bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of Insulin Receptor Substrate 1 (IRS 1) Expression in the Prognosis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma - A Systematic Review and Meta Analysis
Authors: P Deeksheetha , Ramani Pratibha , Yuwanati Monal B , Professor Gheena. S
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the most common mucosal neoplasm to affect the head and neck region. It is the 6th most common cancer globally, most commonly seen in South Asian countries. Insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) like Insulin Receptor (IR) is an adaptor protein that integrates multiple transmembrane signals from growth factors and hormones, to regulate cell growth, survival, differentiation and metabolism. Evidence suggests that IRS 1 plays a vital role in cancer progression and nodal metastasis.
AIM
To assess the prognostic implication of the Insulin Receptor Substrate 1 expression in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma from evidence based results.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A systematic literature search was done to identify articles describing Insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS 1) and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma were carried out for Pubmed, Cochrane, Google Scholar, using MeSH terms.
RESULTS
A total of 486 cases of HNSCC were included in this systematic review. Out of 3 studies, increased/high expression of IRS 1 was 67%. 64% of the cases in Stage I and stage II (TNM staging) showed higher expression of IRS 1, whereas 70% of the stage III and stage IV cases showed upregulation of IRS 1. IRS 1 was equally upregulated in cases with lymph node metastasis as well as in cases without any lymph node metastasis. 74% of the patients that showed high expression of IRS 1 showed high mortality during the follow up period of 13 months.
CONCLUSION
This review concluded that elevated levels of IRS 1 expression were associated with poor prognosis and increased lymph node metastasis
Coral Restoration in Palk Bay on the Southeast Coast of India
Authors: Sadhukhan Koushik , Shanmuagaraj T. , V Ramana Murthy M
Published: February 2024

Coral transplantation via asexual propagation of coral colonies has been used to restore the structure and function of degraded reefs in Palk Bay on the southeast coast of India. Successful restoration programs in India are rare. Therefore, this study aimed to implement a coral outplanting method at two different locations (Thonithurai and Munaikadu) in Palk Bay, India. Twenty metal frames and 800 cement slabs were used to make artificial substrates to install 800 small coral fragments, and the installation was performed in two sets to understand the variation in the growth and survivability of corals. The branching corals Acropora muricata, Acropora hyacinthus, Montipora digitata, and Pocillopora damicornis were used in this study. Eighteen months after coral transplantation, there was significant growth between the coral species (F = 8.0981; P = 0.0012), whereas, the growth difference between Thonithurai and Munaikadu was not significant (F = 0.0105; P = 0.91875). The average monthly growth rate of A. muricata (0.60cm/month) was the highest among all studied species, whereas A. hyacinthus, M. digitata, and P. damicornis had monthly growth rates of 0.44cm, 0.47cm, and 0.18cm, respectively. The survival rate for each species was calculated, and the survival rate for A. muricata (> 60%) and A. hyacinthus (> 50%) was the highest, whereas that for P. Damicornis was the lowest at both sites (< 35%). A large number of fish assemblages dominated by Terapon jarbua (grunter fish), Pomacentrus trilineatus (damsel fish), and Siganus javus (rabbitfish) were recorded from the sites after 9 months of transplantation. The results indicated that the coral out-planting method could be an effective tool for coral restoration in Palk Bay, and branching coral species can be considered promising contributors to artificial reef formation. Long-term restoration and multispecies out-planting can enrich the reef diversity in Palk Bay.
The Impact of Crystal Phase Transition on the Hardness and Structure of Kidney Stones
Authors: Maruyama Mihoko , Michibata Uta , Tanaka Yutaro , Yoshimura Masashi , Yoshikawa Hiroshi , Takano Kazufumi , Furukawa Yoshihiro , Momma Koichi , Tajiri Rie , Taguchi Kazumi , Hamamoto Shuzo , Okada Atsushi , Kohri Kenjiro , Yasui Takahiro , Usami Shigeyoshi , Imanishi Masayuki , Mori Yusuke
Published: February 2024

Calcium oxalate kidney stones, the most prevalent type of kidney stones, undergo a multi-step process of crystal nucleation, growth, aggregation, and secondary transition. The secondary transition has been rather overlooked, and thus, the effects on the disease and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. Here, we show, by periodic micro-CT images of human kidney stones in an ex vivo incubation experiment, that the growth of porous aggregates of calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD) crystals triggers the hardening of the kidney stones that causes difficulty in lithotripsy of kidney stone disease in the secondary transition. This hardening was caused by the internal nucleation and growth of precise calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystals from isolated urine in which the calcium oxalate concentrations decreased by the growth of COD in closed grain boundaries of COD aggregate kidney stones. Reducing the calcium oxalate concentrations in urine is regarded as a typical approach for avoiding the recurrence. However, our results revealed that the decrease of the concentrations in closed microenvironments conversely promotes the transition of the COD aggregates into hard COM aggregates. We anticipate that the suppression of the secondary transition has the potential to manage the deterioration of kidney stone disease.
High serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level is a risk factor for cerebral palsy：a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Liu Qiong , Liu Xiaofang , Gao Mengge , Yang Bo , Luo Miaoying , Yang Biying , Liang Goujun
Published: February 2024

