bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lead-vanadate sorbents for iodine trapping and their conversion into an iodoapatite-based conditioning matrix
Authors: Pénélope R. , Campayo L. , Fournier M. , Le Gallet S. , Gossard A. , Grandjean A.
Published: December 2022

New lead-vanadate based sorbents were synthesized with the aim to entrap and confine gaseous iodine in off-gas streams coming from reprocessing facilities of spent nuclear fuel. Their synthesis relies on the shaping of a lead-vanadate, lead sulfide and alginic acid mix as millimetric beads. These beads were calcined between 220°C and 500°C to remove organic alginic compounds template. However, according to the calcination temperature, lead sulfide could be partially oxidized, limiting iodine loading capacity. A compromise temperature between 290°C and 350°C was found to remove most of the alginic acid template and avoiding lead sulfide oxidation. These sorbents were tested for iodine trapping in static conditions at 60°C. They performed well with a sorption capacity up to 155 mg.g−1 by forming PbI2. Furthermore, these iodine-loaded sorbents could be easily converted into an iodine-containing lead-vanadate apatite matrix by spark plasma sintering. A dense sample was produced for a sintering temperature of 500°C under 70 MPa. Such a material could be suitable for radioactive iodine conditioning in deep geological disposal. Finally, lead-vanadate sorbents could provide an easy way to entrap and confine radioactive iodine from off-gas streams into a durable material within a few steps.
Pulmonary fibrosis in patients with COVID-19: A retrospective study
Authors: Li Fanglin , Deng Jiayi , Song Yongqiang , Wu Chenfang , Yu Bo , Wang Guyi , Li Jinxiu , Zhong Yanjun , Liang Fang
Published: December 2022

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused substantial threats to people’s physical health and lives, claiming the lives of over 6 million people worldwide. Although the mortality rate of COVID-19 is very low, many survivors may have different degrees and various sequelae. Previous studies have shown that pulmonary fibrosis (PF) were common on discharged COVID-19 patients, and PF itself is a poor prognostic factor.

Methods

227 COVID-19 hospitalized patients’ clinical and laboratory data from the first 15 days following admission were collected in this retrospective study. Groups were based on with or without PF of COVID-19. Categorical variables were compared with the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. Continuous variables were tested by Wilcoxon rank-sum test for the non-normal distribution. Spearman correlations were used to assess the correlations between PF with clinic parameters of multiple time points. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze for risk factors of COVID-19 patients with pulmonary fibrosis.

Results

Sixty cases of COVID-19 patients were diagnosed with PF. Compared with 167 non-PF patients, those with PF were older and had higher proportions of fever, shortness of breath, hemoptysis, abdominal pain, hypertension, cardiovascular, diabetes, high flow nasal cannula (HFNC), severe disease, and virus shedding duration. Furthermore, the correlation analysis between PF and clinic parameters showed that PF were positively related to the C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and negatively correlated with hemoglobin (HGB) and albumin (ALB) at all time points in the first 15 days after admission. Moreover, We found that PF were significantly correlated with coagulation indexes prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (Fib) and fibrinolysis index D-Dimer at some phases. In addition, Univariate logistic regression analyses showed that age, fever, shortness of breath, hemoptysis, hypertension, cardiovascular, diabetes, HFNC, severe disease were the risk factors of COVID-19 patients with PF. However, multivariate logistic regression showed that age was the risk factor of COVID-19 patients with PF.

Conclusion

Combining various factors, advanced age is an independent risk factor of COVID-19 patients with PF. PF was significantly related with clinic parameter of inflammation/coagulopathy/fibrinolysis.
New insights of necroptosis and immune infiltration in sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction from bioinformatics analysis through RNA-seq in mice
Authors: Du Yan , Zhong Ying , Ding Ruilin , Wang Xiaojie , Xia Fenfen , Zhang Qian , Peng Qing
Published: December 2022

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by dysregulated host immune response to infection. Sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction (SIMD) is a common complication in patients with severe sepsis and is associated with increased mortality. The molecular mechanisms underlying SIMD are complex and not well characterized. Excessive inflammation due to impaired regulation of immune response is one of the major causes of SIMD. Necroptosis is a novel type of cell death that is closely related to tissue injury and inflammation. However, the role of necroptosis in SIMD is not known. Therefore, in this study, we performed an in-depth bioinformatics analysis to investigate the relationship between necroptosis and SIMD using a mouse model generated by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the underlying mechanisms. Myocardial function was assessed by echocardiography. Histopathological changes in SIMD were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Gene expression profiles of the heart tissues from the SIMD and control mice were analyzed by bioinformatics analysis. Transcriptome sequencing demonstrated significant differences in the expression levels of 3654 genes in the heart tissues of SIMD mice including 1810 up-regulated and 1844 down-regulated genes. The necroptosis pathway genes were significantly enriched in the heart tissues from the SIMD group mice. We identified 35 necroptosis-related differentially expressed genes (NRDEGs) including MLKL and RIPK3. Cardiomyocyte necroptosis was confirmed by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis. The expression levels of most NRDEGs showed positive correlation with the infiltration levels of mast cells, macrophages, and neutrophils, and negative correlation with the infiltration levels of B cells and plasma cells in the heart tissues of the SIMD group mice. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that necroptosis was associated with changes in the infiltration levels of several immune cell types in the heart tissues of the SIMD model mice. This suggested that necroptosis influenced SIMD development by modulating the immune microenvironment. This suggested that NRDEGs are potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for patients with SIMD.
Carbapenem-resistant hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates from a tertiary hospital in China: Antimicrobial susceptibility, resistance phenotype, epidemiological characteristics, microbial virulence, and risk factors
Authors: Wang Qiang , Chen Mengyuan , Ou Qian , Zheng Lina , Chen Xuejing , Mao Guofeng , Fang Jiaqi , Jin Dazhi , Tang Xiaofang
Published: December 2022

