bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Effective Use of State Property: Accounting and Analytical Support and Analysis Methodology
Authors: Fedchenko Elena A. , Nikiforov Andrey V. , Gusarova Lyubov V. , Tsareva Lyudmila M. , Maximov Alexey A.
Published: June 2023

The effective use of state property is one of the topical issues of economic policy affecting the interests of all segments of society. The need to comply with the principle of the effective use of budgetary funds is enshrined in Article 34 of the Budget Code of the Russian Federation. However, while studying the existing system of financial management in Russian practice, it was revealed that the current methodological approaches do not fully solve the tasks enshrined in the budget legislation. This is primarily due to the lack of proper accounting and analytical and methodological support for the relevant management procedures. Thus, the Federal State Information and Analytical System of the Federal Property Management Agency “Unified System of State Property Management” was used as the information base. However, this information system has some significant shortcomings, such as (1) the lack of a single regulatory act on the register at all levels of government; (2) the duplicated information about the property; and (3) there are no indicators and criteria in the register that would reflect effective property use, etc. Secondly, the approaches used to assess effective state property use are based on industry standards (health, education, etc.) in relation to the property and specific equipment necessary for the provision of public services. In this regard, the purpose of this study is to improve the concept and methodology for analyzing effective state (municipal) property use. The main areas for improving the methodology are (1) to develop a unified register of state property as the main source of accounting and analytical information; (2) to assess the property which state bodies and state institutions need to perform their functions and powers in full and of appropriate quality; and (3) to develop unified approaches for assessing the effective state (municipal) property use. As a result, the authors developed proposals introducing a unified register of the state (municipal) property, which includes indicators characterizing the physical state, recognition in accounting, and forms of the property disposal and use, which can be the basis for information and analytical support for assessing the effective state (municipal) property use at all levels. The study represents a system of indicators for assessing the effective state (municipal) property use, which consists of (1) indicators of the property disposal and use that make up the state treasury and (2) indicators of the property disposal and use of economic entities in the public sector. The results of the study are confirmed by empirical studies using the example of public institutions in the field of higher education and executive authorities.
The Sizes and Composition of HDL-Cholesterol Are Significantly Associated with Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
Authors: Chang Ching-Kun , Chiang En-Pei Isabel , Chang Kuang-Hsi , Tang Kuo-Tung , Chen Po-Ku , Yip Hei-Tung , Chen Chu-Huang , Chen Der-Yuan
Published: June 2023

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic inflammatory disease, carries a significant burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD). With their heterogeneous composition, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles have varied athero-protective properties, and some may even increase ASCVD risk. In this prospective and cross-sectional study, we aimed to examine the relationship between HDL sizes/metabolites and inflammation in RA. Using 1H-NMR-based lipid/metabolomics, differential HDL-related metabolites were identified between RA patients and healthy control (HC) subjects and between RA patients with and without anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA). The correlation between the discriminative HDL-related metabolites and C-reactive protein (CRP) was evaluated in RA patients. RA patients demonstrated higher particle number, lipids, cholesterol, cholesterol ester, free cholesterol, and phospholipids in large/very large-sized HDLs. ACPA-positive patients had higher L-HDL-C and L-HDL-CE but lower small-/medium-sized HDL-TG levels than ACPA-negative patients. An inverse correlation was found between CRP levels and small-sized HDLs. Janus kinase inhibitor treatment was associated with increased serum small-sized HDL-related metabolites and decreased CRP levels. We are the first to reveal the significant associations between RA inflammation and HDL sizes/metabolites. A potential link between ACPA positivity and changes in serum levels of HDL-related metabolites was also observed in RA patients.
Protein Oligomerization
Authors: Gotte Giovanni , Menegazzi Marta
Published: June 2023

Protein self-association is a biologically remarkable event that involves and affects the structural and functional properties of proteins [...]
Roles of Matrix Metalloproteinases and Their Natural Inhibitors in Metabolism: Insights into Health and Disease
Authors: Molière Sébastien , Jaulin Amélie , Tomasetto Catherine-Laure , Dali-Youcef Nassim
Published: June 2023

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of zinc-activated peptidases that can be classified into six major classes, including gelatinases, collagenases, stromelysins, matrilysins, membrane type metalloproteinases, and other unclassified MMPs. The activity of MMPs is regulated by natural inhibitors called tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). MMPs are involved in a wide range of biological processes, both in normal physiological conditions and pathological states. While some of these functions occur during development, others occur in postnatal life. Although the roles of several MMPs have been extensively studied in cancer and inflammation, their function in metabolism and metabolic diseases have only recently begun to be uncovered, particularly over the last two decades. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge regarding the metabolic roles of metalloproteinases in physiology, with a strong emphasis on adipose tissue homeostasis, and to highlight the consequences of impaired or exacerbated MMP actions in the development of metabolic disorders such as obesity, fatty liver disease, and type 2 diabetes.
CC Chemokine 2 Promotes Ovarian Cancer Progression through the MEK/ERK/MAP3K19 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Liu Wei , Wang Lei , Zhang Jiajia , Cheng Kun , Zheng Wenming , Ma Zhenling
Published: June 2023

Ovarian cancer is a gynecological tumor with an incidence rate lower than those of other gynecological tumor types and the second-highest death rate. CC chemokine 2 (CCL2) is a multifunctional factor associated with the progression of numerous cancers. However, the effect of CCL2 on ovarian cancer progression is unclear. Here, we found that exogenous CCL2 and the overexpression of CCL2 promoted the proliferation and metastasis of ovarian cancer cells. On the other hand, CCL2 knockdown via CRISPR/Cas9 inhibited ovarian cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The present study demonstrated that mitogen-activated protein three kinase 19 (MAP3K19) was the key CCL2 target for regulating ovarian cancer progression through transcriptome sequencing. Additionally, MAP3K19 knockout inhibited ovarian cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, CCL2 increased MAP3K19 expression by activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. The present study showed the correlation between CCL2 and ovarian cancer, suggesting that CCL2 may be a novel target for ovarian cancer therapy.
EZH2 Gene Knockdown Inhibits Sheep Pituitary Cell Proliferation via Downregulating the AKT/ERK Signaling Pathway
Authors: Cai Yu , Chen Peiyong , Xu Hui , Li Shanglai , Zhao Bingru , Fan Yixuan , Wang Feng , Zhang Yanli
Published: June 2023

Pituitary gonadotropins perform essential functions in mammalian reproduction by stimulating gametogenesis and steroidogenesis in the ovaries and testicles. EZH2 is a histone methyltransferase that inhibits proliferation and aggravates apoptosis in stem cells subjected to pathological stimuli. However, the expression and molecular mechanisms of EZH2 in pituitary cells in vitro have not been extensively studied. In this study, the relative abundances of EZH2 mRNA (p < 0.01) and protein (p < 0.05) expression were larger in the pituitary cells of Hu sheep with relatively greater fecundity (GF) compared to those with lesser fecundity (LF). Loss-of-function examinations demonstrated that EZH2 gene knockdown led to an earlier induction of apoptosis in sheep pituitary cells (PCs). The relative abundance of CASP3, CASP9, and BAX was increased (p < 0.01), while BCL2’s abundance was less decreased (p < 0.01) in PCs where there was EZH2 gene knockdown. Additionally, cell proliferation (p < 0.01) and viability (p < 0.01) were decreased in EZH2-knockdown sheep PCs, and the cell cycle was blocked compared to a negative control (NC). Notably, EZH2 gene knockdown led to reduced abundances of gonadotropin subunit gene transcripts (FSHβ, p < 0.05) and reduced FSH release (p < 0.01) from PCs. EZH2 gene knockdown led to reduced phosphorylation of AKT, ERK, and mTOR (p < 0.01). The results suggest that EZH2 regulates pituitary cell proliferation, apoptosis, and FSH secretion through modulation of the AKT/ERK signaling pathway, providing a foundation for further study of pituitary cell functions.
Inflammasome in Skeletal Muscle: NLRP3 Is an Inflammatory Cell Stress Component in Inclusion Body Myositis
Authors: Kummer Karsten , Bertram Imke , Zechel Sabrina , Hoffmann Daniel B. , Schmidt Jens
Published: June 2023

Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is a chronic, mostly treatment-resistant, inflammatory myopathy with a pathology that centers around specific interactions between inflammation and protein accumulation. The study aimed to identify the inflammasome as a key event in the complex network of pathomechanisms. Regulation of the inflammasome was assessed in a well-established pro-inflammatory cell culture model using human myoblasts and primary human myotubes. By quantitative PCR, western blot and immunocytochemistry, inflammasome markers including NLRP3 were assessed in muscle cells exposed to the cytokines IL-1β and IFN-γ. The data were corroborated by analysis of muscle biopsies from patients with IBM compared to other myositis subtypes. In the cell culture model of IBM, the NLRP3 inflammasome was significantly overexpressed, as evidenced by western blot (p = 0.03) and quantitative PCR (p < 0.01). Target genes that play a role in inflammasome assembly, T-cell migration, and MHC-I expression (p = 0.009) were highly co-upregulated. NLRP3 was significantly overexpressed in muscle biopsies from IBM samples compared to disease controls (p = 0.049), including other inflammatory myopathies. Due to the extraordinary features of the pathogenesis and the pronounced upregulation of NLRP3 in IBM, the inflammasome could serve as a key molecule that drives the inflammatory cascade as well as protein accumulation in the muscle. These data can be useful for future therapeutic developments.
Deciphering Common Traits of Breast and Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells and Possible Therapeutic Approaches
Authors: Lučić Ivan , Kurtović Matea , Mlinarić Monika , Piteša Nikolina , Čipak Gašparović Ana Čipak , Sabol Maja , Milković Lidija
Published: June 2023

Breast cancer (BC) and ovarian cancer (OC) are among the most common and deadly cancers affecting women worldwide. Both are complex diseases with marked heterogeneity. Despite the induction of screening programs that increase the frequency of earlier diagnosis of BC, at a stage when the cancer is more likely to respond to therapy, which does not exist for OC, more than 50% of both cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Initial therapy can put the cancer into remission. However, recurrences occur frequently in both BC and OC, which are highly cancer-subtype dependent. Therapy resistance is mainly attributed to a rare subpopulation of cells, named cancer stem cells (CSC) or tumor-initiating cells, as they are capable of self-renewal, tumor initiation, and regrowth of tumor bulk. In this review, we will discuss the distinctive markers and signaling pathways that characterize CSC, their interactions with the tumor microenvironment, and the strategies they employ to evade immune surveillance. Our focus will be on identifying the common features of breast cancer stem cells (BCSC) and ovarian cancer stem cells (OCSC) and suggesting potential therapeutic approaches.
Investigation of Molecular Interactions Mechanism of Pembrolizumab and PD-1
Authors: Wang Simiao , Khan Faez Iqbal
Published: June 2023

Human programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) is a checkpoint protein involved in the regulation of immune response. Antibodies are widely used as inhibitors that block the immune checkpoint, preventing strong immune responses. Pembrolizumab is an FDA-approved IgG4 antibody with PD-1 inhibitory ability for the treatment of melanoma. In this study, we investigated the effect of Pembrolizumab on the conformational changes in PD-1 using extensive molecular modeling and simulation approaches. Our study revealed that during the 200 ns simulation, the average values of the solvent accessible surface area, the radius of gyration, and internal hydrogen bonds of PD-1 were 64.46 nm2, 1.38 nm and 78, respectively, while these values of PD-1 in the PD-1/Pembrolizumab complex were 67.29 nm2, 1.39 nm and 76, respectively. The RMSD value of PD-1 gradually increased until 80 ns and maintained its stable conformation at 0.32 nm after 80 ns, while this value of PD-1 in the PD-1/Pembrolizumab complex maintained an increasing trend during 200 ns. The interaction between PD-1 and Pembrolizumab led to a flexible but stable structure of PD-1. PD-1 rotated around the rotation axis of the C’D loop and gradually approached Pembrolizumab. The number of hydrogen bonds involved in the interactions on the C and C’ strands increased from 4 at 100 ns to 7 at 200 ns. The strong affinity of Pembrolizumab for the C’D and FG loops of PD-1 disrupted the interactions between PD-1 and PD-L1. Inhibition of the interaction between PD-1 and PD-L1 increased the T cell activity, and is effective in controlling and curing cancer. Further experimental work can be performed to support this finding.
Feedback Modulation between Human INO80 Chromatin Remodeling Complex and miR-372 in HCT116 Cells
Authors: Shah Junaid Ali , Miao Yujuan , Chu Jinmeng , Chen Wenqi , Zhao Qingzhi , Cai Chengyu , Khattak Saadullah , Wang Fei , Jin Jingji
Published: June 2023

Human INO80 chromatin remodeling complex (INO80 complex) as a transcription cofactor is widely involved in gene transcription regulation and is frequently highly expressed in tumor cells. However, few reports exist on the mutual regulatory mechanism between INO80 complex and non-coding microRNAs. Herein, we showed evidence that the INO80 complex transcriptionally controls microRNA-372 (miR-372) expression through RNA-Seq analysis and a series of biological experiments. Knocking down multiple subunits in the INO80 complex, including the INO80 catalytic subunit, YY1, Ies2, and Arp8, can significantly increase the expression level of miR-372. Interestingly, mimicking miR-372 expression in HCT116 cells, in turn, post-transcriptionally suppressed INO80 and Arp8 expression at both mRNA and protein levels, indicating the existence of a mutual regulatory mechanism between the INO80 complex and miR-372. The target relationship between miR-372 and INO80 complex was verified using luciferase assays in HCT116 colon cancer cells. As expected, miR-372 mimics significantly suppressed the luciferase activity of pMIR-luc/INO80 and pMIR-luc/Arp8 3′-UTR in cells. In contrast, the miR-372 target sites in the 3′-UTRs linked to the luciferase reporter were mutagenized, and both mutant sites lost their response to miR-372. Furthermore, the mutual modulation between the INO80 complex and miR-372 was involved in cell proliferation and the p53/p21 signaling pathway, suggesting the synergistic anti-tumor role of the INO80 complex and miR372. Our results will provide a solid theoretical basis for exploring miR-372 as a biological marker of tumorigenesis.
Characterising the Effect of Wnt/β-Catenin Signalling on Melanocyte Development and Patterning: Insights from Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Authors: Silva Praneeth , Atukorallaya Devi
Published: June 2023

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a well-established model organism for studying melanocyte biology due to its remarkable similarity to humans. The Wnt signalling pathway is a conserved signal transduction pathway that plays a crucial role in embryonic development and regulates many aspects of the melanocyte lineage. Our study was designed to investigate the effect of Wnt signalling activity on zebrafish melanocyte development and patterning. Stereo-microscopic examinations were used to screen for changes in melanocyte count, specific phenotypic differences, and distribution in zebrafish, while microscopic software tools were used to analyse the differences in pigment dispersion of melanocytes exposed to LiCl (Wnt enhancer) and W-C59 (Wnt inhibitor). Samples exposed to W-C59 showed low melanocyte densities and defects in melanocyte phenotype and patterning, whereas LiCl exposure demonstrated a stimulatory effect on most aspects of melanocyte development. Our study demonstrates the crucial role of Wnt signalling in melanocyte lineage and emphasises the importance of a balanced Wnt signalling level for proper melanocyte development and patterning.
Research Advances on the Bioactivity of 1,2,3-Triazolium Salts
Authors: Song Jia , Lv Jie , Jin Jiamiao , Jin Zhichao , Li Tingting , Wu Jian
Published: June 2023

1,2,3-Triazolium salts have demonstrated significant potential in the fields of medicine and agriculture, exhibiting exceptional antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, and antileishmanial properties. Moreover, these salts can be utilized as additives or components to produce nano- and fiber-based materials with antibacterial properties. In this review, we summarize several synthetic strategies to obtain 1,2,3-triazolium salts and the structures of 1,2,3-triazolium derivatives with biological activities in the domains of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and functional materials. Additionally, the structure–activity relationship (SAR) of 1,2,3-triazolium salts with different biological activities has been analyzed. Finally, this review presents the potential applications and prospects of 1,2,3-triazolium salts in the fields of agriculture, medicine, and industrial synthesis.
Mitochondria-Targeting 1,5-Diazacyclooctane-Spacered Triterpene Rhodamine Conjugates Exhibit Cytotoxicity at Sub-Nanomolar Concentration against Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Heise Niels , Becker Selina , Mueller Thomas , Bache Matthias , Csuk René , Güttler Antje
Published: June 2023

1,5-Diazacyclooctane was prepared by a simple synthetic sequence and coupled to pentacyclic triterpenoic acids oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, platanic acid, and asiatic acid; these amides were activated with oxalyl chloride and reacted with rhodamine B or rhodamine 101 to yield conjugates. The conjugates were screened in SRB assays with various human breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, HS578T, MCF-7, and T47D) and found to exert cytotoxic activity even at a low concentration. Therefore, for an asiatic acid rhodamine 101 conjugate (28), an IC50 = 0.60 nM was determined and found to induce apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 and HS578T cells. Extra experiments showed the compound to act as a mitocan and to induce inhibition of proliferation or growth arrest in MDA-MB-231 cells at lower doses followed by an induction of apoptosis at higher doses. Furthermore, differential responses to proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction may explain differential sensitivity of mammary cell lines to compound 28.
Nonlinear Activation-Free Contextual Attention Network for Polyp Segmentation
Authors: Wu Weidong , Fan Hongbo , Fan Yu , Wen Jian
Published: June 2023

The accurate segmentation of colorectal polyps is of great significance for the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. However, the segmentation of colorectal polyps faces complex problems such as low contrast in the peripheral region of salient images, blurred borders, and diverse shapes. In addition, the number of traditional UNet network parameters is large and the segmentation effect is average. To overcome these problems, an innovative nonlinear activation-free uncertainty contextual attention network is proposed in this paper. Based on the UNet network, an encoder and a decoder are added to predict the saliency map of each module in the bottom-up flow and pass it to the next module. We use Res2Net as the backbone network to extract image features, enhance image features through simple parallel axial channel attention, and obtain high-level features with global semantics and low-level features with edge details. At the same time, a nonlinear n on-activation network is introduced, which can reduce the complexity between blocks, thereby further enhancing image feature extraction. This work conducted experiments on five commonly used polyp segmentation datasets, and the experimental evaluation metrics from the mean intersection over union, mean Dice coefficient, and mean absolute error were all improved, which can show that our method has certain advantages over existing methods in terms of segmentation performance and generalization performance.
Effects of Co-Addition of Guanidinium and Cesium to CH3NH3PbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Oku Takeo , Uchiya Shoma , Okumura Riku , Suzuki Atsushi , Ono Iori , Fukunishi Sakiko , Tachikawa Tomoharu , Hasegawa Tomoya
Published: June 2023

The effects of guanidinium (C(NH2)3, GA) and cesium (Cs) co-additions on methylammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3, MAPbI3) perovskite solar cells were investigated. The first-principles calculations on the density of the states and band structures showed a reduction in the total energy by the GA addition. Although the calculation showed that the co-addition of the GA/Cs to the MAPbI3 perovskite could decrease the carrier mobilities, and the addition of GA/Cs improved the device performance. This result would be due to a facilitation of grain growth and a suppression of the defects from the GA/Cs addition. The changes to the conversion efficiencies of the device with the best performance were small, which indicates that the present co-addition of GA/Cs is effective for the stability of the devices.
Fertility Life Table, Thermal Requirements, and Ecological Zoning of Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Brazil
Authors: Pereira Fernanda Polastre , Diniz Alexandre José Ferreira , Parra José Roberto Postali
Published: June 2023

The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boh., is the most important cotton pest in Central and South America. The biological characteristics and thermal requirements of boll weevils reared on an artificial diet were assessed at seven constant temperatures (18, 20, 22, 25, 28, 30, and 32 ± 1 °C) under laboratory conditions. These data were used to determine the ecological zoning for the pest in Brazil. The development time; oviposition period; the number of eggs produced; survival of eggs, larvae, and pupae; adult longevity; and sex ratio were recorded, and additional life table parameters were calculated. The total development duration ranged from 16.1 (32 °C) to 46.2 (18 °C) days. Temperature significantly affected the number of eggs laid per female (fecundity), with the highest number of eggs observed at 25 °C (251 ± 15.8). The parameters from the fertility life table indicated the greatest population growth at 25 °C and 28 °C. The net reproductive rate (R0) at these temperatures was 22.25 times higher than at 18 °C. