bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The SGLT2 inhibitor Empagliflozin promotes post-stroke functional recovery in diabetic mice
Authors: Vercalsteren Ellen , Karampatsi Dimitra , Buizza Carolina , Nyström Thomas , Klein Thomas , Paul Gesine , Patrone Cesare , Darsalia Vladimer
Published: October 2023

Type-2 diabetes (T2D) worsens stroke recovery, amplifying post-stroke disabilities. Currently, there are no therapies targeting this important clinical problem. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are potent glucose-lowering drugs for the treatment of T2D that also efficiently reduce cardiovascular death and heart failure. In addition, SGLT2i facilitate several processes implicated in stroke recovery. However, the potential efficacy of SGLT2i to improve stroke recovery in T2D has not been investigated. Therefore, we determined whether a post-stroke intervention with the SGLT2i Empagliflozin could improve stroke recovery in T2D mice. T2D was induced in C57BL6J mice by 8 months of high-fat diet feeding. Hereafter, animals were subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion and treated with vehicle or the SGLTi Empagliflozin (10 mg/kg/day) starting from 3 days after stroke. Stroke recovery was assessed using the forepaw grip strength test. To identify potential mechanisms involved in the Empagliflozin-mediated effects, several metabolic parameters were assessed. Additionally, neuronal survival, neuroinflammation, neurogenesis and cerebral vascularization were analyzed using immunohistochemistry/quantitative microscopy. Empagliflozin significantly improved stroke recovery in association with lowered glycemia, increased serum levels of fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21), and the normalization of T2D-induced aberration of parenchymal pericyte density. The global T2D-epidemic and the fact that T2D is a major risk factor for stroke are drastically increasing the number of people in need of efficacious therapies to improve stroke recovery. Our data provide a strong incentive for the potential use of SGLT2i for the treatment of post-stroke sequelae in T2D.
Rapid visual detection of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) using recombinase polymerase amplification with SYBR Green I
Authors: Jiang Lingling , Wang Pu , Zhang Gang , Niu Xiaoxia , Liu Qiang , Zhang Sinong , Li Yong
Published: October 2023

Bovine diarrhea virus (BVDV) is considered to be the most common pathogen of severe diarrhea in cattle worldwide, with clinical manifestations of fever, diarrhea, ulcers, and abortions, which cause significant economic losses to the cattle industry. The establishment of an efficient, rapid and sensitive assay suitable for field conditions is conducive to the early detection of pathogens and the implementation of relevant treatments. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a novel nucleic acid amplification method that has been widely used in the diagnosis of infectious diseases. In this paper, an RPAS assay for recombinase polymerase amplification combined with SYBR Green I was developed for the rapid detection of BVDV. The assay was completed at a constant temperature of 37℃ for 25 min, and the minimum detection limit of RPA was 1×101 copies/µL for gel electrophoresis. Under sunlight, the minimum detection limit of BVDV RPAS visualization was 1×109 copies/µL; Under UV, the minimum detection limit of BVDV RPAS was 1×105 copies/µL. The assay has no cross-reactivity with other viruses causing bovine gastrointestinal and respiratory tract viruses. Clinical samples had equal BVDV RPA, RPAS, and PCR detection thresholds, and SYBR Green I visualization was evident. In conclusion, the BVDV-RPAS established in this study, with high sensitivity and specificity, has the potential to be used as a powerful tool for BVD prevention and control.
MARCH5 promotes autophagy through interaction with P62 leading to malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: CAI Xin , GAO Jie , YAN Zhiping , ZHANG Huapeng , ZHANG Shuijun , GUO Danfeng
Published: October 2023

Dysregulated MARCH5 expression and impaired autophagy have been reported separately in some cancers. However, their relationship has not been explored in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we present evidence that MARCH5 promotes autophagy by interacting with p62 to mediate its ubiquitylation for subsequent degradation and thus contributes to cancer proliferation, invasion, and migratory migration. Our clinical data showed that MARCH5 was overexpressed in HCC patients and patients with high MARCH5 expression had poorer prognosis and higher recurrence rate after tumor resection. In addition, we found that overexpression of MARCH5 significantly promoted tumor cell growth and EMT-mediated invasion and migration of HCC cells, while knockdown of MARCH5 suppressed the malignant phenotype of tumor cells. Moreover, overexpression of MARCH5 significantly induced autophagy and increased autophagic flux. Mechanistically, MARCH5 was negatively correlated with P62 expression at the protein level rather than at transcriptional level, and MARCH5 induced autophagy through promoting the degradation of p62 induced by ubiquitination modification demonstrating by shortened the half-life of p62, which contributed to the malignant progression of HCC.
Genome-wide detection of selection signatures in Jianli pigs reveals novel cis-regulatory haplotype for two-end black coat color
Authors: Xu Zhong , Wu Junjing , Zhang Yu , Qiao Mu , Zhou Jiawei , Feng Yue , Li Zipeng , Sun Hua , Lin Ruiyi , Song Zhongxu , Zhao Haizhong , Li Lianghua , Chen Nanqi , Li Yujie , Oyelami Favour Oluwapelumi , Peng Xianwen , Mei Shuqi
Published: October 2023

