bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of microbial fermentation on the anti-inflammatory activity of Chinese yam polysaccharides
Authors: Yang Jinchu , Zheng Yi , Yang Yongfeng , Huang Zhenzhen , Sun Gangchun , Zhao Renyong , Zhou Wen-Wen , Cheong Kit-Leong , Wang Zichao , Feng Shouai , Wang Qiuling , Li Meng
Published: January 2025

In this study, Chinese yam polysaccharides (CYPs) were fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum M616, and changes in the chemical composition, structure, and anti-inflammatory activity of CYPs before and after fermentation were investigated. The carbohydrate content of L. plantarum M616-fermented CYP (CYP-LP) increased from 71.03% ± 2.75 to 76.28% ± 2.37%, whereas protein and polyphenol content were almost unaffected compared with those of the unfermented CYP (CYP-NF). The monosaccharide composition of CYP-NF included rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, and mannose in a molar ratio of 0.493:0.6695:0.9738:0.7655:12.4365. CYP-LP had the same monosaccharides as CYP-NF, but the molar ratio was 0.3237:0.3457:0.8278:2.5541:10.4995. Meanwhile, the molecular weight and polydispersity of CYP-LP, respectively, increased from 124.774 kDa and 6.58 (CYP-NF) to 376.628 kDa and 17.928, indicating a low homogeneity. In vitro antioxidant analysis showed that L. plantarum M616 fermentation had varying effects on CYP-LP against DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl, and superoxide radicals. However, CYP-LP had superior anti-inflammatory activity to CYP-NF and is more effective in regulating superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 release in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. This study suggested that CYP-LP is a potential anti-inflammatory ingredient in drugs and functional food.
Primary large B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system misdiagnosed as autoimmune encephalitis: a case report
Authors: Ren Aihui , Zeng Guanwen , Chen Riling , Cao Zhixing , Zhuo Wenyan , Liang Yubin
Published: January 2025

Primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSL) are rare, constituting 2 - 3% of intracranial malignancies. A 49-year-old male presented with a 20-day history of dizziness and a 15-day history of right-sided weakness. Physical examination revealed various abnormal signs. Initial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis was unremarkable, while MRI scans (both plain and contrast-enhanced) showed abnormal signals in the left brainstem, thalamus, and basal ganglia regions, with specific enhancement patterns, and arterial spin labeling (ASL) demonstrated hyperperfusion. The patient was initially diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis (AE) and treated with methylprednisolone with dose reduction and subsequent discharge. However, two months later, his condition deteriorated. Re-evaluation of MRI data, along with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) results, suggested a neoplastic process. A stereotactic brain biopsy led to a PCNSL diagnosis. The patient was then transferred for high-dose methotrexate chemotherapy but due to lack of regular follow-up, the disease progressed, resulting in cerebral herniation and respiratory failure and ultimately death. The coexistence of PCNSL and AE is diagnostically difficult because of atypical clinical features and non-specific imaging. Thus, for patients with suspected CNS immune-mediated diseases who relapse after steroid treatment improvement, comprehensive evaluation including CSF examination, MRI, and prompt pathological examination is crucial to consider the possibility of PCNSL.
Effect of gestational age on clinical features in necrotizing enterocolitis-associated intestinal perforation
Authors: Chen Minming , Feng Wei , Hou Jinping , Die Xiaohong , Guo Zhenhua , Wang Yi
Published: January 2025

Purpose

To investigate the clinical features of necrotizing enterocolitis-associated intestinal perforation (NEC-IP) in neonates with different gestational ages (GAs). Furthermore, we also want to identify the risk factors of poor prognosis for these patients.

Methods

The retrospective study of patients with NEC-IP was conducted with basic information, comorbidity, intraoperative findings, related treatment, and prognosis. According to the GA, patients were divided into three groups: early (GA: 28–<32 weeks, Group 1), mid-term (GA: 32–<34 weeks, Group 2), and late (GA: 34–<37 weeks, Group 3). The clinical features of the three groups were analyzed, and risk factors for poor prognosis were identified.

Results

Of the 113 cases, the number of cases in Groups 1 to 3 was 36 (31.9%), 44 (38.9%), and 33 (29.2%), respectively; and the overall proportion of poor prognosis was 19.4% (22/113). For basic information, the birth weight of Group 1 was lower than that of Group 2 and Group 3, while the postnatal day at the time of surgery of NEC and the onset age were higher than that of Group 2 (onset age: G1 12.0[7.00;20.5], G2 9.00[4.00;13.0]; postnatal day at the time of surgery: G1 22.0[13.8;27.2], G2 13.0[8.00;21.0]) (P < 0.016). For comorbidity, the incidence of sepsis, coagulopathy, type of (congenital heart disease) CHD, and hypoproteinemia in Group 1 was higher than that in Group 2 (all P < 0.016), and the incidence of respiratory failure, hypoproteinemia in Group 1 was higher than that in Group 3 (all P < 0.016). For related treatment, the usage rate of vasoactive substances and mechanical ventilation in Group 1 was higher than that of Group 2 and Group 3 (all P < 0.016). By Lasso and Logistic regression analysis, we found that GA (OR: 0.274, 95%CI: 0.078–0.796), sepsis (OR: 7.955, 95%CI: 1.424–65.21), coagulopathy (OR: 19.51, 95%CI: 3.393–179.1), CHD (OR: 6.99, 95%CI: 1.418–54.83) and diseased bowel segment (OR: 2.804, 95%CI: 1.301–7.316) were the independent factors for poor prognosis (all P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The clinical features of NEC-IP patients differ based on GA, particularly in terms of CHD type, postnatal day at the time of surgery, utilization of vasoactive substances, and prognosis. Furthermore, GA, sepsis, coagulopathy, CHD, and diseased bowel segment are independent factors for poor prognosis of patients with NEC-IP.
Value of routine blood count surveillance in detecting relapse in acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: AlHarbi Sarah , Taha Areej , Ashi Ahmed , Elimam Naglla , Althubaiti Sami
Published: January 2025

