Background

The burden of Klebsiella drug resistance to antimicrobials is a major public health concern worldwide; particularly the problem is severe in developing countries including Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to establish the pooled estimate of Klebsiella drug resistance; and antimicrobial-specific resistance pattern among Klebsiella clinical isoaltes in Ethiopia.

Methods

Articles were searched from PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science direct and grey literature from 2009 to 2019. Four authors have independently extracted data on the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance pattern of the isolates. Statistical analysis was conducted by using Open meta-analyst (version 3.13) and Comprehensive meta-analysis (version 3.3). The main outcome measures were the overall Klebsiella resistance; and drug-specific resistance patterns. A random-effects model was used to determine the pooled resistance prevalence with 95% confidence interval (CI), and significant heterogeneity was considered at p < 0.1; and I2 > 50% using DerSimonian and Laird method. In addition, subgroup analyses were conducted to improve the outcome.

Result

We obtained 174 potentially relevant studies through searching electronic databases, and finally, 35 eligible studies were included for meta-analysis. A total of 13,269 study samples participated, from which 1017 Klebsiella species were isolated. The overall Klebsiella resistance in Ethiopia was found to stand at 53.75% (95% CI: 48.35—58.94%). Based on the subgroup analyses; the highest (64.39%); and lowest (46.16%) values were seen in Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples of Ethiopia; and Tigray regions respectively; and the highest Klebsiella resistance was reported to ampicillin (90.56%), followed by amoxicillin (76.01%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (66.91%). A relatively low level of resistance rate was observed to amikacin (16.74%) and cefoxitin (29.73%).

Conclusion

The pooled Klebsiella resistance was found to be considerably high (53.75%) to most of the essential antibiotics in Ethiopia. Klebsiella was highly resistant to ampicillin and amoxicillin but relatively lower to amikacin. Therefore, appropriate interventional strategies need to be taken to address the emerging resistance of Klebsiella species.
TVFx – CoVID-19 X-Ray images classification approach using neural networks based feature thresholding technique
Authors: Ahmed Syed Thouheed , Basha Syed Muzamil , Venkatesan Muthukumaran , Mathivanan Sandeep Kumar , Mallik Saurav , Alsubaie Najah , Alqahtani Mohammed S.
Published: October 2023

COVID-19, the global pandemic of twenty-first century, has caused major challenges and setbacks for researchers and medical infrastructure worldwide. The CoVID-19 influences on the patients respiratory system cause flooding of airways in the lungs. Multiple techniques have been proposed since the outbreak each of which is interdepended on features and larger training datasets. It is challenging scenario to consolidate larger datasets for accurate and reliable decision support. This research article proposes a chest X-Ray images classification approach based on feature thresholding in categorizing the CoVID-19 samples. The proposed approach uses the threshold value-based Feature Extraction (TVFx) technique and has been validated on 661-CoVID-19 X-Ray datasets in providing decision support for medical experts. The model has three layers of training datasets to attain a sequential pattern based on various learning features. The aligned feature-set of the proposed technique has successfully categorized CoVID-19 active samples into mild, serious, and extreme categories as per medical standards. The proposed technique has achieved an accuracy of 97.42% in categorizing and classifying given samples sets.
Gender differences in transdiagnostic domains and function of adults measured by DSM-5 assessment scales at the first clinical visit: a cohort study
Authors: Saunders Erika F.H. , Brady Megan , Mukherjee Dahlia , Baweja Ritika , Forrest Lauren N. , Gomaa Hassaan , Babinski Dara , He Fan , Pearl Amanda M. , Liao Duanping , Waschbusch Daniel A.
Published: October 2023

Background

Measurement-based care has been called for as best practice in psychiatric care and learning health systems and use of transdiagnostic measures was suggested as part of the DSM-5. Our objective is to examine gender differences in first visit socioeconomic, transdiagnostic, and functional characteristics of a dynamic, real-world measurement-based care cohort.

Methods

Transdiagnostic, functional, and clinical measures were collected from 3,556 patients at first visit in an ambulatory psychiatric clinic. All patients were evaluated at the first visit by board-certified psychiatrists or licensed clinical psychologists. Demographic variables and clinical diagnoses were collected from the Electronic Medical Record. Self-report measures were collected that assessed transdiagnostic symptoms (DSM-5 Level 1 Cross-cutting Measure and Level 2 symptom scales), disability, alcohol use, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, depression, anxiety, mania, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and trauma exposure.

Results

Men and women did not differ in age, BMI, household income, high school graduation rate, race, or ethnicity, but women were more likely to be formerly married and less likely to have commercial insurance. Compared to men, women reported significantly higher overall psychopathology on the transdiagnostic Level 1 Cross-cutting measure and had higher depression, anxiety, sleep, anger, ADHD combined presentation, and suicidality severity. Women also had higher disability scores than men. However, men reported higher alcohol, tobacco and substance use, and more risky behavior than women. Trauma exposure differed significantly by gender; men reported more exposure to accidents, war-related trauma, serious accidents, and major disasters and women reported more unwanted sexual contact.