Background:Jianli pig, a renowned indigenous breed in China, has the characteristics of a two-end black (TEB) coat color, excellent meat quality, strong adaptability and increased prolificacy. However, there is limited information available regarding the genetic diversity, population structure and genomic regions under selection of Jianli pig. On the other hand, the genetic mechanism of TEB coat color has remained largely unknown.
Results: In this study, the whole genome resequencing of 30 Jianli pigs within a context of 153 individuals representing 13 diverse breeds was performed. The population structure analysis revealed that Jianli pigs have close genetic relationships with the Tongcheng pig breed, their geographical neighbors. Three methods (observed heterozygosity, expected heterozygosity, and runs of homozygosity) implied a relatively high level of genetic diversity and, a low inbreeding coefficient in Jianli compared with other pigs. We used Fst and XP-EHH to detect the selection signatures in Jianli pigs compared with Asian wild boar. A total of 451 candidate genes influencing meat quality (CREBBP, ADCY9, EEPD1 and HDAC9), reproduction (ESR1 and FANCA), and coat color (EDNRB, MITF and MC1R), were detected by gene annotation analysis. Finally, to fine-map the genomic region for the two-end black (TEB) coat color phenotype in Jianli pigs, we performed three signature selection methods between the TEB coat color and no-TEB coat color pig breeds. The current study, further confirmed that the EDNRB gene is a candidate gene for TEB color phenotype found in Chinese pigs, including Jinhua pigs, and the haplotype harboring 25 SNPs was a strong candidate causative mutation that regulates the TEB coat color phenotype by altering enhancer function.
Conclusion: Our results advanced the understanding of the genetic mechanism behind artificial selection, and provided further resources for the protection and breeding improvement of Jianli pigs.
Spectroscopic Studies on Structurally Modified Anthraquinone Azo Hydrazone Tautomer: Theoretical and Experimental Approach
Authors: Shekharagouda Pampapathi , Mamatha G P , Nagaraju G , Krishnamurthy Chethan , Gouthaman Siddan , Al-Asbahi Bandar Ali , Al-Hada Naif Mohammed , Naik Lohit
Published: October 2023

A series of unique four mono-azo substituted anthraquinone analogue were synthesized by using the anthraquinone components in the diazo-coupling technique. The FT-IR, 1H NMR, and HRMS, data were used to confirm the structure of the molecules, and spectroscopic techniques like UV-Vis, and photoluminescence spectroscopy were employed to estimate the photophysical properties of the molecules. The molecular optimized geometry and frontier molecular orbitals were estimated using density functional theory. Further, global chemical reactivity descriptors parameter was theoretically estimated using the value of the highest occupied molecular orbit and lowest unoccupied molecular orbits. The anti-tubercular action of the synthesised dyes were also examined. The results of this biological activity showed that N-isopropyl aniline combined with anthraquinone N-isopropyl aniline had superior anti-tubercular activity when compared to Rifampicin as the standard. As per molecular docking studies, the synthesized compound Q1 showed excellent binding energy (-10.0 kcal/mol) among all compounds against the 3ZXR Protein. These results agreed with our in-vitro anti-TB activity results.
OX40-Ligand Enhances H7N9 Whole Inactivated Virus Vaccine-induced Antibody Responses by Promoting Proliferation of Follicular Helper T Cells and Germinal Centre B Cells
Authors: Li Yingying , Gao Ting , Sun Ming , Wang Yufang , Wang Yong , Tang Ximin
Published: October 2023

The H7N9 avian influenza virus first emerged in eastern China in the spring of 2013 and became epidemic nationwide, causing wide concern worldwide due to its rapid outbreak and spread. Currently, vaccination remains the best way to prevent and control the spread of H7N9 influenza, and adjuvants are indispensable for the development of inactivated vaccines. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop efficient and inexpensive novel H7N9 influenza vaccine adjuvants. In this study, we constructed OX40L/Fc and H7N9 whole inactivated virus (WIV) co-immunized mice model and evaluated the efficacy of OX40L as an immune adjuvant in co-immunized mice. Mice co-immunized with H7N9 WIV + OX40L/Fc produced more T follicular helper cells (Tfh), germinal center (GC) B cells, and plasma cells (PCs) than mice immunized with the vaccine alone. This suggested that OX40L could improve protective antibody responses after co-immunization with H7N9 WIV by affecting T cell-dependent humoral immune responses. Overall, our results reveal that OX40L has a good adjuvant effect on H7N9 WIV vaccine.
Fatal Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis of unknown origin complicated by Acute Pulmonary Aspergillosis: case report and literature review
Authors: Bossan Gabriel , Randazzo Flavien , Rossi Camelia
Published: October 2023

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare condition that can have serious consequences for patients. It has a range of possible causes, including primary causes as well as a variety of secondary forms associated with infectious, autoimmune, and neoplastic diseases. Diagnosis can be challenging due to the various clinical presentations of the syndrome, and identifying the underlying cause can be even more difficult. Here, we report the case of a young woman who was diagnosed with HLH rapidly complicated by acute pulmonary aspergillosis, but no specific trigger for the condition was found.
SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity and risk factors in African women living with HIV and their Infants
Authors: Matubu Taguma , Yende-Zuma Nonhlanhla , Brummel Sean S. , Stranix-Chibanda Lynda , Ogwang Lillian Wambuzi , Dadabhai Sufia , Atuhaire Patience , Chauwa Felluna , Gadama Luis , Fernandez Ray , Aizire Jim , Jackson J Brooks , Tobian Aaron , Taha Taha E. , Fowler Mary Glenn
Published: October 2023