Hypervirulent and multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae poses a significant threat to public health. We aimed to determine the common carbapenemase genotypes and the carriage patterns, main antibiotic resistance mechanisms, and in vitro susceptibility of clinical isolates of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP) to ceftazidime/avibactam (CZA) for the reasonable selection of antimicrobial agents and determine whether hypermucoviscous (HMV) phenotype and virulence-associated genes are key factors for CRKP colonization and persistence. Antibiotics susceptibility of clinical CRKP isolates and carbapenemase types were detected. CRKP isolates were identified as hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae (HMKP) using the string test, and detection of virulence gene was performed using capsular serotyping. The blaKPC-2, blaNDM, blaIMP, and/or blaOXA-48-like were detected in 96.4% (402/417) of the isolates, and the blaKPC-2 (64.7%, 260/402) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of blaNDM (25.1%), blaOXA-48-like (10.4%), and blaIMP (4.2%). Carriage of a single carbapenemase gene was observed in 96.3% of the isolates, making it the dominant antibiotic resistance genotype carriage pattern (P < 0.05). Approximately 3.7% of the isolates carried two or more carbapenemase genotypes, with blaKPC-2 + blaNDM and blaNDM + blaIMP being the dominant multiple antibiotic resistance genotype. In addition, 43 CRKP isolates were identified as HMKP, with a prevalence of 10.3% and 2.7% among CRKP and all K. pneumoniae isolates, respectively. Most clinical CRKP isolates were isolated from elderly patients, and carbapenemase production was the main mechanism of drug resistance. Tigecycline and polymyxin B exhibited exceptional antimicrobial activity against CRKP isolates in vitro. Furthermore, blaKPC-2, blaNDM, and blaOXA-48-like were the main carbapenemase genes carried by the CRKP isolates. CZA demonstrated excellent antimicrobial activity against isolates carrying the single blaKPC-2 or blaOXA-48-like genotype. Capsular serotype K2 was the main capsular serotype of the carbapenem-resistant HMKP isolates. Survival rates of Galleria mellonella injected with K. pneumoniae 1–7 were 20.0, 16.7, 6.7, 23.3, 16.7, 3.3, and 13.3, respectively. Therefore, worldwide surveillance of these novel CRKP isolates and carbapenem-resistant HMKP isolates as well as the implementation of stricter control measures are needed to prevent further dissemination in hospital settings.
The role of gender in the International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications
Authors: Peltonen Ella
Published: December 2022

The International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications (IEEE PerCom) is a CORE 2021 A* conference (top 7% of ranked venues) that aims to present scientific advances in a broad spectrum of technologies and topics in ubiquitous/pervasive computing, including wireless networking, mobile and distributed computing, sensor systems, ambient intelligence, and smart devices. During the last couple of years, the PerCom organization committee has successfully included many prestigious female researchers to submit, participate, and organize the conference. However, there is still work to do and to help the progress, this article analyses the history of the conference from a gender perspective. This article goes through accepted articles of the last 20 years of the PerCom conferences, showing that even if the role of female authors, in general, has increased, more first and leading female researchers should still be welcomed in the community. Through this analysis, this article aims to highlight the role of gender in the conference program and seeks to find trends and possible improvements to achieve a broader gender balance in pervasive computing.
Rotational atherectomy for chronically and totally occluded coronary lesions: A propensity score-matched outcomes study
Authors: Tsai Tien-Chien , Lo Wei-Jung , Chen Wei-Jhong , Lai Chih-Hung , Su Chieh-Shou , Chang Wei-Chun , Wang Chi-Yen , Liu Tsun-Jui , Liang Kae-Woei , Lee Wen-Lieng , Chen Yu-Wei
Published: December 2022

Background

Despite advances being made in techniques and devices, certain chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions remain uncrossable or undilatable. Rotational atherectomy (RA) is usually necessary for such lesions to achieve successful revascularization.

Methods

Information regarding consecutive patients who underwent coronary RA was retrieved from the catheterization laboratory database. Patients who underwent RA for CTO lesion refractory using other conventional devices were recruited, with propensity score-matched cases serving as controls.