Background: The causal relationship between the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D(25-OH-D) in the blood and cerebral palsy (CP) remains uncertain. Prior research has indicated that the levels of 25-OH-D in the serum of children with cerebral palsy are lower compared to those in normally developing children. Nevertheless, there is a limited number of studies assessing the impact of serum 25-OH-D concentration on CP. In contrast to the prevailing notion, Mendelian randomization (MR) can be utilized to thoroughly evaluate the reciprocal causal impacts between serum 25-OH-D level and CP.
Methods: A bidirectional two-sample MR analysis was conducted by utilizing combined data from genome-wide association studies that included European populations with CP (286 individuals with CP and 216992 individuals as controls). This analysis utilized four different methods to assess the bidirectional relationship between 25-OH-D and CP. To assess the inflexibility of the findings, a sensitivity analysis was conducted. According to MR-Steiger filtering, it was found that all single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) had a higher level of association with 25-OH-D compared to CP.
Results: Limited evidence suggested that there were positive causal connections between genetically predicted serum 25-OH-D level and CP, with an odds ratio of 1.88 (95% confidence interval 1.062–3.280; p= 0.036). Nevertheless, the inverse pattern did not suggest a causal relationship between CP and serum 25-OH-D level. No clear pleiotropy or heterogeneity was found in the sensitivity analysis.
Conclusion: Our analysis presents fresh evidence supporting the moderate causal influence of serum 25-OH-D level on CP. Further investigation is necessary to examine the causal impacts of CP on serum 25-OH-D levels.
eDNA based survey of non-indigenous species in Norwegian water bodies using Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP)
Authors: Jothinarayanan Nivedhitha , Karlsen Frank , Roseng Lars Eric
Published: February 2024

Monitoring of species in a habitat is important to ensure the biological diversity. Environmental DNA (eDNA) can infer the presence-absence of species and enable rapid action to avoid the threatening factor in ecosystems, in the case of non-indigenous species. LAMP assays for molecular amplification and detection are rapidly gaining popularity in the invasive species detection, but the LAMP remains an underutilized method for eDNA-based monitoring practices. The most effective combination for successful species monitoring may be the collection of eDNA or biological traces collected by nanofiltration followed by LAMP-based species detection initiatives. Here, we use LAMP analysis to detect the Northern Pike (Esox Lucius) eDNA in the Borre Lake and in the Drammen River in Norway. Northern Pike is a regionally invasive species in southeastern parts of Norway. Furthermore, the endangered species European Eel (Anguilla anguilla) and a species of least concern Atlantic Salmon (Salmon salar), have been added in our study. We developed two LAMP primers for each these species to identify the invasive, vulnerable, and least concern fish species and our study shows that eDNA is an effective tool for determining Northern Pike in freshwater bodies, using the LAMP technique.
Causal Association Between Peripheral blood immune cells and Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Wang Yang , Fang Peng , Wan Xin , Liu Xiaozhou , Zhao Jianning , Bao Nirong , Hao Ding , Song Dianwen
Published: February 2024

Immune cells play a crucial role in the onset and progression of rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). we leveraged publicly available Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) data to explore the causal relationship between 731 immune cell traits and RA using the Bidirectional MR analysis. The primary method for causal analysis relies on Inverse Variance Weighting (IVW). To ensure robustness, sensitivity analyses include the Cochran Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, MR-PRESSO, and leave-one-out analysis. Additionally, gene colocalization analysis and drug target MR are employed to enhance the comprehensiveness of the study.In the forward MR analysis, after FDR correction, 731 immune cell traits had no statistically significant effect on RA. Notably, some phenotypes showed lower P values before adjustment, including 12 different immune cell traits. After gene colocalisation analysis only CD4 on HLA DR+ CD4+ T cells and CD45RA- CD28- CD8+ T cell %T cell shared the same genetic variant as RA. Inverse MR analysis showed that RA was associated with 12 immune cell traits. After gene colocalisation analysis RA was associated with CD28- CD8+ T cell %T cell, Effector Memory CD8+ T cell %T cell, CD8+ Natural Killer T Absolute Count, CD8+ Natural Killer T %lymphocyte, and CD8+ Natural Killer T %T cell share the same genetic variant. No evidence of horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity between genetic variants was found (P>0.05), and the "leave-one-out" test confirmed the stability and robustness of the associations. MR analyses of drug targets suggested that CCHCR1 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of RA.This study suggests that specific immune cell traits may play a key role in RA development and could serve as new biomarkers for its diagnosis. Notably, identifying CCHCR1 as a drug target unveils new paths for research and treatment, offering promising opportunities in the field.
Electromyographic Activity of the Ankle and Foot During Functional Exercises and Traditional Exercises
Authors: Baldim Isabella , Miguel Matheus , SPINOSO Deborah
Published: February 2024