Background
SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity data in women living with HIV (WLHIV), their infants and associated factors in this subpopulation remain limited. We retrospectively measured SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity from 07/2020-11/2021 among WLHIV and their children in the PROMOTE observational cohort in Uganda, Malawi, and Zimbabwe prior to widespread SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in those countries.
Methods
Sociodemographic, clinical data and blood were collected every 6 months. Plasma stored during 3 waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in East/Southern Africa were tested for SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG antibodies (Ab) using serological assays that detect adaptive immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. (EUROIMMUN, Mountain Lakes, New Jersey and Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN).Modified-Poisson regression models were used to calculate prevalence rate ratios (PRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to identify sociodemographic and clinical risk factors.
Results
PROMOTE samples from 918 mothers and 1237 children were analysed. Overall, maternal SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity was 60.1% (95% CI: 56.9 -63.3) and 41.5% (95%CI: 38.8 – 44.2) for infants. Non-breastfeeding mothers had a 31% higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity compared to breastfeeding mothers (aPRR=1.31, 95%CI: 1.08-1.59). WLHIV with undetectable viral load had a 10% increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity (aPRR=1.10, 95%CI: 0.89-1.37). Moreover, those who were normotensive had 12% increased risk SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity (aPRR= 1.12, 95% CI: 0.68-1.85) compared to women with hypertension.Children between 2 and 5 years had a 19% reduced risk of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity (aPRR=0.81, 95%CI: 0.64-1.02) when compared to younger children. Mother/infant SARS-CoV-2 serostatuses were discordant in 346/802 (43.1%) families tested: mothers+/children- in 72.3%; mothers-/children+ in 26.3%; child+/sibling+ concordance was 34.6%.
Conclusions
These SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity data indicate that by late 2021, about 60% of mothers and about 40% of children in a cohort of HIV-affected families in eastern/southern Africa had been infected with SARS-CoV-2. More mothers than their infants tested SARS-CoV-2+, likely due to a greater external exposure for mothers linked to daily routines/employment, and school closures. Breastfeeding was protective for mothers, likely because of the need to stay home for young children, and thus less exposure. Discordant results between children within the same families underscores the need to further understand transmission dynamics within households.
Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the heterogeneity of tumor-associated macrophages in three subtypes of breast cancer
Authors: Yuan Yan , Zhang Shu , Huang Jian
Published: October 2023

Breast cancer (BC) is a disease characterized by molecular heterogeneity and has been classified into different subtypes. The heterogeneity of breast cancer is influenced by both the mutations of cancer cells and the significant heterogeneity in the tumor microenvironment. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a significant role in the progression and heterogeneity of different subtypes of BC, as they are the most abundant tumor-infiltrating immune cells. Nevertheless, there remains a dearth of investigation to reveal the heterogeneity and potential functions of TAMs in different subtypes of BC. This work elucidated the variations in marker genes, drug sensitivity, functions and cellular communication among the TAMs in the three subtypes of BC (TNBC, luminal, HER2) using published single-cell RNA sequencing data from 24 BC patients, and identification of specific marker genes of each TAMs were experimentally verified by co-culturing M0 macrophages with three subtypes of BC cells. In detail, we found that TNBC-TAMs exhibited elevated expression levels of CCL3L3, luminal-TAMs expressed high levels of SPP1, and HER2-TAMs highly expressed CXCL8. The expression of these marker genes was linked to differences in the sensitivity of TAMs to anticancer drugs, and identifying the marker genes expressed by diverse TAMs in different BC subtypes could potentially optimize the guidance of personalized treatment. Furthermore, the ligand-receptor pair analysis highlighted that the heterogeneous TAMs can activate different pathways via VEGFA/FLT1, SPP1/CD44 and SPP1/ITGB1 ligand-receptor pairs in three subtypes of BC, respectively. In conclusion, we demonstrated for the first time that the expression patterns and unique role of heterogeneous TAMs in regulating the biological functions of different tumor microenvironments, and by targeting heterogeneous TAMs in different BC subtypes may provide a novel insight into more precise and individualised treatment strategies for patients with different subtypes of BC.
Association of serum interleukin-2 with severity and prognosis of community-acquired pneumonia: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Zhu Feng-Min , Xu Juan , He Qi-Yuan , Deng You-Peng , Liu Ming-Yan , Liu Ying , Sun Jing , Zhao Hui , Fu Lin , Yang Jin
Published: October 2023

