bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Moderate level platelet count might be a good prognostic indicator for intra-abdominal infection in acute pancreatitis: A retrospective cohort study of 1,363 patients
Authors: Sun Wenwu , Huang Jun , Ni Tongtian , Wen Yi , Menglu Gui , Yongguo Wang , Yanbin Zhao , Sheng Huiqiu , Chen Ying , Ma Li , Zhao Bing , Mao Enqiang
Published: January 2023

Background

Early recognition of the risk factors is important for acute pancreatitis management. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between platelet count and clinical outcomes in patients with acute pancreatitis.

Methods

The data are collected from a university-affiliated hospital between January 2013 and December 2020. A generalized additive model and a two-piecewise linear regression model are used to estimate the association between platelet count and the risks of intra-abdominal infection, surgical intervention, in-hospital mortality, and length of hospital stay.

Results

Among the 1,363 patients, 99 (7.3%) patients suffered intra-abdominal infection, 190 (13.9%) patients underwent surgical intervention, and 38 (2.8%) patients died in the hospital. The median length of hospital stay is 21 days. Generalized additive model and two-piecewise linear regression analysis show that the risk of intra-abdominal infection decreases as the platelet count increases to 160 × 109/L (OR: 0.991, 95% CI: 0.984–0.998, p = 0.015) and then increases as the platelet count levels up (OR: 1.007, 95% CI: 1.004–1.010, p < 0.001). The trend is similar to the risk of surgical intervention and length of hospital stay. Even though there seems a declining trend in mortality, no significant association is found after adjustment for potential confounders. Further analysis shows that changes in platelet count within the first 3 days after admission have no obvious association with clinical outcomes.

Conclusion

A platelet count of approximately 160 × 109/L on admission is associated with the lowest risk of intra-abdominal infection, surgical intervention, and shortest hospital stay in patients with acute pancreatitis.
Peripapillary and macular microvasculature in neovascular age-related macular degeneration in long-term and recently started anti-VEGF therapy versus healthy controls
Authors: Türksever Cengiz , Hoffmann Laura , Hatz Katja
Published: January 2023

Aim

To investigate the peripapillary and macular microvasculature in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in recently started versus long-term anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy and healthy controls.

Methods

Eyes with nAMD treated in a treat-and-extend regimen were assigned to group 1 (<5 injections) or 2 (≥20 injections) whereas group 3 constituted the healthy age-matched controls. Blood flow signals were acquired using PLEX® Elite 9000 swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) of the macular and peripapillary regions. Mean ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness values were quantified using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Results

Including 80 eyes whereof 40 controls, macular superficial perfusion density was significantly reduced in group 1 and 2 compared to controls (p < 0.001; p = 0.010) without a difference between groups 1 and 2. Peripapillary perfusion parameters did not correlate with post-operative intraocular pressure (IOP) or number of anti-VEGF injections. Mean peripapillary flux index was significantly lower in group 2 than in controls (p = 0.023) and significantly decreased in the nasal quadrants for both AMD groups compared to group 3 (p = 0.013; p < 0.001). Mean peripapillary perfusion density was significantly reduced in both AMD groups compared to controls (0.515 ± 0.02 versus 0.556 ± 0.03, p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Frequency of anti-VEGF treatment in nAMD and post-operative IOP showed no correlation with peripapillary perfusion parameters, but anti-VEGF treated nAMD patients exhibited partly altered peripapillary perfusion compared to healthy controls. Reduced macular perfusion density of the inner retina in anti-VEGF treated nAMD compared to healthy controls might be discussed as an anti-VEGF treatment effect or a characteristic of nAMD.
Autoimmune blistering skin diseases triggered by COVID-19 vaccinations: An Australian case series
Authors: Cowan Timothy L. , Huang Cheng , Murrell Dédée F.
Published: January 2023

Autoimmune blistering skin diseases (AIBD) can be induced or flared by a multitude of sources, however, there have been some reports suggesting that this occurrence is due to COVID-19 vaccinations. At a single academic blistering disease centre in Sydney, Australia, a retrospective review was conducted, identifying 59 patients with AIBD seen between February 2021 and November 2022. Secondary to recent COVID-19 vaccination, four patients had induction of bullous pemphigoid, three patients had a flare of pre-existing bullous pemphigoid, one patient had induction of pemphigus, and two patients had a flare of pre-existing pemphigus vulgaris. This adds to our understanding of the role of vaccinations in the activity of AIBD.
Seasonal variation of airborne fungal diversity and community structure in urban outdoor environments in Tianjin, China
Authors: Nageen Yumna , Wang Xiao , Pecoraro Lorenzo
Published: January 2023

