bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regional Blood Flow Spectral Parameters as Predictors of Epidural-Related Maternal Fever: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Shuai Fei , Jia Junxiang , Lin Peng , Liao Yicong , Xie Yuemei
Published: April 2024

Background
Epidural-related maternal fever (ERMF) is a common phenomenon that appears to be unique to laboring women and presents diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas for anesthesiologists. It is crucial to identify and predict the occurrence of ERMF at an early stage to improve the outcomes for mothers and infants.
Method
A total of 103 women who had vaginal deliveries with epidural labor analgesia (ELA) were recruited into the study. Pulsed-wave Doppler (PWD) ultrasound was used to measure peak systolic velocity (PSV, cm/s) and end-diastolic velocity (EDV, cm/s) in the regions of the anterior and posterior tibial arteries. Measurements were taken 1 minute before induction of analgesia and at 5-minute intervals for the subsequent 30 minutes. The change of PSV (△PSV) and EDV (△EDV) at 30 minutes relative to baseline after induction of analgesia was calculated. Participants were categorized into two groups based on their body temperature during labor and delivery: febrile and afebrile. The study compared the differences in blood flow spectral parameters between the two groups.
Results
Of the 103 study participants, 73 were ultimately included for analysis. Thirteen participants (17.8%) in the study developed ERMF. PSV was significantly higher in the febrile group than the non-febrile group at 10 min after ELA (P < 0.05). In contrast, EDV showed a significant difference between the two groups at 15 min after ELA (P < 0.01). Based on linear correlation analysis, there was a positive correlation between PSV and EDV at 30 minutes after analgesia induction and the peak labor temperature (P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis identified a cut-off value of 43.35 and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.701 for △PSV in the anterior tibial artery region (95% CI 0.525 to 0.878, P = 0.025) and a cut-off value of 29.94 and an AUC of 0.733 for △EDV (95% CI 0.590 to 0.877, P = 0.001). The cut-off value for △PSV in the region of the posterior tibial artery was 39.96 with an AUC of 0.687 (95% CI 0.514 to 0.860, P = 0.034), and the cut-off value for △EDV was 33.10 with an AUC of 0.713 (95% CI 0.558 to 0.869, P = 0.007).
Conclusion
Regional blood flow spectral parameters after epidural analgesia induction can predict the occurrence of ERMF by indirectly reflecting the degree of sympathetic activity inhibition. Specifically, the amount of change in peak systolic velocity and end-diastolic velocity relative to baseline parameters 30 min after ELA induction was the most predictive.
Trial registration
The research was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Women and Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiamen university Ethics Committee. The study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (reference number: ChiCTR2400080507,31/01/2024).
Diagnosability Verification in Labeled Petri Nets Using a Twin Model
Authors: Hu Shaopeng , Hu Yihui , Murad Sharefa , Sharaf Mohamed , Li Zhiwu
Published: April 2024

This paper deals with the problem of diagnosability verification in discrete event systems. Given a discrete event system modeled by labeled Petri nets that may contain deadlocks, a revised topology of the system, called a twin model, is established to test the diagnosability of the original net. This procedure employs a deterministic finite state automaton, called a diagnoser that is derived from the quiescent basis reachability graph of the twin model. We prove that the original net is diagnosable if and only if the diagnoser established from the twin model does not contain any cycle in which at least a state can reach an indeterminate state. Moreover, the proposed method does not need to calculate a complete or partial reachability set of the considered system, which in practice decreases the computational burden as revealed by experimental studies. Finally, a manufacturing example is presented to illustrate the proposed method.
Type 1 Diastematomyelia Presenting in Adulthood; an Atypical Presentation of Case Report
Authors: Shahzad Faizan , Shehzad Mustafa , Younis Humna , Shehzad Dawood , Saam Farhan , Nashed Ezzeldin
Published: April 2024

Diastematomyelia is an uncommon congenital spinal cord abnormality, which is classically found in females and children. It involves the splitting of the spinal cord, either by a bony spur or by a fibrous septum. Diagnosis is usually made by using radiological investigations such as MRI and CT scans. In this case report, we present a rare case of an adult presenting with symptoms of lower back pain, urinary incontinence, and decreased sensation in the perineum secondary to diastematomyelia. MRI was used for diagnosis and a lower thoracic spinal cord malformation was noted. She failed conservative treatment and was referred for surgery. A large Tarlov cyst was also noted upon operation. She tolerated the operation well and had good motor evoked potentials after the surgery. Moreover, she also reported resolution of bladder function at 3 months follow-up.
Antiparasitic activity of chalcones analogue against Trichomonas vaginalis: biochemical, molecular and in silico aspects
Authors: Fonseca Bárbara da Rocha , Neves Raquel Nascimento das , Strothmann Adriane Leites , Sena-Lopes Ângela , Silva Caroline Carapina da , Birmann Paloma Taborda , Savenagno Lucielli , de Pereira Claudio Martin Pereira , Borsuk Sibele
Published: April 2024