Background: Prior research has shown that interleukin-2 (IL-2) exerts important roles in the pathological and physiological processes of lung diseases. However, it's still uncertain whether IL-2 has a role in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Through a prospective cohort study, our research will explore the correlation between serum IL-2 levels and the severity and prognosis of CAP patients.
Methods: There were 267 CAP patients included. Blood samples were obtained. Serum IL-2 was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Demographic traits and clinical characteristics were extracted.
Results: Correlation study revealed that physiological parameters including liver and renal function were connected with serum IL-2 in CAP patients. According to a logistic regression analysis, serum IL-2 were positively correlated with CAP severity scores. We also tracked the prognostic outcomes of CAP patients and observed an increased risk of adverse prognosis with higher levels of IL-2 in admission.
Conclusions: CAP patients' severe conditions and poor prognosis were positively linked with serum IL-2 at admission, indicated that IL-2 may be connected to the development of CAP. As a result, serum IL-2 may be an available biomarker to guide clinicians in diagnosing CAP and determining prognosis.
Experiences of people with long COVID with COVID-19 vaccination and rehabilitation - results of a qualitative study with 48 participants from Germany
Authors: Schmachtenberg Tim , Königs Gloria , Roder Sascha , Müller Frank , Müllenmeister Christina , Schröder Dominik , El-Sayed Iman
Published: October 2023

Background
Studies estimate that at least 7.5% of adults are affected by long-term symptoms such as fatigue or cognitive impairment after the acute phase of COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccination may reduce the risk of long COVID. Rehabilitation can have a positive impact on recovery. This study aims to present the experiences of people with long COVID with COVID-19 vaccination and rehabilitation. Such research is important because perceptions of these measures can impact healthcare utilization and health status.
Methods
48 adults with long COVID participated in this qualitative study, 25 of them in one-on-one interviews and 23 in focus groups. Participants were recruited via calls for participation on the websites and social media channels of two university hospitals and with the help of respondents' networks. The conversations were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Subsequently, the results were compared, interpreted, and discussed by scientific literature.
Results
Study participants had varying experiences with COVID-19 vaccination and rehabilitation. Nine participants stated that they developed long COVID despite vaccination before COVID-19. Ten of the 35 vaccinated participants reported vaccine reactions, and two participants reported severe side effects. Two participants reported persistent deterioration of their long COVID symptoms after vaccination. This led to uncertainty about the safety, benefits, and handling of COVID-19 vaccination. However, most participants perceived the vaccine as effective regarding milder COVID-19 sequelae. Four participants felt their rehabilitation was helpful and four participants felt it was unhelpful. Two persons found the combination of inpatient rehabilitation and rehabilitation sport helpful.
Conclusions
Several implications can be derived from this study: (1) researchers should explore the effects of COVID-19 vaccination on long COVID symptoms; (2) vaccination campaigns should be more responsive to the perspectives of people with long COVID on vaccination; (3) care planners should build rehabilitation facilities specialized in long COVID; (4) rehabilitation providers should train their professionals regarding long COVID and develop rehabilitation programs tailored to different clinical pictures.
Trial registration
The study is registered in the German register for clinical trials (DRKS00026007).
Intrusion Detection in IoT Data Streams based onEMNCD with Concept Drift
Authors: Chu Renjie , Jin Peiyuan , Qiao Hanli , Feng Quanxi
Published: October 2023

With the widespread application of smart devices, the security of IoT systems faces entirely new challenges. The IoT data stream operates in a non-stationary, dynamic environment, making it prone to concept drift. This paper focuses on addressing the issue of concept drift in data streams, with a key emphasis on introducing an innovative drift detection method—Ensemble of Multiple Non-parametric Concept Drift detectors, abbreviated as EMNCD. This approach employs ensemble learning of three non-parametric statistical methods: Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and Mann-Kendall test. It accurately detects concept drift by comparing the distributions of samples within a sliding window. Through this integration, precise localization of drift points is achieved, enhancing the reliability of detection. Experimental results demonstrate that, when compared to other classical methods, the EMNCD approach exhibits significantly superior performance across artificial datasets. Simultaneously, to enhance the robustness of data stream processing, we introduce an online data anomaly detection method based on the Isolation Forest. Furthermore, we propose a drift adaptation model named WOA-XGBoost. This model employs XGBoost as a base learner, dynamically updates the model using drift points detected by EMNCD, and fine-tunes parameters through the WOA. Through real-world applications on the Edge-IIoTset intrusion dataset, we delve into the impact of concept drift on intrusion detection. In summary, this paper centers around the EMNCD method, introducing innovative drift detection, anomaly detection, and drift adaptation approaches to address concept drift in data streams and enhance security in IoT systems. It offers a series of practical and viable solutions.
ENPP2 promotes progression and lipid accumulation via AMPK/SREBP1/FAS pathway in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Wang Xin , Lu Liyan , Hu Xinting , Han Yang , Wang Hua , Zhang Xin , Tian Zheng , Zhang Ya
Published: October 2023