Traditional exercises using an elastic band are often standard in clinical practice to gain muscle strength. Additionally, functional exercises are considered more representative of functional tasks or sport. However, it is unclear whether functional exercises are comparable to traditional exercises in activating the ankle joint and foot. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of functional exercise and traditional exercise on the muscle activity of the ankle joint and foot. Thirty women participated in this study. Using surface electromyographic, muscle activation of the Tibialis Anterior (TA), Peroneus Longus (FL), Peroneus Short (FC), Gastrocnemius Medialis (GM) and Flexor Digitorum Shortus (FCD) was measured in nine exercises (dorsiflexion with an elastic band, plantar flexion with an elastic band, inversion with an elastic band, eversion with an elastic band, towel curl, standing plantar flexion, squats with an elastic band on the foot, diagonal propulsion and propulsion with peroneal stimulation). The muscle activation was normalized by the activation in maximum voluntary isometric contraction. Functional exercises showed larger mean EMG amplitudes than the traditional exercises for all muscle groups (p > 0.05). Functional exercises provoked more activation compared with the traditional exercises. Functional exercises can be indicated to improve muscle function and functional task performance in populations that suffer dysfunction in ankle joint and foot.
Decoding the Epigenetics and Chromatin Loop Dynamics of Androgen Receptor-Mediated Transcription
Authors: Lack Nathan , Altintas Umut Berkay , Seo Ji-Heu , Giambartolomei Claudia , Ozturan Dogancan , Fortunato Brad , Nelson Geoffrey , Goldman Seth , Adelman Karen , Hach Faraz , Freedman Matthew
Published: February 2024

Androgen receptor (AR)-mediated transcription plays a critical role in normal prostate development and prostate cancer growth. AR drives gene expression by binding to thousands of cis-regulatory elements (CRE) that loop to hundreds of target promoters. With multiple CREs interacting with a single promoter, it remains unclear how individual AR bound CREs contribute to gene expression. To characterize the involvement of these CREs, we investigated the AR-driven epigenetic and chromosomal chromatin looping changes. We collected a kinetic multi-omic dataset comprised of steady-state mRNA, chromatin accessibility, transcription factor binding, histone modifications, chromatin looping, and nascent RNA. Using an integrated regulatory network, we found that AR binding induces sequential changes in the epigenetic features at CREs, independent of gene expression. Further, we showed that binding of AR does not result in a substantial rewiring of chromatin loops, but instead increases the contact frequency of pre-existing loops to target promoters. Our results show that gene expression strongly correlates to the changes in contact frequency. We then proposed and experimentally validated an unbalanced multi-enhancer model where the impact on gene expression of AR-bound enhancers is heterogeneous, and is proportional to their contact frequency with target gene promoters. Overall, these findings provide new insight into AR-mediated gene expression upon acute androgen simulation and develop a mechanistic framework to investigate nuclear receptor mediated perturbations.
Cardiovascular Stress Biomarkers in Response to Marathon Running in Male Athletes with Various Plasma Trimethylamine N-oxide Levels
Authors: Siekierzycka Anna , Radulska Adrianna , Woźniak Marcin , Pelikant-Małecka Iwona , Janaszak-Jasiecka Anna , Lewicka Ewa , Kalinowski Leszek , Olek Robert A.
Published: February 2024

Habitual physical activity is known to support cardiovascular health. However, when intensive exercise is performed for long durations, it can negatively affect the cardiovascular system. We evaluated the exercise-induced physiological responses of cardiac markers in male marathon runners with basal levels of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) plasma below (LT) and equal or above (HT) value of 4.0 µM. Blood samples from 28 marathon runners were collected two weeks before the marathon run (control before), after finishing the race (post-marathon), and two weeks after the race (control after). Serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI), endothelin-1 (ET-1), galectin-3, pentraxin-3, human growth differentiation factor 15, and neopterin were determined by the enzyme immunoassay method. Plasma trimethylamine and TMAO were measured by the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Running a marathon increased level of circulating stress biomarkers. A greater post-marathon elevation of cTnI and ET-1 was associated with higher plasma TMAO levels in the control samples prior to the marathon. A significant increase in ET-1 in post-marathon HT samples may indicate increased blood pressure and myocardial load due to increased vascular tone. Such an increase leads to greater myocardial cell membrane permeability and cTnI release. These modifications were not associated with other determined cardiovascular and inflammatory markers.
RETRACTED: The Moderating Role of Emotion Regulation on Shyness and Internalizing Behavior of Turkish Preschool Children
Authors: Ülker Pelin , Aslan Özge Metin
Published: February 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Bioprospecting of Wild Botanicals against Alternaria Leaf Blight of Radish and their Phytochemical Profiling by GC-MS
Authors: Kumar Ranjan , Ramachaandra Sudharshan Keralapura , Kaushik Snata , Austin Hans , T Rajesh
Published: February 2024