Trichomonas vaginalisis the etiologic agent of trichomoniasis, a worldwide distributed sexually transmitted infection (STI) that affects the genitourinary tract. Even though this disease already has a treatment in the prescription of drugs of the 5-nitroimidazole class, described low treatments adhesion, adverse side effects and cases of resistant isolates demonstrate the need for new formulations. With this in mind, chalcones emerge as a potential alternative to be tested, being compounds widely distributed in nature, easy to chemically synthesize and presenting several biological activities already reported. In this experiment, we evaluated the antiparasitic activity of 10 chalcone at a concentration of 100 µM against ATCC 30236T. vaginalisisolates, considering negative (live trophozoites), positive (Metronidazole 100 µM) and vehicle (DMSO 0.6%) controls. Compounds 3a, 3c, 3g and 3i showed promising results, with MICs set at 70 µM, 80 µM, 90 µM and 90 µM, respectively (p < 0,05). Cytotoxicity assays were performed on VERO and HMVII cell lines and revealed low inhibition rates at concentrations bellow 20 µM. To elucidate a possible mechanism of action for these molecules, the DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays were performed, in which none of the four compounds presented antioxidant activity. Assays to verify ROS and lipid peroxidation in the parasite membrane were performed. None of the tested compounds identified ROS accumulation after incubation with trophozoites. 3g molecule promoted an increase in MDA production after incubation. Results presented in this paper demonstrate the promising trichomonicidal profile, although further tests are still needed to optimize their performance and better elucidate the mechanisms of action involved.
TOM1 G307D variant alters interaction with TOLLIP impairing autophagosome-lysosome fusion and regulation of innate immunity
Authors: Lång Heljä , Roach Tiffany G. , Hölttä Maarit , Heiskanen Kaarina , Seppänen Mikko R.J. , Capelluto Daniel G. S. , Ikonen Elina , Ryhänen Samppa J.
Published: April 2024

Our study uncovers for the first time the role of TOM1-TOLLIP interaction in the regulation of the human immune system. A recently described G307D variant in the GAT domain of the endosomal adaptor protein TOM1 causes severe early-onset multiorgan autoimmunity and features of combined immunodeficiency. Through a combination of biophysical, biochemical, and cell culture experiments, we show that the variant causes a defect in the interaction of TOM1 and TOLLIP, another adaptor protein involved in cargo trafficking and regulation of innate immunity. The G307D variant deteriorates the ability of TOM1 to reduce TOLLIP’s phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate binding, an important regulatory mechanism for cargo trafficking commitment for both proteins. TOM1 G307D patient cells demonstrated aberrant autophagy manifested as an aggravated response to amino acid starvation and an autophagosome-lysosome fusion defect leading to accumulation of autophagosomes. Key inflammatory pathways showed exaggerated activation in TOM1 G307D patient cells, providing a plausible explanation for the patients’ phenotype. Our data highlight the importance of fundamental cellular functions such as cargo trafficking in the regulation of the human immune system and provide insights into the caveats of immunomodulatory and stem cell therapies in patients with TOM1 pathogenic variants.
The Influence of Erosion on the Dynamic Process of Landslide in Xinmo Village, Maoxian
Authors: Wang Zhongfu , Zhang Xusheng , Shi Fengge , Tian Ye , Wu Mingtang
Published: April 2024

A large-scale, high-speed, long-runout landslide occurred in Xinmo Village, Maoxian, Sichuan Province, China, on June 24, 2017. It was characterized by fast sliding speed, rapid volume growth, and large impact area. To investigate the dynamic process of this type of landslide and the influence of erosion on its dynamics, using field investigation, numerical inversion, and simulation methods. The results showed that entrainment erosion was a major factor of landslide volumetric change and a salient feature of the landslide process. An exponential equation relating the Erosion Rate and the deposition volume was established. Moreover, the study found that a slight change of the Erosion Rate (1e-4) also had a significant impact on the lateral spreading, longitudinal runout, and vertical erosion. As the Erosion Rate increased, the lateral spreading, longitudinal runout, and vertical erosion of this type of landslide became more obvious. By using the coefficient of variation method, it was obtained that the Erosion Rate had a greater influence on the vertical erosion than on the lateral spreading and longitudinal runout. In the study of the velocity of the rock avalanche under different erosion conditions, it was found that the erosion amount and the landslide velocity were not strictly linearly related. This study has important significance for understanding the dynamic process and erosion effect of rock avalanche, and provides useful references and insights for future research in related fields.
Rapid Gelation from Lipoic Acid/Trometamol Binary Assembling for Realizing 3D Printing in Poly(Lipoic Acid)-based Hydrogel Bandages Production
Authors: Zeng Jiujiang , Wang Tao , Niu Dawei , Li Jinyan , Pan Haiyang , Zhang Kunxi , Cui Haiyan
Published: April 2024

Developing a strongly adhesive, easily removable and robust bandage is valuable in trauma emergencies. Poly(lipoic acid) (PLA)-based adhesives have been well-developed, however, the additive manufacturing and depolymerization of which remains a challenge. Herein, LA and trometamol are found to rapidly gel into a supramolecular hydrogel at room temperature with injectability and 3D printing potential. Meanwhile, the synthesized LA-grafted hyaluronic acid (HALA) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) are involved not only to optimize 3D printing, but also to be the macromolecular covalent crosslinker and giant physical crosslinker to co-polymerize with LA after printing to effectively promote fidelity and prevent the inverse closed-loop depolymerization of PLA in water. The hydrogel bandage exhibits strong adhesion (the adhesion strength was ~ 10 times higher than FibrinGlu) and enhanced elastic modulus and toughness, as well as immediate self-healing ability. Meanwhile, the hydrogel bandage can be removed with no residue by water flushing, showing protection to neo-tissue during dressing replacement. The in vivo healing of the incision and full-layer wounds confirms that the application of the hydrogel bandage significantly promoted wound healing by closing the wound, forming a physical barrier and providing an anti-inflammatory effect, showing great potential in future clinical applications.
The changes in public’s terror-to-death influence the dynamics of infectious diseases
Authors: Jiao Jing
Published: April 2024

