bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential Role of Inflammation-Promoting Biliary Microbiome in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Miyabe Katsuyuki , Chandrasekhara Vinay , Wongjarupong Nicha , Chen Jun , Yang Lu , Johnson Stephen , Chia Nicholas , Walther-Antonio Marina , Yao Janet , Harrington Sean , Nordyke Cynthia , Eaton John , Gossard Andrea , Oli Sharad , Ali Hamdi , Lavu Sravanthi , Giama Nasra , Hassan Fatima , Ali Hawa , Enders Felicity , Ilyas Sumera , Gores Gregory , Topazian Mark , Kashyap Purna , Roberts Lewis
Published: April 2022

Background: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a major risk factor for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). We investigated biliary and fecal microbiota to determine whether specific microbes in the bile or stool are associated with PSC or CCA. Methods: Bile was obtained from 32 patients with PSC, 23 with CCA with PSC, 26 with CCA without PSC, and 17 controls. Over 90% of bile samples were from patients with perihilar CCA. Stool was obtained from 31 patients with PSC (11 were matched to bile), 16 with CCA with PSC (10 matched to bile), and 11 with CCA without PSC (6 matched to bile). Microbiota composition was assessed using 16SrRNA-marker-based sequencing and was compared between groups. Results: Bile has a unique microbiota distinguished from negative DNA controls and stool. Increased species richness and abundance of Fusobacteria correlated with duration of PSC and characterized the biliary microbiota in CCA. Stool microbiota composition showed no significant differences between groups. Conclusions: We identified a unique microbial signature in the bile of patients with increased duration of PSC or with CCA, suggesting a role for microbiota-driven inflammation in the pathogenesis and or progression to perihilar CCA. Further studies are needed to test this hypothesis.
Prognostic Biomarkers for Survival in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Islam Kazi Anisha , Chow Larry Ka-Yue , Kam Ngar Woon , Wang Ying , Chiang Chi Leung , Choi Horace Cheuk-Wai , Xia Yun-Fei , Lee Anne Wing-Mui , Ng Wai Tong , Dai Wei
Published: April 2022

This systematic review aims to identify prognostic molecular biomarkers which demonstrate strong evidence and a low risk of bias in predicting the survival of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. The literature was searched for on PubMed to identify original clinical studies and meta-analyses which reported associations between molecular biomarkers and survival, including ≥150 patients with a survival analysis, and the results were validated in at least one independent cohort, while meta-analyses must include ≥1000 patients with a survival analysis. Seventeen studies fulfilled these criteria—two studies on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), three studies on methylation biomarkers, two studies on microRNA biomarkers, one study on mutational signature, six studies on gene expression panels, and three meta-analyses on gene expressions. The comparison between the hazard ratios of high-risk and low-risk patients along with a multivariate analysis are used to indicate that these biomarkers have significant independent prognostic values for survival. The biomarkers also indicate a response to certain treatments and whether they could be used as therapeutic targets. This review highlights that patients’ genetics, epigenetics, and signatures of cancer and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) play a vital role in determining their survival.
Long Term Results and Prognostic Biomarkers for Anti-PD1 Immunotherapy Used after BRAFi/MEKi Combination in Advanced Cutaneous Melanoma Patients
Authors: Rogala Paweł , Czarnecka Anna M. , Cybulska-Stopa Bożena , Ostaszewski Krzysztof , Piejko Karolina , Ziętek Marcin , Dziura Robert , Rutkowska Ewa , Galus Łukasz , Kempa-Kamińska Natasza , Seredyńska Joanna , Bal Wiesław , Kozak Katarzyna , Surus-Hyla Anna , Kubiatowski Tomasz , Kamińska-Winciorek Grażyna , Suwiński Rafał , Mackiewicz Jacek , Rutkowski Piotr
Published: April 2022

(1) Background: BRAFi/MEKi are usually offered as a first line treatment for patients requiring rapid response; with elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, large tumor burden, and with brain metastases. The efficacy of second line therapies after BRAFi/MEKI failure is now well defined. (2) Methods: Patients treated with first line target BRAFi/MEKi therapy (vemurafenib plus cobimetinib, dabrafenib plus trametinib or encorafenib plus binimetinib); and for the second line treatment immunotherapy with programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) checkpoint inhibitors (nivolumab or pembrolizumab) with at least one cycle of second line were analyzed for survival and prognostic biomarkers. (3) Results: There were no statistically significant differences in ORR between the treatment groups with nivolumab and pembrolizumab, as well as median progression free-survival (PSF) and overall survival (OS) since the initiation of second line therapy; on nivolumab OS was 6.6 months, and on pembrolizumab 5.0 months. The greatest clinical benefit with second line immunotherapy was observed in patients with LDH ≤ ULN and <3 organ sites with metastasis at baseline. Longer OS was also noted in patients with time to PD  >6 months in first line (slow progression). (4) Conclusions: Second line anti-PD1 immunotherapy is effective in BRAF-mutated melanoma patients after BRAFi/MEKi therapy failure.
Therapeutic Strategies Focused on Cancer-Associated Hypercoagulation for Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Tamura Ryo , Yoshihara Kosuke , Enomoto Takayuki
Published: April 2022

Ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) is associated with chemotherapy resistance and poor prognosis, especially in advanced cases. Although comprehensive genomic analyses have clarified the significance of genomic alterations such as ARID1A and PIK3CA mutations in OCCC, therapeutic strategies based on genomic alterations have not been confirmed. On the other hand, OCCC is clinically characterized by a high incidence of thromboembolism. Moreover, OCCC specifically shows high expression of tissue factor and interleukin-6, which play a critical role in cancer-associated hypercoagulation and may be induced by OCCC-specific genetic alterations or the endometriosis-related tumor microenvironment. In this review, we focused on the association between cancer-associated hypercoagulation and molecular biology in OCCC. Moreover, we reviewed the effectiveness of candidate drugs targeting hypercoagulation, such as tissue factor- or interleukin-6-targeting drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-hypoxia signaling drugs, anticoagulants, and combined immunotherapy with these drugs for OCCC. This review is expected to contribute to novel basic research and clinical trials for the prevention, early detection, and treatment of OCCC focused on hypercoagulation.
Urinary Volatile Organic Compound Testing in Fast-Track Patients with Suspected Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Boulind Caroline E. , Gould Oliver , de Lacy Costello Ben , Allison Joanna , White Paul , Ewings Paul , Wicaksono Alfian N. , Curtis Nathan J. , Pullyblank Anne , Jayne David , Covington James A. , Ratcliffe Norman , Turner Claire , Francis Nader K.
Published: April 2022

Colorectal symptoms are common but only infrequently represent serious pathology, including colorectal cancer (CRC). A large number of invasive tests are presently performed for reassurance. We investigated the feasibility of urinary volatile organic compound (VOC) testing as a potential triage tool in patients fast-tracked for assessment for possible CRC. A prospective, multi-center, observational feasibility study was performed across three sites. Patients referred to NHS fast-track pathways for potential CRC provided a urine sample that underwent Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometry (FAIMS), and Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS) analysis. Patients underwent colonoscopy and/or CT colonography and were grouped as either CRC, adenomatous polyp(s), or controls to explore the diagnostic accuracy of VOC output data supported by an artificial neural network (ANN) model. 558 patients participated with 23 (4%) CRC diagnosed. 59% of colonoscopies and 86% of CT colonographies showed no abnormalities. Urinary VOC testing was feasible, acceptable to patients, and applicable within the clinical fast track pathway. GC-MS showed the highest clinical utility for CRC and polyp detection vs. controls (sensitivity = 0.878, specificity = 0.882, AUROC = 0.896) but it is labour intensive. Urinary VOC testing and analysis are feasible within NHS fast-track CRC pathways. Clinically meaningful differences between patients with cancer, polyps, or no pathology were identified suggesting VOC analysis may have future utility as a triage tool.
Aromatherapy in Palliative Care: A Single-Institute Retrospective Analysis Evaluating the Effect of Lemon Oil Pads against Nausea and Vomiting in Advanced Cancer Patients
Authors: Kreye Gudrun , Wasl Manuela , Dietz Andrea , Klaffel Daniela , Groselji-Strele Andrea , Eberhard Katharina , Glechner Anna
Published: April 2022

Aromatherapy is regularly used in the University Hospital Krems’s palliative care unit. In a retrospective analysis, we investigated whether there were improvements in nausea and vomiting in patients with advanced cancers over a time span of 24 months. Data collection used the medical records of patients who were institutionally approved to receive routine aroma applications for alleviating nausea and vomiting. The efficacy of using lemon oil pads was tested with one-dimensional chi-squared tests. Sixty-six patients received 222 applications of lemon oil on cotton pads; no data were available for 17 applications. The adequate relief of nausea and vomiting was reported for 149 (73%) applications, whereas no symptom control was seen for 56 (27%) applications. For the 56 applications without symptom control, first- and second-line rescue medications were successful in 53 and 3 cases, respectively. The use of aromatherapy with lemon oil pads against nausea and vomiting was feasible for 73% of all applications. All patients who did not benefit from aromatherapy had effective symptom control with a rescue medication. Large randomized prospective trials are necessary to evaluate the benefit of the use of lemon oil pads against nausea and vomiting in patients with advanced cancer.
A Comprehensive Investigation of Steroidogenic Signaling in Classical and New Experimental Cell Models of Adrenocortical Carcinoma
Authors: Sigala Sandra , Bothou Christina , Penton David , Abate Andrea , Peitzsch Mirko , Cosentini Deborah , Tiberio Guido , Bornstein Stefan , Berruti Alfredo , Hantel Constanze
Published: April 2022

Adrenocortical carcinoma is a heterogeneous and aggressive cancer that originates from steroidogenic cells within the adrenal cortex. In this study, we have assessed for the preclinical gold standard NCI-H295 in direct comparison with the more recently established MUC-1 and a here newly reported ACC cell line (TVBF-7) the mutational status of important driver genes (TP53, MEN1, PRKAR1A, CTNNB1, APC, ZNRF-3, IGF-2, EGFR, RB1, BRCA1, BRCA2, RET, GNAS and PTEN), Wnt-signaling specificities (CTNNB1 mutation vs. APC mutation vs. wildtype), steroidogenic-(CYP11A1, CYP17A1, HSD3B2, HSD17B4, CYP21A2, CYP11B1, CYP11B2, MC2R, AT1R) and nuclear-receptor-signaling (AR, ER, GCR), varying electrophysiological potentials as well as highly individual hormone secretion profiles (Cortisol, Aldosterone, DHEA, DHEAS, Testosterone, 17-OH Progesterone, among others) which were investigated under basal and stimulated conditions (ACTH, AngII, FSK). Our findings reveal important genetic and pathophysiological characteristics for these three cell lines and reveal the importance of such cell-line panels reflecting differential endocrine functionalities to thereby better reflect clinically well-known ACC patient heterogeneities in preclinical studies.
Extracellular Ribosomal RNA Acts Synergistically with Toll-like Receptor 2 Agonists to Promote Inflammation
Authors: Grote Karsten , Nicolai Marina , Schubert Uwe , Schieffer Bernhard , Troidl Christian , Preissner Klaus T. , Bauer Stefan , Fischer Silvia
Published: April 2022