Conclusions

This cross-sectional study of a transdiagnostic, ecologically-valid real-word measurement-based care cohort demonstrates gender differences in socioeconomic factors, trauma exposure, transdiagnostic symptoms, and functioning.
Validation of the Arabic version of the resilience scale for adolescents (READ)
Authors: Chaaya Roni , Obeid Sahar , Postigo Alvaro , Dagher Dina , Hallit Rabih , Malaeb Diana , Dabbous Mariam , Sakr Fouad , Fekih-Romdhane Feten , Hallit Souheil
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Adolescents react differently to challenging negative life events. Resilience, a dynamic characteristic of individuals, was studied to be a protective factor against such events. In order to study the resilience among Arabic-speaking adolescent populations, age-appropriate measures that are fully apprehended by younger respondents are needed. In this context, the present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the Resilience Scale for Adolescents (READ) in a community sample of native Arabic–speaking adolescents aged 13–18 years.

Methods

A sample of 546 community Arabic-speaking adolescents from Lebanon was recruited (n = 328 females, with a mean age of 15.76 ± 1.65 years). Through an online questionnaire, participants were requested to complete the READ, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-8) and the 13-item Children’s Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-13).

Results

Following the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (EFA-to-CFA) strategy, a unidimensional model of the Arabic version of the READ was met after 10 items were removed from the scale, and showed strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha of 0.943). Additionally, the one-factor solution of the Arabic version of the READ was identical across male and female adolescents at the three levels of invariance (Configural, Metric and Scalar). Finally, higher resilience scores were significantly correlated with lower levels of psychopathology, namely depression, anxiety, stress and PTSD, thus attesting to the concurrent validity of the Arabic READ.

Conclusion

Findings lend support to the psychometric reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the READ, and therefore its suitability for use among Arabic-speaking adolescents. The availability of this tool facilitates the implementation of interventions that foster resilience, especially in adolescents who have faced a number of negative life events.
Global burden of pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy from 1990 to 2019
Authors: He Deng , Wang Tian , Ren Wu
Published: October 2023

Background

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a widespread female public problem worldwide. And it could lead to infertility, preterm labor, chronic pelvic pain, and ectopic pregnancy (EP) among reproductive-aged women. This study aimed to assess the global burden and trends as well as the chaning correlation between PID and EP in reproductive-aged women from 1990 to 2019.

Methods

The data of PID and EP among reproductive-aged women (15 to 49 years old) were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease study 2019. The disease burden was assessed by calculating the case numbers and age-standardized rates (ASR). The changing trends and correlation were evaluated by calculating the estimated annual percentage changes (EAPC) and Pearson’s correlation coefficient.

Results

In 2019, the ASR of PID prevalence was 53.19 per 100,000 population with a decreasing trend from 1990 (EAPC: − 0.50), while the ASR of EP incidence was 342.44 per 100,000 population with a decreasing trend from 1990 (EAPC: − 1.15). Globally, PID and EP burdens changed with a strong positive correlation (Cor = 0.89) globally from 1990 to 2019. In 2019, Western Sub-Saharan Africa, Australasia, and Central Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest ASR of PID prevalence, and Oceania, Eastern Europe, and Southern Latin America had the highest ASR of EP incidence. Only Western Europe saw significant increasing PID trends, while Eastern Europe and Western Europe saw increasing EP trends. The highest correlations between PID and EP burden were observed in Burkina Faso, Laos, and Bhutan. General negative correlations between the socio-demographic index and the ASR of PID prevalence and the ASR of EP incidence were observed at the national levels.

Conclusion

PID and EP continue to be public health burdens with a strong correlation despite slightly decreasing trends detected in ASRs globally. Effective interventions and strategies should be established according to the local situation by policymakers.
Mediating effect of body fat percentage in the association between ambient particulate matter exposure and hypertension: a subset analysis of China hypertension survey
Authors: Xue Yan , Li Jin , Xu Yu-Nan , Cui Jia-Sheng , Li Yue , Lu Yao-Qiong , Luo Xiao-Zhi , Liu De-Zhao , Huang Feng , Zeng Zhi-Yu , Huang Rong-Jie
Published: October 2023

Background

Hypertension caused by air pollution exposure is a growing concern in China. The association between air pollutant exposure and hypertension has been found to be potentiated by obesity, however, little is known about the processes mediating this association. This study investigated the association between fine particulate matter (aerodynamic equivalent diameter ≤ 2.5 microns, PM2.5) exposure and the prevalence of hypertension in a representative population in southern China and tested whether obesity mediated this association.