Previous studies about vector-borne diseases have emphasized the feedback between human psychology and diseases but neglected the changes in psychological processes. Here I first studied whether and how the two types of psychological dynamics in people’s Terror-To-Death (TTD) — periodical terror reinforcement and memory decay of terror — can influence the host-vector-pathogen interactions. Through developing a generic Ross-MacDonald model with TTD dynamics tailored for Zika virus transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquito, I found that in general, the increase in initial terror increases control effort, while memory decay of terror decreases disease control. Memory decay also exhibits a threshold effect: when initial terror is below certain level, TTD decay would not influence the system much; once initial terror reaches a threshold, memory decay of TTD can largely reduce the public’s control effort, increase mosquito population and disease level in the system under a larger mosquitoes’ carrying capacity. Adding periodical terror reinforcement could introduce dynamical oscillation to the system, dampen the peak of human infection, and shorten the time of disease outbreak. If the reinforcement frequency is large enough, system dynamics could approach the scenario with constant TTD in the absence of memory decay. This work significantly advances the theory in disease epidemiology and biopsychology and can provide guidance for disease control by considering the joint effects of initial terror, the public’s memory decay, and the frequency of terror reinforcement simultaneously.
Sarcomere gene variants did not improve cardiac function in pediatric patients with dilated cardiomyopathy from Japanese cohorts
Authors: Hirono Keiichi , Hata Yukiko , Ichimata Shojiro , Nishida Naoki , Imamura Teruhiko , Asano Yoshihiro , Kuramoto Yuki , Tsuboi Kaori , Takarada Shinya , Okabe Mako , Nakaoka Hideyuki , Ibuki Keijiro , Ozawa Sayaka , Muneuchi Jun , Yasuda Kazushi , Urayama Kotaro , Oka Hideharu , Miyamoto Tomoyuki , Baba Kenji , Kato Akio , Saiki Hirofumi , Kuwahara Naoki , Harada Masako , Baba Shiro , Morikawa Mari , Iwasaki Hidenori , Hirata Yuichiro , Ito Yuki , Sakaguchi Heima , Urata Susumu , Toda Koichi , Kittaka Emi , Okada Seigo , Hasebe Yohei , Hoshino Shinsuke , Fujii Takanari , Mitsushita Norie , Nii Masaki , Ogino Kayo , Fujino Mitsuhiro , Yoshida Yoko , Fukuda Yutaka , Iwashima Satoru , Takigiku Kiyohiro , Sakata Yasushi , Inuzuka Ryo , Maeda Jun , Hayabuchi Yasunobu , Fujioka Tao , Namiki Hidemasa , Fujita Shuhei , Nishida Koichi , Kuraoka Ayako , Kan Nobuhiko , Kido Sachiko , Watanabe Ken , Ichida Fukiko
Published: April 2024

Background:
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a progressive myocardial disorder characterized by impaired cardiac contraction and ventricular dilation. However, some patients with DCM improve when experiencing left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR). Currently, the detailed association between genotypes and clinical outcomes, including LVRR, particularly among children, remains uncertain.
Methods:
Pediatric patients with DCM from multiple Japanese institutions recorded between 2014 and 2023 were enrolled. We identified their DCM-related genes and explored the association between gene variants and clinical outcomes, including LVRR.
Results:
We included 123 pediatric patients (62 males; median age: 8 [1–51] months) and found 50 pathogenic variants in 45 (35.0%) of them. The most identified gene was MYH7(14.0%), followed by RYR2 (12.0%) and TPM1 (8.0%). LVRR was achieved in 47.5% of these patients. The left ventricular ejection fraction remained unchanged (31.4% to 39.8%, P = 0.1913) in patients with sarcomere gene variants but significantly increased in those with nonsarcomere gene variants (33.4% to 47.8%, P = 0.0466) and those without gene variants (33.6% to 54.1%, P = 0.003).
Conclusions:
LVRR was not uniform across functional gene groups. Hence, an individualized gene-guided prediction approach may be adopted for children with DCM.
Arch dam point cloud segmentation based on deep feature learning and normal vector data optimization
Authors: Li Huokun , Li Yuekang , li yijing , Lu Weichao , Zhu Zhixing , Feng Teng , Liu Bo
Published: April 2024

Separating the dam body, spillway, and other structures from the point cloud in the dam area is an important step in dam deformation monitoring. Manual segmentation is time consuming and inaccurate. This study proposes a point cloud segmentation neural network model based on normal vector optimization suitable for dam environment: 1) This model utilizes the voxel uniform sampling method of equal length cubes to solve the problem of uneven point cloud density caused by wide range and long distance measurement during point cloud measurement in dam areas. 2) Designed block input and combined output modules in the model, achieving efficient input of large volume point cloud and eliminating the impact of interpolation points offset during seq2seq model decoding process. 3) In response to the diverse characteristics of point cloud normal vectors presented by vegetation, rock mass, and complex dam structures in the dam area, this paper proposes an adaptive radius plane fitting vector estimation method based on eigenvalue method to improve the accuracy of segmentation. Experiments on a prototype arch dam show that the proposed normal estimation method improves the classification accuracy of PointNet + + from the original 96.26–98.27%. Compared with the other three normal estimation methods (2-jets, Hough CNN, iterative PCA), the overall accuracy has improved by 0.82%, 1.22%, 0.22%, the mean intersection over union has improved by 0.0293, 0.0325, 0.0104. This study provides a high-precision classification scheme for applications such as dam deformation detection based on point cloud.
Casual association between CX3CL1/CX3CR1 and Parkinson's Disease: A Mendelian randomization and Colocalization study
Authors: Zeng Shan , Yusufujiang Aishanjiang , Li Hongyan , Mao Wenjuan
Published: April 2024