Disorders of lipid metabolism are critical factors in the progression of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The characteristics of lipid metabolism and related regulatory mechanisms of CLL remain unclear. Hence, we identified altered metabolites in CLL patients by lipidomic to investigate aberrant lipid metabolism pathways. Based on the area under the curve value, a combination of three metabolites (PC O-24:2_18:2, PC O-35:3, and LPC 34:3) potentially served as a biomarker for the diagnosis of CLL. Moreover, utilizing integrated lipidomic, transcriptomic, and molecular studies, we reveal that ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 2 (ENPP2) plays a crucial role in regulating oncogenic lipogenesis. ENPP2 expression was significantly elevated in CLL patients compared to normal cells and was validated in an independent cohort. Besides, ENPP2 knockdown and targeted inhibitor PF-8380 treatment exerted an anti-tumor effect by regulating cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and enhanced the drug sensitivity to ibrutinib. Mechanistically, ENPP2 inhibited AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation and promoted lipogenesis through the sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1 (SREBP-1)/fatty acid synthase (FAS) signaling pathway to promote lipogenesis. Taken together, our findings unravel the lipid metabolism characteristics of CLL, and highlight the potential role of ENPP2 as a novel therapeutic target for CLL treatment.
The relationship between successful aging and life satisfaction among middle-aged and elderly people with chronic diseases: the mediating role of depression
Authors: Song Miaojing , Zhang Lin , Ji Qiqi , Ji Pengjuan , Xu Jiashuang , Chen Yian , Guo Leilei
Published: October 2023

Background
A number of studies have explored the relationship between depression and life satisfaction. Few studies, however, have articulated the mechanisms underlying the relationship between successful aging and life satisfaction in middle-aged and elderly people with chronic diseases. The present study is intended to examine the mediating role of depression in this relationship.
Methods
Multistage stratified sampling method was adopted to investigate 306 chronic disease patients aged 45 years and above in an affiliated hospital in Zhejiang Province. The results were then statistically analyzed. A descriptive analysis of the characteristics of the sample was performed. The relationship between successful aging and life satisfaction was assessed using linear regression. The mediating effect of depression was analyzed using Amos 23.0.
Results
Successful aging was positively correlated with life satisfaction (β = 0.34, P < 0.01), successful aging was negatively correlated with depression (β = -0.14, P < 0.01), and depression was negatively correlated with life satisfaction (β = -0.24, P < 0.01). The standardized indirect effect of depression between successful aging and life satisfaction was 0.058, which represented 13.67% of the total effect.
Conclusions
Depression mediates the relationship between successful aging and life satisfaction. Therefore, healthcare professionals and stakeholders should be concerned about the mental health of middle-aged and elderly persons with chronic diseases, strengthen their attention to successful aging, and provide interventions and treatment measures for middle-aged and elderly persons with chronic diseases who have depressive tendencies.
Lower levels of social support are associated with risk for future suicide attempts in a clinical sample of transgender and gender diverse adults
Authors: Pletta David R. , Austin S. Bryn , Chen Jarvis T. , Radix Asa E. , Keuroghlian Alex S. , Hughto Jaclyn M.W. , Reisner Sari L.
Published: October 2023

Purpose.
Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) adults are disproportionately affected by suicide. Social support and connection to the broader TGD community may help lower TGD adults’ odds of having a suicide attempt (SA). The current study examined whether baseline levels of social support and community connectedness were associated with TGD adult’s prospective odds of having a SA over 12 months of follow-up.
Methods.
Longitudinal data for the current study came from a patient cohort of TGD adults enrolled in the LEGACY Project. Descriptive statistics and an attrition analysis were used to examine characteristics of the cohort and missingness over time. Logistic generalized estimating equation models were used to examine factors associated with patients’ odds of having a past 6-month SA at 6- or 12-months follow-up.
Results.
During the 12-month follow-up period, a total of 26 patients (3.1%; N = 830) reported having a SA. The 6-month incidence of SAs was approximately 2% at both 6- and 12-months of follow-up (6-months: N = 830; 12-months: N = 495). Baseline factors associated with increased odds of a future SA included gender identity (transfeminine vs. transmasculine: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.26–11.08; nonbinary vs. transmasculine: aOR = 3.09, 95% CI = 1.03–9.21), having a prior SA (aOR = 6.44, 95% CI = 2.63–15.79), and having moderate vs. high perceived social support (aOR = 4.25, 95% CI = 1.65–10.90).
Conclusion.
Lower levels of social support are associated with risk for future suicide attempts among TGD adults. Findings may inform screening practices for future suicide risk and the development of interventions to improve mental health outcomes for TGD adults.
Diversity and pathogenicity of anastomosis groups of Rhizoctonia solani isolates associated with potato diseases in northern Sinaloa, Mexico
Authors: López-Corrales Rosalía , Michereff Sami J. , García-Estrada Raymundo Saúl , Correia Kamila C. , Mora-Romero Guadalupe Arlene , León-Félix Josefina , Tovar-Pedraza Juan Manuel
Published: October 2023

