bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The TCGA and GEO databases identify COL5A2 as a poorly prognostic gene in patients with advanced gastric cancer
Authors: Tan Yu-en , Chen Qing-chuan , Xing Yao , Zhang Chao , Pan Si-wei , An Wen , Xu Huimian
Published: July 2020

Background

Gastric cancer (GC) metastasis determines the prognosis of patients, and exploring the molecular mechanism of GC metastasis is expected to provide a theoretical basis for clinical treatment. Recent studies have shown that extracellular matrix protein is closely related to GC metastasis. This study aimed to explore the expression profile and role of COL5A2 (Collagen V-type α2), as an extracellular matrix protein, in GC.
Methods

The expression, overall survival and progression-free survival data of COL5 family members were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database, respectively. Paraffin immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR in GC and matched normal tissues were used to analyze the expression of the target genes. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis of the GSE62229 database was performed out to identify modules and associated genes, and the functions were predicted by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses.
Results

COL5A2 was selected as our research target in the TCGA database, and was also verified in the GSE62229 and GSE15459 datasets. COL5A2 was upregulated in GC tissues by paraffin immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR. The analysis of clinicopathological characteristics showed a significant difference in the Borrmann type (P = 0.036), histological type (P = 0.013) and T stage(P = 0.011). The prognosis of patients with low COL5A2 expression was better than that of patients with high COL5A2 expression. GSEA results showed that the TCGA and GSE62229 samples were significantly enriched in several well-known cancer-related pathways, such as the TGF-β, MAPK, and JAK2 signaling pathways.
Conclusion

COL5A2 was most closely related to advanced GC among COL5 family members. High COL5A2 expression is associated with a poor prognosis in GC, and may be a novel therapeutic target for GC.
Large-scale transcriptome data analysis reveals prognostic signature genes for overall survival prediction in diffuse large B cell lymphoma
Authors: Pan Mengmeng , Yang Pingping , Wang Fangce , Luo Xiu , Li Bing , Ding Yi , Lu Huina , Dong Yan , Zhang Wenjun , Xiu Bing , Liang Aibin
Published: July 2020

BACKGROUND With the improvement of clinical treatment outcomes in Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the high rate of relapse in DLBCL patients is still an established barrier, due to the therapeutic strategy selection based on potential target remains unsatisfactory. Therefore, there is an urgent need in further exploration of prognostic biomarkers so as to improve the prognosis of DLBCL.METHODS The univariable and multivariable Cox regression models were employed to screen out gene signatures for DLBCL overall survival prediction. The differential expression analysis was used to identify representative genes in high-risk and low-risk groups, respectively, by student t test and fold change. The functional difference between the high-risk and low-risk groups were identified by the gene set enrichment analysis.RESULTS We conducted a systematic data analysis to screen the candidate genes significantly associated with overall survival of DLBCL in three NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. To construct a prognostic model, five genes (CEBPA, CYP27A1, LST1, MREG, and TARP) were then screened and tested using the multivariable Cox model and the stepwise regression method. Kaplan-Meier curve confirmed the good predictive performance of the five-gene Cox model. Thereafter, the prognostic model and the expression levels of the five genes were validated by means of an independent dataset. All five genes were significantly favorable for the prognosis in DLBCL, both in training and validation datasets. Additionally, further analysis revealed the independence and superiority of the prognostic model in risk prediction. Functional enrichment analysis revealed some vital pathways resulting in unfavorable outcome and potential therapeutic targets in DLBCL.CONCLUSION We developed a five-gene Cox model for the clinical outcome prediction of DLBCL patients. Meanwhile, potential drug selection using this model can help clinicians to improve the clinical practice for the patients.
Distally based peroneal artery perforator-plus fasciocutaneous flap in the reconstruction of soft tissue defects over the distal forefoot: a retrospectively analyzed clinical trial
Authors: Peng Ping , Luo Zhaobiao , Lv Guohua , Ni Jiangdong , Wei Jianwei , Dong Zhonggen
Published: July 2020

Background: Distally based peroneal artery perforator-plus fasciocutaneous (DPAPF) flaps are widely used for reconstructing soft-tissue defects of the lower extremity. However, large studies on this topic, especially DPAPF flaps use for reconstruction of defects over the distal forefoot, are scarce. Herein, we describe our experience on the reconstruction of defects over the distal forefoot using DPAPF flaps.Methods: Between February 2005 and August 2019, 56 DPAPF flaps were used to reconstruct soft-tissue defects in the forefoot. The ankles were fixed in dorsiflexion using a Kirschner wire. Patient factors and flap factors were compared between the “survival” and “partial necrosis” groups.Results: Overall, 47 flaps had survived completely in one stage. Partial necrosis developed in nine flaps, with only one remnant defect covered using a local flap. The distance between the pivot point and recipient area was reduced by fixing the ankles in dorsiflexion. The partial necrosis rate of the DPAPF flaps with the top edge located in the 8th zone was significantly lower than that in the 9th zone (p < 0.05).Conclusions: In combination with fixing of the ankles in dorsiflexion using a Kirschner wire, DPAPF flap is a good option in reconstructing a defect over the distal forefoot.
Patients' risk factors for periprosthetic joint infection in total hip arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 34 studies
Authors: Tu Chao , Ren Xiaolei , Zhang Chenghao , Qi Lin , Wang Wanchun , Lu Qiong , Li Zhihong
Published: July 2020

BackgroundPeriprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a catastrophic complication following total hip arthroplasty (THA). This meta-analysis aimed to identify the individual-related risk factors that predispose patients to PJI undergoing THA.MethodsWe performed extensive literature retrieval from related databases from inception to October 20, 2019. Patient-related risk factors were compared and grouped according to modifiable factors (BMI, smoke and alcohol abuse), non- modifiable factors (gender, age), and medical history characteristics, such as diabetes mellitus (DM), avascular necrosis (AVN) of femoral head, femoral neck fracture, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and osteoarthritis (OA) etc. Meta-analysis was performed using risk ratios with 95% corresponding intervals. Sensitivity analysis and publication bias were performed to assess the credibility of the results.ResultsOverall, 34 studies with 2,141,960 hips were included. By implementing cumulative meta-analysis, we found that higher BMI significantly increased the rate of PJI after THA. Meanwhile, medical characteristics comprising DM, AVN, femoral neck fracture, RA, CVD, chronic pulmonary disease and neurological disease, were also markedly associated with higher PJI risk. Conversely, dysplasia or dislocation, and OA were protective factors. Notably, female gender was protective for PJI only after longer follow-up. Besides, age, smoking, alcohol abuse, previous joint surgery, renal disease, hypertension, cancer and steroid use were not correlated with risk of PJI.ConclusionOur finding indicates that the main risk factors for PJI are high BMI, DM, AVN, femoral neck fracture, RA, CVD, chronic pulmonary disease, and neurological disease. Protective factors are female gender, dysplasia/ dislocation and OA.
High hsa_circ_0001944 Expression Predicts Unfavorable Prognoses in Bladder Cancer
Authors: Jin Mingming , Lu Shengjie , Wu Yue , Yang Chen , Shi Chunzi , Huang Gang
Published: July 2020

Background: Bladder cancer (BC) is a common genitourinary malignancy worldwide. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) participate in the cancer developments, including BC; thus, roles of circRNAs in this process have attracted significant attention. Methods: In this study, high-throughput sequencing was used for circRNA expression profiles analysis in BC tissues. We performed RT-qPCR to determine hsa_circ_0001944 expression regarding BC tissues. We used fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to detect hsa_circ_0001944 expression and hsa_circ_0001944 subcellular localization in BC tissues. hsa_circ_0001944 expression in BC cells was selectively regulated. We employed CCK8, transwell, and wound healing assays to monitor the cell proliferation and invasion, respectively. We employed dual-luciferase reporter and RNA pulldown assays to verify the relationship among hsa_circ_0001944, miR-548, and PROK2. We examined the hsa_circ_0001944 effects on BC cell metastasis and proliferation in vivo through a subcutaneous xenograft model as well as an intravenous tail injection model of nude mice. Results: The result show that hsa_circ_0001944 expression increased significantly in BC samples. Furthermore, high hsa_circ_0001944 expression predicted unfavorable prognoses in BC. Functional assays validated that downregulating hsa_circ_0001944 decreased BC invasion and proliferation in vivo and in vitro. Further studies showed that hsa_circ_0001944 expression promoted BC progression via sponging miR-548 and enhancing PROK2 expression. Luciferase reporter experiments validated the interactions between hsa_circ_0001944, miR-548, and PROK2. This study also found that downregulating miR-548 or overexpressing PROK2 restored BC cell invasion and proliferation after silencing hsa_circ_0001944. Conclusions: Taken together, we found hsa_circ_0001944 is a tumor-promoting circRNA in BC that functions like a competing endogenous RNA to regulate PROK2 expression via sponging miR-548.
Process Based Modeling of Energy Consumption for Multi-material FDM 3D Printing
Authors: Liu Yu , Chen Jinghua , Shang Erwei , Chen Yanqiu
Published: July 2020

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is one most cost-effective 3D printing technique for forming complex 3D components based on thermoplastic materials. The energy consumption analysis is one criterion to determine the capacity and sustainability of the FDM. In this paper, the energy consumption of a dual- extruder FDM is studied by differentiating the whole multi-material printing process into independent operation modes, which characterize the thermal behaviors of the printing parameters. By investigating the execution instruction which describe the tooling plan of the FDM, the nozzle temperature distributions with different filament materials are measured and simulated. The energy consumption details can be accurately captured in our work and therefore we are able to predicate the power demand changes with different working processes of the multi-material FDM 3D printing. This work will be beneficial for optimization of 3D printer design and manufacturing sustainability in next.
Survey of the Status Quo and Work Situation of Chinese Hospital Infection Control Professionals During the Epidemic of COVID-19
Authors: Li Cheng , Xiang Qian , Zheng Chunmei , Zhang Shuhua , Chen Liping , Liu Yongfang
Published: July 2020