Background: The association between CX3CL1/CX3CR1 and Parkinson’s Disease (PD) has been minimally explored in pre-clinical and observational studies. However, evidence from animal studies indicates that CX3CL1/CX3CR1 can exert both neuroprotective and neurotoxic effects on PD. Given the scarcity of clinical studies,our objective is to explore the causality between CX3CL1/CX3CR1 and PD using a two-sample Mendelian randomization approach in conjunction with colocalization analysis..
Methods: We constructed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess the causal link between CX3CL1/CX3CR1 and PD, employing genetic variants as instrumental variables, we intend to analyze the most extensive genome-wide association study data available for PD as the outcome measure. The primary outcome was derived using the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method .Additional analyses, including Mendelian randomization Egger regression, weighted median, and mode approaches, were utilized to reinforce the robustness of our findings. The debiased inverse variance weighted estimator was introduced to adjust for potential weak instrument bias. To robustly validate our findings, we carried out a comprehensive series of sensitivity analyses.
Results: Our study examined 33,674 cases of PD and 449,056 controls, revealing three key findings. We discovered that for every one-standard deviation (SD) increase in plasma CX3CR1 levels in monocytes, there was a 10.3% decrease in PD risk (IVW; OR = 0.897, 95%CI = 0.831 - 0.968, P_adj = 0.012). Furthermore, a one-SD increase in CX3CR1 levels on CD14+ CD16+ monocytes resulted in an 8.9% lower PD risk (IVW; OR = 0.911, 95% CI = 0.863 - 0.962, P_adj = 0.006), and a similar increase on CD14+ CD16- monocytes led to a 9.3% reduction in risk (IVW; OR = 0.907, 95% CI = 0.850 - 0.967, P_adj = 0.010). Through comprehensive sensitivity analyses, the reliability of these results was confirmed. Additionally, our colocalization analysis identified a significant association of the lead SNP rs6658353 with CX3CR1 expression in monocytes. This SNP also showed significant colocalization with CX3CR1 in both CD14+ CD16+ and CD14+ CD16- subsets, indicating its role in regulating CX3CR1 expression.
Conclusion: This study suggests a potential link between higher peripheral expression of CX3CR1 on monocytes and a reduced risk of PD. Specifically, increased levels of plasma CX3CR1, as well as its expression on CD14+ CD16+ and CD14+ CD16- monocytes, were associated with a decreased PD risk. These results lend support to the hypothesis that CX3CR1 plays a crucial role in the causal pathway to PD.
The Integration of 3D Printing and Case-Based Learning in Clinical Practice for Joint Surgery Education
Authors: Feng Shuo , Sun Ying-Jin , Zhang Yong-Shuo , Yuan Feng
Published: April 2024

Background: Case-Based Learning (CBL) based on three dimensiona (3D) printed hip joint models is a problem-solving teaching method that combines the tactile and visual advantages of 3D printed models with CBL. This paper aimed to study the impact of using a 3D printed hip model with CBL for teaching complex artificial hip replacement.
Methods: We conducted a prospective study from 2022 to 2023. This study included 120 clinical medical students enrolled in the fourth grade at Xuzhou Medical University. The students were randomly allocated into two groups, each comprising 60 participants. The traditional group received conventional instruction, while the 3D+CBL group utilized 3D-printed hip joint models in conjunction with CBL-based teaching. After the teaching, we analyzed and compared the theoretical and practical accomplishments of both student groups. We designed a questionnaire to assess the educational impact on orthopedic surgery learning.
Results: Compared with the CBL group, the theoretical scores (66.35±8.85) and practical scores (63.42±11.14) of the 3D+CBL group were higher than those of the CBL group (62.88±7.98) and practical scores (57.40±8.80) (P<0.05). The results of the questionnaire showed that the trainees in the 3D+CBL group had mastery of hip joint fundamentals, ability to diagnose cases and plan treatment, interesting teaching content, willingness to communicate with teachers and satisfaction with regular training was all higher than those in the CBL group (P<0.05).
Conclusions: The Integration of 3D Printing and Case-Based Learning has yielded positive outcomes in joint surgery education. This approach also offers valuable insights for the utilization of 3D printed orthopedic molds in clinical teaching.
Adapting the Serious Illness Conversation Guide for Unhoused Older Adults: A Rapid Qualitative Study
Authors: Latimer Abigail , Pope Natalie D , Lin Chin-Yen , Kang JungHee , Sasdi Olivia , Wu Jia-Rong , Moser Debra K , Lennie Terry
Published: April 2024