Background

Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have excellent outcomes, with >85% survival without relapse following contemporary therapies. Clinical and complete blood count (CBC) assessments are commonly used surveillance methods to detect relapses. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of routine blood testing for detecting relapse using a systematic method of assessing normal and abnormal results.

Methods

This a retrospective, single center study included children aged 1–14 years diagnosed with ALL who completed therapy and were in complete remission. Demographic data, leukemia subtypes, risk stratification, treatment responses, and outcomes were also reviewed. CBC tests were evaluated, and abnormal results were categorized. The relapse groups were classified as asymptomatic and symptomatic relapses. The clinical outcomes of relapse and complications were analyzed. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of surveillance laboratory tests for predicting relapse after the end of treatment were evaluated.

Results

In total, 187 patients underwent 2074 CBC tests. Ten patients underwent full surveillance, whereas the remaining patients underwent partial surveillance. The median number of surveillance blood draws per patient was 12. Relapse was observed in nine patients. Only three patients had asymptomatic relapses. Neutropenia, leukopenia, pancytopenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia were observed in 98, 89, 10, 6, and 3 patients respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of neutropenia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, and pancytopenia were 11.11% and 47.9%, 0% and 50%, 33.3% and 98.31%, 0% and 99.4%, and 33.3% and 96.07%, respectively. No differences were observed between patients who had asymptomatic relapses and those whose clinical outcomes or consequences had symptomatic relapses.

Conclusion

Relapse after completion of therapy in ALL is rare. Regular blood count surveillance does not predict clinical outcomes or relapse. Prospective studies are required to assess appropriate risk-based surveillance and its effects on patient outcomes and quality of life.
Association of breast milk microbiota and metabolites with neonatal jaundice
Authors: Liu TianYu , Yuan Yanhan , Wei Jinying , Chen Jiayi , Zhang Feng , Chen Juanjuan , Zhang Jinping
Published: January 2025

Background

Breast milk is the primary source of nutrition during early life, and existing research indicates that the development of jaundice in breastfed newborns may be linked to specific nutrients or bioactive substances present in breast milk. However, the association between the microbiota and small-molecule metabolites in breast milk and the development of neonatal jaundice remains unproven. This study aimed to investigate the development of jaundice in breastfed neonates in relation to breast milk microbiota and metabolites.

Methods

Based on the conditions of exclusive breastfeeding, we selected healthy newborns without significant jaundice and their mothers on day 4 (96–120 h after birth) as the healthy control group, and jaundiced newborns and their mothers as the jaundice group. Breast milk samples were collected from mothers in both groups on postnatal day 4 and analyzed for microbiota and small-molecule metabolites using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and an liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry techniques.

Results

A total of 104 mother-child pairs were included in the study, of which 51 pairs were in the healthy control group and the other 53 pairs were in the jaundice group. Our results demonstrated that there was no significant difference between the species composition and diversity of the breast milk flora in the healthy control and jaundice groups. At the genus level, the abundance of Lactobacillus, Ackermannia, and Bifidobacterium was significantly higher in the breast milk of the healthy control group than in the jaundice group. Metabolomics analysis revealed a total of 27 significantly different metabolites between the two groups. Notably, breast milk from the healthy control group had elevated levels of 24 metabolites, predominantly lipids family, including sphingolipids, phospholipids, and fatty acid derivatives.

Conclusion

This study suggests that there is a link between the development of neonatal jaundice and breast milk microbiota and metabolites. Breast milk from mothers of healthy newborns contains higher levels of beneficial bacteria and lipid family compared to mothers of newborns with jaundice. This study offers new insights into the relationship between breastfeeding and neonatal jaundice.
Effects of basic type of intermittent exotropia on myopic shift in children: a 12-month observational study
Authors: Li Jing-Xin , Liu Xiang-Xiang , Hao Jie , Li Hui-Xin , Zhang Qiong-Yue , Zhao Yi-Yang , Wang Yu-Meng , Li Lei , Fu Jing
Published: January 2025

Background

To investigate the effect of basic intermittent exotropia (IXT) on myopic shift in children during 12-month follow-up.

Methods

165 children aged 4–15 years were recruited prospectively in this study and divided into 3 groups: Group A, consisted of 64 patients with basic IXT without surgery; Group B, consisted of 51 patients 1-month after IXT-corrected surgery; and Group C, consisted of 50 patients without any form of strabismus. All patients underwent assessments of spherical equivalent (SE), axial length (AL), exodeviation, and binocular function relating to accommodation and convergence. Examinations were conducted at baseline and 12-month. SE and AL changes were compared among groups. Univariate and multivariate linear analyses were employed to investigate the association between myopic shift and IXT, as well as other clinical parameters.