Methods

A total of 14,308 adults from 48 communities/villages in southern China were selected from January 2015 to December 2015 using a stratified multistage random sampling method. Hourly PM2.5 measurements were collected from the China National Environmental Monitoring Centre. Restricted cubic splines were used to analyze the nonlinear dose-response relationship between PM2.5 exposure and hypertension risk. The mediating effect mechanism of obesity on PM2.5-associated hypertension was tested in a causal inference framework following the approach proposed by Imai and Keele.

Results

A total of 20.7% (2966/14,308) of participants in the present study were diagnosed with hypertension. Nonlinear exposure-response analysis revealed that exposure to an annual mean PM2.5 concentration above 41.8 µg/m3 was associated with increased hypertension risk at an incremental gradient. 9.1% of the hypertension burden could be attributed to exposure to elevated annual average concentrations of PM2.5. It is noteworthy that an increased body fat percentage positively mediated 59.3% of the association between PM2.5 exposure and hypertension risk, whereas body mass index mediated 34.3% of this association.

Conclusions

This study suggests that a significant portion of the estimated effect of exposure to PM2.5 on the risk of hypertension appears to be attributed to its effect on alterations in body composition and the development of obesity. These findings could inform intersectoral actions in future studies to protect populations with excessive fine particle exposure from developing hypertension.
Association between daily alcohol consumption and serum alpha klotho levels among U.S. adults over 40 years old: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Jiang Meihua , Tang Xiaoyan , Wang Peng , Yang Li , Du Rui
Published: October 2023

Background

Klotho is a hormone considered to be an anti-aging biomarker. The relationships between daily alcohol consumption and serum klotho are mainly unknown. The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between alcohol consumption and serum alpha klotho (α−klotho) levels in the U.S.

Methods

The data came from 11,558 participants aged ≥ 40 in the 2007−2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Adults with reliable α−klotho plasma results were the target population. The self-report method was used to assess alcohol consumption. The relationship between daily alcohol intake and serum α−klotho levels was estimated using multivariable linear regression models. We also performed a stratified analysis of clinically important variables.

Results

The mean serum α−klotho level among the 11,558 participants was 843.82 pg/mL. After full adjustment, participants with current moderate and heavy alcohol intake had lower serum α−klotho levels than those who never alcohol intake (β =  − 62.64; 95% CI: − 88.86, − 36.43; P < 0.001; β =  − 81.54; 95% CI: − 111.54, − 51.54; P < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, the stratified analysis indicated that the association was insignificant in individuals with cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, or cancer.

Conclusion

Daily alcohol consumption was inversely associated with serum α−klotho levels among U.S. adults over 40 years old. However, individuals with cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, or cancer found no such relationship.
A neuromusculoskeletal modelling approach to bilateral hip mechanics due to unexpected lateral perturbations during overground walking
Authors: Zhu Yunchao , Huang Ji , Ma Xin , Chen Wen-Ming
Published: October 2023

Background

Current studies on how external perturbations impact gait dynamics have primarily focused on the changes in the body's center of mass (CoM) during treadmill walking. The biomechanical responses, in particular to the multi-planar hip joint coordination, following perturbations in overground walking conditions are not completely known.

Methods

In this study, a customized gait-perturbing device was designed to impose controlled lateral forces onto the subject’s pelvis during overground walking. The biomechanical responses of bilateral hips were simulated by subject-specific neuromusculoskeletal models (NMS) driven by in-vivo motion data, which were further evaluated by statistical parameter mapping (SPM) and muscle coactivation index (CI) analysis. The validity of the subject-specific NMS was confirmed through comparison with measured surface electromyographic signals.

Results

Following perturbations, the sagittal-plane hip motions were reduced for the leading leg by 18.39° and for the trailing leg by 8.23°, while motions in the frontal and transverse plane were increased, with increased hip abduction for the leading leg by 10.71° and external rotation by 9.06°, respectively. For the hip kinetics, both the bilateral hip joints showed increased abductor moments during midstance (20%-30% gait cycle) and decreased values during terminal stance (38%-48%). Muscle CI in both sagittal and frontal planes was significantly decreased for perturbed walking (p < 0.05), except for the leading leg in the sagittal plane.

Conclusion

The distinctive phase-dependent biomechanical response of the hip demonstrated its coordinated control strategy for balance recovery due to gait perturbations. And the changes in muscle CI suggested a potential mechanism for rapid and precise control of foot placement through modulation of joint stiffness properties. These findings obtained during actual overground perturbation conditions could have implications for the improved design of wearable robotic devices for balance assistance.
Proximal femoral tumor resection followed by joint prosthesis replacement: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Li Bo , Yu Yongzhi , Bao Yun , Song Jianmin
Published: October 2023

Background

This study aimed to determine the prognostic outcome of hip joint replacement after resection of proximal femoral tumors by reviewing original studies.