Results

A total of 411 patients underwent coronary RA in the study period. Most patients had high-risk features (65.7% had acute coronary syndrome (ACS), 14.1% ischemic cardiomyopathy, and 5.1% cardiogenic shock), while only 20.2% of the patients had stable angina. Among them, 44 patients underwent RA for CTO lesions (CTO group), whereas the propensity score matched controls consist of 37 patients (non-CTO group). The baseline characteristics, high-risk features, coronary artery disease (CAD) vessel numbers, left ventricular function and biochemistry profiles of both groups were the same except for more patients with diabetes (67.6% vs. 45.5%, p = 0.046) in the non-CTO group and more 1.25 mm burr uses in the CTO group. There were no significant differences in acute procedural outcomes or incidence of acute contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), and no patient demanded emergent CABG or died during the procedure. There was no significant difference in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), CV MACE or individual components between the two groups in the hospital, at 30, 90, and 180 days or at 1 year.

Conclusion

In comparison with the propensity risk factor scores-matched controls, there was no difference in procedural complications, acute CIN or clinical outcomes during various stages of RA for CTO lesions. RA for CTO patients was highly efficient and showed safety and outcome profiles similar to those for non-CTO lesions.
Ocean-continent subduction cannot be initiated without preceding intra-oceanic subduction!
Authors: Koptev Alexander , Cloetingh Sierd , Gerya Taras , Sternai Pietro , Botsyun Svetlana
Published: December 2022

The formation of new subduction zones is a key element of plate tectonics and the Wilson cycle, and many different controlling mechanisms have been proposed to initiate subduction. Here, we provide a brief overview of the known scenarios of subduction initiation in intra-oceanic and ocean-continent tectonic settings. Intra-oceanic subduction is most commonly associated with mechanical heterogeneities within the oceanic lithosphere, such as pre-existing fracture zones, spreading ridges, and transform faults. Numerous and well-recognized examples of new active subduction zones formed in intra-oceanic environments during the Cenozoic, suggesting that the initiation of ocean-ocean subduction must be a routine process that occurs “easily and frequently” in the mode of plate tectonics currently operating on Earth. On the contrary, the most traditional mechanisms for the establishment of classic self-sustaining ocean-continent subduction—passive margin collapse and subduction transference—are surprisingly rare in observations and difficult to reproduce in numerical models. Two alternative scenarios—polarity reversal and lateral propagation-induced subduction initiation—are in contrast much better documented in nature and experimentally. However, switching of subduction polarity due to arc-continent collision and lateral transmission of subducting plate boundaries are both inextricably linked to pre-existing intra-oceanic convergence. We, therefore, conclude that the onset of classic ocean-continent subduction zones is possible only through the transition from a former intra-oceanic subduction system. This transition is likely facilitated by the ductile damage accumulation and stress concentration across the aging continental margin. From this perspective, the future closure of the Atlantic Ocean can be viewed as an archetypal example of the role of transitional process between intra-oceanic subduction (Lesser Antilles) and the development of a new subduction zone at a passive continental margin (eastern North America).
Natural photosynthetic microboring communities produce alkalinity in seawater whereas aragonite saturation state rises up to five
Authors: Tribollet Aline , Chauvin Anne , Cuet Pascale
Published: December 2022

Bioerosion, resulting from microbioerosion or biogenic dissolution, macrobioerosion and grazing, is one the main processes involved in reef carbonate budget and functioning. On healthy reefs, most of the produced carbonates are preserved and accumulate. But in the context of global change, reefs are increasingly degraded as environmental factors such as ocean warming and acidification affect negatively reef accretion and positively bioerosion processes. The recent 2019 SROCC report suggests that if CO2 emissions in the atmosphere are not drastically reduced rapidly, 70%–99% of coral reefs will disappear by 2,100. However, to improve projections of coral reef evolution, it is important to better understand dynamics of bioerosion processes. Among those processes, it was shown recently that bioeroding microflora which actively colonize and dissolve experimental coral blocks, release significant amount of alkalinity in seawater both by day and at night under controlled conditions. It was also shown that this alkalinity production is enhanced under ocean acidification conditions (saturation state of aragonite comprised between 2 and 3.5) suggesting that reef carbonate accumulation will be even more limited in the future. To better understand the conditions of production of alkalinity in seawater by boring microflora and its possible consequences on reef resilience, we conducted a series of experiments with natural rubble maintained under natural or artificial light, and various saturation states of aragonite. We show here that biogenic dissolution of natural reef rubble colonized by microboring communities dominated by the chlorophyte Ostreobium sp., and thus the production of alkalinity in seawater, can occur under a large range of saturation states of aragonite, from 2 to 6.4 under daylight and that this production is directly correlated to the photosynthetic activity of microboring communities. We then discuss the possible implications of such paradoxical activities on reef resilience.
Non-linear relationship between albumin-corrected calcium and 30-day in-hospital mortality in ICU patients: A multicenter retrospective cohort study
Authors: Qin Xun , Cen Ji , Hu Haofei , Chen Xinglin , Wei Zhe , Wan Qijun , Cao Rong
Published: December 2022

Objective

Albumin-corrected calcium is usually calculated to reflect the real serum calcium level of the whole body by physicians. However, studies on the association between albumin-corrected calcium and 30-day in-hospital mortality in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients are rare. The purpose of our study was to explore the association between baseline albumin-corrected calcium and 30-day in-hospital mortality in the American ICU population.