Results

Three groups showed comparable ages, genders and SEs at baseline (all P > .05). During 12-month follow-up, the rate of myopic shift varied among groups. Significant differences in SE progression (P = .006) and AL elongation (P = .014) between Group A and Group C were observed. Although SE progression and AL elongation in Group B were less than Group A, no significant differences were found (P = .125; P = .038). In the multivariate analysis, increases in exodeviation angle were significantly associated with both SE progression (β = 0.010, P = .041) and AL elongation (β = −0.005, P = .026). Each one prism diopter increase in the exodeviation angle was correlated with a 0.01D SE progression and a 0.005 mm AL elongation.

Conclusions

Children with basic IXT exhibited faster myopia shift compared to those without strabismus. Although surgical correction of strabismus appeared to slow this process, the effect was not statistically significant. Furthermore, greater increase in exodeviation angle was associated with higher rate of SE progression and AL elongation.

Trial registration

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Beijing TongRen Hospital (approved number: TRECKY2020-142, approved date: 2020.10.30).
Case Report: Two years of compassionate use with Olipudase-alfa in a child with neurovisceral acid sphingomyelinase deficiency
Authors: Deodato Federica , Boenzi Sara , Greco Benedetta , Graziosi Alessia , Dionisi-Vici Carlo
Published: January 2025

Acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (ASMD) is a rare, progressive lysosomal storage disorder resulting from a deficiency in acid sphingomyelinase, leading to sphingomyelin accumulation and multi-organ damage. ASMD presents a broad phenotypic spectrum with a continuum of severity, making it challenging to predict the phenotype in very young children and differentiate between acute and chronic neurovisceral disease. No disease-specific treatments existed for ASMD. Recently, Olipudase-alfa, an intravenous enzyme replacement therapy, has been approved for non-neurological manifestations based on clinical trial results showing significant improvements. This report details the compassionate use of Olipudase-alfa in a 8-month-old boy. At baseline, he exhibited hepatosplenomegaly, elevated transaminases, and normal developmental milestones, consistent with a chronic neurovisceral phenotype. The treatment commenced at 8 months of age, escalating from 0.03 mg/kg to 3 mg/kg bi-weekly. Throughout the two-year period, the child tolerated the therapy well, with no severe adverse events reported. Notable clinical outcomes included a significant reduction in spleen and liver size, normalization of liver function tests, and stabilization of the lipid profile. The biomarker Lyso-sphingomyelin significantly reduced but never normalized, while oxysterols completely normalized. In the following months, the patient exhibited neurocognitive regression, allowing to define an acute neurovisceral phenotype. Although not impacting on the neurological manifestations, treatment with Olipudase-alfa strikingly improved the child's visceral symptoms, contrasting with the typical progressive decline seen in untreated patients. This report highlights the importance of early intervention, even in patients with neurovisceral phenotypes, as it can enhance quality of life for both patients and their families. Our findings advocate for reconsidering treatment eligibility criteria based solely on clinical phenotype definitions, highlighting the need for a tailored approach in ASMD management.
Drug-induced urinary retention: a real-world pharmacovigilance study using FDA and Canada vigilance databases
Authors: Dai Xianyu , Yu Kai , Chang Yu , Hou Yuchuan
Published: January 2025

Background

Urinary retention (UR) is a clinical condition where patients cannot fully empty their bladder. Although numerous drugs are associated with UR, comprehensive and reliable studies identifying drugs that induce UR are scarce.

Methods

This study leveraged data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) and the Canadian Vigilance Adverse Reaction (CVAR) database to explore adverse events (AEs) related to UR from 2004 to Q1 2024. The top 50 drugs were analyzed for annual reporting trends using linear regression. Disproportionality analysis using the reporting odds ratio (ROR) method, with P-values adjusted via Bonferroni correction, identified significant signals, which were then validated against drug labels and re-evaluated using the CVAR database. Time-to-onset analysis was also performed.

Results

From 2004 to Q1 2024, FAERS recorded 17,785,793 AEs, with 16,183 (0.09%) identified as UR cases. The median age among these cases was 65 years, with males comprising 53.4%. There were significant annual increases in UR reports associated with antineoplastic agents (0.19% per year) and antidiabetic drugs (0.09% per year), while reports linked to bronchodilators decreased (−0.53% per year). Disproportionality analysis revealed significant signals for 34 drugs (68%), with the highest RORs observed in Fesoterodine, Mirabegron, and Solifenacin. Initial signal detection identified potential new UR signals for Abiraterone, Valacyclovir, Fluoxetine, Empagliflozin, Clopidogrel, and Amlodipine, with CVAR confirming signals for Abiraterone, Fluoxetine, and Empagliflozin. The median time to onset of UR was 29 days, with over half of the cases occurring within 30 days of initiating medication.