Background:The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading rapidly worldwide, bringing great challenges to infection control professionals (ICPs). The study aims to understand the status quo and the situation of work and physical and mental health of Chinese infection control professionals (ICPs) during the epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), in order to complete hospital infection control work and respond to public health emergencies better.[1]Methods:The questionnaire was designed to conduct anonymous investigations onChinese ICPs relying on the questionnaire star applet during the epidemic of COVID-19.Results:A total of 1652 ICPs from 1265 hospitals were surveyed. 84.32% ICPs’ professional background was nursing; 33.9% could not be promoted in professional title; 62.65% ICPs’ daily income was lower than similar staff at the same level in the hospital; 98% thought that the hospital infection control discipline should be set up.During the epidemic, the ICPs did a lot of work, and most heads of the infectioncontrol department believed that the infection control department had a great role in this epidemic. During this epidemic, 90.47% ICPs worked more than 9 hours a day; the highest psychological stress score was 10 points(out of 10), accounting for 32.14%; 79.3% had worse sleep than usual. Most ICPs felt tired, frustrated and powerless frequently, but only 20.40% complained frequently or consistently. Conclusions:Chinese ICPs are facing difficulties in promotion of professional title, poor salary, high work intensity and high psychological pressure currently.They has undertaken a lot of work and played an important role in the prevention and control of COVID-19.
Sex Differences in an Italian Pediatric Population Covid-19 Positive
Authors: Straface Elisabetta , De Jacobis Isabella Tarissi , Vona Rosa , Cittadini Camilla , Marchesi Alessandra , Cursi Laura , Gambardella Lucrezia , Villani Alberto
Published: July 2020

Background: Since December 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan and spread rapidly worldwide. Despite the high number of people affected, data on clinical features and prognostic factors in children and adolescents are limited. We propose a retrospective study aimed to identify sex differences in a pediatric population with COVI-19.Methods: A pediatric population admitted with COVID-19 to Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital of Rome (Italy) in the period from March to May 2020 has been studied taking into account sex differences. Medical history, comorbidities, symptoms and laboratory findings were obtained from patients' electronic medical records. Results: In 37 patients (19 males and 18 females) we found that: i) fever and cough were the dominant symptoms, while gastrointestinal symptoms were rare; and ii) all ages of childhood were susceptible to COVID-19. Moreover, we found that females with COVID-19 were older than males (p < 0.01); required more days of hospitalization (p < 0.04); needed of treatment with multiple drugs; and had higher serum lactate dehydrogenase values (p < 0.04) than males. Conversely, males had, although not significant, higher values of C reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate than females.Conclusions: Based on the data listed above sex differences were detected in an Italian pediatric population. Compared to the adults we found that COVID-19 infection in children is a non-severe inflammatory disease in both males and females. In any case, many detailed studies should be conducted.
Risk factors for illness severity in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Zhang Nannan , Zhang Hairong , Tang Yanhua , Zhang Hao , Ma Aiying , Xu Fang , Sun Yu , Shan Fangzhen , Jiang Luning
Published: July 2020

Background

Although COVID-19 pneumonia is spreading internationally, knowledge regarding the factors associated with the illness severity of patients remains limited. We aimed to identify the factors associated with the disease severity of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia induced by a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Methods

We prospectively enrolled a single-center case series of adult patients with COVID-19 admitted to the Infectious Disease Hospital of Jining, Jining City, Shandong Province, China, from January 24 to March 1, 2020. Demographics, clinical characteristics, and laboratory findings were compared to investigate the risk factors related with the disease severity of COVID-19 pneumonia patients.

Results

We included a total of 78 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, of whom 6 had the severe type. As compared to a moderately ill cohort, our analysis showed that shortness of breath, fatigue, neutrophil percentages > 70%, neutrophil counts > 6.3 × 10 9 /L, lymphocyte percentages < 20%, lymphocyte counts < 1.0 × 10 9 /L, platelet < 100 × 10 9 /L, C-reactive protein (CRP) > 10 mg/L, neutrophil to platelet ratio (NPR) > 2.3, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) > 3.9, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) > 40 U/L, albumin < 40 g/L, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) > 245 U/L, and glucose > 6.1 mmol/L were predictors of disease severity in COVID-19 pneumonia. In the sex-, age-, and comorbid illness-matched case-control study, neutrophil percentages > 70%, neutrophil counts > 6.3 × 10 9 /L, lymphocyte percentages < 20%, NPR > 2.3, NLR > 3.9, albumin < 40 g/L, and LDH > 245 U/L remained associated with the early detection and identification of severe patients.