Airborne fungi are ubiquitous in human living environments and may be a source of respiratory problems, allergies, and other health issues. A 12 months study was performed to investigate the diversity, concentration and community structure of culturable airborne fungi in different outdoor environments of Tianjin City, using an HAS-100B air sampler. A total of 1,015 fungal strains belonging to 175 species and 82 genera of Ascomycota 92.5%, Basidiomycota 7%, and Mucoromycota 0.3% were isolated and identified using morphological and molecular analysis. The most abundant fungal genera were Alternaria 35%, Cladosporium 18%, Penicillium 5.6%, Talaromyces 3.9%, Didymella 3%, and Aspergillus 2.8%, while the most frequently occurring species were A. alternata (24.7%), C. cladosporioides (11%), A. tenuissima (5.3%), P. oxalicum (4.53%), and T. funiculosus (2.66%). The fungal concentration ranged from 0 to 340 CFU/m3 during the whole study. Environmental factors, including temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and air pressure exerted a varying effect on the presence and concentration of different fungal taxa. The four analyzed seasons showed significantly different airborne fungal communities, which were more strongly influenced by air temperature and relative humidity in spring and summer, whereas wind speed and air pressure had a stronger effect in autumn and winter. Fungal communities from green and busy sites did not show significant differences over the four analyzed seasons, which may be due to the effect of the surrounding environments characterized by high human activities on the air of the relatively small parks present in Tianjin. The present study provided valuable information on the seasonal dynamics and the environmental factors shaping the diversity and concentration of the analyzed outdoor airborne fungal communities, which can be of help for air quality monitoring, microbial contamination control, and health risk assessment in urban environments.
A unified and simple medium for growing model methanogens
Authors: Dzofou Ngoumelah Daniel , Harnisch Falk , Sulheim Snorre , Heggeset Tonje Marita Bjerkan , Aune Ingvild Haugnes , Wentzel Alexander , Kretzschmar Jörg
Published: January 2023

Apart from their archetypic use in anaerobic digestion (AD) methanogenic archaea are targeted for a wide range of applications. Using different methanogenic archaea for one specific application requires the optimization of culture media to enable the growth of different strains under identical environmental conditions, e.g., in microbial electrochemical technologies (MET) for (bio)electromethanation. Here we present a new culture medium (BFS01) adapted from the DSM-120 medium by omitting resazurin, yeast extract, casitone, and using a low salt concentration, that was optimized for Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanobacterium formicicum, and Methanothrix soehngenii. The aim was to provide a medium for follow-up co-culture studies using specific methanogens and Geobacter spp. dominated biofilm anodes. All three methanogens showed growth and activity in the BFS01 medium. This was demonstrated by estimating the specific growth rates (μ) and doubling times (td) of each methanogen. The μ and td based on methane accumulation in the headspace showed values consistent with literature values for M. barkeri and M. soehngenii. However, μ and td based on methane accumulation in the headspace differed from literature data for M. formicicum but still allowed sufficient growth. The lowered salt concentration and the omission of chemically complex organic components in the medium may have led to the observed deviation from μ and td for M. formicicum as well as the changed morphology. 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing and whole genome nanopore sequencing further confirmed purity and species identity.
Mixed oats and alfalfa improved the antioxidant activity of mutton and the performance of goats by affecting intestinal microbiota
Authors: Sun Yukun , Hou Tingyi , Yu Qingyuan , Zhang Chengrui , Zhang Yonggen , Xu Lijun
Published: January 2023

Oat hay and alfalfa hay are important roughage resources in livestock production. However, the effect of the mixture of oat hay and alfalfa hay on the meat quality of Albas goats is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of feeding different proportions of oat hay and alfalfa hay on the growth performance and meat quality of Albas goats. Therefore, 32 goats were fed for 70 days and randomly divided into four treatment groups on the principle of similar weight: whole oat group (OAT), oat alfalfa ratio 3:7 group (OA73), oat alfalfa ratio 7:3 group (OA37) and whole alfalfa group (Alfalfa), with eight goats in each group. Daily feed intake records, feces, feed samples, and rumen fluid collection were made throughout the trial. The goats were weighed on the last day of the trial, and four goats per group were randomly selected for slaughter. Cecum contents, meat samples, and hot carcass weight were collected, and data were recorded. Furthermore, the relationship between the rumen and cecal microbes on performance and meat quality was clarified by analyzing the rumen and hindgut microbiomes. The results showed that feeding alfalfa could significantly reduce the daily weight gain of fattening goats. Compared with the highest group (OA37), the daily weight gain decreased by 19.21%. Although there was no significant change in feed intake in the four treatments, the feed conversion rate of the alfalfa group significantly decreased by 30.24–36.47% compared to the other groups. However, with the increased alfalfa content, MDA decreased significantly, T-AOC was up-regulated, and the antioxidant activity of the fattened goat meat fed with the high alfalfa group was significantly higher than that of the low alfalfa group. Notably, the abundance of Bacteroidales_unclassified and Clostridium were strongly correlated with T-AOC and MDA. Therefore, increasing the proportion of alfalfa in the diet can affect the antioxidant activity of goat meat by improving the gut microbiota, while an oat-hay mixture can improve the growth performance of livestock.
Effects of milk replacer feeding level on growth performance, rumen development and the ruminal bacterial community in lambs
Authors: Huang Yongliang , Wang Guoxiu , Zhang Qian , Chen Zhanyu , Li Chong , Wang Weimin , Zhang Xiaoxue , Wang Xiaojuan , Zhang Deyin , Cui Panpan , Ma Zongwu
Published: January 2023

Feeding with a suitable level of milk replacer (MR) can improve the survival rate and stimulate the growth potential of early lambs. However, feeding excessive MR might be detrimental to rumen development and microbial colonization. Herein, we investigated the effects of feeding different levels of MR on rumen digestive function and ruminal microorganisms. Fourteen healthy male Hu lambs with similar birth weights and detailed pedigree records were divided into two groups to receive low (2% of average body weight per day) and high (4% of average body weight per day) levels of MR. We analyzed the effects of the MR feeding level on growth performance, fiber degradation rates, rumen fermentation parameters, enzyme activities and rumen histomorphology. We found that feeding with a high level of MR improved the average daily gain of early lambs, but decreased the starter intake, rumen weight and papillae length. We also analyzed the effects of the MR feeding level on the rumen microbiota using 16S-rRNA amplicon sequencing data. The results showed that high a MR feeding level increased the rumen microbial diversity but decreased the abundance of many carbohydrate degrading bacteria. Several bacterial genera with significant differences correlated positively with rumen cellulase activity and the acid detergent fiber degradation rate. Our results suggested that a high level of MR could improve the growth performance of early lambs in the short term; however, in the long term, it would be detrimental to rumen development and have adverse effects on the adaptation process of the microbiota to solid feed.
Response of soil microbial communities and rice yield to nitrogen reduction with green manure application in karst paddy areas
Authors: Pu Junyu , Li Zhongyi , Tang Hongqin , Zhou Guopeng , Wei Caihui , Dong Wenbin , Jin Zhenjiang , He Tieguang
Published: January 2023

Fertilizer application practices are one of the major challenges facing agroecology. The agrobenefits of combined application of green manure and chemical fertilizers, and the potential of green manure to replace chemical fertilizers are now well documented. However, little is known about the impact of fertilization practices on microbial communities and tice yield. In this study, the diversity of bacterial and fungal communities, symbiotic networks and their relationship with soil function were analyzed in five fertilization treatments (N: 100% nitrogen fertilizer alone; M: green manure alone; MN60: green manure couple with 60% nitrogen fertilizer, MN80: green manure couple with 80% nitrogen fertilizer; and MN100: green manure couple with 100% nitrogen fertilizer). First, early rice yield was significantly higher by 12.6% in MN100treatment in 2021 compared with N. Secondly, soil bacterial diversity showed an increasing trend with increasing N fertilizer application after green manure input, however, the opposite was true for fungal diversity. Microbial interaction analysis showed that different fertilizer applications changed soil microbial network complexity and fertilizer-induced changes in soil microbial interactions were closely related to soil environmental changes. Random forest models further predicted the importance of soil environment, microorganisms and rice yield. Overall, nitrogen fertilizer green manure altered rice yield due to its effects on soil environment and microbial communities. In the case of combined green manure and N fertilizer application, bacteria and fungi showed different responses to fertilization method, and the full amount of N fertilizer in combination with green manure reduced the complexity of soil microbial network. In contrast, for more ecologically sensitive karst areas, we recommend fertilization practices with reduced N by 20–40% for rice production.

Graphical Abstract
ADS024, a Bacillus velezensis strain, protects human colonic epithelial cells against C. difficile toxin-mediated apoptosis
Authors: Xie Ying , Chupina Estrada Andrea , Nelson Becca , Feng Hanping , Pothoulakis Charalabos , Chesnel Laurent , Koon Hon Wai
Published: January 2023

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) causes intestinal injury. Toxin A and toxin B cause intestinal injury by inducing colonic epithelial cell apoptosis. ADS024 is a Bacillus velezensis strain in development as a single-strain live biotherapeutic product (SS-LBP) to prevent the recurrence of CDI following the completion of standard antibiotic treatment. We evaluated the protective effects of the sterile filtrate and ethyl acetate extract of conditioned media from ADS024 and DSM7 (control strain) against mucosal epithelial injury in toxin-treated human colonic tissues and apoptosis in toxin-treated human colonic epithelial cells. Ethyl acetate extracts were generated from conditioned culture media from DSM7 and ADS024. Toxin A and toxin B exposure caused epithelial injury in fresh human colonic explants. The sterile filtrate of ADS024, but not DSM7, prevented toxin B-mediated epithelial injury in fresh human colonic explants. Both sterile filtrate and ethyl acetate extract of ADS024 prevented toxin-mediated apoptosis in human colonic epithelial cells. The anti-apoptotic effects of ADS024 filtrate and ethyl acetate extract were dependent on the inhibition of caspase 3 cleavage. The sterile filtrate, but not ethyl acetate extract, of ADS024 partially degraded toxin B. ADS024 inhibits toxin B-mediated apoptosis in human colonic epithelial cells and colonic explants.
Clostridium beijerinckii strain degeneration is driven by the loss of Spo0A activity
Authors: Humphreys Jonathan R. , Debebe Bisrat J. , Diggle Stephen P. , Winzer Klaus
Published: January 2023