Background
Older adults experiencing homelessness (OAEH) age quickly and die earlier than their housed counterparts. Illness-related decisions are best guided by patients’ values, but healthcare and homelessness service providers need support in facilitating these discussions. The Serious Illness Conversation Guide (SICG) is a communication tool to guide discussions but has not yet been adapted for OAEH.
Methods
We aimed to adapt the SICG for use with OAEH by nurses, social workers, and other homeless service providers. We conducted semi-structured interviews with homeless service providers and cognitive interviews with OAEH using the SICG. Service providers included nurses, social workers, or others working in homeless settings. OAEH were at least 50 years old and diagnosed with a serious illness. Interviews were conducted and audio recorded in shelters, transitional housing, a hospital, public spaces, and over Zoom. The research team reviewed transcripts, identifying common themes across transcripts and applying analytic notetaking. We summarized transcripts from each participant group, applying rapid qualitative analysis. For OAEH, data that referenced proposed adaptations or feedback about the SICG tool were grouped into two domains: “SICG interpretation” and “SICG feedback”. For providers, we used domains from the Toolkit of Adaptation Approaches: “collaborative working”, “team”, “endorsement”, “materials”, “messages”, and “delivery”. Summaries were grouped into matrices to help visualize themes to inform adaptations. The adapted guide was then reviewed by expert palliative care clinicians for further refinement.
Results
The final sample included 11 OAEH (45% Black, 61±7 years old) and 10 providers (80% White, 8.9± years practice). Adaptation themes included changing words and phrases to 1) increase transparency about the purpose of the conversation, 2) promote OAEH autonomy and empowerment, 3) align with nurses’ and social workers’ scope of practice regarding facilitating diagnostic and prognostic awareness, and 4) be sensitive to the realities of fragmented healthcare. Responses also revealed training and implementation considerations.
Conclusions
The adapted SICG is a promising clinical tool to aid in the delivery of serious illness conversations with OAEH. Future research should use this updated guide for implementation planning. Additional adaptations may be dependent on specific settings where the SICG will be delivered.
Elevated soluble CD226 in Takayasu arteritis is useful for differentiation from giant cell arteritis, disease activity assessment, and prognosis prediction
Authors: Nakano Miki , Ayano Masahiro , Fukui Shoichi , Iwanaga Nozomi , Tatsutani Tomofumi , Takaki-Kuwahara Ayako , Kimoto Yasutaka , Akahoshi Mitsuteru , Migita Kiyoshi , Kawakami Atsushi , Tada Yoshifumi , Niiro Hiroaki
Published: April 2024

Takayasu arteritis (TAK) is characterized by vascular injury, in which endothelial cells and immune cells, including natural killer (NK) cells, have key roles. CD226 is an activating receptor expressed on NK cells and T cells, and the soluble CD226 (sCD226) is increased in diseases involving these cells. Therefore, we investigated the utility of serum sCD226 as a biomarker for TAK. Serum sCD226 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 34 TAK patients and 21 giant cell arteritis (GCA) patients. The associations between sCD226 levels and the angiographic classification, disease activity, and prognosis of TAK were analysed. Serum sCD226 levels were significantly higher in TAK patients than in GCA patients. In TAK patients, serum sCD226 levels were significantly elevated in the group of type Ⅴ compared with the group of other types excluding type Ⅴ. Serum sCD226 levels were also elevated in patients with active TAK and in those with poor responses to corticosteroids. Moreover, the cumulative probability of relapse was increased in patients with high sCD226 levels. Thus, serum sCD226 levels differentiated TAK from GCA and were associated with disease activity and relapse of TAK. Serum sCD226 may be a useful biomarker for the management of TAK.
Comparing the gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence and oral glucose tolerance test characteristics before and after the COVID-19 outbreak in Hongshan District of Wuhan, China, 2018- 2021
Authors: Bi Hao , Nie Bo
Published: April 2024

Background: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted the management and prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among pregnant women worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the pandemic on GDM prevalence and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) characteristics in Hongshan District, Wuhan, China.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 91,932 pregnant women screened for GDM before (January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019) and after (January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021) the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study focused on changes in GDM prevalence, OGTT positive rates and glucose value distribution, and the diagnostic performance of OGTT.
Results: The prevalence of GDM increased significantly from 14.5% (95% CI, 14.2-14.8%) pre-pandemic to 21.9% (95% CI, 21.5-22.4%) post-pandemic. A notable rise in OGTT positive rates was observed across all time points, with the most significant increase at the 0-hour mark. Regression analysis indicated a significant risk increase for GDM during the pandemic, even after adjusting for age. Diagnostic accuracy of the 0-hour OGTT improved in the pandemic era, with the area under the curve (AUC) rising from 0.78 to 0.79 and sensitivity from 0.56 to 0.58. Median OGTT values at all time points significantly increased post-pandemic, even after adjusting for age, indicating a shift in glucose metabolism among the study population.
Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in the prevalence of GDM among pregnant women in Hongshan District, Wuhan. This is evidenced by the elevated rates of positive OGTT and altered median glucose values, indicating a shift in glucose metabolism. These findings underscore the profound impact of the pandemic on maternal and neonatal health. They emphasize the imperative for continuous monitoring and the development of updated, localized diagnostic criteria for OGTT to enhance the identification and treatment of GDM during and after global health crises.
Wheat WRKY24-1D, interacts with TaERFL1a, regualtes DHAR-mediated ASA-GSH biosynthesis to enhance drought tolerance in wheat
Authors: Li Ge-Zi , Liu Jin , Wang Ying-Ying , Han An-Qi , Liu Hai-Tao , Guo Tian-Cai , Han Qiao-Xia , Kang Guozhang
Published: April 2024