Conclusion

We demonstrated that neutrophil percentages > 70%, neutrophil counts > 6.3×10 9 /L, lymphocyte percentages < 20%, NPR > 2.3, NLR > 3.9, albumin < 40 g/L, and LDH > 245 U/L might predict the severity of illness in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.
Overexpressed circ-CEP128, a potential new circular RNA biomarker, promotes cisplatin resistance of bladder cancer cells by regulating necroptosis
Authors: Sun Ming , Zhao Wenyan , Zhang Bin , Geng Donghua , Li Shuqiang , Bu Renge , Liu Xuefeng
Published: July 2020

Background

Bladder cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy of urinary system and cisplatin (DDP) remains the only chemotherapy option for treatment of BC at the advanced stage. The critical molecules involved in the regulation of cisplatin resistance are still largely unknown. CircRNAs has been demonstrated to be involved in tumorigenesis and development and drug resistance of various cancer cells. CircCEP128 contributed to BC progression by regulating miR-145-5p/MYD88/MAKP axis. However, functions and molecular mechanisms of circCEP128 in DDP resistance of bladder cancer cells still remain largely unclear.
Methods

Bladder cancer tissue and the corresponding adjacent normal tissue as well as serum samples were obtained from a total of 60 BC patients who received the same cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The expression level of circCEP128 in tissues and serums was measured using qRT-PCR. WB was utilized to detect expression level of PCNA, Cyclin D1, RIPK3, p-RIPK3, MLKL or p-MLKL. Functionally, BC cell viability and proliferation are measured through relevant experiments, including CCK8 assay and cell colony formation assay.
Results

In the current study, we demonstrated that circCEP128 expression was distinctly elevated in the BC tissues and serums, especially in the chemoresistant BC tissues or cell lines, correlated with poor prognosis of BC patients. In addition, ROC curve suggested that circCEP128 might serve as an effective diagnostic biomarker for BC and treatment. Furthermore, cell function assays showed that circCEP128 silencing by siRNA could reverse the drug-resistance of BC cells to cisplatin by inducing necroptosis through regulation of RIPK3/MLKL signaling pathway.
Conclusions

Our findings indicated that circCEP128 may serve as a valuable diagnostic biomarker in BC and contribute to cisplatin resistance of bladder cancer cells by repressing necroptosis through RIPK3/MLKL signaling pathway. These findings provide novel insights into the role of circCEP128 as a biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment target of BC.
The experiences of adult patients receiving treatment for femoral shaft fractures at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Malawi: a qualitative analysis
Authors: Agarwal-Harding Kiran Jay , Atadja Louise , Chokotho Linda , Banza Leonard Ngoie , Mkandawire Nyengo , Katz Jeffrey Neil
Published: July 2020

Background: There is a growing burden of musculoskeletal trauma in Malawi, and a lack of surgical capacity to manage common, debilitating injuries like femoral shaft fractures (FSFs). Non-operative treatment with skeletal traction remains the standard of care, with surgery available only at central hospitals. Patients experience myriad barriers to care, which can result in delayed treatment and complications. We sought to understand how patients navigate the Malawian health system and the barriers they face while seeking care. Methods: We performed in-depth, semi-structured interviews of 15 adults with closed FSFs during their inpatient hospitalization at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), a public referral hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. We additionally interviewed one patient who left KCH to seek care at a private hospital. An English-speaking study investigator performed all interviews accompanied by a Chichewa-speaking medical interpreter. Interviews focused on patients’ pathways from injury to present treatment (health system navigation); impressions of the hospital and care received; and the effects of injury/treatment on patients and their families. Interviews were audio-recorded, translated, and transcribed in English. We coded the transcripts and performed a thematic analysis. Results: We identified 6 themes: high variability in health system navigation; frustrations with the biopsychosocial effects of hospitalization; lack of participation in decision-making and uncertainty about treatment course; preference for surgery (vs. traction) based on patients’ own experiences and observations; frustrations with the inequitable provision of surgery ; and patients’ resignation, acceptance, and resilience in the face of hardship. Many patients receiving non-operative treatment described the devastating financial burden imposed upon them and their families by their injury and prolonged hospitalization. They felt they were receiving inferior treatment compared to surgery and suspected that richer patients were receiving more timely care. Conclusion: This qualitative study suggests a need to standardize care for FSF in Malawi, increase availability and timeliness of surgery, and increase transparency and communication between providers and patients. These remedies should focus on improving quality of care and achieving equity in access to care.
Patient flow dynamics in hospital systems during times of COVID-19: Cox proportional hazard regression analysis.
Authors: Bhandari Sudhir , Tak Amit , Singhal Sanjay , Shukla Jyotsna , Patel Bhoopendra , Shaktawat Ajit Singh , Gupta Jitendra , Kakkar Shivankan , Dube Amitabh , Dia Sunita , Dia Mahendra , Wehner Todd C
Published: July 2020