Cruciferous vegetables, globally important crops, face a severe threat from Alternaria blight, a pervasive and highly damaging disease, causing black spots and blight on leaves in field conditions, resulting in reduced yield and seed quality. The present study aims to evaluate the antifungal potential of different wild botanicals against the Alternaria leaf blight pathogen in in vitro and in vivo studies and to analyze the phytochemicals through Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. Among fifty botanicals screened at a 10% concentration against the pathogen, the aqueous extracts of Hemidesmus indicus, Lippia alba, Chromolaena odorata, and Solanum violaceum displayed the highest mycelial inhibition. Further in vitro evaluations of these four botanicals at different concentrations (2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5%, 10.0%, and 12.5%) revealed that, at a 12.5% plant extract, H. indicus and L. alba exhibited the most effective inhibition of 82.96% and 76.60%, respectively, followed by C. odorata (71.93%) and S. violaceum (63.53%). Based on promising in vitro results, these botanicals were assessed in pot experiments at 12.5% concentration each. Among the four botanicals, the highest percentage of disease reduction was observed in H. indicus and L. alba, with 69.79% and 60.44%, respectively. Eventually, botanicals effectively reduced disease severity while increasing radish yield. GCMS analysis of phytochemicals revealed that botanicals often attributed to a combination of various bioactive compounds such as phenolics, flavonoids, saponins, and volatile compounds, known for their antimicrobial activities. This study emphasizes the potential of botanicals as a natural alternative for managing fungal diseases, offering resilient and sustainable approaches to safeguard crops from destructive fungal infections.
Association between sphingomyelin levels and gut microbiota abundance: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: wang liping , Ding Yuyan , Yang Mengqi , Yang Zhihui , Yang Xiao , Xia Jiazeng
Published: February 2024

Background
Several previous observational studies have shown that abnormal sphingomyelin metabolism may be implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. To determine the causal relationship between sphingolipid abundance and gut microbiota abundance at the genetic level, we conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) investigation.
Methods
We first used the TwoSampleMR and MRPRESSO packages for conducting two-sample MR studies. Second, we utilized random effect inverse variance weighting (IVW) as the principal method of analysis and used MR‒Egger, the weighted median, the simple mode and the weighted mode as supplementary methods. Finally, we performed tests for heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy. These analyses were also conducted to evaluate the impact of individual SNPs on the outcomes of our analysis.
Results
The results showed that the level of sphingomyelin was correlated with the abundance of 6 gut microbiota species, among which 2 were positively correlated with the family Alcaligenaceae (p = 0.006, beta 95% CI = 0.103 [0.029, 0.178]) and the species Ruminococcus callidus (p = 0.034, beta 95% CI = 0.197 [0.015, 0.378]). There were negative correlations with the abundances of 4 gut microbiota abundencegenera, such as the genus Flavonifractor (p = 0.026, beta 95%CI = -0.218 [-0.411, -0.026]) and the genus Streptococcus (p = 0.014, beta 95% CI = -0.096 [-0.172, -0.019]). The results presented a normal distribution with no anomalous values, heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropic effects detected.
Conclusions
This two-sample Mendelian randomization study revealed a causal relationship between sphingomyelin levels and gut microbiota abundance.
Shotgun sequencing of 512-mer copolyester allows random access to stored information
Authors: Kim Kyoung Taek , Jang Heejeong , Chu Hyunseon , Noh Hyojoo
Published: February 2024

Digital information encoded in polymers has been exclusively decoded by mass spectrometry. However, the size limit of analytes in mass spectrometry restricts the storage capacity per chain. In addition, sequential decoding hinders random access to the bits of interest without full-chain sequencing. Here we report the shotgun sequencing of a 512-mer sequence-defined polymer whose molecular weight (57.3 kDa) far exceeds the analytical limit of mass spectrometry. A 4-bit fragmentation code was implemented at random positions during the synthetic encoding of 512-bit information without affecting storage capacity per chain. Upon the activation of the fragmentation code, the polymer chain splits into 18 oligomeric fragments, which could be individually decoded by tandem-mass sequencing. These sequences were computationally reconstructed into a full sequence using an error-detection method. The proposed sequencing method eliminates the storage limit of a single polymer chain and allows random access to the bits of interest without full-chain sequencing.
Vpr protein regulates expression of cytokines associated with apopotsis
Authors: Xu zhen-yu , Gao jia-shi , Wu Zhenyu , Zhou Hua-ying , Chen Zi , He Yan , peng feng
Published: February 2024

Background: Viral protein R (Vpr) is an HIV-1 accessory protein whose function remains poorly understood. While its contribution to virus replication in dividing and non-dividing cells and to the pathogenesis of HIV-1 in many different cell types have been extensively studied. Recently, HIV-1 viral protein R (Vpr) has been demonstrated to induce host cell G2 / M phase and apoptosis in infected cells. However, its precise mechanism of apoptosis nevertheless remains enigmatic.
Methods: In this study, we established overexpression and silencing of HIV-1 Vpr gene in 293T and Jurkat cells to investigate the relationship among HIV-1 Vpr with IL-17A, IFN-γ and c-IAP2 expression.
Results: The results demonstrated that overexpression of HIV-1 Vpr gene significantly decreased IL-17A, IFN-γ concentration as well as c-IAP2 expression and induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells, but not in 293T stable cells. Meanwhile, silencing of Vprgene expression reversed the effects of Vpr on IL-17A, IFN-γ, and c-IAP2 expression, and apoptosis in Jurkat cells.
Conclusion: HIV-1 Vpr negatively regulates IL-17A, IFN-γ, and c-IAP2 expression and induce apoptosis in T lymphocytes.
The stochastic vibration characteristics of the coupled airbag isolation system for marine rotors under heave excitation
Authors: Zhu Leilei Zhu , Li Ming Li , Du Du Xiaolei
Published: February 2024