Methods

A multicenter retrospective cohort study of 102,245 ICU patients in the eICU-CRD v2.0 from the USA during 2014–2015 was performed. The average age was 63.7 ± 16.9 years, of which 55,313 (53.7%) were men and 47,758 (46.3%) were women. The association between albumin-corrected calcium and 30-day in-hospital mortality was analyzed by Cox proportional-hazards regression, smooth curve fitting, piecewise linear regression, subgroup analyses, and a series of sensitivity analyses.

Results

We found that among ICU patients with calcium abnormalities, more than 95% were mild hypocalcemia or mild hypercalcemia. The risk of 30-day in-hospital mortality will increase by 10% in the ≥7.5–< 8.5 mg/dl subgroup (OR=1.1, 95% CI 1.0–1.3) or 20% in the ≥10.3–<12 mg/dl subgroup (OR=1.2, 95% CI 1.1–1.3) when the albumin-corrected calcium level increases by 1 mg/dl. Additionally, the relationship between albumin-corrected calcium and 30-day in-hospital mortality was U shaped; the inflection point was 8.9 mg/dl (log likelihood ratio test P = 0.005). Finally, after a series of sensitivity analyses, we found that the relationship between albumin-corrected calcium and 30-day in-hospital mortality remained significant.

Conclusion

In a large nationally representative cohort of ICU patients, abnormalities in albumin-corrected calcium, particularly slight hypocalcemia or slight hypercalcemia, were associated with an increased 30-day in-hospital mortality risk, and yet the findings in this study need to be further confirmed by prospective studies.
The progression of secondary diabetes: A review of modeling studies
Authors: Yang Boya , Li Jiaxu , Haller Michael J. , Schatz Desmond A. , Rong Libin
Published: December 2022

Mathematical modeling has provided quantitative information consistent with experimental data, greatly improving our understanding of the progression of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. However, diabetes is a complex metabolic disease and has been found to be involved in crosstalk interactions with diverse endocrine diseases. Mathematical models have also been developed to investigate the quantitative impact of various hormonal disorders on glucose imbalance, advancing the precision treatment for secondary diabetes. Here we review the models established for the study of dysglycemia induced by hormonal disorders, such as excessive glucocorticoids, epinephrine, and growth hormone. To investigate the influence of hyperthyroidism on the glucose regulatory system, we also propose a hyperthyroid-diabetes progression model. Model simulations indicate that timely thyroid treatment can halt the progression of hyperglycemia and prevent beta-cell failure. This highlights the diagnosis of hormonal disorders, together withblood sugar tests, as significant measures for the early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. The work recapitulates updated biological research on the interactions between the glucose regulatory system and other endocrine axes. Further mathematical modeling of secondary diabetes is desired to promote the quantitative study of the disease and the development of individualized diabetic therapies.
A bibliometric analysis of NLRP3 inflammasome in acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome from 2010 to 2021
Authors: Xiao Zhuoran , Hu Song , Xu Wenting , Wang Sheng , Mo Wei , Deng Huimin , Wei Juan , Yang Hao , Zhou Wenyu , Li Quanfu , Zhou Huanping , Lv Xin
Published: December 2022

Background

Nod-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is essential in the pathogenesis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a fatal clinical syndrome that deteriorated from acute lung injury (ALI). This bibliometric study aims to offer a thorough insight into the scientific output about NLRP3 inflammasome in ALI/ARDS and explore the intellectual base, developing trajectory and emerging trends.

Methods

We retrieved the literature from 2010 to 2021 from Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) database. Bibliometrix (3.1.4) R package and CiteSpace (5.8.R3) were used for further analysis and visualization.

Results

A total of 508 English articles and reviews published from 2010 to 2021 were identified. The annual number of publications presented a rapidly developing trend especially in recent years. Among all the 42 countries, China was the most productive and most cited country, while the USA had the greatest impact. Peter A. Ward from the USA was the most productive corresponding author, and 4 of these top 10 corresponding authors were from China. The most cited reference was written by Ahmed (2017) of Zhejiang University in China. The Journal of Immunology had highest citation count and G-index. Furthermore, the major disciplines of research front have drifted from “Medicine, Medical, Clinical” to “Molecular, Biology, Immunology” over the past 12 years. In the co-occurring network, the terms “acute lung injury,” “NLRP3 inflammasome,” “interleukin-1β,” “NF-κB,” and “NLRP3 activation” occurred most frequently, while in burst detection, “oxidative stress” had the highest burst strength. Co-citation network revealed that Cluster 2 “virus infection” was the most active area, including the most citation bursts. Cluster 0 “severe COVID-19” and Cluster 1 “dual inhibitor PTUPB” were emerging themes in recent years, and they involved the largest number of publications.