Objectives: The present study is aimed at estimating patient flow dynamical parameters and requirement of hospital beds. Secondly, the effects of age and gender on parameters were evaluated. Patients and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 987 COVID-19 patients were enrolled from SMS Medical College, Jaipur (Rajasthan, India). The survival analysis was carried out from 29 Feb to 19 May 2020 for two hazards – ‘Hazard 1’ was hospital discharge and ‘Hazard 2’ was hospital death. The starting point for survival analysis of the two hazards was considered to be hospital admission . The survival curves were estimated and additional effects of age and gender were evaluated using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Results: The Kaplan Meier estimates of lengths of hospital stay (Median =10 days, IQR =10 days) and median survival rate ( more than 60 days due to large amount of censored data) were obtained. The Cox Model for ‘Hazard 1’ showed no significant effect of age and gender on duration of hospital stay. Similarly, the Cox Model 2 showed no significant difference of gender on survival rate. The case fatality rate 8.1 % , recovery rate 78.8% , mortality rate 0.10 per 100 person--days and hospital admission rate 0.35 per 105 person-days were estimated.Conclusion : The study estimates hospital bed requirement based on patient flow dynamic parameters. Furthermore, study concludes that average length of hospital stay were similar for patients of both genders and all age groups.
Treatment of direct carotid cavernous fistula with Willis covered stent with midterm follow-up
Authors: Liu Qinglin , Qi Changjing , Wang Yunyan , Su Wandong , Li Gang , Wang Donghai
Published: July 2020

Background

Willis covered stent is the first stent designed exclusively for intracranial vasculature and its application in carotid cavernous fistula is limited. The aim is to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of this device in treating direct carotid cavernous fistula.
Methods

10 consecutive patients with direct carotid cavernous fistula were treated in our institution with Willis covered stents from September 2013 to December 2015. The characteristics of these patients and the immediate and follow-up results were retrospectively reviewed.
Results

Of the 10 patients, 8 were treated for the first time, and 2 had been treated elsewhere. Willis covered stents were successfully released in 9 patients. Abnormal arteriovenous shunt disappeared in 6 cases immediately after stent deployment and endoleak occurred in 3 cases. Endoleak disappeared at 6-month angiography follow-up in one case and was sealed with coils through a pre-set microcatheter in another case. Parent artery was sacrificed as endoleak remained despite repeated balloon dilation and a second stent deployment in the third case. All patients got clinical follow-up for at least 24 months and 7 patients received angiographic follow-up. Symptoms relieved gradually in all cases except for slight oculomotor paralysis and visual acuity in one case, respectively. In-stent stenosis was found in 1 case and no recurrence was observed.
Conclusions

Willis covered stent is feasible for direct carotid cavernous fistula.
Lung ultrasound and computed tomography to monitor COVID-19 pneumonia in critically ill patients: a two-center prospective cohort study
Authors: Heldeweg Micah , Matta Jorge A. Lopez , Haaksma Mark E. , Smit Jasper M. , Kraemer Carlos V. Elzo , de Grooth Harm-Jan S. , de Jonge E. , Meijboom L.J. , Heunks Leo M.A. , Westerloo David J. van , Tuinman Pieter Roel
Published: July 2020

Background: Lung ultrasound can adequately monitor disease severity in pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. We hypothesize lung ultrasound can adequately monitor COVID-19 pneumonia in critically ill patients. Methods: Adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to the intensive care unit of two academic hospitals who underwent a 12-zone lung ultrasound and a chest CT examination were included. Baseline characteristics, and outcomes including composite endpoint death or ICU stay >30 days were recorded. Lung ultrasound and CT images were quantified as a Lung Ultrasound Score Involvement index (LUSI) and CT Severity Involvement index (CTSI). Primary outcome was the correlation, agreement, and concordance between LUSI and CTSI. Secondary outcome was the association of LUSI and CTSI with the composite endpoints.Results: We included 55 ultrasound examinations in 34 patients, which were 88% were male, with a mean age of 63 years and mean P/F ratio of 151. The correlation between LUSI and CTSI was strong (r=0.795), with an overall 15% bias, and limits of agreement ranging -40 to 9.7. Concordance between changes in sequentially measured LUSI and CTSI was 81%. In the univariate model, high involvement on LUSI and CTSI were associated with a composite endpoint. In the multivariate model, LUSI was the only remaining independent predictor.Conclusions: Lung ultrasound can be used as an alternative for chest CT in monitoring COVID-19 pneumonia in critically ill patients as it can quantify pulmonary involvement, register changes over the course of the disease, and predict death or ICU stay >30 days.Trial registration: NTR, NL8584. registered 01 May 2020 - retrospectively registered, https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/8584
Factors Affecting Birthweight Decline in Recent Japan Based on Birth Certificates
Authors: Kato Noriko , Sauvaget Catherine , Yoshida Honami , Yokoyama Tetsuji , Yoshiike Nobuo
Published: July 2020