Drought is a major environmental factor to limit wheat yield and quality. WRKY transcription factors play crucial roles in abiotic stresses, including drought stress. However, the regulatory mechanisms of WRKYs in wheat drought stress tolerance are largely unknown. In this study, we found a WRKY transcription factors TaWRKY24, which identified and screened between drought stress yeast library and drought-induced gene TaERFL1a, and the other yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) found that TaERFL1a was interacted with TaWRKY24-1D, which was more induced than TaWRKY24-1A under drought stress. Moreover, the potential function of TaWRKY24 was examined by using BSMV-VIGS method. Results found that transiently silenced of TaWRKY24 in wheat resulted in enhanced sensitivity to drought stress by increasing the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), decreasing the activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), or catalase (CAT), and contents of ascorbate (ASA) and glutathione (GSH), and inhibiting the biomass and relative water content. qPCR showed that the expression levels of ASA-GSH-related genes were also significantly inhibited in TaWRKY24-silenced wheat plants. Among these genes, dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) had a lowest expression than other ASA-GSH-related genes, indicating that it expression may be mainly regulate by TaWRKY24. In addition, yeast one-hybrid (Y1H), luciferase complementation imaging (LCI), and luciferase (LUC) assays showed that TaWRKY24 had higher activity to bound the promoter of DHAR than TaERFL1a, suggesting that TaWRKY24 positively regulated the expression levels of DHAR and interacted with TaERFL1a to involve in wheat drought tolerance. Therefore, these results providing a theoretical basis for the molecular regulatory mechanisms of TaWRKY24 in wheat drought resistance, and contributing to the potential candidate genes for breeding the drought resistance wheat varieties.
Mapping Cutaneous Tissue Distribution of Sesquiterpene Lactone Goyazensolide Using MALDI Imaging
Authors: Lopes Norberto Peporine , Kato Natalia N. , Buqui Gabriela A. , Mendonça Jacqueline N. , Lopes João Luis Callegari , Lopez Renata F. V.
Published: April 2024

Species of Lychnophora, popularly known in Brazil as "Arnica-da-serra", are widely used in topical preparations as analgesics and anti-inflammatories. The most commonly used species is Lychnophora ericoides, and studies of seasonal and circadian rhythms show greater stability for phenolic constituents than for sesquiterpene lactones (an opposite behavior was observed). These lactones are considered defensive substances; thus, they were found in significant quantities in border regions between two biomes, at least for L. ericoides. Herbalists often report that seasonality influences on the increase of lactone levels in leaves and may have increase the allergenic potential. In the present study, we sought to develop a methodology for imaging tissues treated with solutions of the sesquiterpene lactone goyazensolide to observe skin retention using the Franz cell model. To this end, MALDI-MS parameters were optimized for imaging generation, and an LC-MS/MS protocol was used to confirm goyazensolide skin retention. The obtained data revealed that sesquiterpene lactones strongly bind to the skin structure.
Patterns of Psychoactive Substance Use Among Hospitalized Psychiatric Patients in Western Mexico
Authors: Carmona-Huerta Jaime , Obeso Santiago Castiello-de , Aguirre-Ramírez Andrea , Pérez-Muñoz Sara , Cardona-Müller David , Grover-Páez Fernando , Iñiguez-Carvajal Bertha , Aldana-López Jesús Alejandro , Itzaman-Jiménez Israel , Medina-Dávalos Rafael
Published: April 2024

Background
The use of psychoactive substances in patients with mental illness is a major public health issue worldwide. Patients with psychiatric disorders have a higher incidence of substance use disorders compared to the general population. This study aimed to identify the most prevalent patterns of psychoactive substance abuse, estimate the severity of use, and determine the associated factors in hospitalized psychiatric patients in western Mexico.
Methods
This retrospective observational study reviewed the medical records of 268 patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital in 2018. Data was collected using the Psychoactive Substance Consumption Pattern (PCSPsi) form, which included the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) to assess substance use severity. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with alcohol, cannabis, and methamphetamine use.
Results
The most commonly abused substances in the last 3 months were tobacco (46.6%), alcohol (45.9%), cannabis (34.3%), and methamphetamines (32.8%). Severe substance use, defined as an ASSIST score ≥ 27, was highest for methamphetamines (48.9%) and cannabis (43.5%). Multivariate models showed that younger age, lower education level, psychotic disorder induced by substance use diagnosis, and concomitant use of other substances increased the risk of cannabis and methamphetamine abuse.
Conclusions
Psychoactive substance abuse, particularly cannabis and methamphetamines, is highly prevalent among hospitalized psychiatric patients in western Mexico. Specific sociodemographic and clinical factors are associated with increased risk of substance abuse in this population. Targeted interventions are needed to address this significant public health issue.
Peripheral Refraction and Aberrations in Myopic Eyes After Small-Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) Surgery
Authors: Zhang Lin , Wang Yan , Zhao Xinheng , Cui Tong
Published: April 2024