Methods

Two researchers independently searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases from inception to July 17, 2022. Then, the literature was screened by inclusion criteria. The basic information, primary outcomes, and secondary outcomes were extracted for weighted combined analysis. The quality of the included literature was evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale.

Results

Twenty-four retrospective cohort studies comprising 2081 patients were included. The limb salvage rate was 98%. The survival rates at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years were 80, 72, 65, 64, and 55% for patients with primary tumors and the rate at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years were 44, 25, 17, 14, and 11% for patients with bone metastases, respectively.

Conclusion

As chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment progressed, joint reconstruction after proximal femoral tumor resection improved patients' function and quality of life.
Effect of provision of non-alcoholic beverages on alcohol consumption: a randomized controlled study
Authors: Yoshimoto Hisashi , Kawaida Kyoko , Dobashi Shohei , Saito Go , Owaki Yukiko
Published: October 2023

Background

The use of alcohol-flavored beverages not containing alcohol (hereinafter referred to as non-alcoholic beverages) is recommended to reduce alcohol consumption. However, it is unclear if this reduces excessive drinking.

Objective

To verify whether non-alcoholic beverages impact the alcohol consumption of excessive drinkers.

Study design

Single-center, open-label, randomized, parallel-group study.

Methods

Participants aged 20 years or older who were not diagnosed with alcoholism, who drank at least four times a week, and whose alcohol consumption on those days was at least 40 g in males and 20 g in females, were recruited. Participants were randomized into the intervention or control group by simple randomization using a random number table. In the intervention group, free non-alcoholic beverages were provided once every 4 weeks for 12 weeks (three times in total), and thereafter, the number of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages consumed were recorded for up to 20 weeks. The consumption of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages was calculated based on a drinking diary submitted with the previous 4 weeks of data. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in total alcohol consumption during past 4 weeks at week 12. The participants were not blinded to group allocations.

Results

Fifty-four participants (43.9%) were allocated to the intervention group and 69 (56.1%) to the control group. None of the participants in the intervention group dropped out, compared to two (1.6%) in the control group. The change in alcohol consumption was − 320.8 g (standard deviation [SD], 283.6) in the intervention group and − 76.9 g (SD, 272.6) in the control group at Week 12, indicating a significant difference (p < 0.001). Even at Week 20 (8 weeks after the completion of the intervention), the change was − 276.9 g (SD, 39.1) in the intervention group, which was significantly greater than − 126.1 g (SD, 41.3) in the control group (p < 0.001). The Spearman rank correlation coefficient between the change in non-alcoholic beverage consumption and alcohol consumption at Week 12 was significantly negative only in the intervention group (ρ =  − 0.500, p < 0.001). There were no reports of adverse events during the study.

Conclusions

Providing non-alcoholic beverages significantly reduced alcohol consumption, an effect that persisted for 8 weeks after the intervention.

Trial registration

UMIN UMIN000047949. Registered 4 June 2022.
Use of coffee husks – comparison of pellet bedding quality, performance features, and some welfare indicators of broiler chickens
Authors: Biesek Jakub , Banaszak Mirosław , Wlaźlak Sebastian , Adamski Marek
Published: October 2023

Background

The study aimed to evaluate the influence of wheat straw and different coffee husk (CHs) levels in pellet bedding on its quality, broiler chickens’ performance, meat quality, and welfare indicators. In total, 200 Ross 308 chickens were divided into 4 groups: C – control with wheat straw pellet; CH10 – pellet with 10% CHs, CH25 – pellet with 25% CHs, and CH50 – pellet with 50% CHs. During 42 days of rearing, each bedding's physicochemical features were analyzed. The production results were controlled, and the footpad dermatitis, hock burns, and feather quality were assessed. From chosen birds, carcass composition was analyzed, as well as the qualitative features (color, water-holding capacity, drip loss) and breaking bone strength.

Results

The bedding material and rearing days influenced the content of dry matter, crude fiber, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, NDF, ADF, and pH. The results were inconclusive. The increasing trends in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content were noticed at the end of rearing. Strong coefficient determination in bedding features was found (0.580 – 0.986). The pellet with CHs had no adverse effect on the growth performance of broilers. In the CH50 group, a lower fat percentage was found. A beneficial effect on water-holding capacity was noticed in leg muscles from CH10 and pectoral muscles from CH25. A significant decrease was found in footpad dermatitis incidence in groups CH25 and CH50.