Solventogenic clostridia represent a diverse group of anaerobic, spore-forming bacteria capable of producing acetone, butanol and ethanol through their unique biphasic metabolism. An intrinsic problem with these organisms however is their tendency to degenerate when repeatedly subcultured or when grown continuously. This phenomenon sees cells lose their ability to produce solvents and spores, posing a significant problem for industrial applications. To investigate the mechanistic and evolutionary basis of degeneration we combined comparative genomics, ultra-deep sequencing, and concepts of sociomicrobiology using Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 as our model organism. These approaches revealed spo0A, the master regulator gene involved in spore and solvent formation, to be key to the degeneration process in this strain. Comparative genomics of 71 degenerate variants revealed four distinct hotspot regions that contained considerably more mutations than the rest of the genome. These included spo0A as well as genes suspected to regulate its expression and activity. Ultra-deep sequencing of populations during the subculturing process showed transient increases in mutations we believe linked to the spo0A network, however, these were ultimately dominated by mutations in the master regulator itself. Through frequency-dependent fitness assays, we found that spo0A mutants gained a fitness advantage, relative to the wild type, presumably allowing for propagation throughout the culture. Combined, our data provides new insights into the phenomenon of clostridial strain degeneration and the C. beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 solvent and spore regulation network.
Recovery of metagenome-assembled microbial genomes from a full-scale biogas plant of food waste by pacific biosciences high-fidelity sequencing
Authors: Jiang Fan , Li Qiang , Wang Sen , Shen Ting , Wang Hengchao , Wang Anqi , Xu Dong , Yuan Lihua , Lei Lihong , Chen Rong , Yang Boyuan , Deng Yu , Fan Wei
Published: January 2023

Background

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is important in treating of food waste, and thousands of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) have been constructed for the microbiome in AD. However, due to the limitations of the short-read sequencing and assembly technologies, most of these MAGs are grouped from hundreds of short contigs by binning algorithms, and the errors are easily introduced.

Results

In this study, we constructed a total of 60 non-redundant microbial genomes from 64.5 Gb of PacBio high-fidelity (HiFi) long reads, generated from the digestate samples of a full-scale biogas plant fed with food waste. Of the 60 microbial genomes, all genomes have at least one copy of rRNA operons (16S, 23S, and 5S rRNA), 54 have ≥18 types of standard tRNA genes, and 39 are circular complete genomes. In comparison with the published short-read derived MAGs for AD, we found 23 genomes with average nucleotide identity less than 95% to any known MAGs. Besides, our HiFi-derived genomes have much higher average contig N50 size, slightly higher average genome size and lower contamination. GTDB-Tk classification of these genomes revealed two genomes belonging to novel genus and four genomes belonging to novel species, since their 16S rRNA genes have identities lower than 95 and 97% to any known 16S rRNA genes, respectively. Microbial community analysis based on the these assembled genomes reveals the most predominant phylum was Thermotogae (70.5%), followed by Euryarchaeota (6.1%), and Bacteroidetes (4.7%), and the most predominant bacterial and archaeal genera were Defluviitoga (69.1%) and Methanothrix (5.4%), respectively. Analysis of the full-length 16S rRNA genes identified from the HiFi reads gave similar microbial compositions to that derived from the 60 assembled genomes.

Conclusion

High-fidelity sequencing not only generated microbial genomes with obviously improved quality but also recovered a substantial portion of novel genomes missed in previous short-read based studies, and the novel genomes will deepen our understanding of the microbial composition in AD of food waste.
Distribution characteristics of soil microbial communities and their responses to environmental factors in the sea buckthorn forest in the water-wind erosion crisscross region
Authors: Zhang Zhi-Yong , Qiang Fang-Fang , Liu Guang-Quan , Liu Chang-Hai , Ai Ning
Published: January 2023

Soil microorganisms are an important part of forest ecosystems, and their community structure and ecological adaptations are important for explaining soil material cycles in the fragile ecological areas. We used high-throughput sequencing technology to examine the species composition and diversity of soil bacterial and fungal communities in sea buckthorn forests at five sites in the water-wind erosion crisscross in northern Shaanxi (about 400 km long). The results are described as follows: (1) The soil bacterial community of the sea buckthorn forest in the study region was mainly dominated by Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Acidobacteria, and the fungi community was mainly dominated by Ascomycota. (2) The coefficient of variation of alpha diversity of microbial communities was higher in the 0–10 cm soil layer than in the 10–20 cm soil layer. (3) Soil electrical conductivity (36.1%), available phosphorous (AP) (21.0%), available potassium (16.2%), total nitrogen (12.7%), and the meteorological factors average annual maximum temperature (33.3%) and average annual temperature (27.1%) were identified as the main drivers of structural changes in the bacterial community. Available potassium (39.4%), soil organic carbon (21.4%), available nitrogen (AN) (13.8%), and the meteorological factors average annual maximum wind speed (38.0%) and average annual temperature (26.8%) were identified as the main drivers of structural changes in the fungal community. The explanation rate of soil factors on changes in bacterial and fungal communities was 26.6 and 12.0%, respectively, whereas that of meteorological factors on changes in bacterial and fungal communities was 1.22 and 1.17%, respectively. The combined explanation rate of environmental factors (soil and meteorological factors) on bacterial and fungal communities was 72.2 and 86.6%, respectively. The results of the study offer valuable insights into the diversity of soil microbial communities in the water-wind erosion crisscross region and the mechanisms underlying their interaction with environmental factors.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus in vitro colonization on plastics influenced by temperature and strain variability
Authors: Leighton Ryan E. , Correa Vélez Karlen Enid , Xiong Liyan , Creech Addison G. , Amirichetty Karishma P. , Anderson Gracie K. , Cai Guoshuai , Norman R. Sean , Decho Alan W.
Published: January 2023