This paper mainly studies the random vibration of the marine rotating machinery-airbag isolation system under pendulum excitation. Firstly, the airbag is simplified as a cubic nonlinear spring and a linear damper, considering the randomness of the spring stiffness. The random dynamic model of the system under pendulum excitation is established. Then, based on the second kind of Chebyshev orthogonal polynomial expansion approximation method and Monte Carlo method, the random vibration characteristics of the system are analyzed by comparing with the simulation results of the deterministic system. The results show that when the cubic nonlinear spring coefficient is taken as a random parameter and the pendulum excitation amplitude is small, the random perturbation of the spring nonlinear stiffness has little influence on the system, and the dynamic behavior is similar to the deterministic system. However, as the pendulum excitation amplitude increases, the difference in response between the two systems will also increase. When the pendulum excitation is added with random white noise excitation, the difference between the two systems is small and mainly reflected in the vibration velocity when the rotor speed is low. As the rotor speed increases, the difference between the two systems becomes larger, and the influence of the rotor speed on the random system is greater than that on the deterministic system.
Comparative Evaluation of Commercial DNA Isolation Approaches for Nanopore-only Bacterial Genome Assembly and Plasmid Recovery
Authors: Kruasuwan Worarat , Sawatwong Pongpun , Jenjaroenpun Piroon , Wankaew Natnicha , Arigul Tantip , Yongkiettrakul Suganya , Lunha Kamonwan , Sudjai Aunthikarn , Siludjai Duangkamon , Skaggs Beth , Wongsurawat Thidathip
Published: February 2024

The advent of Oxford Nanopore Technologies has undergone significant improvements in terms of sequencing costs, accuracy, and sequencing read lengths, making it a cost-effective, and readily accessible approach for analyzing microbial genomes. A major challenge for bacterial whole genome sequencing by Nanopore technology is the requirement for a higher quality and quantity of high molecular weight DNA compared to short-read sequencing platforms. In this study, using eight pathogenic bacteria, we evaluated the quality, quantity, and fragmented size distribution of extracted DNA obtained from three different commercial DNA extraction kits, and one automated robotic platform. Our results demonstrated significant variation in DNA yield and purity among the extraction kits. The ZymoBIOMICS DNA Miniprep Kit (ZM) provided a higher purity of DNA compared to other kit-based extractions. All kit-based DNA extractions were successfully performed on all twenty-four samples using a single MinION flow cell, with the Nanobind CBB Big DNA kit (NB) yielding the longest raw reads. The Fire Monkey HMW-DNA Extraction Kit (FM) and the automated Roche MagNaPure 96 platform (RO) outperformed in genome assembly, particularly in gram-negative bacteria. A minimum of 30× to 50× read coverages is recommended for genome assembly and plasmid recovery. Our evaluation indicated that the RO platform gave the best overall performance compared to other kits. The RO platform has the additional advantages of full automation and high throughput. However, consideration of upfront costs associated with instruments and reagents is crucial. In conclusion, our study provides valuable guidance for selecting effective kit-based DNA extraction methods for bacterial whole genomes and plasmids recovery.
Novel insight into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and related metabolites in cancer patients undergoing surgery
Authors: Fujita Hiroaki , Wakiya Taiichi , Tatara Yota , Ishido Keinosuke , Sakamoto Yoshiyuki , Kimura Norihisa , Morohashi Hajime , Miura Takuya , Muroya Takahiro , Akasaka Harue , Yokoyama Hiroshi , Kanda Taishu , Kubota Shunsuke , Ichisawa Aika , Ogasawara Kenta , Kuwata Daisuke , Takahashi Yoshiya , Nakamura Akie , Yamazaki Keisuke , Yamada Takahiro , Matsuyama Ryo , Kanou Masanobu , Yamana Kei , Itoh Ken , Hakamada Kenichi
Published: February 2024

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) plays a pivotal role in numerous cellular functions. Reduced NAD+ levels are postulated to be associated with cancer. As interest in understanding NAD+ dynamics in cancer patients with therapeutic applications in mind grows, there remains a shortage of comprehensive data. This study delves into NAD+ dynamics in patients undergoing surgery for different digestive system cancers. This prospective study enrolled 99 patients with eight different cancers. Fasting blood samples were obtained during the perioperative period. The concentrations of NAD+, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), and nicotinamide riboside were analyzed using tandem mass spectrometry. Initial measurements showed lower NAD+ concentrations in cancer patients compared to previously studied healthy donors. After erythrocyte volume adjustment, NAD+ remained relatively stable after surgery. Meanwhile, NMN decreased the day after surgery and displayed a recovery trend. Interestingly, liver and pancreatic cancer patients exhibited poor postoperative NMN recovery, suggesting a potential cancer type-specific influence on NAD+ metabolism. This study illuminated the behavior of NAD+ in surgically treated cancer patients. We identified which cancer types have particularly low levels and at what point depletion occurs during the perioperative period. These insights suggest the need for personalized NAD+ supplementation strategies, calibrated to individual patient needs and treatment timelines.
Clinical trial registration
jRCT1020210066
Development of optical fiber vector sensor and its application in straightness monitoring of scraper conveyor
Authors: Du Shangyu , Shi Hongyu
Published: February 2024