Purpose
To investigate peripheral refraction and aberrations in myopic eyes after small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery and to understand the relationship between visual symptoms and wide-field wavefront aberrations.
Methods
A total of 28 patients with myopia and myopic astigmatism underwent SMILE surgery. Peripheral refraction and aberrations were measured both before and after surgery using a modified Hartmann-Shack (HS) sensor-based aberrometer. The peripheral refraction and aberrations from the axis (0°) to (15°) in both the horizontal and vertical directions were measured. A visual questionnaire was administered to assess visual quality before and after surgery.
Results
Post-surgery, peripheral relative refraction exhibited reduced hyperopia. The spherical aberration \({Z}_{4}^{0}\) changed from 0.12 µm before surgery to 0.24 µm after surgery on the optical axis. However, the spatial pattern of spherical aberration remained constant, independent of the line of sight. Greater variability was observed in the direction of the horizontal retina than in the vertical axis. Coma significantly increased after surgery and appeared to be more variable in the direction of the horizontal retina compared to the vertical axis. The majority of patients were satisfied with the postoperative daytime vision; there was no significant deterioration in nighttime visual symptoms compared to preoperative levels.
Conclusion
Our study demonstrated that SMILE significantly reduced peripheral refraction in myopic eyes, with increased asymmetry along the vertical axis due to incision size variations. Notably, the relationship between nighttime visual symptoms and large-field aberrations was not found to be significant.
Numerical Investigation on Thermo-Hydraulic Performance of a Micro-channel Liquid Cooled Battery Thermal Management System
Authors: Bidwaik Akash S. , Nikam Shailesh R. , Bhusnoor Siddappa S.
Published: April 2024

An effective Battery Thermal Management Systems (BTMS) is essential for maintaining optimal temperature conditions within lithium-ion (LiFePO4) battery packs, thereby ensuring the battery's optimum performance, enhanced cycle life, and safety. Among various cooling methods, liquid cooling stands out as the preferred choice for BTMS. This study introduces a novel liquid-cooled system integrated with micro-channels within the battery casing. The impact of operating parameters (Reynolds Number (Re) and mass flow rate) on the 10 cylindrical LiFePO4 battery pack (21700 type) has been studied numerically and theoretically. The investigations revealed that as the Re increases from 400 to 700 the battery pack’s maximum temperature (Tmax) decreases from 42.06°C to 40.61°C, and the temperature difference (ΔTmax) decreases from 2.45°C to 1.94°C. Also, the coolant outlet temperature decreases from 38°C to 35°C, while the pressure drop (ΔP) increases from 3410 Pa to 3990 Pa. The use of micro-channels in the BTMS resulted in significant coolant conservation, saving the coolant ∼76% and the convective heat transfer coefficient (CHTC) showed an approximately 125% increase in comparison to previously published studies on both mini-channels and macro-channels.
The variant of CHCHD2 p.P2L in a familial case of Parkinson’s disease with poor response to levodopa therapy: A case report
Authors: Huang Ziyang , Wang Lingzhi , Chen Chuhan , Weng Xulin , Hu Zhengxiang
Published: April 2024

Background Mutations in the coiled-coil-helix-coiled-coil-helix domain containing 2 (CHCHD2) gene have been reported successively in sporadic and familial PD patients, presenting typical manifestations of primary Parkinson's disease (PD) and sensitive to levodopa therapy. This provides more clues to the genetic component of PD. Case presentations We reported a case of familial PD with the p.P2L (c.5C > T) mutation with different manifestations, such as poor response to levodopa therapy, the presence of resting tremor and action tremor. Conclusions The case has a variant (cDNA c.5C > T, p.P2L) of CHCHD2 gene, and compared with previous studies, the clinical manifestations were distinctive, with poor response to levodopa treatment, and co-existing of resting tremor and action tremor.
Behind the scenes of research ethics committee oversight: a qualitative research study with committee chairs in the Middle East and North Africa region
Authors: Ashkar Catherine El , Nakkash Rima , Matar Amal , Makhoul Jihad
Published: April 2024

Background: Research cites shortcomings and challenges facing research ethics committees in many regions across the world including Arab countries. This paper presents findings from qualitative in-depth interviews with REC chairs to explore their views on the challenges they face in their work with the oversight of research involving human populations.
Methods: Virtual in-depth interviews were conducted with chairs (n=11) from both biomedical and/or social-behavioral research ethics committees in six countries, transcribed, coded and subject to thematic analyses for recurring themes.
Results: Two sets of recurring themes impede the work of the committees and pose concerns for the quality of the research applications: (1) procedures and committee level challenges such as heavy workload, variations in member qualification, impeding bureaucratic procedures, member overwork, and intersecting socio-cultural values in the review process; (2) inconsistencies in the researchers’ competence in applied research ethics revealed by the applications reviewed which is also informative about their methodological and research ethics competence.
Conclusions: Narratives of REC chairs are important to shed light on experiences and issues that are not captured in surveys, adding to the body of knowledge with implications for the region, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in other parts of the world, and implications for international research collaborations.
Assessing adverse childhood experiences among people with mental health problems during community outreach support: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Usui Kaori , Iwanaga Mai , Itokuri Asami , Nakanishi Kiyoaki , Nishiuchi Erisa , Shimodaira Michiyo , So Yugan , Sato Sayaka , Yamaguchi Sosei , Fujii Chiyo
Published: April 2024