Self-extracellular RNA (eRNA), which is released under pathological conditions from damaged tissue, has recently been identified as a new alarmin and synergistic agent together with toll-like receptor (TLR)2 ligands to induce proinflammatory activities of immune cells. In this study, a detailed investigation of these interactions is reported. The macrophage cell line J774 A.1 or C57 BL/6 J wild-type mice were treated with 18S rRNA and different TLR2 agonists. Gene and protein expression of tumor necrosis factor (Tnf)-α; interleukin (Il)-1β, Il-6; or monocyte chemoattractant protein (Mcp)-1 were analyzed and furthermore in vitro binding studies to TLR2 were performed. The TLR2/TLR6-agonist Pam2 CSK4 (Pam2) together with 18S rRNA significantly increased the mRNA expression of inflammatory genes and the release of TNF-α from macrophages in a TLR2- and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)-dependent manner. The injection of 18S rRNA/Pam2 into mice increased the cytokine levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and MCP-1 in the peritoneal lavage. Mechanistically, 18S rRNA built complexes with Pam2 and thus enhanced the affinity of Pam2 to TLR2. These results indicate that the alarmin eRNA, mainly consisting of rRNA, sensitizes TLR2 to enhance the innate immune response under pathological conditions. Thus, rRNA might serve as a new target for the treatments of bacterial and viral infections.
Differential Sensitivity of the Protein Translation Initiation Machinery and mTOR Signaling to MECP2 Gain- and Loss-of-Function Involves MeCP2 Isoform-Specific Homeostasis in the Brain
Authors: Buist Marjorie , El Tobgy Nada , Shevkoplyas Danilo , Genung Matthew , Sher Annan Ali , Pejhan Shervin , Rastegar Mojgan
Published: April 2022

Eukaryotic gene expression is controlled at multiple levels, including gene transcription and protein translation initiation. One molecule with key roles in both regulatory mechanisms is methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2). MECP2 gain- and loss-of-function mutations lead to Rett Syndrome and MECP2 Duplication Syndrome, respectively. To study MECP2 gain-of-function, we generated stably transduced human brain cells using lentiviral vectors for both MECP2E1 and MECP2E2 isoforms. Stable overexpression was confirmed by Western blot and immunofluorescence. We assessed the impact of MeCP2E1-E2 gain-of-function on the MeCP2 homeostasis regulatory network (MECP2E1/E2-BDNF/BDNF-miR-132), mTOR-AKT signaling, ribosome biogenesis, markers of chromatin structure, and protein translation initiation. We observed that combined co-transduction of MeCP2 isoforms led to protein degradation of MeCP2E1. Proteosome inhibition by MG132 treatment recovered MeCP2E1 protein within an hour, suggesting its induced degradation through the proteosome pathway. No significant change was detected for translation initiation factors as a result of MeCP2E1, MeCP2E2, or combined overexpression of both isoforms. In contrast, analysis of human Rett Syndrome brains tissues compared with controls indicated impaired protein translation initiation, suggesting that such mechanisms may have differential sensitivity to MECP2 gain- and loss-of-function. Collectively, our results provide further insight towards the dose-dependent functional role of MeCP2 isoforms in the human brain.
The Effects of Remifentanil and Fentanyl on Emergence Agitation in Pediatric Strabismus Surgery
Authors: Baek Jongyoon , Park Sang Jin , Kim Jun Oh , Kim Minhyun , Kim Do Young , Choi Eun Kyung
Published: April 2022

Emergence agitation (EA) is one of the main concerns in the field of pediatric anesthesia using sevoflurane. We investigated the effects of remifentanil and fentanyl on the incidence of EA in pediatric patients undergoing strabismus surgery. Ninety children were randomly allocated into two groups and received either remifentanil (group R: intraoperatively remifentanil 0.2 μg/kg/min) or fentanyl (group F: fentanyl 2 μg/kg at anesthetic induction) intraoperatively. After surgery, EA incidence was assessed using a four-point agitation scale and Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium (PAED) scale in the post-anesthesia care unit. Face, leg, activity, cry, and consolability (FLACC) scores for postoperative pain were also assessed. The incidence of EA using the four-point agitation scale (scores ≥ 3) was similar in both groups (remifentanil group, 28.89% vs. fentanyl group, 24.44%). Similar results were obtained using the PAED scale (scores > 12), with an incidence of 33.33% in the remifentanil group and 26.67% in the fentanyl group. Differences in FLACC scores were not found to be statistically significant. A single bolus administration of fentanyl during anesthetic induction and continuous infusion of remifentanil during surgery had similar effects on the EA incidence in these pediatric patients.
Aging Analysis of Thermally Aged Asphalt Using Peak-Fitting Method: Its Pattern and Statistical Prediction
Authors: Li Zhuolin , Huang Shuolei , Zhao Kunyang , Li Zonghe , Zheng Panfei
Published: April 2022