Conclusion

The study identifies a rising trend in drug-related UR reports over the past 2 decades. The validation of new signals for Abiraterone, Fluoxetine, and Empagliflozin underscores the critical need for continuous drug safety monitoring and targeted research to better understand the mechanisms behind drug-induced UR.
A study to assess the pharmacological agent potential of gold nanoparticles and their effects on human cancer cells and hospital pathogens using in vitro methods
Authors: Baran Ayşe
Published: January 2025

Interest in metal nanoparticles synthesised using green methods is growing steadily. Metal nanoparticles can be synthesised inexpensively and effortlessly using extracts derived from different plants and their diverse components. Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were rapidly synthesised from Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.) agricultural waste using a novel, cost-effective, and eco-friendly method in this work. Analysed data from various techniques including UV-vi, TEM, FESEM, XRD, AFM, FTIR, TGA-DT, EDX, and DLS to assess the properties of the synthesised Au NPs. The characterisation data revealed that the Au NPs had a peak absorbance at 553.10 nm, a surface charge of −19.7 mV, an average hydrodynamic size of 78.75 nm, a monodisperse spherical shape, and were found to be stable. The inhibitory effects of Au NPs with these properties on hospital pathogens and human cancer cells were evaluated by microdilution, disk diffusion and MTT techniquesAs a result of the findings, it was determined that Au NPs have antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer potential as pharmacological agents under in vitro conditions.
pH-induced conformational changes in the selectivity filter of a potassium channel lead to alterations in its selectivity and permeation properties
Authors: Coll-Díez Carlos , Giudici Ana Marcela , Potenza Alberto , González-Ros José Manuel , Poveda José Antonio
Published: January 2025

The Selectivity Filter (SF) in tetrameric K+ channels, has a highly conserved sequence, TVGYG, at the extracellular entry to the channel pore region. There, the backbone carbonyl oxygens from the SF residues, create a stack of K+ binding sites where dehydrated K+ binds to induce a conductive conformation of the SF. This increases intersubunit interactions and confers a higher stability to the channel against thermal denaturation. Indeed, the fit of dehydrated K+ to its binding sites is fundamental to define K+ selectivity, an important feature of these channels. Nonetheless, the SF conformation can be modified by different effector molecules. Such conformational plasticity opposes selectivity, as the SF departs from the “induced-fit” conformation required for K+ recognition. Here we studied the KirBac1.1 channel, a prokaryotic analog of inwardly rectifying K+ channels, confronted to permeant (K+) and non-permeant (Na+) cations. This channel is pH-dependent and transits from the open state at neutral pH to the closed state at acidic pH. KirBac1.1 has the orthodox TVGYG sequence at the SF and thus, its behavior should resemble that of K+-selective channels. However, we found that when at neutral pH, KirBac1.1 is only partly K+ selective and permeates this ion causing the characteristic “induced-fit” phenomenon in the SF conformation. However, it also conducts Na+ with a mechanism of ion passage reminiscent of Na+ channels, i.e., through a wide-open pore, without increasing intersubunit interactions within the tetrameric channel. Conversely, when at acidic pH, the channel completely loses selectivity and conducts both K+ and Na+ similarly, increasing intersubunit interactions through an apparent “induced-fit”-like mechanism for the two ions. These observations underline that KirBac1.1 SF is able to adopt different conformations leading to changes in selectivity and in the mechanism of ion passage.
Clerodendrum trichotomum Thunb.: a review on phytochemical composition and pharmacological activities
Authors: Li Linzhen , Tang Zhiyi , Xiao Shengjia , Dai Xiangjie , Wang Yutong , Wei Xi
Published: January 2025

Clerodendrum trichotomum Thunb. (C. trichotomum) is a shrub or tree of the genus Clerodendrum, family Lamiaceae, which is widely distributed in China, Korea, India, Japan and Philippines. C. trichotomum is a kind of medicinal and edible plant which integrates ecological afforestation, garden greening, herbal medicine and flavor wild vegetable. As a traditional Chinese medicine, C. trichotomum is used to treat various diseases and conditions, which has inspired research on the pharmacological activities of its different parts, including roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits. These studies have revealed many biological properties of C. trichotomum, such as antihypertensive, antitumor, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antibacterial, analgesic, sedative, anti-HIV-1 and whitening. A total of 164 secondary metabolites were isolated from C. trichotomum, and their structural types were mainly terpenoids, flavonoids, steroids, phenylpropanoids and phenylpropanoid glycosides, phenylethanosides, phenolic glycosides, anthraquinones, polyketones, cyclohexylethanoids, alkaloids and acid amides. The presence of a variety of phytochemicals, especially abietane diterpenes, clerodane diterpenes, phenylpropanoid glycosides and flavonoid glycosides, plays an important role in the activity diversity of this plant. The current study is attempt to comprehensively compile information regarding the phytochemicals and pharmacological activities of C. trichotomum, provide the chemotaxonomic proof for the taxonomic classification of the plant, and also highlight the current gaps and propose possible bridges for the development of C. trichotomum as a therapeutic against important diseases.
Curcumin nanocrystals ameliorate ferroptosis of diabetic nephropathy through glutathione peroxidase 4
Authors: Xue Mengjiao , Tian Yiwei , Zhang Hua , Dai Shijie , Wu Yangsheng , Jin Juan , Chen Jian
Published: January 2025

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of curcumin nanocrystals (Cur-NCs) on ferroptosis in high-glucose (HG)-induced HK-2 cells and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy model (DN) rats. The purpose is to determine whether Cur NCs can become a promising treatment option for diabetes nephropathy by reducing ferroptosis.

Methods

Cur-NCs were prepared using microfluidic technology and studied using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. HK-2 cells were treated with 30 mM HG to create a renal tubule damage cell model. Then, cell viability was evaluated in HK-2 cells treated with varying concentrations of Cur-NCs (0.23, 0.47, 0.94, 1.87, 3.75, 7.5, 15, and 30 μg/mL) using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). Furthermore, in vivo experiments were carried out to investigate the roles of Cur-NCs in STZ-induced DN rats.

Results

The results showed that HG treatment greatly enhanced the levels of LDH, MDA, Iron, lipid ROS, apoptosis, NCOA4, TFR-1, while decreasing the expression of GSH, GPX4, SLC7A11, and FTH-1. These effects induced by HG could be attenuated by Cur-NCs. Cur-NCs also reduced the HG-induced decrease in cell viability, as well as the increase in lipid ROS and cell apoptosis, however erastin could inhibit their effects. Furthermore, the in vivo results showed that Cur-NCs reduced ferroptosis and inhibited renal damage in DN rats.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that Cur-NCs can significantly attenuate ferroptosis in a STZ-induced renal damage model by recovering GPX4, implying that Cur-NCs may be a promising therapy option for DN.
The impact of different exercise modalities on chronic kidney disease: an umbrella review of meta-analyses
Authors: Correa Hugo L. , Rosa Thiago S. , Santos Rafael L. , Mestrinho Vitoria M. , Aquino Thaís S. , Santos Weberth O. , Neves Rodrigo P. , Deus Lysleine A. , Reis Andrea L. , Barbosa Jessica M. , Araujo Thais B. , Verhoeff Ruchama , Yatim Karim , Mendes Daniel , Manfro Roberto C. , Borges Thiago J. , Riella Leonardo V.
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Exercise is widely recognized for its benefits to chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. However, the specific impact of different exercise modalities on CKD-related outcomes remains unclear. This study sought to summarize the effects of different exercise modalities on the main outcomes impacted by CKD.

Methods

We searched for systematic review with meta-analysis in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane databases. We evaluated the methodological quality of included studies by AMSTAR2 tool and by individually evaluating the heterogeneity, sample power, and statistical significances from meta-analyses.

Results

We included 44 meta-analyses, encompassing 35,432 CKD patients in pre-dialysis and dialysis stages (peritoneal and hemodialysis). Data from meta-analyses with highly suggestive or strong evidence grading suggests that aerobic and combined training were most effective in improving cardiorespiratory fitness (main effect: 2.1, 95% CI: 0.8–3.4, and main effect: 3.4; 95% CI: 2.4–4.6, respectively). Combined training showed a consistent benefit in psychosocial domains (main effect: −7.3; 95% CI: −9.31 to −53). All exercise modalities significantly improve functional performance, except isometric training, which impacted just fistula maturation (main effect: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.5–1.2).

Conclusion

Exercise emerges as a potential non-pharmacological therapy for CKD patients. Tailoring exercise to specific outcomes appears to be crucial, as different exercise modalities exhibit varying effectiveness.
Characterization of the ligand-binding properties of odorant-binding protein 38 from Riptortus pedestris when interacting with soybean volatiles
Authors: Guo Jianglong , Liu Panjing , Zhang Xiaofang , An Jingjie , Li Yaofa , Zhang Tao , Gao Zhanlin
Published: January 2025

Background

Riptortus pedestris (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Alydidae) is a major soybean pest throughout East Asia that relies on its advanced olfactory system for the perception of plant-derived volatile compounds and aggregation pheromones for conspecific and host plant localization. Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) facilitate the transport of odorant compounds across the sensillum lymph within the insect olfactory system, enabling their interaction with odorant receptors (ORs).

Methods

Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses, fluorescence-based competitive binding assays, and molecular docking analyses were applied to assess the expression and ligand-binding properties of OBP38 from R. peddestris.

Results

The qRT-PCR analyses revealed high levels of RpedOBP38 expression in the antennae without any apparent sex bias, and it was also highly expressed in the adult stage. Recombinant RpedOBP38 was prepared by expressing it in E. coli BL21 (DE3) followed by its purification with a Ni-chelating affinity column. RpedOBP38 was found to bind most strongly to trans-2-decenal (Ki = 7.440) and trans-2-nonenal (Ki = 10.973), followed by β-pinene, (+) -4-terpineol, carvacrol, methyl salicylate, and (-)-carvone. The 3D structure of RpedOBP38 contains six α-helices and three interlocked disulfide bridges comprising a stable hydrophobic binding pocket. In a final series of molecular docking analyses, several polar (e.g., His 94, Glu97) and nonpolar (e.g., Leu29, Ile59) residues were found to be involved in RpedOBP38-ligand binding.