Background:Birthweight is declining consistently for more than 30 years in Japan. Rapid rise in low birth weight infant counts one of the worst among OECD countries.Objective: To add new information for clarifying the factors associated with the decline in birthweight in Japan.Methods: Government vital statistics records were used under permission. 40,968,266 birth records born between 1980 and 2004 were analyzed. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to examine whether the decline in the birthweight could be explained by obstetrical variables such as gestational age and plurality.Results: From 1980 to 2004, we observed a decline in mean birthweight with yearly effect of -8.07g, which got steeper after 1985 and persisted until 1999, and plateaued thereafter. After adjustment for gestational age, neonatal gender, birth order, plurality, father age, yearly effect became -5.13g, between 1980 and 2004. Conclusion：Recent decreases in birthweight among Japanese neonates were not fully explained by trends of gestational age, sex, birth order, plurality and father age. We should consider additional factors such as pre-pregnant maternal BMI and maternal diet.
Structural and Functional Brain Alterations in Post-Chemotherapy Cognitive Impairment in Gastric Cancer: A Longitudinal Multimodal Neuroimaging Study
Authors: Ahn Jaeun , Lee DeokJong , Jung Young-Chul , KIM KYUNG RAN
Published: July 2020

Backgrounds: Despite clinical significance of chemobrain, no longitudinal study has been made on change in cognitive function related to chemotherapy in gastric cancer. The aim of this study is to define structural and functional changes in brains of gastric cancer patients caused by chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment after adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods: 13 gastric cancer patients with adjuvant chemotherapy (CTx+ group), 9 gastric patients without adjuvant chemotherapy (CTx- group), and 10 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled for this study. We performed self-report questionnaires, neurocognitive tests, voxel-based morphometry (VBM), hippocampus-seeded resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis twice at before and 3 months after chemotherapy. Results: Compared to CTx- group, CTx+ group exhibited statistically significant decrease in attention and executive function over time, and also exhibited dysfunction in delayed recognition performance. Results in resting state functional connectivity analysis show significant group-by-time interaction in left hippocampus-anterior thalamus. In addition, DTI analysis had interesting results that showed reduced fractional anisotropy (FA), and increased mean diffusivity (MD) in left hippocampus. However, results from VBM analysis confirms that chemotherapy does not cause structural changes in brain. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal neuroimaging study on the effect of chemotherapy in gastric cancer patients. Based on the results of this study, we suggest that neuropathological processes and clinical presentation of chemobrain is ultimately similar disease as age-related neurodegenerative disorder. Results of this study help in viewing underlying basis of chemobrain at a new angle and puts emphasis in importance of continuous assessment and intervention.
First Report of Cyamus Boopis from A Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Coastal East China Sea
Authors: Qiao Ying , Ma Xiaowan , Chen Bingyao , Zhong Shengping , Chen Xuyang
Published: July 2020

Background: Cyamus boopis is an amphipod crustacean that obligately parasitizes the body surface of the humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae. The life cycle of C. boopis does not include a swimming stage, and the crustacean spends its entire life on the body of M. novaeangliae. Methods: On November 15, 2017, a male humpback whale was found stranded on the coast of the cape of Yuan Tuo, Qidong, Nantong, JiangSu province, China. Parasites were collected from the carcass of this whale and identified by morphological techniques and molecular analysis. Results: A total of 15 C. boopis specimens were collected, and eight females and seven males were morphologically identified. A phylogenetic tree of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 revealed that the collected specimens clustered together with previously reported C. boopis sequences from the Northern Hemisphere. Conclusion: This is the first report of C. boopis in a humpback whale from the East China Sea and supplements data from humpback whales found off the coast of China. In addition, our data provide supplementary data on the migration paths of humpback whales.
Identification of collagen genes related to immune infiltration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in glioma
Authors: Yin Wen , Tan Jun , Xin Zhaoqi , Zhou Quanwei , Cao Yudong , Wu Zhaoping , Lei Wang , Jiang Xingjun , Ren Caiping , Tang Guihua
Published: July 2020

Background
Gliomas account for the majority of fatal primary brain tumors, and there is much room for development in the underlying pathogenesis, the multistep progression of glioma, and how to improve survival. In our study, we aimed to identify potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets of glioma and study the mechanism underlying the tumor progression.
Methods
We downloaded the microarray datasets (GSE43378 and GSE7696) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Then, we used weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to screen potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets in the tumor progression. ESTIMATE (Estimation of STromal and Immune cells in MAlignant Tumors using Expression data) algorithm and TIMER (Tumor Immune Estimation Resource) database were used to analyze the correlation between the selected genes and tumor microenvironment. Real-time reverse transcriptione polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the selected gene. Transwell and wound healing assay were used to measure the cell migration and invasion capacity.
Results
We identified specific module genes which were positively correlated with WHO grade but negatively correlated with OS of glioma. Importantly, we identified that 6 hub genes (COL1A1, COL1A2, COL3A1, COL4A1, COL4A2, and COL5A2) could regulate the immunosuppressive microenvironment of glioma. Moreover, we found that these collagen genes were significantly involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process of glioma. Finally, taking COL5A2 as a further research object, the results showed that knockdown of COL5A2 significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of SHG44 and A172 cells.
Conclusions
In summary, our study demonstrated that collagen genes play important role in regulating the immunosuppressive microenvironment and EMT process of glioma and could serve as potential therapeutic targets for glioma management.
The relationship between RECK Gene Polymorphisms and the prognosis of cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Wang Ning , Li Yanni , Zheng Yanfang , Chen Huoming , Wen Xiaolong , Li Zhaoxia
Published: July 2020