Marine bacteria often exist in biofilms as communities attached to surfaces, like plastic. Growing concerns exist regarding marine plastics acting as potential vectors of pathogenic Vibrio, especially in a changing climate. It has been generalized that Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus often attach to plastic surfaces. Different strains of these Vibrios exist having different growth and biofilm-forming properties. This study evaluated how temperature and strain variability affect V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus biofilm formation and characteristics on glass (GL), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). All strains of both species attached to GL and all plastics at 25, 30, and 35°C. As a species, V. vulnificus produced more biofilm on PS (p ≤ 0.05) compared to GL, and biofilm biomass was enhanced at 25°C compared to 30° (p ≤ 0.01) and 35°C (p ≤ 0.01). However, all individual strains’ biofilm biomass and cell densities varied greatly at all temperatures tested. Comparisons of biofilm-forming strains for each species revealed a positive correlation (r = 0.58) between their dry biomass weight and OD570 values from crystal violet staining, and total dry biofilm biomass for both species was greater (p ≤ 0.01) on plastics compared to GL. It was also found that extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) chemical characteristics were similar on all plastics of both species, with extracellular proteins mainly contributing to the composition of EPS. All strains were hydrophobic at 25, 30, and 35°C, further illustrating both species’ affinity for potential attachment to plastics. Taken together, this study suggests that different strains of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus can rapidly form biofilms with high cell densities on different plastic types in vitro. However, the biofilm process is highly variable and is species-, strain-specific, and dependent on plastic type, especially under different temperatures.
Orally administered recombinant Lactobacillus expressing African swine fever virus antigens that induced immunity responses
Authors: Zhang Hongliang , Zhao Saisai , Zhang Haojie , Shen Yu , Zhang Peijun , Shan Hu , Cai Xiulei
Published: January 2023

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious, acute, febrile disease caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV), with morbidity and mortality rates approaching 100% in domestic and wild swine, resulting in massive economic losses to the pig industry worldwide. This study aimed to express the p30, p54, and p72 proteins encoded by ASFV in vitro using the Lactobacillus lactis (L. lactis) expression system. Here, six new functional recombinant L. lactis were constructed, and the expression of the p30 protein, p54 protein, p72 protein, p30-LTB (heat-labile enterotoxin B, LTB) fusion protein, p54-LTB fusion protein, and the p72-LTB fusion protein was successfully detected by Western blot analysis. Following oral immunization of rabbits with recombinant L. lactis, serum IgG, intestinal mucosal sIgA, cytokines (IL-4 and INF-γ), and splenocyte viability were higher than in the control group via ELISA. Notably, without the LTB adjuvant group, humoral and Th1 cellular immunity were promoted, whereas, with the LTB adjuvant group, local mucosal immunity, humoral immunity, and Th2 cellular immunity were promoted, providing new insights into the design and development of an ASFV subunit vaccine.
Effects of non-invasive brain stimulation on walking and balance ability in Parkinson’s patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Xinxin , Jing Feiyue , Liu Yu’ang , Tang Jinyong , Hua Xianfeng , Zhu Jialin , Tuo Haowen , Lin Qihan , Gao Pincao , Liu Weiguo
Published: January 2023

Objective

To investigate and contrast the effects of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), including repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), on walking and balance ability in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Methods

The PubMed, Embase, Medline, Cochrane, CNKI, and Chinese WanFang databases were searched up to June 2022. Quality assessment was performed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s risk-of-bias guidelines, and the standardized mean differences (SMD) or mean differences (MD) for each outcome were calculated.

Results

Among 32 eligible studies, including 1,586 participants were analyzed in this meta-analysis. The results of the meta-analysis showed that NIBS was effective in improving UPDRS-III scores (MD = −2.07; 95% CI, −2.62 to −1.53; P < 0.00001; I2 = 6%) and variables associated with the ability of walk such as step width (SMD = 0.35; 95% CI, 0.16–0.55; P = 0.0005; I2 = 38%), cadence (SMD = 0.3; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.55; P = 0.02; I2 = 25%), and 6MWT (MD = 62.86; 95% CI, 39.43–86.29; P < 0.00001; I2 = 0%). In subgroup analyses across intervention types, UPDRS-III scores (rTMS: MD = −2.54; 95% CI, −3.16 to −1.92; P < 0.00001; I2 = 0%; tDCS: MD = −1.20; 95% CI, −1.99 to −0.40; P = 0.003; I2 = 0%) and TUGT time (rTMS: MD = −4.11; 95% CI, −4.74 to −3.47; P < 0.00001; I2 = 0%; tDCS: MD = −0.84; 95% CI, −1.48 to −0.21; P = 0.009; I2 = 0%) significantly improved. Moreover, our results also showed that compared to tDCS, rTMS was more significant in improving UPDRS-III scores and TUGT time (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

NIBS benefits some walking ability variables but not balance ability in 36 patients with PD. The rTMS significantly improved UPDRS-III scores and TUGT time compared to tDCS. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal protocol and to illuminate effects based on the ideal target brain regions, stimulation intensity, timing, and type of intervention.