Conclusions

This bibliometric analysis revealed a rapid growth trend of the relatively novel topic: NLRP3 inflammasome in ALI/ARDS. China was the largest contributor, while the USA offered the most landmark papers. The major disciplines of research front drifted from “Medicine, Medical, Clinical” to “Molecular, Biology, Immunology.” In recent years, studies about the role of NLRP3 in COVID-19-associated ALI/ARDS and oxidative stress became hot spots.
A diagnostic model for predicting type 2 nasal polyps using biomarkers in nasal secretion
Authors: Wang Zaichuan , Wang Qiqi , Duan Su , Zhang Yuling , Zhao Limin , Zhang Shujian , Hao Liusiqi , Li Yan , Wang Xiangdong , Wang Chenshuo , Zhang Nan , Bachert Claus , Zhang Luo , Lan Feng
Published: December 2022

Background

Predicting type 2 chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) may help for selection of appropriate surgical procedures or pharmacotherapies in advance. However, an accurate non-invasive method for diagnosis of type 2 CRSwNP is presently unavailable.

Methods

To optimize the technique for collecting nasal secretion (NasSec), 89 CRSwNP patients were tested using nasal packs made with four types of materials. Further, Th2low and Th2highCRSwNP defined by clustering analysis in another 142 CRSwNP patients using tissue biomarkers, in the meanwhile, inflammatory biomarkers were detected in NasSec of the same patients collected by the selected nasal pack. A diagnostic model was established by machine learning algorithms to predict Th2highCRSwNP using NasSecs biomarkers.

Results

Considering the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for IL-5 in NasSec, nasal pack in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was superior to other materials for NasSec collection. When Th2low and Th2highCRSwNP clusters were defined, logistic regression and decision tree model for prediction of Th2highCRSwNP demonstrated high AUCs values of 0.92 and 0.90 respectively using biomarkers of NasSecs. Consequently, the pre-pruned decision tree model; based on the levels of IL-5 in NasSec (≤ 15.04 pg/mL), blood eosinophil count (≤ 0.475*109/L) and absence of comorbid asthma; was chosen to define Th2lowCRSwNP from Th2highCRSwNP for routine clinical use.

Conclusions

Taken together, a decision tree model based on a combination of NasSec biomarkers and clinical features can accurately define type 2 CRSwNP patients and therefore may be of benefit to patients in receiving appropriate therapies in daily clinical practice.
Chicken CSF2 and IL-4-, and CSF2-dependent bone marrow cultures differentiate into macrophages over time
Authors: Borowska Dominika , Sives Samantha , Vervelde Lonneke , Sutton Kate M.
Published: December 2022

Chicken bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMΦ) and dendritic cells (BMDC) are utilized as models to study the mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS). A widely used method to generate macrophages and DC in vitro is to culture bone marrow cells in the presence of colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF1) to differentiate BMMΦ and granulocyte-macrophage-CSF (GM-CSF, CSF2) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) to differentiate BMDC, while CSF2 alone can lead to the development of granulocyte-macrophage-CSF-derived DC (GMDC). However, in chickens, the MPS cell lineages and their functions represented by these cultures are poorly understood. Here, we decipher the phenotypical, functional and transcriptional differences between chicken BMMΦ and BMDC along with examining differences in DC cultures grown in the absence of IL-4 on days 2, 4, 6 and 8 of culture. BMMΦ cultures develop into a morphologically homogenous cell population in contrast to the BMDC and GMDC cultures, which produce morphologically heterogeneous cell cultures. At a phenotypical level, all cultures contained similar cell percentages and expression levels of MHCII, CD11c and CSF1R-transgene, whilst MRC1L-B expression decreased over time in BMMΦ. All cultures were efficiently able to uptake 0.5 µm beads, but poorly phagocytosed 1 µm beads. Little difference was observed in the kinetics of phagosomal acidification across the cultures on each day of analysis. Temporal transcriptomic analysis indicated that all cultures expressed high levels of CSF3R, MERTK, SEPP1, SPI1 and TLR4, genes associated with macrophages in mammals. In contrast, low levels of FLT3, XCR1 and CAMD1, genes associated with DC, were expressed at day 2 in BMDC and GMDC after which expression levels decreased. Collectively, chicken CSF2 + IL-4- and CSF2-dependent BM cultures represent cells of the macrophage lineage rather than inducing conventional DC.
Predicting the prognosis in patients with sepsis by a pyroptosis-related gene signature
Authors: Liang Shuang , Xing Manyu , Chen Xiang , Peng Jingyi , Song Zongbin , Zou Wangyuan
Published: December 2022

Background

Sepsis remains a life-threatening disease with a high mortality rate that causes millions of deaths worldwide every year. Many studies have suggested that pyroptosis plays an important role in the development and progression of sepsis. However, the potential prognostic and diagnostic value of pyroptosis-related genes in sepsis remains unknown.