Conclusion

These data support a role for RpedOBP38 in the perception of volatiles derived from host plants, providing important insight into the mechanisms that govern olfactory recognition in R. pedestris, thereby informing the development of ecologically friendly approaches to managing R. pedestris infestations.
Roles of perivascular adipose tissue in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis ― an update on recent findings
Authors: Hara Tomoya , Sata Masataka
Published: January 2025

Lifestyle-related diseases, such as atherosclerosis and diabetes, are now considered to be a series of diseases caused by chronic inflammation. Adipose tissue is considered to be an endocrine organ that not only plays a role in lipid storage, heat production, and buffering, but also produces physiologically active substances and is involved in chronic inflammation. Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) surrounding blood vessels similarly produces inflammatory and anti-inflammatory physiologically active substances that act on blood vessels either directly or via the bloodstream. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), which is in direct contact with the coronary arteries inside the pericardium, is thought to have a direct effect on the coronary arteries as well. The presence and inflammatory status of these adipose tissues can be evaluated by imaging tests, and has been shown to be associated with the presence of current cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to be a prognostic factor. It is also expected to become a new diagnostic and therapeutic target for CVD.
Investigation of high school students’ social emotional learning skills and social media use
Authors: Şahin Harun , Eraslan Meriç , Özkan Muhammed Ali
Published: January 2025

The current study aims to examine the association between high school students’ social–emotional learning (SEL) skills and their use of social media, as well as to explore potential variations based on certain variables. The research utilized relational and comparative survey methodologies, with 325 high school students participating. Data were gathered through the administration of the “Social Emotional Learning Scale” and the “Social Media Use Scale.” Analytical techniques such as t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient were applied to analyze the collected data. The results indicate a slight, adverse connection between the social–emotional learning abilities of students and their utilization of social networking sites. Furthermore, the research revealed that the average ratings for both social–emotional learning abilities and social media usage were moderate. Additionally, no significant differences were observed in social–emotional learning skills and social media use based on gender or grade level.
The effect of text and graphic cue-based action observation on the working memory performance of novice badminton players
Authors: Jang Dukchan , Ha Junho
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Understanding strategic situations is essential in sports. There has been relatively little research examining the effectiveness of action observation based on visual cues in strategic situations. This study investigated whether action observation with visual cues can help performers understand the strategic aspects of complex sports by analyzing the effect of text cue-based action observation and graphic cue-based action observation on the accuracy and speed of cognitive information processing in working memory.

Methods

Forty-four male and female novice badminton players participated in the experiment. They were randomly assigned to one of four groups: text cue-based action observation (TAO), graphic cue-based action observation (GAO), action observation (AO), and a control group (CON). The experimental design consisted of a pre-test, intervention, and post-test. The experiment analyzed the accuracy and response time of cognitive information processing in working memory.

Results

The accuracy and response time analysis showed that the AO group significantly improved their cognitive performance accuracy and response time from pre-test to post-test compared to the control group. The TAO and GAO groups with visual cues significantly outperformed the AO and CON groups for accuracy. However, only the TAO group significantly outperformed the other groups in term of response time. The GAO group improved significantly compared to the CON group but not significantly compared to the AO.

Conclusion

These results suggest that visual cues can influence the modulation of cognitive load in working memory and that TAO is a relatively more efficient perceptual-cognitive training method for novices.
Reliability test and revision of stress coping scale for early childhood teachers
Authors: Wang Jie
Published: January 2025

The purpose of this research was to determine the reliability and validity of the Early Childhood Teachers’ Stress Coping Strategies Scale measured among early childhood teachers in Guangdong Province, China. The researcher used the Early Childhood Teachers’ Stress Coping Strategies Scale and a simplified version of the COPE questionnaire (Coping Inventory). The Early Childhood Teachers’ Stress Coping Strategies Scale consists of three dimensions: “Rational Thinking,” “Emotional Regulation,” and “Support Seeking,” and the simplified COPE questionnaire was consists of 2 dimensions: “Help Seeking” and “Cognitive Coping.” The scale was administered to 653 in-service ECE teachers and retested with a sample of 320 ECE teachers 1 month later. The internal consistency coefficient (ICC) of the questionnaire as a whole was 0.91, the internal consistency reliabilities of the 3 subscales ranged from 0.86–0.91, and the ICC values of the intragroup correlation coefficients of the latent variables ranged from 0.864–0.881, with a p < 0.05, which showed good reliabilities. Validity: exploratory factor analysis extracted a total of three factors with characteristic roots greater than 1. The three factors were denominated as, Rational Thinking, Emotion Regulation, and Support Seeking, and the three factors explained a total of 53.82% of the variance. The validation factor analysis showed that the model fit indices were GFI > 0.85, CFI > 0.9, NFI > 0.85, TLI > 0.9, IFI > 0.9, RMSEA<0.10, and RMR = <0.05, which indicated that the coping strategy scale with a good structural stability. Among the three-factor model, the discriminant and convergent validity of the three factors were reasonable. The correlation coefficients of rational thinking, emotion regulation, and support seeking with the two dimensions of help-seeking and cognitive coping in the COPE questionnaire were significantly positive and greater than 0.4, indicated that the correlation between this scale and the standardized scales was high. Overall, the Early Childhood Teachers’ Stress Coping Strategies Scale could be used for the measurement of early childhood teachers’ stress coping strategies.
Occupational therapy treatment of public safety personnel with work-related psychological injuries: analyzing Ontario worker’s compensation data from 2017–2021
Authors: Edgelow Megan , Fecica Agnieszka
Published: January 2025