Potato production is affected by Rhizoctonia solani, causing severe yield losses. The most important criterion for distinguishing R. solani isolates is differentiation by anastomosis groups (AGs). However, the limitations of traditional AG differentiation have prompted the use of DNA sequence analysis as a valuable tool for distinguishing AGs. This study aimed to determine the diversity of anastomosis groups and the virulence of R. solani isolates collected from commercial potato fields in northern Sinaloa, Mexico. A total of 118 R. solani isolates were obtained from symptomatic sprouts and tubers collected from 32 commercial fields distributed in the municipalities of Ahome, Guasave, and El Fuerte in northern Sinaloa, Mexico. Fifty-two representative isolates were selected for anastomosis group determination and pathogenicity tests. Phylogenetic analysis with rpb2 gene sequences clearly distinguished 30 isolates belonging to AG-3 PT and 22 isolates to AG-4 HGI. The virulence of these R. solani isolates was evaluated using mini-tubers of potato cv. Fianna, and colonized rice grains were used as inoculum source. The disease severity caused by R. solani on potato plants was evaluated 40 days after emergence. Virulence was estimated as the percentage of necrotic area on underground stems. The results revealed that all R. solani isolates were pathogenic and differences were observed in virulence among the isolates. Of the total of 52 isolates evaluated, 7% were highly virulent, 61% had intermediate virulence, and 32% exhibited low virulence. These findings regarding the diversity of anastomosis groups and the virulence of R. solani isolates in northern Sinaloa are fundamental for subsequent epidemiology and fungicide resistance studies.
Syntactic enhanced multi-channel graph convolutional networks for aspect sentiment analysis
Authors: Ding Yuhang , Gao Jianyu
Published: October 2023

Aspect-based sentiment analysis (ABSA) focuses on accurately classifying the sentiment polarity of various aspects within a sentence. In recent years, graph convolutional networks leveraging syntactic dependency trees have gained popularity in ABSA tasks due to their exceptional ability to capture syntactic structures. However, the challenge lies in effectively integrating both syntactic and semantic information without introducing excessive noise interference. This paper addresses this issue by proposing a novel syntax-enhanced multi-channel graph convolutional network model for ABSA.To enhance the model's understanding of grammatical structures, we have devised a multi-channel graph structure. This structure employs syntactic dependency types, positional information, and tree-based distances as adjacency matrices in various channel graphs to represent different types of relationships between words. Additionally, to accurately capture aspect-related information, we've incorporated an aspect attention module, complemented by a mask matrix to filter out non-aspect word features. Our experimental results, based on three benchmark datasets, demonstrate that our proposed model outperforms existing approaches, achieving the highest level of performance.
Asymmetrical sequence chunking for auditory and visual domains in the left and right hemispheres
Authors: Ding Nai , Lu Yuhan , Wu Yuchunzi , Yu Yanlin , Tian Xing
Published: October 2023

Chunking is an effective mechanism to process sensory sequences. It remains unclear, however, whether the chunking mechanism is domain-general or specific to each input sensory modality. Here, we investigate the functions of the Broca’s area and its right homolog mediating chunking when human participants break up auditory and visual sequences into chunks based on rules. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), we demonstrate that neural activity can track the rhythms of sensory chunks across the brain areas. Critically, the precision of chunk-tracking activity in the left and right inferior frontal gyri (IFG) separately predicts the behavioral performance for auditory and visual chunking. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) further reveals that deactivating the left and right IFG distinctively influences the behavioral performance of auditory and visual chunking. Additionally, structural imaging shows that the strength of the left and right arcuate fasciculi, connecting frontal and temporal cortices, predicts both ipsilateral IFG activation and modality-dependent chunking performance. The consistent electrophysiological, neural modulation and structural connectivity results collectively suggest distinct hemispherical lateralized temporal-frontal networks for rule-based chunking in the auditory and visual domains.
Impact of Particulate Matter Air Pollution on 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels: A Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Zhang Yi , Shen Zan , Pei Hang , Wang Guanyin , Wang Ziyue , Wei xinshi , Yu Jinsheng , Wang chao , Hua Jiang , He Bangjian
Published: October 2023

Background
In observational studies, the 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level in body has been found to be closely related to Particulate matter air pollution (PM). In this study, we employed the two-sample Mendelian randomization method (MR) to investigate and discuss the potential causal relationship and mode of influence.
Methods
PM data (PM10, PM2.5−10, PM2.5, PM2.5 absorbance) came from the UKBiobank database and 25(OH)D data came from the EBI database. The analysis was conducted utilizing three prominent methods (Inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, and simple mode). The primary emphasis was placed on IVW (random effects), accompanied by heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy tests. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was undertaken.
Results
The Mendelian randomization analysis revealed a significant association between exposure to PM10 and a decrease in levels of 25(OH)D (OR: 0.878, 95%CI: 0.789–0.977). However, no significant relationship was observed between PM2.5 exposure and 25(OH)D (OR: 0.858, 95%CI: 0.728–1.012). Further analysis indicated that the main contributor to the decline in 25(OH)D levels is linked to PM2.5−10 exposure (OR: 0.840, 95%CI: 0.751–0.940) and PM2.5 absorbance (OR: 0.875, 95%CI: 0.824–0.929). No heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy existed.
Conclusions
The MR results suggest that PM exposure lowers VD levels by reducing UV rays, and no significant PM2.5 impact on VD within the human body has been found. Considering the important mediator of VD in osteoporosis, we recommend that people in highly polluted areas supplement appropriate amounts of VD.
Revisiting an old relationship：The causal associations of the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio with cardiometabolic diseases and relative risk factors——A Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Fu Chao , Liu Dongbo , Liu Qi , Wang Xuedong , Ma Xiaoxue , Pan Hong , Feng Shi , Sun Zhao , Qiao Weishen , Yang Mengyue , Gao Shuang , Ding Hongyu , Huang Xingtao , Hou Jingbo
Published: October 2023