Conclusions

It can be concluded that CHs reuse in broilers as the pellet bedding material is possible due to the beneficial effect on some meat quality features and no adverse effect on the performance of broiler chickens. The positive impact on lower foot pad dermatitis incidence indicated the possibility of using CHs in pellet bedding.
Define cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment: new opportunities in cancer immunotherapy and advances in clinical trials
Authors: Zhang Hao , Yue Xinghai , Chen Zhe , Liu Chao , Wu Wantao , Zhang Nan , Liu Zaoqu , Yang Liping , Jiang Qing , Cheng Quan , Luo Peng , Liu Guodong
Published: October 2023

Despite centuries since the discovery and study of cancer, cancer is still a lethal and intractable health issue worldwide. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have gained much attention as a pivotal component of the tumor microenvironment. The versatility and sophisticated mechanisms of CAFs in facilitating cancer progression have been elucidated extensively, including promoting cancer angiogenesis and metastasis, inducing drug resistance, reshaping the extracellular matrix, and developing an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Owing to their robust tumor-promoting function, CAFs are considered a promising target for oncotherapy. However, CAFs are a highly heterogeneous group of cells. Some subpopulations exert an inhibitory role in tumor growth, which implies that CAF-targeting approaches must be more precise and individualized. This review comprehensively summarize the origin, phenotypical, and functional heterogeneity of CAFs. More importantly, we underscore advances in strategies and clinical trials to target CAF in various cancers, and we also summarize progressions of CAF in cancer immunotherapy.
Roles of Twist1 in lipid and glucose metabolism
Authors: Huang Liuyifei , Xing Yan , Ning Xiaoxuan , Yu Zhixiang , Bai Xiao , Liu Limin , Sun Shiren
Published: October 2023

The abnormal lipid and glucose metabolisms are linked to the metabolic disorders, tumorigenesis, and fibrotic diseases, which attracts the increasing attention to find out the key molecules involved in the lipid and glucose metabolism as the possible therapeutic targets on these diseases. A transcriptional factor Twist1 has been associated with not only the embryonic development, cancer, and fibrotic diseases, but also the regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism. In this review, we will discuss the roles and mechanisms of Twist1 in the obesity-associated white adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance, brown adipose tissue metabolism, fatty acid oxidation, and glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle to provide a rational perspective to consider Twist1 as a potential treatment target in clinic.
Involvement of the systemic microcirculation in pediatric uveitis
Authors: Kouwenberg Carlyn V. , Spierings Julia , de Groot Evianne L. , de Boer Joke H. , Kalinina Ayuso Viera
Published: October 2023

Background

Pediatric uveitis is a severe inflammatory ocular condition that can lead to sight-threatening complications and can negatively impact quality of life. The retinal microcirculation is often affected in intermediate uveitis and panuveitis. Here, we examined the extraocular (i.e., systemic) microcirculation in pediatric uveitis cases and healthy controls using nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC).

Methods

We performed NFC in 119 children with noninfectious uveitis and 25 healthy pediatric controls, and assessed the following parameters: capillary density (number of capillaries/mm), dilated capillaries (apex > 20 µm), avascular area, the presence of microhemorrhages, and capillary morphology. Differences in NFC parameters between cases and controls were calculated using regression analysis after adjusting for age and sex.

Results

The mean (± SD) age of the patient group was 13.7 (± 3) years, with 56% females; 46%, 18%, and 36% of cases presented as anterior uveitis, intermediate uveitis, and panuveitis, respectively, with an overall mean disease duration of 4.7 (± 4.0) years. Compared to the control group, the pediatric uveitis cases had a significantly higher number of dilated capillaries/mm and a higher prevalence of ramified capillaries. Moreover, compared to the control group the intermediate uveitis cases had a significantly higher number of dilated capillaries, whereas the anterior uveitis cases had a lower capillary density and a higher prevalence of ramified capillaries.

Conclusions

Children with uveitis without systemic disease can present with changes in systemic microcirculation. These changes vary amongst the subtypes of uveitis.
Small intestinal mucosal abnormalities using video capsule endoscopy in intestinal lymphangiectasia
Authors: Lin Lin , Liu Kuiliang , Liu Hong , Xin Jianfeng , Sun Yuguang , Xia Song , Shen Wenbin , Wu Jing
Published: October 2023

Background

Intestinal lymphangiectasia (IL) is a rare protein-losing enteropathy caused by disorders of the intestinal lymphatics. There are only a few case reports and case series concerning the VCE (video capsule endoscopy) findings of IL. This work aimed to evaluate the VCE characteristics of small intestinal mucosal abnormalities in patients with IL, and to investigate the relationship between clinical and VCE characteristics.

Methods

Consecutive patients with IL who underwent VCE were enrolled in this retrospective study. The cases were classified into the white villi group and non-white villi group according to mucosal abnormalities detected by VCE. Clinical and endoscopic characteristics were investigated and analyzed.