This study explored the usage of occupational therapy treatment with psychologically injured public safety personnel (PSP) from Ontario, Canada. We used a descriptive quantitative approach with summary data provided by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) of Ontario documenting occupation therapy (OT) treatment of psychologically injured PSP who had an approved WSIB Mental Stress Injury Program (MSIP) claim between 2017 and 2021. Variables examined included demographics, career type, injury type, and return to work (RTW) outcomes. Chi-square Tests of Independence were used to compare differences between PSP who received OT treatment and those who did not. Analysis revealed that in the total cohort of 6674 approved PSP MSIP claims, 15% (n = 991) of PSP received OT treatment. Communicators (21%) and correctional workers (17%) were most likely to receive OT treatment while paramedics (13%) were less likely. PSP claimants who received OT treatment were more likely to have a cumulative event injury (71%) compared to the rest of the cohort (55%) and were more likely to not have started a RTW process (62%) compared to the rest of the cohort (43%). PSP who received OT treatment had more days away from work on average than those who did not (913 days vs. 384 days). This data reveals that PSP with cumulative injuries and higher lengths of time away from work more frequently received OT treatment as part of their WSIB MSIP claim; it is possible that this higher degree of claim complexity influenced their RTW outcomes. Worker’s compensation organizations should consider their health care decision-making processes to foster prompt access to treatment and proactive RTW pathways.
The effect of repetitive and Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on quantitative electroencephalography in major depressive disorder
Authors: Ilhan Reyhan , Arikan Mehmet Kemal
Published: January 2025

Background

F-8-coil repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and H-1-coil deep repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) have been indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adult patients by applying different treatment protocols. Nevertheless, the evidence for long-term electrophysiological alterations in the cortex following prolonged TMS interventions, as assessed by quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG), remains insufficiently explored. This study aims to demonstrate the qEEG-based distinctions between rTMS and dTMS in the management of depression and to evaluate the potential correlation between the electrophysiological changes induced by these two distinct TMS interventions and the clinical improvement in depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Methods

A total of 60 patients diagnosed with treatment resistant depression received rTMS (n = 30) or dTMS (n = 30) along with their usual treatments in Kemal Arıkan Psychiatry Clinic. All the participants underwent resting-state qEEG recording before and at the end of 30 sessions of TMS treatment. The significant qEEG changes were then tested for their correlation with the improvement in depression and anxiety.

Results

After the course of rTMS and dTMS a considerable reduction is seen in the severity of depression and anxiety. Although improvements in depression and anxiety were observed in both TMS groups, specific neural activity patterns were associated with better outcomes in depression. Patients who exhibited lower alpha activity in the left fronto-central region and higher gamma activity in the right prefrontal region following rTMS showed more significant improvements in depression symptoms. Similarly, those whose beta activity increased in the left prefrontal region but decreased in the right prefrontal region after rTMS tended to have greater reductions in depression and anxiety severity. For patients in the dTMS group, those who demonstrated a decrease in left temporal theta activity after treatment were more likely to experience a substantial improvement in depression severity.

Conclusion

Following 30 sessions of rTMS with a F8 coil and dTMS with an H1 coil, notable alterations in qEEG activity with clinical significance were discerned. The persistence of these changes should be investigated in the subsequent follow-up period.
A meta-analysis of the relationship between anxiety and non-suicidal self-injury based on knowledge graphs
Authors: Shi Jieyao , Gao Pan , Zhou Bingqian , Huang Zhisheng
Published: January 2025

Objective

The existing research on the relationship between anxiety and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is inconsistent, and there is no systematic review on this area. This study aims to explore the relationship between anxiety and NSSI, in order to provide evidence-based medicine evidence for the early identification of preventable occurrence factors of NSSI.

Methods

The semantic query (i.e. SPARQL) method was used to retrieve the anxiety- related literature on the Knowledge graph of NSSI, which consist of the metadata and semantic annotation data of English literature related to non-suicidal self-injury in PubMed by June 2023. Two researchers strictly followed the inclusion and exclusion criteria for independent literature screening. After evaluating the quality of the included studies, the selected data was subjected to meta-analysis using RevMan5.3 software.

Results

A total of 14 studies met the inclusion criteria of the meta-analysis, including 44064 subjects. The results showed that the proportion of anxiety in the NSSI group was significantly higher than that in the non-NSSI group, and the difference between the groups was statistically significant (OR=3.60, 95% Cl=2.08-6.22, p<0.01).

Conclusion

There is a significant correlation between anxiety and NSSI, which is a possible risk factor for NSSI. However, due to limitations of the design type, quantity, and quality of the included study, further research is needed on the causal relationship between anxiety and NSSI. Furthermore, we show that using knowledge graphs is an effective approach to retrieve literature for meta-analysis.
Assessing fecal contamination from human and environmental sources using Escherichia coli as an indicator in rural eastern Ethiopian households—a cross-sectional study from the EXCAM project
Authors: Deblais Loïc , Ahmedo Belisa Usmael , Ojeda Amanda , Mummed Bahar , Wang Yuke , Mekonnen Yitagele Terefe , Demisie Weldesenbet Yenenesh , Hassen Kedir A. , Brhane Mussie , McKune Sarah , Havelaar Arie H. , Liang Song , Rajashekara Gireesh
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Enteric pathogens are a leading causes of diarrheal deaths in low-and middle-income countries. The Exposure Assessment of Campylobacter Infections in Rural Ethiopia (EXCAM) project, aims to identify potential sources of bacteria in the genus Campylobacter and, more generally, fecal contamination of infants during the first 1.5 years of life using Escherichia coli as indicator.