Methods

The GSE65682 and GSE95233 datasets were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and pyroptosis-related genes were obtained from previous literature and Molecular Signature Database. Univariate cox analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) cox regression analysis were used to select prognostic differentially expressed pyroptosis-related genes and constructed a prognostic risk score. Functional analysis and immune infiltration analysis were used to investigate the biological characteristics and immune cell enrichment in sepsis patients who were classified as low- or high-risk based on their risk score. Then the correlation between pyroptosis-related genes and immune cells was analyzed and the diagnostic value of the selected genes was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic curve.

Results

A total of 16 pyroptosis-related differentially expressed genes were identified between sepsis patients and healthy individuals. A six-gene-based (GZMB, CHMP7, NLRP1, MYD88, ELANE, and AIM2) prognostic risk score was developed. Based on the risk score, sepsis patients were divided into low- and high-risk groups, and patients in the low-risk group had a better prognosis. Functional enrichment analysis found that NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, hematopoietic cell lineage, and other immune-related pathways were enriched. Immune infiltration analysis showed that some innate and adaptive immune cells were significantly different between low- and high-risk groups, and correlation analysis revealed that all six genes were significantly correlated with neutrophils. Four out of six genes (GZMB, CHMP7, NLRP1, and AIM2) also have potential diagnostic value in sepsis diagnosis.

Conclusion

We developed and validated a novel prognostic predictive risk score for sepsis based on six pyroptosis-related genes. Four out of the six genes also have potential diagnostic value in sepsis diagnosis.
Meta-analysis reveals controls on oyster predation
Authors: Tedford Kinsey N. , Castorani Max C. N.
Published: December 2022

Predators can have strong roles in structuring communities defined by foundation species. Accumulating evidence shows that predation on reef-building oysters can be intense and potentially compromise efforts to restore or conserve these globally decimated foundation species. However, understanding the controls on variation in oyster predation strength is impeded by inconsistencies in experimental methodologies. To address this challenge, we conducted the first meta-analysis to quantify the magnitude, uncertainty, and drivers of predator effects on oysters. We synthesized 384 predator-exclusion experiments from 49 peer-reviewed publications over 45 years of study (1977 to 2021). We characterized geographic and temporal patterns in oyster predation experiments, determined the strength of predator effects on oyster mortality and recruitment, and assessed how predation varies with oyster size, environmental conditions, the predator assemblage, and experimental design. Predators caused an average 4.3× increase in oyster mortality and 46% decrease in recruitment. Predation increased with oyster size and varied with predator identity and richness. Unexpectedly, we found no effects of latitude, tidal zone, or tidal range on predation strength. Predator effects differed with experiment type and tethering method, indicating the importance of experimental design and the caution warranted in extrapolating results. Our results quantify the importance of predation for oyster populations and suggest that consideration of the drivers of oyster predation in restoration and conservation planning may hasten recovery of these lost coastal foundation species.
Development and validation of a nomogram for predicting survival time and making treatment decisions for clinical stage IA NSCLC based on the SEER database
Authors: Xu Bingchen , Ye Ziming , Zhu Lianxin , Xu Chunwei , Lu Mingjian , Wang Qian , Yao Wang , Zhu Zhihua
Published: December 2022

Background

The aim of this study was to establish and validate a nomogram model for accurate prediction of patients’ survival with T1aN0M0 none small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

The patients, diagnosed with the stage IA NSCLC from 2004–2015, were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. The variables with a P-value < 0.05 in a multivariate Cox regression were selected to establish the nomogram. The discriminative ability of the model was evaluated by the concordance index (C-index). The proximity of the nomogram prediction to the actual risk was depicted by a calibration plot. The clinical usefulness was estimated by the decision curve analysis (DCA). Survival curves were made with Kaplan–Meier method and compared by Log–Rank test.

Results

Eight variables, including treatment, age, sex, race, marriage, tumor size, histology, and grade were selected to develop the nomogram model by univariate and multivariate cox regression. The C-index was 0.704 (95% CI, 0.694–0.714) in the training set and 0.713 (95% CI, 0.697–0.728) in the test set, which performed significantly better than 8th edition AJCC TNM stage system (0.550, 95% CI, 0.408–0.683, P < 0.001). The calibration curve showed that the prediction ability of 3-years and 5-years survival rate demonstrated a high degree of agreement between the nomogram model and the actual observation. The DCA curves also proved that the nomogram-assisted decisions could improve patient outcomes.

Conclusion

We established and validated a prognostic nomogram to predict 3-years and 5-years overall survival in stage IA NSCLC.
Clinical use of HD-MTX monotherapy in a rare case of refractory primary bone diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with long-term survival after local radiotherapy: A case report
Authors: Wu Zhiya , Teng Yue , Wu Jianqiu , Zhang Honglu , Peng Weiwei , Meng Cheng , Tang Weiyan , Feng Jifeng
Published: December 2022

Primary bone diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PB-DLBCL) has been rarely reported because of its low incidence. The optimal treatment plan for patients with relapsed/refractory PB-DLBCL remains controversial. In this study, we present a case of a 57-year-old patient with refractory PB-DLBCL to better understand this disease. The patient developed lumbosacral/low extremity pain. A lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed skeletal lesions with osteolysis in L4-L5 and S1. With the failure of multi-line chemotherapy, the patient developed paralysis of both lower limbs. 18-Fluorinefluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) and MRI showed new lesions in the femoral head, cervical and thoracic vertebrae. We tried to treat the patient with adjuvant radiotherapy and 10 courses of high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX)-based monotherapy, after which the patient was able to walk and achieved complete remission (CR). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to use local radiotherapy combined with an HD-MTX regimen successfully for the treatment of refractory PB-DLBCL.
Lactobacillus plantarum and propionic acid improve the fermentation quality of high-moisture amaranth silage by altering the microbial community composition
Authors: Zhao Muqier , Wang Zhijun , Du Shuai , Sun Lin , Bao Jian , Hao Junfeng , Ge Gentu
Published: December 2022

Objective

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) and propionic acid (PA) on the microbial community and fermentation performance of high-moisture amaranth silage.

Methods

Amaranth silages were rown without addition (AhGCK) as a control and with L. plantarum JYLP-002 (AhGLP) or propionic acid (AhGPA) and then were opened after 60 days of ensiling to determine the microbial community and fermentation quality.

Results

Crude protein (CP) content, lactic acid (LA) content, and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts were significantly higher in AhGLP and AhGPA compared with those in AhGCK (p < 0.05). In contrast, pH, acetic acid (AA) content, and yeast and aerobic bacteria counts were significantly lower in AhGLP and AhGPA compared with those in AhGCK (p < 0.05). In addition, propionic acid (PA) levels were markedly higher in AhGPA (p < 0.05). In terms of microbial communities, the silage in the additive groups showed an increased relative abundance of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lentilactobacillus buchneri and a reduced relative abundance of Enterobacter cloacae and Clostridium tyrobutyricum. The abundance of Xanthomonas oryzae was significantly increased in AhGPA, but completely inhibited in the silage supplemented with L. plantarum. Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed that Lentilactobacillus buchneri and Levilactobacillus brevis were positively associated with LA and negatively associated with pH. Conversely, Clostridium tyrobutyricum and Enterobacter cloacae were negatively associated with LA, but positively associated with pH and AA content. AA content was inversely correlated with Lentilactobacillus buchneri. Functional prediction analysis showed that LAB dominated the three groups of silage and the silages containing additives had improved carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism compared with the control silage; in particular, the AhGLP group had more heterotypic fermentation processes and a richer metabolic pathway. Furthermore, the epiphytic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lentilactobacillus buchneri could inhibit the reproductive activity of undesirable microorganisms to a certain extent, thus slowing the spoilage process of the silage.

Conclusion

In conclusion, L. plantarum can improve fermentation characteristics by modulating the microbial community attached to high-moisture amaranth silage and will prove useful for preserving high-moisture silage.
Small RNA profiling reveals the involvement of microRNA-mediated gene regulation in response to symbiosis in raspberry
Authors: Yang Zhiyu , Yuan Lianmei , Zhu Haifeng , Jiang Jing , Yang Hongyi , Li Lili
Published: December 2022

Dark septate endophytes (DSEs) can form reciprocal symbioses with most terrestrial plants, providing them with mineral nutrients in exchange for photosynthetic products. Although the mechanism of plant-DSEs is well understood at the transcriptional level, little is known about their post-transcriptional regulation, and microRNAs (miRNAs) for the symbiotic process of DSE infestation of raspberry have not been identified. In this study, we comprehensively identified the miRNAs of DSE-infested raspberry symbiosis using Illumina sequencing. A total of 361 known miRNAs and 95 novel miRNAs were identified in the roots. Similar to other dicotyledons, most of the identified raspberry miRNAs were 21 nt in length. Thirty-seven miRNAs were differentially expressed during colonization after inoculation with Phialocephala fortinii F5, suggesting a possible role for these miRNAs in the symbiotic process. Notably, two miRNAs (miR171h and miR396) previously reported to be responsive to symbiotic processes in alfalfa also had altered expression during raspberry symbiosis. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses suggests that miRNAs are mainly involved in regulatory mechanisms, such as biological processes, cellular metabolic processes, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, plant–pathogen interactions, and phytohormone signaling pathways. This study revealed the potential conservation of miRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation in symbiotic processes among plants and provides some novel miRNAs for understanding the regulatory mechanisms of DSE–raspberry symbiosis.
An early midbrain sensorimotor pathway is involved in the timely initiation and direction of swimming in the hatchling Xenopus laevis tadpole
Authors: Larbi Michelle Christine , Messa Giulia , Jalal Helin , Koutsikou Stella
Published: December 2022

Vertebrate locomotion is heavily dependent on descending control originating in the midbrain and subsequently influencing central pattern generators in the spinal cord. However, the midbrain neuronal circuitry and its connections with other brainstem and spinal motor circuits has not been fully elucidated. Vertebrates with very simple nervous system, like the hatchling Xenopus laevis tadpole, have been instrumental in unravelling fundamental principles of locomotion and its suspraspinal control. Here, we use behavioral and electrophysiological approaches in combination with lesions of the midbrain to investigate its contribution to the initiation and control of the tadpole swimming in response to trunk skin stimulation. None of the midbrain lesions studied here blocked the tadpole’s sustained swim behavior following trunk skin stimulation. However, we identified that distinct midbrain lesions led to significant changes in the latency and trajectory of swimming. These changes could partly be explained by the increase in synchronous muscle contractions on the opposite sides of the tadpole’s body and permanent deflection of the tail from its normal position, respectively. We conclude that the tadpole’s embryonic trunk skin sensorimotor pathway involves the midbrain, which harbors essential neuronal circuitry to significantly contribute to the appropriate, timely and coordinated selection and execution of locomotion, imperative to the animal’s survival.
Bibliometric analysis of publication trends and research hotspots in vagus nerve stimulation: A 20-year panorama
Authors: Li Rongrong , Hu Hantong , Luo Ning , Fang Jianqiao
Published: December 2022

Background

As a promising neuromodulation technique, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been utilized to treat diverse diseases and the number of VNS studies has grown prosperously. Nonetheless, publication trends and research hotspots in this field remain unknown. This study aimed to perform a bibliometric analysis to systematically identify publication trends and research hotspots in VNS research within a 20-year panorama.

Methods

The Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database was retrieved to screen eligible VNS-related publications from 2002 to 2021. The online analytic tool of the WoSCC database was used to analyze various bibliometric parameters, such as the number of annual publications, the output of countries/regions, journals, total citations, citations per publication, and the Hirsch index. Bibliometrics (http://bibliometric.com/) and CiteSpace (version 5.6.R3) were used to identify research trends and hotspots.

Results

A total of 7,283 publications were included for analysis. The annual number of publications increased stably but it increased significantly in recent years. The top five prolific countries were the United States, China, Germany, England, and France. The top five productive institutions were the University of California (Los Angeles), Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, University College London, and the University of Texas at Dallas. Notably, there was a geographical imbalance in countries and institutions. In addition, Epilepsy & Behavior, Epilepsia, and Plos One were the top three journals with the largest number of VNS publications. Michael P Kilgard was the most prolific author. Moreover, evolving research hotspots mainly included the effectiveness and mechanism of VNS on epilepsy, the role of VNS as an anti-inflammatory regulator, the application of VNS for psychiatric disorders, and the neuromodulation effect of VNS in headache management.

Conclusion

This study has revealed the overall publication trends and evolving research trends at a global level over a 20-year panorama. The potential collaborators, institutions, hotspots, and future research trends are also identified in this field, which will help guide new research directions of VNS.
Spike encoding techniques for IoT time-varying signals benchmarked on a neuromorphic classification task
Authors: Forno Evelina , Fra Vittorio , Pignari Riccardo , Macii Enrico , Urgese Gianvito
Published: December 2022

Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs), known for their potential to enable low energy consumption and computational cost, can bring significant advantages to the realm of embedded machine learning for edge applications. However, input coming from standard digital sensors must be encoded into spike trains before it can be elaborated with neuromorphic computing technologies. We present here a detailed comparison of available spike encoding techniques for the translation of time-varying signals into the event-based signal domain, tested on two different datasets both acquired through commercially available digital devices: the Free Spoken Digit dataset (FSD), consisting of 8-kHz audio files, and the WISDM dataset, composed of 20-Hz recordings of human activity through mobile and wearable inertial sensors. We propose a complete pipeline to benchmark these encoding techniques by performing time-dependent signal classification through a Spiking Convolutional Neural Network (sCNN), including a signal preprocessing step consisting of a bank of filters inspired by the human cochlea, feature extraction by production of a sonogram, transfer learning via an equivalent ANN, and model compression schemes aimed at resource optimization. The resulting performance comparison and analysis provides a powerful practical tool, empowering developers to select the most suitable coding method based on the type of data and the desired processing algorithms, and further expands the applicability of neuromorphic computational paradigms to embedded sensor systems widely employed in the IoT and industrial domains.
A case report of synchronous triple primary malignancies: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, rectal adenocarcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Qiu Beixuan , Lin Cheng , Wu Lupeng , Li Yifei
Published: December 2022

A 59-year-old man was admitted to our hospital in August 2020 because of fever with night sweats and weight loss. The patient was eventually diagnosed with synchronous triple primary malignancies: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), rectal adenocarcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which has not been reported previously. The patient initially received six cycles of R-Gemox chemotherapy targeting DLBCL, the response to the treatment was partial remission. We continued six cycles of R-CHOP therapy, and DLBCL achieved a complete remission to treatment. During R-CHOP chemotherapy, PD-1 inhibitor (Sintilimab) was used to control the disease progression of HCC, which was effective and tolerable. Subsequently, he successfully completed curative intent Dixon operation and right hemihepatectomy. The diagnosis and treatment for like these synchronous triple primary malignancies are a huge challenge, herein we provide our experience in this regard.