Results

A total of 98 patients with IL with a median onset age of 26.3 ± 19.2 years were included. VCE revealed the following small intestinal lesions: (i) white villi type (57/98, 58.2%), i.e.: white-tipped or granular villi, white nodular villi or plaques; (ii) non-white villi type (41/98, 41.8%), i.e.: diffused low and round villi; (iii) complications (46/98, 46.9%), i.e.: bleeding, ulcers, protruding or vesicular-shaped lesions, stenosis and lymphatic leakage. A total of 58.2% (57) and 41.8% (41) of the cases were classified into the white villi and non-white villi groups respectively. The percentage of chylothorax in the white villi group was significantly lower than that in the non-white villi group (12/57 vs. 19/41, p = 0.008). In VCE, there were no significant differences in the involved segments and total detected rate of complications between the white villi and non-white villi groups (p > 0.05), while the detected rate of lymphatic leakage in the white villi group was significantly higher than that in the non-white villi group (31.6% vs. 12.2%, p = 0.026).

Conclusions

Our study evaluated the entire small intestinal mucosal abnormalities of IL by VCE, especially endoscopic complications. IL has specific VCE abnormalities in addition to classical endoscopic findings.
Meiotic and mitotic aneuploidies drive arrest of in vitro fertilized human preimplantation embryos
Authors: McCoy Rajiv C. , Summers Michael C. , McCollin Abeo , Ottolini Christian S. , Ahuja Kamal , Handyside Alan H.
Published: October 2023

Background

The high incidence of aneuploidy in early human development, arising either from errors in meiosis or postzygotic mitosis, is the primary cause of pregnancy loss, miscarriage, and stillbirth following natural conception as well as in vitro fertilization (IVF). Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) has confirmed the prevalence of meiotic and mitotic aneuploidies among blastocyst-stage IVF embryos that are candidates for transfer. However, only about half of normally fertilized embryos develop to the blastocyst stage in vitro, while the others arrest at cleavage to late morula or early blastocyst stages.

Methods

To achieve a more complete view of the impacts of aneuploidy, we applied low-coverage sequencing-based PGT-A to a large series (n = 909) of arrested embryos and trophectoderm biopsies. We then correlated observed aneuploidies with abnormalities of the first two cleavage divisions using time-lapse imaging (n = 843).

Results

The combined incidence of meiotic and mitotic aneuploidies was strongly associated with blastocyst morphological grading, with the proportion ranging from 20 to 90% for the highest to lowest grades, respectively. In contrast, the incidence of aneuploidy among arrested embryos was exceptionally high (94%), dominated by mitotic aneuploidies affecting multiple chromosomes. In turn, these mitotic aneuploidies were strongly associated with abnormal cleavage divisions, such that 51% of abnormally dividing embryos possessed mitotic aneuploidies compared to only 23% of normally dividing embryos.

Conclusions

We conclude that the combination of meiotic and mitotic aneuploidies drives arrest of human embryos in vitro, as development increasingly relies on embryonic gene expression at the blastocyst stage.
Targeted sequencing of selected functional genes in patients with wild-type transthyretin amyloidosis
Authors: Moreno-Gázquez Inmaculada , Pérez-Palacios Raquel , Abengochea-Quílez Lucia , Lahuerta Pueyo Carmen , Roteta Unceta Barrenechea Ana , Andrés Gracia Alejandro , Aibar Arregui Miguel Angel , Menao Guillén Sebastián
Published: October 2023

Objective

Wild-type transthyretin (ATTRwt) amyloidosis is caused by the misfolding and deposition of the transthyretin protein (TTR) in the absence of mutations in the TTR gene. Studies regarding the variant form of ATTR amyloidosis (ATTRv) suggest that the presence of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in genes other than the TTR, may influence the development of the disease. However, other genetic factors involved in the aetiopathogenesis of ATTRwt are currently unknown. This work investigates the presence of sequence variants in genes selected for their possible impact on ATTRwt amyloidosis. To do so, targeted sequencing of 84 protein-coding genes was performed in a cohort of 27 patients diagnosed with ATTRwt.

Results

After applying quality and frequency filtering criteria, 72 rare or novel genetic variants were found. Subsequent classification according to the ACMG-AMP criteria resulted in 17 variants classified as of uncertain significance in 14 different genes. To our knowledge, this is the first report associating novel gene variants with ATTRwt amyloidosis. In conclusion, this study provides potential insights into the aetiopathogenesis of ATTRwt amyloidosis by linking novel coding-gene variants with the occurrence of the disease.
RNAseq based variant dataset in a black poplar association panel
Authors: Rogier Odile , Chateigner Aurélien , Lesage-Descauses Marie-Claude , Mandin Claire , Brunaud Véronique , Caius José , Soubigou-Taconnat Ludivine , Almeida-Falcon José , Bastien Catherine , Benoit Vanina , Bodineau Guillaume , Boizot Nathalie , Buret Corinne , Charpentier Jean-Paul , Déjardin Annabelle , Delaunay Alain , Fichot Régis , Laine Prade Véronique , Laurans Françoise , Le Jan Isabelle , Legac Anne-Laure , Maury Stéphane , Gebreselassie Mesfin Nigussie , Poursat Patrick , Ridel Céline , Sanchez Léopoldo , Jorge Véronique , Segura Vincent
Published: October 2023

Objective

Black poplar (Populus nigra L.) is a species native to Eurasia with a wide distribution area. It is an ecologically important species from riparian ecosystems, that is used as a parent of interspecific (P. deltoides x P. nigra) cultivated poplar hybrids. Variant detection from transcriptomics sequences of 241 P. nigra individuals, sampled in natural populations from 11 river catchments (in four European countries) is described here. These data provide new valuable resources for population structure analysis, population genomics and genome-wide association studies.