Methods

A total of 1,310 samples (i.e., hand rinses from the infant, sibling and mother, drinking and bathing water, food and fomite provided to or touched by the infants, areola swabs, breast milk and soil) were collected from 76 households between May 2021 and June 2022. Samples were assigned to two groups by infant age: TP1 (time point 1), infants between 4 and 8 months of age, and TP2, infants between 11 and 15 months of age. Fluorometric and semi-selective colorimetric approaches were used to quantify E. coli in the field samples.

Results

Overall, E. coli was ubiquitous within selected households (56.8% across the study). E. coli was more frequently detected than average (>53%) with high concentration (>2-log CFU) in soil (g) and per pair of hand, while the opposite trend (<33%; <1.5-log CFU) was observed in food provided to the infants (g or mL), per areola, and breast milk (mL; p < 0.01). E. coli was frequently detected in fomites touched by the infants, drinking and bathing water (>51%), but at low concentration (<1.5-log CFU). Correlation analysis between E. coli concentration in different sample types suggested that the mother’s hands and fomites might play a key role in the transmission of E. coli to the infants (p < 0.01; r2 > 0.3).

Discussion

Using E. coli as surrogate, our study identified mother (hands and areola) as reservoirs likely to be involved in frequent transmission of fecal contaminants to infants within rural Ethiopian households.
Ocular Biometry OCR: a machine learning algorithm leveraging optical character recognition to extract intra ocular lens biometry measurements
Authors: Salvi Anish , Arnal Leo , Ly Kevin , Ferreira Gabriel , Wang Sophia Y. , Langlotz Curtis , Mahajan Vinit , Ludwig Chase A.
Published: January 2025

Given close relationships between ocular structure and ophthalmic disease, ocular biometry measurements (including axial length, lens thickness, anterior chamber depth, and keratometry values) may be leveraged as features in the prediction of eye diseases. However, ocular biometry measurements are often stored as PDFs rather than as structured data in electronic health records. Thus, time-consuming and laborious manual data entry is required for using biometry data as a disease predictor. Herein, we used two separate models, PaddleOCR and Gemini, to extract eye specific biometric measurements from 2,965 Lenstar, 104 IOL Master 500, and 3,616 IOL Master 700 optical biometry reports. For each patient eye, our text extraction pipeline, referred to as Ocular Biometry OCR, involves 1) cropping the report to the biometric data, 2) extracting the text via the optical character recognition model, 3) post-processing the metrics and values into key value pairs, 4) correcting erroneous angles within the pairs, 5) computing the number of errors or missing values, and 6) selecting the window specific results with fewest errors or missing values. To ensure the models’ predictions could be put into a machine learning-ready format, artifacts were removed from categorical text data through manual modification where necessary. Performance was evaluated by scoring PaddleOCR and Gemini results. In the absence of ground truth, higher scoring indicated greater inter-model reliability, assuming an equal value between models indicated an accurate result. The detection scores, measuring the number of valid values (i.e., not missing or erroneous), were Lenstar: 0.990, IOLM 500: 1.000, and IOLM 700: 0.998. The similarity scores, measuring the number of equal values, were Lenstar: 0.995, IOLM 500: 0.999, and IOLM 700: 0.999. The agreement scores, combining detection and similarity scores, were Lenstar: 0.985, IOLM 500: 0.999, and IOLM 700: 0.998. IOLM 500 was annotated for ground truths; in this case, higher scoring indicated greater model-to-annotator accuracy. PaddleOCR-to-Annotator achieved scores of detection: 1.000, similarity: 0.999, and agreement: 0.999. Gemini-to-Annotator achieved scores of detection: 1.000, similarity: 1.000, and agreement: 1.000. Scores range from 0 to 1. While PaddleOCR and Gemini demonstrated high agreement, PaddleOCR offered slightly better performance upon reviewing quantitative and qualitative results.
Visceral condition assessment through digital tongue image analysis
Authors: Ho Siu Cheong , Chen Yiliang , Xie Yao Jie , Yeung Wing-Fai , Chen Shu-Cheng , Qin Jing
Published: January 2025

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has long utilized tongue diagnosis as a crucial method for assessing internal visceral condition. This study aims to modernize this ancient practice by developing an automated system for analyzing tongue images in relation to the five organs, corresponding to the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney—collectively known as the “five viscera” in TCM. We propose a novel tongue image partitioning algorithm that divides the tongue into four regions associated with these specific organs, according to TCM principles. These partitioned regions are then processed by our newly developed OrganNet, a specialized neural network designed to focus on organ-specific features. Our method simulates the TCM diagnostic process while leveraging modern machine learning techniques. To support this research, we have created a comprehensive tongue image dataset specifically tailored for these five visceral pattern assessment. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in accurately identifying correlations between tongue regions and visceral conditions. This study bridges TCM practices with contemporary technology, potentially enhancing diagnostic accuracy and efficiency in both TCM and modern medical contexts.