In this study, the peak fitting method was proposed to deal with and analyze the thermally aged pattern and statistical prediction of asphalt in order to reduce the calculation accuracy caused by overlapping and partial overlapping of infrared spectrum peaks. The aromatic functional group index, aliphatic branch chain index, aliphatic functional group index, butadiene functional group index, styrene index and carbonyl functional group index were used to evaluate the aged asphalt. The piecewise fitting method of OriginPro 9.0 was proposed to investigate the thermally aged pattern of asphalt based on the peak fitting method. From the testing results, after the process of thermal aging, the aromatic functional group index and carbonyl functional group index increased, the aliphatic branch chain index, aliphatic functional group index and butadiene functional group index decreased, and the styrene index was stable. Taking the carbonyl functional group index as the research object, the thermally aged pattern of asphalt based on the peak fitting method conformed to the two-reaction kinetic model and the aging process consists of a fast-rate reaction period and constant-rate reaction period, where the coefficients of determination are all above 0.91. These results show that the pattern and statistical prediction of thermally aged asphalt by infrared spectrum illustrate rapidly for a time and then develop at a relatively constant speed, which corresponds to the road performance of asphalt aging. Therefore, the aging condition of asphalt can be evaluated, which has important theoretical significance to predict the aging state of asphalt and accurately grasping the road aging state.
Mechanical Properties Evolution and Damage Mechanism of Kevlar Fiber under Ozone Exposure in Near-Space Simulation
Authors: Ma Jie , Wei Qiang , Fan Hongbo , Qi Zhengpan , Hu Ning
Published: April 2022

The stratospheric airship, a long-term floating vehicle in near-space, has become a new hotspot in aerospace exploration. The airship’s envelope material is vulnerable to ozone exposure in near-space and degrades. This paper used typical Kevlar fiber as the research material for an ozone exposure experiment in a near-space simulated environment. The results showed that the elongation of the Kevlar fiber decreased and the elastic modulus increased after ozone exposure. The tensile strength of fiber decreased gradually with an increase in ozone concentration and exposure time. When ozone concentration increased from 0 pphm to 1000 pphm, the tensile strength of fiber decreased from 2397 MPa to 2059 MPa. With increasing ozone exposure time from 0 h to 1000 h under ozone concentration 1000 pphm, the tensile strength of fiber decreased from 2332 MPa to 1954 MPa. The hydrogen bonds and partial amide groups in the fiber structure were damaged, and the surface chemical functional groups of the Kevlar fiber were reassembled under ozone exposure. Low molecular weight oxidation products, including -COO- structures, formed on the surface of the Kevlar fiber. This work explores the ground simulation method in a near-space environment and enriches the service data of airship envelope materials.
The High-Energy Milling Preparation and Spectroscopic Characterization of Rare-Earth Ions Doped BaY2F8 Nanoparticles
Authors: Koshelev Aleksander V. , Arkharova Natalia A. , Khaydukov Kirill V. , Seyed Dorraji Mir Saeed , Karimov Denis N. , Klechkovskaya Vera V.
Published: April 2022

BaY2F8 nanoparticles (NPs), doped with Yb3+ and Er3+ ions, were successfully produced by high-energy ball-milling. High-quality monoclinic single crystals (sp. gr. C2/m, a = 0.6969(3), b = 1.0502(1), c = 0.4254(1) nm, β = 99.676°) grown from the melt by the Bridgman technique were used as raw materials. The prepared nanocrystals were comprehensively studied by X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and optical spectroscopy. The fabrication possibility of single-phase irregular shaped Ba(Y0.964Yb0.030Er0.006)2F8 NPs in the size range of 20–100 nm with a milling duration of 10 h at 600 rpm is demonstrated. Ba(Y0.964Yb0.030Er0.006)2F8 NPs show intense luminescence by both up- (λ = 540 and 650 nm) and down-conversion (λ = 1540 nm) mechanisms upon IR excitation (λ = 980 nm). A qualitative comparison of the spectroscopic characteristics of the produced Ba(Y0.964Yb0.030Er0.006)2F8 NPs with the initial bulk crystal and the widely used up-conversion β-Na1.5(Y1.17Yb0.3Er0.03)F6 NPs is presented. Experimental data offer great opportunities of the Ba(Y0.964Yb0.030Er0.006)2F8 NPs applications in nanophotonics and biotechnology. High-energy ball-milling has potential as a versatile method for the scalable production of fluoride nanoparticles.
Beneficial Effects of the Ketogenic Diet in Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review
Authors: Charlot Anouk , Zoll Joffrey
Published: April 2022

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major societal concern due to its increasing prevalence and its high risk of cardiovascular complications. The ketogenic diet (KD), a high fat, low carbohydrate, and non-caloric restrictive diet, is a new popular weight loss intervention but its beneficial effects are controversial. This study aims to gather all of the relevant studies using KD for metabolic disease treatment to determine its beneficial effects and evaluate its safety and efficacy for patients. Following the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, we included 20 articles in the final review. Overall, most of the studies showed a significant effect of KD on weight loss (17/19 articles), BMI (7/7), glucose levels (9/13), insulin levels (7/9), HOMA-IR (4/5), HbA1c (7/7), total cholesterol (6/9), TG (13/15), AST (3/4), and ALT (3/5), and no major side effects. The results heterogeneity seems to be explained by a difference of diet composition and duration. In conclusion, KD is a safety diet which seems to be a promising approach for obesity and MetS treatment, even if the optimal carbohydrate proportion and diet duration must be explored to enhance the beneficial effects of KD.
Running with Type 1 Diabetes: A Case Report on the Benefit of Sensor Technology
Authors: Chellan Nireshni , Muller Christo J. F.
Published: April 2022