Data description

We generated transcriptomics data from a mixture of young differentiating xylem and cambium tissues of 480 Populus nigra trees sampled in a common garden experiment located at Orléans (France), corresponding to 241 genotypes (2 clonal replicates per genotype, at maximum) by using RNAseq technology. We launched on the resulting sequences an in-silico pipeline that allowed us to obtain 878,957 biallelic polymorphisms without missing data. More than 99% of these positions are annotated and 98.8% are located on the 19 chromosomes of the P. trichocarpa reference genome. The raw RNAseq sequences are available at the NCBI Sequence Read Archive SPR188754 and the variant dataset at the Recherche Data Gouv repository under https://doi.org/10.15454/8DQXK5.
Nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower limb: a pictorial review
Authors: Kumar Shanesh , Mangi Mohammad Danish , Zadow Steven , Lim WanYin
Published: October 2023

Peripheral nerves of the lower limb may become entrapped at various points during their anatomical course. While clinical assessment and nerve conduction studies are the mainstay of diagnosis, there are multiple imaging options, specifically ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which offer important information about the potential cause and location of nerve entrapment that can help guide management. This article overviews the anatomical course of various lower limb nerves, including the sciatic nerve, tibial nerve, medial plantar nerve, lateral plantar nerve, digital nerves, common peroneal nerve, deep peroneal nerve, superficial peroneal nerve, sural nerve, obturator nerve, lateral femoral cutaneous nerve and femoral nerve. The common locations and causes of entrapments for each of the nerves are explained. Common ultrasound and MRI findings of nerve entrapments, direct and indirect, are described, and various examples of the more commonly observed cases of lower limb nerve entrapments are provided.

Critical relevance statement This article describes the common sites of lower limb nerve entrapments and their imaging features. It equips radiologists with the knowledge needed to approach the assessment of entrapment neuropathies, which are a critically important cause of pain and functional impairment.

Key points

• Ultrasound and MRI are commonly used to investigate nerve entrapment syndromes.

• Ultrasound findings include nerve hypo-echogenicity, calibre changes and the sonographic Tinel’s sign.

• MRI findings include increased nerve T2 signal, muscle atrophy and denervation oedema.

• Imaging can reveal causative lesions, including scarring, masses and anatomical variants.

Graphical Abstract
Diagnostic error and bias in the department of radiology: a pictorial essay
Authors: Zhang Li , Wen Xin , Li Jian-Wei , Jiang Xu , Yang Xian-Feng , Li Meng
Published: October 2023

Diagnostic imaging is an essential and indispensable part of medical diagnosis and treatment, and diagnostic errors or biases are also common in the department of radiology, sometimes even having a severe impact on the diagnosis and treatment of patients. There are various reasons for diagnostic errors or biases in imaging. In this review, we analyze and summarize the causes of diagnostic imaging errors and biases based on practical cases. We propose solutions for dealing with diagnostic imaging errors and reducing their probability, thereby helping radiologists in their clinical practice.

Critical relevance statement Diagnostic errors or bias contribute to most medical errors in the radiology department. Solutions for dealing with diagnostic imaging errors are pivotal for patients.

Key points

• Diagnostic errors or bias contribute to most medical errors in radiology department.

• Solutions for dealing with diagnostic imaging errors are pivotal for patients.

• This review summarizes the causes of diagnostic errors and offers solutions to them.

Graphical Abstract
Eugenol isolated from supercritical fluid extract of Ocimum sanctum: a potent inhibitor of DENV-2
Authors: Kaushik Sulochana , Kaushik Samander , Dar Lalit , Yadav Jaya Parkash
Published: October 2023