The accuracy of straightness monitoring of scraper conveyor seriously restricts the development of unmanned mining technology in underground coal mines. Fiber Bragg Grating sensors have the characteristics of passive intrinsic safety and have broad application prospects in coal mine underground monitoring technology. In this paper, the motion characteristics between two adjacent scrapers of the scraper were fully analyzed, the mathematical expressions were illustrated, furthermore, we designed and manufactured a 3D vector sensor using FBG sensors. The calibration and testing of the appropriate amount of sensor was realized, and the test results showed that the fiber vector sensor we designed can be used to measure the straightness of the scraper conveyor.
Intratumoral Administration Immunogenic Exosomes can Modify Tumor Immune Microenvironment
Authors: Kalami Arman , Poursalehi Zahra , Gharalari Farzaneh Hosseini , Molavi Hana , Tollabi Mohammad , Nasiri-Motlagh Behnam , Shahgolzari Mehdi , Khosroshahi Ahmad Yari
Published: February 2024

It has been observed that external stress or stimuli can initiate apoptosis and produce extracellular vesicles known as exosomes. Recent studies suggest that exosomes can trigger an anti-tumor immune response. In the current study, exosomes secreted by the 4T1 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line under stress conditions (Dox, X-ray irradiation, and cold plasma treatments) were studied. The stress-induced exosomes were harvested, differing in their ability to present some DAMP proteins such as HSP70 and HMGB1. These exosomes can enhance the expression of pro-inflammatory molecules by immune cells at different levels in different treatments. Additionally, intratumoral administration of these exosomes has been shown to modify the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) in a TNBC murine model differently. We have concluded that exosomes secreted by the 4T1 cell line under Dox treatment can significantly reduce tumor volume and modify the tumor microenvironment. However, other treatment methods produce immunogenic exosomes that are neither effective nor appropriate. Nevertheless, many studies report that these methods have significant therapeutic effects when used directly.
Effect of chronic vapor nicotine exposure on affective and cognitive behavior in male mice
Authors: Murdaugh Laura B. , Miliano Cristina , Chen Irene , Faunce Christine L. , Natividad Luis A. , Gregus Ann M. , Buczynski Matthew W.
Published: February 2024

Nicotine use is a leading cause of preventable deaths worldwide, and most of those who attempt to quit will relapse. While electronic cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) were presented as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes and promoted as devices to help traditional tobacco smokers reduce or quit smoking, they have instead contributed to increasing nicotine use among youths. Despite this, ENDS also represent a useful tool to create novel preclinical animal models of nicotine exposure that more accurately represent human nicotine use. In this study, we validated a chronic, intermittent, ENDS-based passive vapor exposure model in mice, and then measured changes in multiple behaviors related to nicotine abstinence. First, we performed a behavioral dose curve to investigate the effects of different nicotine inter-vape intervals on various measures including body weight, locomotor activity, and pain hypersensitivity. Next, we performed a pharmacokinetic study to measure plasma levels of nicotine and cotinine following chronic exposure for each inter-vape interval. Finally, we utilized a behavior test battery at a single dosing regimen that produces blood levels equivalent to human smokers in order to characterize the effects of chronic nicotine, vehicle, or passive airflow and identified nicotine-induced impairments in cognitive behavior.
Research on Safety Input-output Efficiency of Coal Mine Enterprises based on the Four-stage DEA-MALMQUIST Model
Authors: Wang Meng , Li Meng , Liu Weiwei , Kang Jiaxu , Su Jinshuai , Shang Liyou , YU Wenguang
Published: February 2024

In order to systematically evaluate the rationality of safety input-output of Chinese coal enterprises, this study analyzed and investigated the safety input-output efficiency of 16 listed coal enterprises in China during the five years from 2017 to 2021. This is achieved through the classification, integration and systematic analysis of the data in the business statements disclosed by enterprises in recent years. Using four-stage DEA model and Mulmquist model, this study has important theoretical and practical significance. The research results show that :1) In general, there are some unreasonable inputs in the operation process of Chinese coal enterprises, which are mainly reflected in the lack of planning of various inputs and the behavior of resource waste. 2) The fundamental problem of unreasonable safety input and output is the waste of human resources. Under the current economic scale, the average overstaffing of the industry reaches 37.56%. In terms of enterprise operating expenses, too many personnel will lead to a further increase in security costs, management costs, scientific research costs and other costs. 3) Before 2019, the operation and development of China's coal enterprises were mainly reflected in that their own technical management level lagged behind the average level of the industry, and after 2019, it was transformed into the insufficient utilization of their own existing management technology level. This paper takes the safety input-output efficiency of Chinese coal enterprises as the starting point, and deeply discusses the rationality of enterprise input and output. This paper studies the influence of different input-output units on the operation efficiency of enterprises, and provides guidance for improving the input management level of enterprises.
Pan-cancer analysis of the role of SPC25 in human cancer
Authors: Wang Qi , Wu wensong , Aisha Awuti , Xin Jiayan , Chang Fan , Zhang Jianghui , Tang Shuai , Lv Zheng , Chen Fangmin
Published: February 2024