Background
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have lifelong effects on mental health. However, actual situations among users of community comprehensive outreach support with various mental health problems are unclear. The study comprehensively explored community outreach support users’ ACEs, associated factors, and when these experiences are disclosed during the service process.
Methods
In this retrospective study conducted using service records dating October 1, 2015 to April 30, 2023 from the outreach service in Tokorozawa city, Japan, we collected demographic and clinical characteristics, along with the number and variety of ACEs shared by participants during the six assessment points.
Results
Of the 143 participants whose data were analyzed, 54.5% had at least one ACE, and ACEs were associated with lower age and receiving public welfare for economic deprivation. Further, the number of assessed ACEs increased until two years after service initiation and then leveled off.
Conclusions
This study highlights that more than half of community outreach support users have had ACEs; this is particularly true among younger individuals and those facing economic challenges. The findings emphasize the potential need for trauma care in community settings. Service users may need as long as two years to share ACEs with staff, and that assessment of traumatic experiences may be a long-term process that involves engagement building.
IPF-related new macrophage subpopulations and diagnostic biomarker identification - combine machine learning with single-cell analysis
Authors: Zhang Hao , Yang Yuwei , Cao Yan , Guan Jingzhi
Published: April 2024

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic disease with an unknown etiology and lacks specific treatment. Macrophages, as a major component of the lung immune system, play a crucial regulatory role in IPF, especially during the processes of inflammation and fibrosis. However, our understanding of the cellular heterogeneity, molecular characteristics, and clinical relevance of macrophages in IPF remains relatively limited. Through in-depth analysis of single-cell transcriptomic data from 8 IPF patients, we revealed distinct macrophage subtypes in IPF lung tissue. In this study, we identified a macrophage subset unique to IPF lung tissue, named ATP5-MΦ, whose expression of the ATP5 gene family is closely associated with oxidative phosphorylation and proton transmembrane transport, suggesting that ATP5-MΦ may have higher ATP synthesis capacity in IPF lung tissue. Furthermore, using hdWGCNA, we identified a co-expressed gene module associated with another macrophage subset in IPF (IPF-MΦ). Through machine learning methods, we identified IPF-MΦ feature genes (IRMG) with the potential to serve as prognostic markers for IPF and established a predictive model to assess the prognosis of IPF patients. Based on differential expression of IRMG, we successfully stratified IPF patients into two subtypes exhibiting distinct clinical outcomes and immune microenvironments. This study provides important molecular and clinical foundations for a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of IPF and the development of relevant therapeutic strategies.
Anti-aging effect of TRF2 inhibition in skeletal myofibers
Authors: Burbano Maria Sol Jacome , Robin Jérôme D , Martin Marjorie , Gondin Julien , Pousse Mélanie , Thomas Jean-Luc , Bauwens Serge , Girard Emmanuelle , Carmine Peggy Del , Belotti Edwige , Billard Pauline , Dorel Tiphaine , Schaeffer Laurent , Gilson Eric
Published: April 2024

Aged female mice lacking the Terf2 gene, encoding the telomeric protective factor TRF2, in their skeletal myofibers exhibit a younger muscle phenotype with lack of ongoing or past regeneration and myofiber atrophy, preserved muscle strength, and moderate prolonged lifespan. Since this is accompanied by a slight pro-oxidant effect without telomere deprotection, we propose that the age-related TRF2 downregulation triggers a mito-hormetic response with beneficial effect in the skeletal muscle.
Integrative analyses of DNA methylase expression and related immune landscape in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Zhang Jialong , Huang Cong , Wang Hongzhi
Published: April 2024

Objectives
DNA methylation is a common in epigenetics process which plays important roles in the initiation and progression of prostate cancer (PCa). However, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood.
Methods and Results
In this study, we systematically analyzed expression level of DNA methylase in prostate cancer and their correlation with immune infiltration and patient outcomes. We enrolled the transcription data of 52 normal and 502 prostate cancer tissues for the study. First, we systematically analyzed data pertaining to patient clinical information and mRNA gene expression data. We found that 5 out of 8 key regulators of DNA methylase significantly increased in PCa. Subsequently, we identified two subgroups (clusters 1 and 2) via consensus clustering based on the expression of 8 DNA methylase. Cluster 2 had worse prognosis, higher histological grade and pathological stage compared with cluster 1. Moreover, cluster 2 was remarkably enriched for cancer-related pathways. We further constructed a robust risk signature based on the expression of DNA methylase. Further analysis indicated that this risk signature could be an independent prognostic factor for PCa. Moreover, the efficacy of this three-gene risk signature was validated in external dataset. We also show that the model is highly correlated with immune cell infiltration.
Conclusions
In summary, we in this study uncovered the vital roles of DNA methylase in PCa and developed a risk signature as a promising prognostic marker in PCa patients. At the same time, it provides a reliable basis for the choice of treatment.
A new minimal element theorem and generalized Ekeland’s variational principle in complete lattice optimization problem
Authors: Araya Yousuke , Du Wei-Shih
Published: April 2024

In this paper, we first introduce some types of set relations on the power set of n-dimensional Euclidean spaces which are proposed by Kuroiwa-Tanaka-Ha and Jahn-Ha. We also mension new types of cancellation laws of set relations. Second, we introduce a complete lattice-valued problem on the power set of n-dimensional Euclidean spaces proposed by Hamel et al. Applying nonlinear scalrizing technique in complete lattice, we present a new type of minimal element theorem and generalized Ekeland’s variational principle in complete lattice optimization problem.
AMS Subject Classification: 06B23, 06F30, 49J53, 58E17.