Technological advances in the management and treatment of type 1 diabetes have afforded some patients the resources to better manage their condition and live full, healthy lives. One of these technologies is continuous glucose monitoring which allows patients and medical practitioners alike to receive real-time blood glucose readings, evaluate trends, and tailor insulin dosing to avoid both hyper- and hypoglycemic events. The benefit of such technology during exercise, particularly running or cycling, is invaluable. In this case report, we describe the effect of using a continuous glucose monitoring technology in a 38-year-old, brittle, type 1 diabetic female runner over two years. The combined effect of continuous glucose monitoring and exercise, primarily running, resulted in an almost two-fold reduction in HbA1C, a 21% reduction in total daily insulin usage from diagnosis approximately 20 years ago. The patient recorded an over 100% improvement in running capacity.
Autoantibodies versus Skin Fibrosis Extent in Systemic Sclerosis: A Case-Control Study of Inverted Phenotypes
Authors: Tieu Ashley , Chaigne Benjamin , Dunogué Bertrand , Dion Jérémie , Régent Alexis , Casadevall Marion , Cohen Pascal , Legendre Paul , Terrier Benjamin , Costedoat-Chalumeau Nathalie , Le Jeunne Claire , Mouthon Luc
Published: April 2022

Objective: to describe the prevalences, characteristics, and survivals of patients with anti-topoisomerase 1 antibodies (ATA) and limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (lSSc) and anti-centromere antibodies (ACA) and diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dSSc). Methods: patients with ATA lSSc or with ACA dSSc were included in a case-control retrospective study. Results: In our cohort of scleroderma, the prevalence of ACA dSSc and ATA lSSc was 1.1% (12/1040) and 8.9% (93/1040), respectively. ACA dSSc patients had less interstitial lung disease (ILD) (5 (41.7) vs. 74 (79.6); p < 0.01), more cardiac involvement, and more muscle involvement (3 (25) vs. 4 (4.3); p = 0.03 and 4 (33.3) vs. 4 (7.5); p = 0.02,) than ATA dSSc patients. ATA lSSc patients had a higher modified Rodnan skin score than ACA lSSc patients (4 [2–7.5] vs. 2 [0–5]; p < 0.01) and less cardiac or muscle involvement than ATA dSSc patients (6 (6.5) vs. 19 (20.4%); p < 0.01 and 15 (16.1) vs. 54 (58.1); p < 0.0001, respectively). The cumulative 5-year survival rate was 71% in ACA dSSc patients, 95% in ATA lSSc patients, 84% in ACA lSSc patients, and 66% in ATA dSSc patients (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: ATA lSSc and ACA dSSc have specific characteristics when compared to ATA dSSc or ACA lSSc. ATA lSSc patients have more ILD than ACA lSSc patients, and ATA dSSc patients have the worst prognosis. Overall, inverted phenotypes show the value of a patient assessment combining antibody and skin subset and should be considered as a separate group.
Establishment of ICU Mortality Risk Prediction Models with Machine Learning Algorithm Using MIMIC-IV Database
Authors: Pang Ke , Li Liang , Ouyang Wen , Liu Xing , Tang Yongzhong
Published: April 2022

Objective: The mortality rate of critically ill patients in ICUs is relatively high. In order to evaluate patients’ mortality risk, different scoring systems are used to help clinicians assess prognosis in ICUs, such as the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation III (APACHE III) and the Logistic Organ Dysfunction Score (LODS). In this research, we aimed to establish and compare multiple machine learning models with physiology subscores of APACHE III—namely, the Acute Physiology Score III (APS III)—and LODS scoring systems in order to obtain better performance for ICU mortality prediction. Methods: A total number of 67,748 patients from the Medical Information Database for Intensive Care (MIMIC-IV) were enrolled, including 7055 deceased patients, and the same number of surviving patients were selected by the random downsampling technique, for a total of 14,110 patients included in the study. The enrolled patients were randomly divided into a training dataset (n = 9877) and a validation dataset (n = 4233). Fivefold cross-validation and grid search procedures were used to find and evaluate the best hyperparameters in different machine learning models. Taking the subscores of LODS and the physiology subscores that are part of the APACHE III scoring systems as input variables, four machine learning methods of XGBoost, logistic regression, support vector machine, and decision tree were used to establish ICU mortality prediction models, with AUCs as metrics. AUCs, specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and calibration curves were used to find the best model. Results: For the prediction of mortality risk in ICU patients, the AUC of the XGBoost model was 0.918 (95%CI, 0.915–0.922), and the AUCs of logistic regression, SVM, and decision tree were 0.872 (95%CI, 0.867–0.877), 0.872 (95%CI, 0.867–0.877), and 0.852 (95%CI, 0.847–0.857), respectively. The calibration curves of logistic regression and support vector machine performed better than the other two models in the ranges 0–40% and 70%–100%, respectively, while XGBoost performed better in the range of 40–70%. Conclusions: The mortality risk of ICU patients can be better predicted by the characteristics of the Acute Physiology Score III and the Logistic Organ Dysfunction Score with XGBoost in terms of ROC curve, sensitivity, and specificity. The XGBoost model could assist clinicians in judging in-hospital outcome of critically ill patients, especially in patients with a more uncertain survival outcome.
Hybrid Spatiotemporal Contrastive Representation Learning for Content-Based Surgical Video Retrieval
Authors: Kumar Vidit , Tripathi Vikas , Pant Bhaskar , Alshamrani Sultan S. , Dumka Ankur , Gehlot Anita , Singh Rajesh , Rashid Mamoon , Alshehri Abdullah , AlGhamdi Ahmed Saeed
Published: April 2022