Objective
Cell division plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of cancer. Despite the significant role of SPC25 in the cell cycle, its involvement in cancer remains insufficiently studied. This research aims to employ bioinformatics analysis methods by integrating extensive multi-omics data from various cancer types to explore the potential mechanisms of SPC25 in the occurrence of diverse cancers.
Method
We conducted an extensive analysis utilizing mRNA expression data and clinical information from cancer patients obtained from the TCGA database. We examined SPC25 protein expression levels in tumor and normal samples using the UALCAN database, alongside an assessment of its promoter methylation status. Additionally, we accessed immunohistochemical images of SPC25 protein in tumor and normal tissues from the HPA database. Detailed information regarding SPC25 mutations across various tumor types was obtained from the cBioPortal database. Analysis of SPC25 expression across multiple cell types was performed using the TISCH2 database. We investigated the relationship between SPC25 expression levels and immune cell infiltration as well as the expression of immune-related factors. Furthermore, we conducted single-variable Cox regression analysis to explore the association between SPC25 and cancer patient prognosis. To delve into potential mechanisms, we employed methodologies from the GO, KEGG, GSEA, CancerSEA, and GSCALite databases to investigate SPC25's potential involvement in various cancers.
Results
Our study comprehensively examined the role of SPC25 within a multi-omics framework. SPC25 demonstrates heightened expression across diverse cancer types, showcasing robust diagnostic potential for cancer detection. Furthermore, it correlates with unfavorable prognoses across multiple cancer types and exhibits a significant association with tumor immunogenicity. Its putative role in modulating the cell cycle stands as a potential primary mechanism in cancer pathogenesis. Hence, SPC25 presents a prospective avenue for novel therapeutic interventions directed at the cell cycle.
Conclusion
In the future, SPC25 holds promise as a novel target for cell cycle-directed therapies.
Platypnea-Orthodeoxia Syndrome Due to Atrial Septal Defect with Congenital Variation in the Position of the Atrial Septum and Combined Thoracic Deformities in a Young Man
Authors: Hu Lixing , Tao Xincao , Zhou Xiaoming , Wang Jingjin , Li Xiangnan , Xiong Changming , Hu Haibo
Published: February 2024

Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome (POS) is a rare and complicated clinical entity with low recognition rate. The mechanisms of POS are broadly divided into intracardiac and intrapulmonary, while the detailed pathogenesis is less understood. Here we reported a POS case with atrial septal defect with congenital horizontal position of the atrial septum and combined thoracic deformities in a young man with normal right atrial pressure. This case was useful for understanding the detailed pathogenesis of POS.
Low-Complexity Passive Beamforming for Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface Aided mmWave communication Systems
Authors: Qi Jinyan , Li Haohan , Zhang Wence , Xia Jing , Zheng Zhaowen , Bao Xu
Published: February 2024

Millimeter wave (mmWave) communication technology has received wide attention in recent years due to its abundant frequency resources. However, severe propagation loss and the ease of being blocked by obstacles are not conducive to wide area coverage. Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) is expected to solve the coverage problem of mmWave communication systems by reforming the wireless channel to some extent. In this work, we propose a low complexity scheme for the optimization of RIS phase shifts in the downlink of mmWave communication systems. Unlike previous works that usually jointly design the RIS phase shifts and precoding matrix with nonnegligible computational and implementation complexity, we propose to solely optimize the RIS phase shifts to maximize the overall throughput of the wireless channel and devise two low complexity RIS phase shift design schemes, i.e., TM UB-RPO and TM SCA-RPO. For TM UB-RPO, the suboptimal phase shifts are derived in closed form through theoretical analysis, while for TM SCA-RPO, the phase shifts are optimized using the successive convex approximation method, and the solution in each iteration is given in closed form. The proposed schemes can work with any conventional precoding scheme, such as zero-forcing precoding (ZF), thus can be easily deployed in existing schemes. Numerical results show that the proposed schemes outperform existing methods in terms of achievable rates while significantly reducing computational complexity.
The Effect of Novel D3 Compounds on Saliva Samples from COVID-19 Patients: A Lab Study
Authors: Feteih Sarah , Dada Ashraf , Heaphy Emily Leanore , Jan Daina , Zailaie Samar , Wali Ghassan , Rashed Zinab
Published: February 2024