Background
It has been confirmed that the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio is closely associated with the incidence of cardiometabolic diseases (CMD). However, due to uncontrolled confounding factors in observational studies, the causal relationship of this association remains unclear.
Methods
In this study, we extracted the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and data on CMD and its associated risk factors from the largest European genome-wide association study. The purpose was to conduct Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis. The causal relationship between the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and CMD was evaluated using both univariable and multivariable MR analyses. Furthermore, bidirectional MR analysis was performed to estimate the causal relationship between the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and risk factors for CMD.
Results
In terms of CMD, the increase in the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio was significantly related to ischemic diseases such as ischemic heart disease, major adverse cardiovascular events, ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, aortic aneurysm (all p༜0.05), and so on. In multivariate MR analysis, the above results were still valid. Regarding CMD risk factors, a significant bidirectional causality existed between the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and waist circumference, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Meanwhile, the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio also had a strong causality with glucose metabolism indicators, obesity-related indicators, and behaviorally relevant indicators.
Conclusions
This MR study provides evidence supporting the significant causal relationship between the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and CMD and its risk factors. These findings suggest that the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio may serve as a potential indicator for identifying the risk of developing CMD in participants.
Identification of One-carbon metabolism-related gene signature and Analysis of the role of m6A and miRNAs/circRNAs for colon adenocarcinoma
Authors: Wang Gang , Zhi-Min Zhu , Wang Kun
Published: October 2023

Background: To study one-carbon metabolism-related genes and their association with Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) prognosis, immune cell infiltration, and search for new therapeutic targets and drugs.
Methods: The univariate Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression for COAD prognosis from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and the prognostic efficacy of the one carbon unit and amino acid -related gene signature was assessed using Kaplan–Meier (KM) survival and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. The co-expression of one-carbon metabolism -related genes with miRNAs or circRNAs and M6A-related genes in COAD was analyzed. Using CIBERSORT, and single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA) algorithms, the quantities and types of tumor-infiltrating immune cells were assessed. Potential small-molecule agents were identified using the GDSC database and validated by molecular docking. To verify key core gene expression levels, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT–PCR) assays were conducted.
Results: We identified three one-carbon metabolism -related genes (AHCY, BHMT, SLC38A2) for the prognostic signature of overall survival (OS) for COAD. The binding information between metabolism-related genes, target miRNAs and circRNAs indicated that miR-140-5p and miR-195-5p/ hsa_circ_0071989had a good prediction. The chemotherapeutic agent sensitivity of patients categorized by risk score varied significantly. AHCY and BHMT, SLC38A2 mRNA expression was increased in HCT116 cells, whereas miRNA (miR-140-5p and miR-195-5p) expression was decreased in HCT116 cells.
Conclusion:In summary, we identified and developed a one-carbon metabolism -related gene signature with significant prognostic value of COAD, and AHCY, BHMT, SLC38A2 were positively regulated by the m6A genes in COAD samples. The combination TGX221 with cyclopamin significantly decreased AHCY, BHMT and SLC38A2 via upregulating miR-140-5p and miR-195-5p in HCT116 cells, which benefits COAD patients by informing more precise and effective treatment decisions.
Research on Dunhuang Murals Image Restoration Method Based on Generative Adversarial Network
Authors: Ren Hui , Sun Ke , Zhao Fanhua , Zhu Xian
Published: October 2023

Dunhuang murals are an important part of China's cultural heritage, after more than a thousand years of exposure to the sun and wind, most of these ancient murals have become mottled, with damage such as cracking, mold, and even large-scale detachment. It is an urgent work to restore these damaged murals. The technique of digital restoration of mural images refers to the reconstruction of mural structures and textures to virtually fill in the damaged areas of the image. To solve the problems of incomplete restoration and distortion of local details in the existing digital restoration process, this paper proposes a generative adversarial network model combining a parallel dual convolutional feature extraction depth generator and a ternary heterogeneous joint discriminator. The generator shallow network uses vanilla convolution and dilated convolution to extract image features in parallel while capturing different scale features, and the discriminator consists of a global discriminator, a local discriminator and a pixel-level discriminator, which discriminate the generated images at different levels and granularities. In this paper, we construct the Dunhuang murals dataset and validate our method on this dataset, and the experimental results show that the method of this paper has an overall improvement in the evaluation metrics of Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) and Image Structural Similarity Measure (SSIM) compared with the comparative methods, and the restored resultant image is more in line with the subjective vision of human beings, which achieves the effective restoration of mural images.
Retrospective study of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity modified as FIRE method (CBT-F) in combination with medication for weight loss
Authors: Egoshi Masatoshi , Saito Akira , Nordeng Lena , Takayama Yasuyuki , Furukawa Yutaro
Published: October 2023