Dengue is one of the fairly prevalent viral infections at the world level transmitted through mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus). Due to various environmental factors, dengue cases surged rapidly at the global level in recent decades, with 193245 cases in 2021 and an increment of 110473 cases in 2022. There is no antidote available against dengue and other flaviviruses. In the absence of a dengue vaccine or specific antiviral, medicinal plants or their products can be the only choice for its effective management. Ocimum sanctum is known as ‘‘The Incomparable One,’’ ‘‘Mother Medicine of Nature’’ and ‘‘Queen of Herbs’’ in Ayurveda, and is considered an "elixir of life" supreme in both healthcare and spiritual terms. In present study eugenol was isolated in O.sanctum. Eugenol (1-hydroxy-2-methoxy-4-allylbenzene) has been substantially responsible for its therapeutic potential. High-performance thin-layer chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy were applied to identify the compound. The Rf value of isolated compound was same in the chromatogram (0.69 + 0.05) with compare to standard. The safe dose of plant and eugenol were found as < 31.25 μg/ml and < 15.62 µg/ml. The anti-dengue activity was assessed in C6/36 cell lines, their effect was determined through Quantitative PCR. The NMR of the isolated eugenol showed similar properties as the commercial marker compound. The eugenol and SFE extract of O. sanctum showed the inhibition of 99.28% and completely against Dengue-2, respectively. Docking study exposed that the interaction of eugenol with NS1 and NS5 dengue protein showed the binding energy as − 5.33 and − 5.75 kcal/mol, respectively. The eugenol from the O. sanctum plant has the potential to be a good source of future treatment medications for dengue illness, as well as a valuable tool in its successful management
Rolling front landscape breeding
Authors: Lstibůrek Milan , García‐Gil María Rosario , Steffenrem Arne
Published: October 2023

Key message

Forest tree breeding must undergo significant revisions to adapt to the evolving challenges posed by climate change. Addressing the shifts in environmental conditions requires a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach that includes theoretical work and practical application. Specifically, there is a need to focus on developing new breeding strategies that are theoretically sound and practically feasible, considering the economic constraints of actual tree breeding programs. We present a novel concept utilizing genetic evaluation of multiple traits in forest stands of successive ages across wide ecological ranges. Incorporating genomics allows for detailed genetic evaluation, making use of high-density SNP markers and sophisticated algorithms like GBLUP for genetic parameter estimates. High-throughput phenotyping is conducted using drone-borne lidar technology to capture tree height and survival data across various forest stands. Assisted migration is considered to strategically position genotypes across predicted environmental climatic gradients, thereby accommodating the dynamic nature of ecological shifts. Mathematical optimization acts as an essential component for logistics, guiding the spatial allocation and timely substitution of genotypes to ensure a continually adaptive breeding program. The concept replaces distinct breeding cycles with continuous evaluation and selection, enhancing the rate of genetic response over time.
Virtualized intelligent genetic load balancer for federated hybrid cloud environment using deep belief network classifier
Authors: Rajkumar S. , Katiravan Jeevaa
Published: October 2023

Load balancing is major issue in federated cloud environment. Various services can be offered by different cloud service providers. As per current working environment cloud computing is used in major applications such as education, online shopping, multimedia services, etc. Dynamic load balancing is required to handle the resources. Federated cloud has various services offering system with computing resources, resource pooling, internet access services and storage. Intelligent Genetic algorithm is proposed to provide efficient load balancing service in hybrid cloud environment. Virtualized Intelligent Genetic Load Balancer algorithm consists of load balancer and resource provisioning system to allocate the resources. Enhanced Load Balancer is used to preserve the load and minimize the span time based on resource provisioning method. In this work we analyse automated virtual machine services by using runtime resource provision. Here we use enhanced load balancer to measure the performance using virtual machine placements, resource utilization and automated quality requirements. We design a deep belief network based on requirements and measure the accuracy using TensorFlow. The simulation results test the accuracy and compare the results. Virtualized Intelligent Genetic Load Balancer system is achieving the accuracy of 95% based on overall capacity requirements. We compare Virtualized Intelligent Genetic Load Balancer system performance with existing simulations results and compared the results.
Impact of online self-assessing metacognitive strategies accompanied with written languaging on cultivating Iranian IELTS candidates’ listening comprehension
Authors: Rezai Afsheen , Namaziandost Ehsan , Hosseini Gholam Hossein
Published: October 2023

The use of self-assessing metacognitive strategies has been shown to enhance English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ achievement in face-to-face classes. However, its impact on EFL learners’ achievement in online classes, which have become more prevalent due to the development of new technologies has remained largely unexplored. This study aimed to fill this gap by investigating the effects of online self-assessing metacognitive strategies (OSMLS) accompanied with written languaging on IELTS candidates’ listening comprehension (LC) in Iran. A total of 67 IELTS candidates were selected through a convenience sampling method and were homogenized using an IELTS listening test. The participants (n = 44) whose scores were around the mean score were randomly assigned to either a CG (n = 22) or an EC (n = 22). EG received online OSMLS training while the CG did not. Both groups took a pre-test, a post-test, and a delayed post-test of LC. A one-way ANCOVA was used to analyze the collected data. Results indicated that the experimental group outperformed CG on both the post-test and the delayed post-test of LC. The findings suggest that online OSMLS can improve EFL learners’ LC skills and have implications for EFL instruction in online settings.