Systematic review registration

http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022350782.
Effect of exercise on cognitive function and synaptic plasticity in Alzheimer's disease models: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Guo Linlin , Yang Xinxin , Zhang Yuanyuan , Xu Xinyi , Li Yan
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Cognitive decline is a central manifestation of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and its process is inseparable from changes in synaptic plasticity. The aim of this review was to summarize and evaluate the effectiveness of exercise on cognitive function and synaptic plasticity in AD animal models.

Materials and methods

Eligible studies were searched from PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library from April to May 2022. The risk of bias was evaluated by Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation (SYRCLE). The Morris water maze (MWM) test and synaptic plasticity were considered outcome measures. Data were analyzed using random-effects meta-analyses using the software Stata. Heterogeneity was examined by using I2 test. Sensitivity analysis and publication bias were also assessed.

Results

A total of 20 randomized controlled studies were eligible for study inclusion. Compared with controls, exercise decreased escape latency (SMD = −0.86, 95% CI: −1.21 to −0.50, P < 0.001), increased platform crossover numbers (SMD = 1.34, 95% CI: 0.57–2.11, P = 0.001) and time in the target quadrant (SMD = 1.65, 95% CI: 0.95–2.36, P < 0.001) and the expression of PSD95 (SMD = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.25–1.21, P = 0.003) in AD animals. The results of the subgroup analysis showed that exercise before AD had a greater effect on escape latency (SMD = −0.88, 95% CI: −1.25 to −0.52, P < 0.001), platform crossover numbers (SMD = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.23–2.18, P < 0.001), time in the target quadrant (SMD = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.19–2.87, P < 0.001) and the expression of PSD95 (SMD = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.19–1.69, P = 0.014) than exercise after AD. The results of the subgroup analysis also showed that treadmill running might be an appropriate exercise type.

Conclusion

Our findings suggested that exercise had a potential effect on improving cognitive function and synaptic plasticity. It can play a better neuroprotective role before AD.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO, identifier: CRD42022328438.
Leveraging genetic diversity in mice to inform individual differences in brain microstructure and memory
Authors: Murdy Thomas J. , Dunn Amy R. , Singh Surjeet , Telpoukhovskaia Maria A. , Zhang Shanrong , White Jacqueline K. , Kahn Itamar , Febo Marcelo , Kaczorowski Catherine C.
Published: January 2023

In human Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients and AD mouse models, both differential pre-disease brain features and differential disease-associated memory decline are observed, suggesting that certain neurological features may protect against AD-related cognitive decline. The combination of these features is known as brain reserve, and understanding the genetic underpinnings of brain reserve may advance AD treatment in genetically diverse human populations. One potential source of brain reserve is brain microstructure, which is genetically influenced and can be measured with diffusion MRI (dMRI). To investigate variation of dMRI metrics in pre-disease-onset, genetically diverse AD mouse models, we utilized a population of genetically distinct AD mice produced by crossing the 5XFAD transgenic mouse model of AD to 3 inbred strains (C57BL/6J, DBA/2J, FVB/NJ) and two wild-derived strains (CAST/EiJ, WSB/EiJ). At 3 months of age, these mice underwent diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) to probe neural microanatomy in 83 regions of interest (ROIs). At 5 months of age, these mice underwent contextual fear conditioning (CFC). Strain had a significant effect on dMRI measures in most ROIs tested, while far fewer effects of sex, sex*strain interactions, or strain*sex*5XFAD genotype interactions were observed. A main effect of 5XFAD genotype was observed in only 1 ROI, suggesting that the 5XFAD transgene does not strongly disrupt neural development or microstructure of mice in early adulthood. Strain also explained the most variance in mouse baseline motor activity and long-term fear memory. Additionally, significant effects of sex and strain*sex interaction were observed on baseline motor activity, and significant strain*sex and sex*5XFAD genotype interactions were observed on long-term memory. We are the first to study the genetic influences of brain microanatomy in genetically diverse AD mice. Thus, we demonstrated that strain is the primary factor influencing brain microstructure in young adult AD mice and that neural development and early adult microstructure are not strongly altered by the 5XFAD transgene. We also demonstrated that strain, sex, and 5XFAD genotype interact to influence memory in genetically diverse adult mice. Our results support the usefulness of the 5XFAD mouse model and convey strong relationships between natural genetic variation, brain microstructure, and memory.
Research on reinforcement learning-based safe decision-making methodology for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles
Authors: Yue Longfei , Yang Rennong , Zhang Ying , Zuo Jialiang
Published: January 2023

A system with multiple cooperating unmanned aerial vehicles (multi-UAVs) can use its advantages to accomplish complicated tasks. Recent developments in deep reinforcement learning (DRL) offer good prospects for decision-making for multi-UAV systems. However, the safety and training efficiencies of DRL still need to be improved before practical use. This study presents a transfer-safe soft actor-critic (TSSAC) for multi-UAV decision-making. Decision-making by each UAV is modeled with a constrained Markov decision process (CMDP), in which safety is constrained to maximize the return. The soft actor-critic-Lagrangian (SAC-Lagrangian) algorithm is combined with a modified Lagrangian multiplier in the CMDP model. Moreover, parameter-based transfer learning is used to enable cooperative and efficient training of the tasks to the multi-UAVs. Simulation experiments indicate that the proposed method can improve the safety and training efficiencies and allow the UAVs to adapt to a dynamic scenario.
Case report: Utilization and efficacy of large-bore catheters in mechanical thrombectomies
Authors: Bhattacharyya Meghna , Badger Clint A. , Jankowitz Brian T. , Shaikh Hamza A.
Published: January 2023