In the medical field, due to their economic and clinical benefits, there is a growing interest in minimally invasive surgeries and microscopic surgeries. These types of surgeries are often recorded during operations, and these recordings have become a key resource for education, patient disease analysis, surgical error analysis, and surgical skill assessment. However, manual searching in this collection of long-term surgical videos is an extremely labor-intensive and long-term task, requiring an effective content-based video analysis system. In this regard, previous methods for surgical video retrieval are based on handcrafted features which do not represent the video effectively. On the other hand, deep learning-based solutions were found to be effective in both surgical image and video analysis, where CNN-, LSTM- and CNN-LSTM-based methods were proposed in most surgical video analysis tasks. In this paper, we propose a hybrid spatiotemporal embedding method to enhance spatiotemporal representations using an adaptive fusion layer on top of the LSTM and temporal causal convolutional modules. To learn surgical video representations, we propose exploring the supervised contrastive learning approach to leverage label information in addition to augmented versions. By validating our approach to a video retrieval task on two datasets, Surgical Actions 160 and Cataract-101, we significantly improve on previous results in terms of mean average precision, 30.012 ± 1.778 vs. 22.54 ± 1.557 for Surgical Actions 160 and 81.134 ± 1.28 vs. 33.18 ± 1.311 for Cataract-101. We also validate the proposed method’s suitability for surgical phase recognition task using the benchmark Cholec80 surgical dataset, where our approach outperforms (with 90.2% accuracy) the state of the art.
A Review of Wireless Power Transfer Systems for Electric Vehicle Battery Charging with a Focus on Inductive Coupling
Authors: Okasili Iman , Elkhateb Ahmad , Littler Timothy
Published: April 2022

This article classifies, describes, and critically compares different compensation schemes, converter topologies, control methods, and coil structures of wireless power transfer systems for electric vehicle battery charging, focusing on inductive power transfer. It outlines a path from the conception of the technology to the modern and cutting edge of the technology. First, the base principles of inductive coupling power transfer are supplied to give an appreciation for the operation and design of the systems. Then, compensation topologies and soft-switching techniques are introduced. Reimagined converter layouts that deviate from the typical power electronics topologies are introduced. Control methods are detailed alongside topologies, and the generalities of control are also included. The paper then addresses other essential aspects of wireless power transfer systems such as coil design, infrastructure, cost, and safety standards to give a broader context for the technology. Discussions and recommendations are also provided. This paper aims to explain the technology, its modern advancements, and its importance. With the need for electrification mounting and the automotive industry being at the forefront of concern, recent advances in wireless power transfer will inevitably play an essential role in the coming years to propel electric vehicles into the common mode of choice.
Modeling of the Crystallization Conditions for Organic Synthesis Product Purification Using Deep Learning
Authors: Vaškevičius Mantas , Kapočiūtė-Dzikienė Jurgita , Šlepikas Liudas
Published: April 2022

Crystallization is an important purification technique for solid products in a chemical laboratory. However, the correct selection of a solvent is important for the success of the procedure. In order to accelerate the solvent or solvent mixture search process, we offer an in silico alternative, i.e., a never previously demonstrated approach that can model the reaction mixture crystallization conditions which are invariant to the reaction type. The offered deep learning-based method is trained to directly predict the solvent labels used in the crystallization steps of the synthetic procedure. Our solvent label prediction task is a multi-label multi-class classification task during which the method must correctly choose one or several solvents from 13 possible examples. During the experimental investigation, we tested two multi-label classifiers (i.e., Feed-Forward and Long Short-Term Memory neural networks) applied on top of vectors. For the vectorization, we used two methods (i.e., extended-connectivity fingerprints and autoencoders) with various parameters. Our optimized technique was able to reach the accuracy of 0.870 ± 0.004 (which is 0.693 above the baseline) on the testing dataset. This allows us to assume that the proposed approach can help to accelerate manual R&D processes in chemical laboratories.
Fine Litter Dynamics in Tropical Dry Forests Located in Two Contrasting Landscapes of the Colombian Caribbean
Authors: Castellanos-Barliza Jeiner , Carmona-Escobar Victoria , Linero-Cueto Jean , Ropain-Hernández Eber , León-Peláez Juan Diego
Published: April 2022