Obesity rates continue to rise globally, posing a significant public health concern. Current treatments often lack long-term effectiveness, necessitating the exploration of new approaches. This study examines the effectiveness of a modified treatment method called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy modified as FIRE method (CBT-F), which combines cognitive behavioral therapy with pharmacotherapy. The study involves 62 women seeking weight loss treatment, divided into a CBT-F group and a control group receiving only pharmacotherapy. Anthropometric measures and blood chemistry data were collected over an average follow-up period of 68.5 days. The results demonstrate that the CBT-F group achieved significantly greater weight loss compared to the control group. No notable differences were observed in blood chemistry data. The combination of CBT-F and pharmacotherapy offers a comprehensive and planned approach to obesity treatment by addressing psychological factors and leveraging the effects of medication. Modules specifically designed to handle medication side effects and changes in eating behavior may contribute to treatment success and sustainability. Although this study focused on women, future research should examine the effectiveness of CBT-F in diverse populations. CBT-F shows promise as an alternative or complementary treatment option for individuals who have undergone CBT for extended periods or struggle with lifestyle changes. Overall, the findings suggest that CBT-F, with its shorter treatment duration and immediate effects of pharmacotherapy, holds potential as an effective and sustainable approach to obesity treatment. Further studies are necessary to validate these findings and expand the evidence base for this novel treatment.
Exosomal EGFR and miR-381-3P mediate HPV-16 E7-induced angiogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Zhan Riming , Yu Hua , Zhang Guihong , Ding Qingkai , Li Huan , Li Xiangyong , Tang Xudong
Published: October 2023

Background
Our previous studies have demonstrated that exosomal epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and exosomal miR-381-3P expression were significantly increased in HPV-16 E7-overexpressing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Moreover, exosomal EGFR was involved in HPV-16 E7-induced EMT in NSCLC cells. In this study, we further investigated the effect of exosomes derived from HPV-16 E7-overexpressing NSCLC cells on angiogenesis and the roles of exosomal EGFR and exosomal miR-381-3P in it.
Methods
The exosomes derived from the stable HPV-16 E7-overexpressing A549 and H460 NSCLC cells (E7 Exo) and empty vector-infected cells (ev Exo) were isolated by ultracentrifugation. Colony formation assay and Transwell assay were performed to observe the effect of E7 Exo on the abilities of colony formation and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Additionally, cell and animal experiments were used to analyze the effect of E7 Exo on angiogenesis. Furthermore, the roles of exosomal EGFR and miR-381-3p in angiogenesis were explored through the inhibition EGFR activation and exosome secretion or overexpression of miR-381-3p, respectively.
Results
Compared with ev Exo, both A549 E7 Exo and H460 E7 Exo significantly enhanced colony formation and migration abilities of HUVECs. Moreover, E7 Exo dramatically promoted tube-forming abilities cells in vitro (P < 0.01) and angiogenesis in vivo (P < 0.01). The inhibition EGFR activation and exosome secretion of NSCLC cells suppressed HPV-16 E7-induced migration and tube formation of HUVEC cells in vitro (P < 0.01), and significantly deceased the levels the Ang-1 and VEGFA proteins, angiogenesis-related markers (P < 0.01). The tube-forming abilities of HUVECs transfected with miR-381-3p mimics and then treated with E7 Exo were significantly enhanced as compared with cells treated with E7 Exo only (P < 0.01), while transfection of miR-381-3p inhibitor reversed this effect (P < 0.05).
Conclusion
Exosomal EGFR and exosomal miR-381-3p may be involved in HPV-16 E7-induced angiogenesis of NSCLC.
HIV-1 incidence in the era of rapid tests for recent infection in Livingstone District, Zambia
Authors: Simushi Precious , Chiyenu Kaseya O. R. , Choonga Powell , Hamooya Benson M. , Zambwe Mowa , Chipimo Peter J.
Published: October 2023

Objective
HIV incidence is not well documented where health services are delivered as a result failure of better understanding current transmission of HIV in a community. The aim was to determine the incidence of HIV-1 and factors associated with recent infection in Livingstone district using the HIV-1 recent infection testing algorithm, using the Rapid test for recent infection with HIV viral load testing to identify true HIV recent patients infected within 12 months.
Results
This was a laboratory based cross sectional study in which samples of newly diagnosed HIV positive adults sent to LUTH PCR laboratory for Recency testing and HIV VL testing were used. In our study participants, the younger age group were more likely to have been infected in the past 12 months, median age: recently infected 28 (23, 37.5) vs long term 33 (27, 40) p-value = 0.002. Out of the 768 clients subjected to RITA, 18.75% were true HIV recent, with the majority of them being female at 59.51%. 50.74% of the clients classified as recent were virally unsuppressed, p- value =0.000. Mahatima Gandhi clinic had a high number of recent infections relative to other facilities at 17.36%. Majority of the clients were captured under index modality with a percentage of HIV recent patients at 47.22%. Adjusted analysis indicated a significant association between age, HIV VL and recent infection (OR 0.97; 95%CI 0.95-0.99; p- value=0.002) and (OR 0.32; 95%CI 0.22-0.48; p- value =0.000).
A high HIV incidence of recent infection with a 50.74% HIV VL unsuppressed clients was observed suggestive of high HIV transmission rate in the community. The majority of clients were captured under index testing indicating that most clients are less likely to seek medical care for HIV testing. Being virally unsuppressed and age were associated with recent infection. Facilities servicing low income areas may be hot spot zones where preventive and treatment interventions should be prioritized in the district.