Background:
Saliva is one of the diagnostic tools available for dental fields due to its comfortable and noninvasive nature and greater patient acceptance of all ages, especially elderly individuals, children and cancer patients, when compared to the gold standard (swabs). As cancer incidence has been increasing worldwide, the discomfort, soreness, ulcerations and dryness a patient may suffer would divert our strategy toward novel ways for increasing patient acceptance of diagnostic tools and therapy, i.e., using saliva for such purposes. Many studies have shown the antimicrobial effects of vitamin D, one of which is its antiviral effects and role in the immune system.
The aimof this study was to explore the antiviral effects of vitamin D on saliva samples collected from COVID-19-positive patients and to compare saliva and swab results to aid in the development of new policies to better serve these patients.
Methods: Inclusion criteria were as follows: saliva and swab samples collected from adult patients with a positive test for COVID-19 at the KFSH-RC in Jeddah: Department of ER, Family Medicine and Inpatients. The exclusion criteria for patients were immunocompromised and pregnant, children and those younger than 18 years of age. D3 was made at different concentrations (100 IU, 300 IU, 800 IU and 1,200 IU) and was added to the first samples in the laboratory (n=20); the rest of the swab specimens were compared to the saliva samples via RT‒PCR (total n=257).
Results: Of these, 236 participants (94.8%) had positive saliva sample test results, 7 (2.8%) had errors, and 6 (2.4%) had negative saliva sample test results. Of the 236 positive tests, 235 (99.6%) had acycle threshold (Ct values) indicating strong positive reactions, and only one value (Ct=28.86) was weak.
Conclusion: Among the 236 positive test results, 235 (99.6%) exhibited robust positive reactions, indicating a substantial positive sample size. Consequently, saliva might be considered a dependable alternative testing tool when obtaining swab samples from patients is inconvenient or challenging.
The Beaver Tail Liver – description of a rare variant with a review of its surgical and radiologic implications
Authors: Palanisamy Anugragha , Hussain Shamila , Sajeev Rikil Ambi , Yohannan Doris George , Oommen Aswathy Maria , Devi KB Usha
Published: February 2024

We report a rare anatomical variant of left lobe of liver – the Beaver tail liver (BTL) /Sliver of liver, in a male donor of 29 years of age. The left lobe of liver extended from midline towards the left hypochondrium, went past the midclavicular line posteriorly to twist itself as a thin layer of hepatic tissue to encircle the spleen, on its usual ‘diaphragmatic surface’, creating an unusual ‘hepatic area’ on the convex surface of the spleen. Knowledge of this variant is important for the radiologist and the physician while interpreting lesions in the left hypochondriac region of the abdomen, especially in the setting of a left sided abdominal trauma or left lower rib fractures. Ultrasound and CT examinations of the BTL may mimic a subcapsular hematoma and caution must be exercised before diagnosing it as a splenic laceration leading to unnecessary surgical exploration. Knowledge of this variant is also important for the surgeon while surgically exploring the upper abdomen and also for choosing the appropriate liver tissue in a case of liver transplant.
Unraveling Incommensurate Spatial Partitions: A Bipartite Graph Approach to School-Neighborhood Interactions and Their Impacts
Authors: Rey Sergio , Knaap Elijah , Neal Zachary , Andris Clio
Published: February 2024

This paper investigates the challenges and opportunities arising from incommensurate spatial partitions (ISPs) in regional science and spatial econometrics, focusing on how processes with overlapping yet distinct boundaries, interact and influence each other. ISPs are prevalent in various domains, including housing markets, employment centers, voting districts, and educational institutions, often complicating spatial econometric modeling and analysis. Using the intersection of school catchment areas and neighborhoods as a primary case study, the paperintroduces a novel methodological framework utilizing bipartite graphs.This approach reframes the relationship between different spatial units,allowing for the analysis of multi-process spatial contexts withoutneeding harmonization of spatial supports. The paper also develops newspatial weights derived from the bipartite graph, facilitating bothexploratory spatial data analysis and confirmatory spatial econometricmodeling. The paper's contributions include a set of new modelspecifications that consider spillovers from and to each of theprocesses involved, demonstrating the application of these methodsthrough a case study in San Diego, California. This involves analyzing198 neighborhoods and 370 public elementary school catchments, exploringthe implications of school-neighborhood interactions on educational outcomes and neighborhood characteristics.
The calcaneofibular ligament courses toward the groove at the inferior fibula and the CFL groove becomes a landmark for ultrasonography
Authors: Kakegawa Akira , Sumitomo Norimi , Nagira Ayata , Ichinose Yuko , Fukushima Nanae
Published: February 2024

Purpose Calcaneofibular fibular ligament (CFL) injuries are harder to diagnose than anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) ones. This study aimed to clarify the fibular attachment of the CFL and verify the bony landmark for evaluating the CFL on ultrasonography.Methods To confirm the control function of the CFL, we performed passive movement manually using cadaveric ankles and observed the ankle positions where the CFLs were tense. The ATFL and CFL were removed, and the bone morphology of the CFL attachment and inferior fibular end was imaged using a stereomicroscope and a 3D scanner. Using ultrasonography, we evaluated the bone morphology of the fibular attachment of the CFL in short-axis images of healthy adult ankles.Results The CFL was tensed according to ankle motions: supination, maximum dorsi flexion, maximum plantar flexion, and mild plantar flexion–external rotation. Below the CFL attachment of the fibula was a slight groove between the inferior tip and the obscure tubercle of the fibula. This groove was observed in 81.5% of cases using short-axis ultrasonography.Conclusion The CFL was tensed in various ankle positions to control the movements of the talocrural and subtalar joints. There was a slight groove at the inferior end of the fibula where the CFL coursed downward. We called it the CFL groove and proposed that it could serve as a landmark for the short-axis image of ultrasonography.