Tropical dry forests (TDFs) represent 42% of all tropical forests; they are extensive, but little is known of their structure and function. The fine litterfall represents the main route of circulation of organic materials and nutrients in these ecosystems. The objective of this study was to compare several remnants of TDFs located in contrasting landscape units—Mountain and Lomerio—and with different precipitation, in terms of the fluxes of organic materials to the soil, derived from the production of fine litterfall from the canopy. The fine litterfall (including woody material up to 2 cm in diameter) was collected monthly from April 2020 to March 2021, in 29 circular plots of 500 m2 randomly established. High rates of litterfall were recorded in the Lomerio landscape (4.9 Mg ha−1) than in the Mountain landscape (4.5 Mg ha−1). The monthly leaf litter production showed clear seasonal patterns, which were largely driven by the importance of the species in the landscape and the effect of precipitation during the study. Annual fine litter production observed in this study in comparison with other TDFs indicates relevant productivity levels, which contribute to the activation of biogeochemical cycles and improved ecosystem functionality.
Pitaya Genome and Multiomics Database (PGMD): A Comprehensive and Integrative Resource of Selenicereus undatus
Authors: Chen Canbin , Li Fangping , Xie Fangfang , Chen Jiaxuan , Hua Qingzhu , Chen Jianye , Wu Zhijiang , Zhang Zhike , Zhang Rong , Zhao Jietang , Hu Guibing , Qin Yonghua
Published: April 2022

Pitaya (Selenicereus) is a kind of novel fruit with a delicious taste and superior horticulture ornamental value. The potential economic impact of the pitaya lies in its diverse uses not only as agricultural produce and processed foods but also in industrial and medicinal products. It is also an excellent plant material for basic and applied biological research. A comprehensive database of pitaya would facilitate studies of pitaya and the other Cactaceae plant species. Here, we constructed pitaya genome and multiomics database, which is a collection of the most updated and high-quality pitaya genomic assemblies. The database contains various information such as genomic variation, gene expression, miRNA profiles, metabolite and proteomic data from various tissues and fruit developmental stages of different pitaya cultivars. In PGMD, we also uploaded videos on the flowering process and planting tutorials for practical usage of pitaya. Overall, these valuable data provided in the PGMD will significantly facilitate future studies on population genetics, molecular breeding and function research of pitaya.
A High-Copy Suppressor Screen Reveals a Broad Role of Prefoldin-like Bud27 in the TOR Signaling Pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Gutiérrez-Santiago Francisco , Cintas-Galán María , Martín-Expósito Manuel , del Carmen Mota-Trujillo Maria , Cobo-Huesa Cristina , Perez-Fernandez Jorge , Navarro Gómez Francisco
Published: April 2022

Bud27 is a prefoldin-like, a member of the family of ATP-independent molecular chaperones that associates with RNA polymerases I, II, and III in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Bud27 and its human ortholog URI perform several functions in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Both proteins participate in the TOR signaling cascade by coordinating nutrient availability with gene expression, and lack of Bud27 partially mimics TOR pathway inactivation. Bud27 regulates the transcription of the three RNA polymerases to mediate the synthesis of ribosomal components for ribosome biogenesis through the TOR cascade. This work presents a high-copy suppression screening of the temperature sensitivity of the bud27Δ mutant. It shows that Bud27 influences different TOR-dependent processes. Our data also suggest that Bud27 can impact some of these TOR-dependent processes: cell wall integrity and autophagy induction.
Impact of Group II Baculovirus IAPs on Virus-Induced Apoptosis in Insect Cells
Authors: Zheng Hao , Pan Yong , Awais Mian Muhammad , Tian Weibin , Li Jingyang , Sun Jingchen
Published: April 2022

Apoptosis plays an important role in virus-host interactions and is a major element of the insect immune response. Exploring the regulatory mechanisms of virus-induced apoptosis through the expression of apoptotic genes holds important research and application value. Functional research on the reported inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) mainly focuses on the group I baculovirus, while the functions of the group II baculovirus IAPs remains unclear. To explore its role in the regulation of the apoptosis of insect cells, we constructed the transient expression vector (pIE1 vectors) and the recombinant baculovirus expressing Bsiap genes (from the Buzura suppressaria nucleopolyhedrovirus) of the group II baculovirus. Apoptosis gene expression results and the virus-induced apoptosis rate show that the overexpression of BsIAP1 could promote apoptosis in insect cells. However, the overexpression of BsIAP2 and BsIAP3 decreases the expression of apoptotic genes, revealing an inhibitory effect. Results on the impact of baculovirus-induced apoptosis also confirm that BsIAP1 reduces viral nucleocapsid expression and the baculovirus titer, while BsIAP2 and BsIAP3 increase them significantly. Furthermore, compared with single expression, the co-expression of BsIAP2 and BsIAP3 significantly reduces the rate of virus-induced apoptosis and improves the expression of nucleocapsids and the titer of offspring virus, indicating the synergistic effect on BsIAP2 and BsIAP3. In addition, combined expression of all three BsIAPs significantly reduced levels of intracellular apoptosis-related genes (including apoptosis and anti-apoptosis genes), as well as apoptosis rate and progeny virus titer, indicating that life activities in insect cells are also inhibited. These findings reveal the relationship between apoptosis and group II baculovirus IAP, which provide an experimental and theoretical basis for further exploration of the molecular mechanism between group II baculoviruses and insect cells.
Factors Associated with Reduced Heart Rate Variability in the General Japanese Population: The Iwaki Cross-Sectional Research Study
Authors: Tsubokawa Masaya , Nishimura Miyuki , Tamada Yoshinori , Nakaji Shigeyuki
Published: April 2022