Background

The study was designed to examine the reversion inducing cysteine rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK) levels in patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and assess its role in CCA prognosis.
Methods

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to determine the expression of RECK mRNA in 127 pairs of CCA samples and controls. Chi-square test was conducted to analyze the effects of clinical features on RECK expression. Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted to determine the overall survival rate of CCA patients with different RECK expression. The prognostic biomarkers for CCA patients were identified using the Cox regression analysis.
Results

Significantly down-regulated expression of RECK mRNA was determined in CCA tissues compared to noncancerous controls (P < 0.05). Chi-square test suggested reduced RECK expression was related with invasion depth (P = 0.026), differentiation (P = 0.025), lymphatic metastasis (P = 0.010) and TNM stage (P = 0.015). However, age, sex, tumor size and family history had no significant links with RECK expression (all, P > 0.05). The survival curves showed that patients with low RECK expression had a shorter overall survival rate than those with high RECK expression. Both the univariate analysis (P = 0.000, HR = 5.290, 95%CI = 3.195–8.758) and multivariate analysis (P = 0.000, HR = 5.376, 95%CI = 2.231–8.946) demonstrated that RECK was an independent biomarker for predicting the outcomes of CCA patients.
Conclusions

Taken together, the expression of RECK was down-regulated in CCA and it might be an efficient biomarker for CCA patients.
Associations between pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain with pregnancy outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Zhang Lirui , Zheng Wei , Liu Cheng , Liang Xin , Zhang Li , Tian Zhihong , Li Guanghui
Published: July 2020

BackgroundPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a reproductive endocrine disorder affecting females of childbearing age, is associated with poor pregnancy outcomes. Both inappropriate pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) could affect the perinatal outcomes in general pregnant women, which raises the question whether various BMI or GWG has impact on pregnancy outcomes in PCOS women. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective study in 722 PCOS women to explore the associations between pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG with pregnancy outcomes among PCOS women with the view of generating vital information that can guide weight management in this group of individuals.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted targeting baseline characteristics, laboratory data and pregnancy outcomes in 722 singleton pregnant women. We performed multivariable logistic regression analysis to investigate the relationship between BMI and GWG with perinatal outcomes after controlling for appropriate confounding factors.ResultsOur results showed that being underweight were increased the risk of small for gestational age (SGA), but reduced the risk of large for gestational age (LGA). In addition, we found overweight but not obesity individuals were more susceptible to develop preeclampsia compared those with normal weights. For PCOS women with BMI＜25 kg/m2 before pregnancy, inadequate GWG was a protective factor for gestational hypertension and postpartum hemorrhage(PPH). However, excessive GWG increased the possibility of LGA birth in individuals with BMI＜25 kg/m2 . Excessive GWG also increased the chances of undergoing a cesarean section in individuals with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2. Inadequate GWG didn’t reduce the risk of LGA for women with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, similarly, excessive GWG didn’t decrease the chance of delivering SGA infant for women with BMI＜25 kg/m2.ConclusionThe impacts of pre-pregnancy BMI, GWG on maternal and infant outcomes among PCOS women are similar to what has been reported in general pregnant women. However, some unique trends exist in PCOS women. Overall, these findings indicate that women with PCOS need to begin weight management before pregnancy.
Reducing Mechanical Wear of Elbows and Pipes Due to Solid Particles Flow by Using Nano Coating Technique
Authors: Kareem Laith Abd UL , AlIthari Ali Sadiq , AlZurfi Nabeel
Published: July 2020

The problem of failure for elbows and pipes due to the effects of solid particles flow with a high velocity, facing a lot of industrial foundations now days. This work investigated factors that cause failure by mechanical wear inside elbows and pipes of cement transportation which manufacturing from low carbon steel (St-52-3) and find out a method for reducing this mechanical wear. Coating with layers of nanoparticles of tungsten carbides (WC) using a thermal spray process with a high-velocity oxy-fuel technique (HVOF) is one of those methods. The coating process was done for samples from the same material of elbow and pipe material. Some tests were done for these samples with different coating thicknesses (30, 40, and 50 µm) by placing them inside the elbow as well as standard wear tests (pin on disc). The results showed a decrease in the mechanical wear for the sample coated with 50 µm of WC layer by 71% compared with that without coating, while the results of the pin on disc test showed a decrease in wear about 97% for the sample coated with 50 µm. The photographs of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to determine the thickness of the coating layer on samples. The numerical simulation was also implemented to simulate the erosion profile inside the elbow by using the commercial code STAR CCM + based on the CFD technique; the predicted results showed a good agreement with the experimental data with accuracy reaches 94%.
Integrated metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis of monolayer and neurospheres from glioblastoma cells
Authors: Peixoto Joana , Janaki-Raman Sudha , Schlicker Lisa , Schmitz Werner , Walz Susanne , Herold-Mende Christel , Soares Paula , Schulze Almut , Lima Jorge
Published: July 2020

Background: Altered metabolism is a hallmark of cancer and metabolic reprogramming can regulate several malignant properties to drive tumourigenesis. Metabolic processes contribute to carcinogenesis by modulating proliferation, survival and differentiation. Here, we studied how metabolic pathways are deregulated in cancer stem-like cells, a specific pool of cells that is thought to be responsible for cancer growth and recurrence. Cancer stem-like cells are particularly relevant in glioblastoma (GBM), the most lethal form of primary brain tumours.Methods: We have analysed the transcriptome and metabolome of an established GBM cell line (U87) and a patient-derived GBM stem-like cell line (NCH644) exposed to neurosphere or monolayer culture conditions. By integrating transcriptome and metabolome data, we identified key metabolic pathways and gene signatures that are associated with stem-like and differentiated states in GBM cells.Results: By principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering, we demonstrated that neurospheres and monolayer cells differ substantially in their metabolism and gene regulation. Furthermore, by performing a joint pathway analysis of transcriptome and metabolome data, we found that neurosphere culture conditions induce a similar metabolic rewiring in the two cellular systems and significantly regulate the same metabolic pathways. Finally, arginine biosynthesis was identified as the most significantly regulated pathway in neurospheres from both cell lines, although individual nodes of this pathway were distinctly regulated in the two cellular systems.Conclusions: Neurosphere conditions, as opposed to monolayer conditions, cause a transcriptomic and metabolic rewiring that may be crucial for the regulation of stem-like features. Arginine biosynthesis may be a key metabolic pathway in stemness regulation, by supporting the specific needs of the different cell populations. Different GBM cell lines show distinct regulation of these metabolic pathways, which are crucial to direct metabolites towards nucleotide or arginine synthesis, respectively. Finally, as part of open science data, the data set generated is of great value as a resource for the scientific community.
Comparative Transcripto me Analysis Depicts Candidate Genes Involved in Skin Color Differentiation in Red Tilapia
Authors: He Jinzhao , Feng Pengfei , Qin Junqi , Teng Yun , Luo Xu , Chen Zigui , Ma Huawei , Zhou Dayan
Published: July 2020

Background

This study aimed to investigate the genetic molecular mechanism of body color differentiation and variation of red tilapia, selecting the main genes related to the variation and cultivating the pure and stable red tilapia variety.
Results

The effects of different temperature treatments on body color and survival of Guam red tilapia, pearl white red tilapia and Florida red tilapia were compared. Besides, comparative transcriptome analysis was used to screen the candidate genes linked to the skin color differentiation of pearl white red tilapia. Among them, the body color of Guam red tilapia changed when the water temperature dropped to 16 − 14 °C, and continued to drop to about 11 °C, it was discolored in a large area reaching above 90%. According to the differential analysis: Tyrosine Kinase STYK1, HSP70, HSP30 and Transcription factor Sp6 expressions were significantly increased in the low temperature group, while MC1R, Transcription factor (MafB, jun-D, AP-1, E2F5, ETV6, Sp9, Sp7, E2F1, Sp4) expressions were notably decreased.
Conclusions

In this study, the expressive quantity of tyrosine protein kinase in the low temperature group HLF7 was significantly higher than that in the normal temperature group HLF3, which indicated that the melanin synthesis ability was enhanced in the low temperature group HLF7. The result was consistent with the tendency of red tilapia to become darker as the temperature gradient decreased.
Improving the interpretability of random forest models of genetic association in the presence of non-additive interactions
Authors: Orlenko Alena , Moore Jason H
Published: July 2020

Background: Non-additive interactions among genes are frequently associated with a number of phenotypes, including known complex diseases such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Detecting interactions requires careful selection of analytical methods, and some machine learning algorithms are unable or underpowered to detect or model feature interactions that exhibit non-additivity. The Random Forest method is often employed in these efforts due to its ability to detect and model non-additive interactions. In addition, Random Forest has the built-in ability to estimate feature importance scores, a characteristic that allows the model to be interpreted with the order and effect size of the feature association with the outcome. This characteristic is very important for epidemiological and clinical studies where results of predictive modeling could be used to define the future direction of the research efforts. An alternative way to interpret the model is with a permutation feature importance metric which employs a permutation approach to calculate a feature contribution coefficient in units of the decrease in the model’s performance. Currently, it is unclear which Random Forest feature importance metric provides a superior estimation of the true informative contribution of features in genetic association analysis. Results: To address this issue, and to improve interpretability of Random Forest predictions, we compared different methods for feature importance estimation in real and simulated datasets with non-additive interactions. As a result, we detected a discrepancy between the metrics evaluations for the real-world datasets and further established that the permutation feature importance metric provides more precise feature importance rank estimation for the simulated datasets with non-additive interactions. Conclusions: By analyzing both real and simulated data, we established that the permutation feature importance metric provides more precise feature importance rank estimation in the presence of non-additive interactions.