Thrombotic strokes are caused by occlusion of flow in a blood vessel by a clot or thrombus, resulting in disruption of oxygen and nutrients to the brain that can result in neurological deficits. There are many devices now available for safe and effective removal of thrombi from large blood vessels. This report focuses on the Zoom 0.088” large-bore catheter, which has the potential to be navigated into a large vessel for thrombus removal via aspiration, and weigh the risks and benefits of its utilization in thrombectomy patients. In this case, we discuss the use of this device for thrombectomy of a left M1 middle cerebral artery occlusion that resulted in a distal left MCA dissection and eventual loss of access to the site of the thrombus. Ultimately, the patient died from a large stroke in the left MCA territory. In light of this occurrence, we seek to explore the utility and feasibility of large-bore catheters and their risks in thrombectomy candidates.
Effectiveness and safety of tumor-treating fields therapy for glioblastoma: A single-center study in a Chinese cohort
Authors: She Lei , Gong Xuan , Su Lin , Liu Chao
Published: January 2023

Objective

Tumor-treating fields (TTFields) are a new therapeutic modality for patients with glioblastoma (GBM). However, studies on survival outcomes of TTFields are rarely reported in China. This study aimed to examine the clinical efficacy and safety of TTFields therapy for GBM in China.

Methods

A total of 93 patients with newly diagnosed GBM (ndGBM) and recurrent GBM (rGBM) were included in our study retrospectively. They were divided into two groups based on whether they used TTFields. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicities were assessed.

Results

Among the patients with ndGBM, there were 13 cases with TTFields and 39 cases with no TTFields. The median PFS was 15.3 [95% confidence interval (CI): 6.5–24.1] months and 10.6 (95% CI: 5.4–15.8) months in the two groups, respectively, with P = 0.041. The median OS was 24.8 (95% CI: 6.8–42.8) months and 18.6 (95% CI: 11.4–25.8) months, respectively, with P = 0.368. Patients with subtotal resection (STR) who used TTFields had a better PFS than those who did not (P = 0.003). Among the patients with rGBM, there were 13 cases with TTFields and 28 cases with no TTFields. The median PFS in the two groups was 8.4 (95% CI: 1.7–15.2) months and 8.0 (95% CI: 5.8–10.2) months in the two groups, respectively, with P = 0.265. The median OS was 10.6 (95% CI: 4.8–16.4) months and 13.3 (95% CI: 11.0–15.6) months, respectively, with P = 0.655. A total of 21 patients (21/26, 80.8%) with TTFields developed dermatological adverse events (dAEs). All the dAEs could be resolved or controlled.

Conclusion

TTFields therapy is a safe and effective treatment for ndGBM, especially in patients with STR. However, it may not improve survival in patients with rGBM.
Admission neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio to predict 30-day mortality in severe spontaneous basal ganglia hemorrhage
Authors: Shi Jia , Liu Yu , Wei Li , Guan Wei , Xia Weimin
Published: January 2023

Background

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) usually occurs in the basal ganglia and is highly lethal and disabling. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictors of 30-day mortality in patients with severe spontaneous basal ganglia hemorrhage.

Methods

This retrospective study included patients with severe basal ganglia intracerebral hemorrhage treated in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from 2012 to 2018. Demographic, clinical, laboratory and neuroradiological data were collected. The short-term prognosis was evaluated and divided into death within 30-days and survival over 30-days. We studied the factors affecting the prognosis of patients with severe intracerebral hemorrhage, analyzed the parameters related to neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) at admission, and evaluated the predictive effect of NLR on 30-day mortality.

Results

A total of 105 patients was included in this retrospective study. The 30-day death group had a larger hematoma, a higher probability of ventricular hemorrhage, a higher ICH score and a lower Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score on admission. Meanwhile, the patients in the death group had higher White blood cells (WBC) counts, neutrophil counts, NLRs and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. The risk factors for 30-day death were related to the ICH volume, GCS score, ICH score, WBC count, neutrophil count, NLR and CRP. The univariate receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the risk factors showed that the NLR had the best prediction performance. Mathematical predictive models for ICH patients showed that the model with NLR had better prediction accuracy.

Conclusions

The NLR is expected to be a potential biomarker for predicting the prognosis of patients with severe basal ganglia hemorrhage.
Case report: Paralysis after epidural analgesia due to a hemorrhage of pure epidural venous hemangioma
Authors: Li Jiahui , Xie Pengyun , Liu Xiaolei , Li Daheng , Tang Jing
Published: January 2023

Purpose

To report a case of sudden paralysis after epidural analgesia to raise awareness of the condition and the importance of early identification and appropriate treatment of extradural venous angiomas.

Clinical features

A 28-year-old man with myofascial pain syndrome experienced paraplegia after receiving an epidural block for pain relief, which was later discovered to be caused by hemorrhage from extradural venous angiomas. Decompression surgery was performed immediately and successfully. A follow-up examination was performed 5 months after surgery. The patient reported improvement in urinary retention. The muscle strength in both his lower extremities had recovered to 4 out of 5 but still exhibited considerable residual spasticity.

Conclusions

Before administering epidural analgesia to relieve undetermined pain, it is prudent to carefully weigh potential benefits against potential risks to patient health to minimize the likelihood of complications.
Bioinformatic identification of potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in carotid atherosclerosis and vascular dementia
Authors: Li Dongshi , Huang Zhixin , Dai Yingyi , Guo Linling , Lin Songbin , Liu Xintong
Published: January 2023

Background

Vascular disease is the second most common cause of dementia. The prevalence of vascular dementia (VaD) has increased over the past decade. However, there are no licensed treatments for this disease. Carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) is highly prevalent and is the main cause of ischemic stroke and VaD. We studied co-expressed genes to understand the relationships between CAS and VaD and further reveal the potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets of CAS and VaD.

Methods

CAS and VaD differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified through bioinformatic analysis Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets GSE43292 and GSE122063, respectively. Furthermore, a variety of target prediction methods and network analysis approaches were used to assess the protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks, the Gene Ontology (GO) terms, and the pathway enrichment for DEGs, and the top 7 hub genes, coupled with corresponding predicted miRNAs involved in CAS and VaD, were assessed as well.

Result

A total of 60 upregulated DEGs and 159 downregulated DEGs were identified, of which the top 7 hub genes with a high degree of connectivity were selected. Overexpression of these hub genes was associated with CAS and VaD. Finally, the top 7 hub genes were coupled with corresponding predicted miRNAs. hsa-miR-567 and hsa-miR-4652-5p may be significantly associated with CAS and VaD.
Developmental differences in the perception of naturalistic human movements
Authors: Ntoumanis Ioannis , Shestakova Anna , Koriakina Maria , Kadieva Dzerassa , Kopytin Grigory , Jääskeläinen Iiro P.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

It is widely believed that we are more attentive towards moving versus static stimuli. However, the neural correlates underlying the perception of human movements have not been extensively investigated in ecologically valid settings, nor has the developmental aspect of this phenomenon. Here, we set forth to investigate how human limb movements displayed in naturalistic videos influence the attentional engagement of children and young adults.

Methods

Thirty-nine healthy participants (4–26 years old) were presented with naturalistic videos featuring human goal-directed movements, while neural activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG). Video scenes were automatically annotated as containing arm, leg or no movement, using a machine learning algorithm. The viewers’ attentional engagement was quantified by the intersubject correlation of EEG responses evoked by the videos.

Results

Our results demonstrate that scenes featuring limb movements, especially simultaneous arm and leg movements, elicit higher attentional engagement than scenes with no limb movement. Interestingly, this effect was found to diminish with age.

Discussion

Overall, our findings extend previous work on the perception of human motion by implementing naturalistic stimuli in the experimental design and extend the list of factors influencing the viewer’s engagement exerted by naturalistic videos.
A novel visual dynamic nomogram to online predict the risk of unfavorable outcome in elderly aSAH patients after endovascular coiling: A retrospective study
Authors: Lu Wei , Tong YuLan , Zhang Cheng , Xiang Lan , Xiang Liang , Chen Chen , Guo LeHeng , Shan YaJie , Li XueMei , Zhao Zheng , Pan XiDing , Zhao ZhiHong , Zou JianJun
Published: January 2023

Background

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Dynamic nomogram to predict the prognosis of elderly aSAH patients after endovascular coiling has not been reported. Thus, we aimed to develop a clinically useful dynamic nomogram to predict the risk of 6-month unfavorable outcome in elderly aSAH patients after endovascular coiling.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study including 209 elderly patients admitted to the People’s Hospital of Hunan Province for aSAH from January 2016 to June 2021. The main outcome measure was 6-month unfavorable outcome (mRS ≥ 3). We used multivariable logistic regression analysis and forwarded stepwise regression to select variables to generate the nomogram. We assessed the discriminative performance using the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver-operating characteristic and the risk prediction model’s calibration using the Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test. The decision curve analysis (DCA) and the clinical impact curve (CIC) were used to measure the clinical utility of the nomogram.

Results

The cohort’s median age was 70 (interquartile range: 68–74) years and 133 (36.4%) had unfavorable outcomes. Age, using a ventilator, white blood cell count, and complicated with cerebral infarction were predictors of 6-month unfavorable outcome. The AUC of the nomogram was 0.882 and the Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test showed good calibration of the nomogram (p = 0.3717). Besides, the excellent clinical utility and applicability of the nomogram had been indicated by DCA and CIC. The eventual value of unfavorable outcome risk could be calculated through the dynamic nomogram.

Conclusion

This study is the first visual dynamic online nomogram that accurately predicts the risk of 6-month unfavorable outcome in elderly aSAH patients after endovascular coiling. Clinicians can effectively improve interventions by taking targeted interventions based on the scores of different items on the nomogram for each variable.