Although many studies have reported factors associated with reduced heart rate variability (HRV) in Western populations, evidence is limited among Asian populations. Therefore, we investigated the factors associated with reduced HRV values in a general Japanese population by measuring HRV among the participants of the Iwaki Health Promotion Project who underwent medical examination in 2019. We performed 90-s HRV measurements in 1065 participants. Of these, we evaluated the coefficient of variation in R–R intervals (CVRR) and standard deviation in R–R intervals (SDNN). Blood was collected under a fasting condition, and investigations of glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, renal function, liver function, advanced glycation end products, and blood pressure were performed. A multivariate regression analysis of the association between CVRR or SDNN and blood test parameters and blood pressure in 987 participants with adequately completed HRV assessments showed that reduced CVRR or SDNN was associated with higher levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), glycoalbumin, blood glucose, triglycerides, creatinine, plasma pentosidine, and diastolic blood pressure. In the general Japanese population, higher levels of HbA1c, glycoalbumin, blood glucose, triglycerides, creatinine, plasma pentosidine, and diastolic blood pressure are associated with reduced CVRR or SDNN, which are typical HRV parameters.
Cold Treatment Modulates Changes in Primary Metabolites and Flowering of Cut Flower Tulip Hybrids
Authors: Carillo Petronia , Fusco Giovanna Marta , Del Gaudio Rosaria Serena , De Pascale Stefania , Paradiso Roberta
Published: April 2022

Tulip is one of the most important bulbous genera in the world’s floriculture. It is known that cold exposure of bulbs before planting is required to break the bulb dormancy and to promote the plant’s flowering. Preparation procedures performed by breeders differ in the duration and the thermal level, and the choice of the procedure depends on the genotype’s sensitivity to temperature; however, little is known about the metabolic responses underlying the different behaviours of the numerous commercial hybrids. We evaluated the influence of two bulb-preparation procedures, 15–18 weeks at 5 ÷ 9 °C, and 9–14 weeks at 2 ÷ 5 °C, in two hybrids of tulip (Tulipa gesneriana L.), ‘Royal Virgin’ and ‘Ad Rem’, grown hydroponically in a floating system. Tulip plants of the two hybrids responded differently to bulb exposure to low temperatures in terms of early flowering, as this was unaffected by the preparation procedure in ‘Royal Virgin’ (27.1 days from transplanting, on average), while it was earlier after treatment at higher temperatures compared with lower temperatures in ‘Ad Rem’ (24.1 vs. 26.7 days at 5 °C vs. at 9 °C). This different flowering earliness may be related to the diverse metabolic responses enacted by the bulbs for cold acclimation that depended on hybrid x thermal treatment. Plant leaf area and flower stem characteristics were similar in the hybrids and were unaffected by the bulb-preparation procedure.
Sloping Farmlands Conversion to Mixed Forest Improves Soil Carbon Pool on the Loess Plateau
Authors: Li Binbin , Shen Xuejian , Zhao Yongjun , Cong Peijuan , Wang Haiyan , Wang Aijuan , Chang Shengwei
Published: April 2022

Vegetation restoration is considered a potentially useful strategy for controlling soil erosion and improving soil organic carbon (SOC) in arid and semiarid ecosystems. However, there is still debate regarding which vegetation restoration type is the best choice. In this study, four vegetation restoration types (i.e., grasslands, shrubs, forests and mixed forests) converted from sloping farmlands were selected to explore the SOC variation among the four types and to investigate which soil factors had the greatest effect on SOC. The results showed while the magnitude of effect differed between vegetation restoration type, all studied systems significantly increased SOC and labile organic carbon contents (p < 0.01), soil nutrients such as total nitrogen (TN) (p < 0.01), available nitrogen (AN) (p < 0.01), total phosphorus (TP) (p < 0.05) and available phosphorus (AP) (p < 0.05), soil enzyme activities such as phosphatase (p < 0.01), soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) (p < 0.05), and basal respiration (BR) (p < 0.05), but had significant negative correlationswith polyphenol oxidase (p < 0.05). However, the effects of vegetation restoration of farmland converted to natural grasslands, shrubs, forests and mixed forests varied. Among the types studied, the mixed forests had the largest overall positive effects on SOC overall, followed by the natural grasslands. Soil nutrients such as N and P and soil microbial activities were the main factors that affected SOC after vegetation restoration. Mixed forests such as Robinia pseudoacacia and Caragana korshinskii are the best choice for farmland conversion on the central of the Loess Plateau.
Factors Affecting the Resilience of New Nurses in Their Working Environment
Authors: Park Keunsook , Jang Aeri
Published: April 2022

Resilience and working environment are variables that affect turnover. However, how these two variables impact each other is unclear. This study is a descriptive correlation study to identify the factors of the nursing working environment affecting the resilience of new nurses in general tertiary hospitals. This study was conducted by convenience sampling of 233 new nurses with less than 1 year of working experience. Data were collected through questionnaires from 20 to 27 October 2019, and analyzed using correlation analysis and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The results show that the work environment impacts the resilience of new nurses by 30.2%. Specifically, the following qualities of a work environment were found to affect new nurses’ resilience, including “nursing foundation for quality of care”, “nurse participation in hospital affairs”, “nurse manager ability, leadership, and support of nurses”, “collegial nurse–physician relations”, and “staffing and resource adequacy”. These findings imply that a satisfactory working environment improves new nurses’ resilience and reduces their intent to leave their workplace. Further studies are needed to elucidate this relationship, especially considering the ever-changing work environments.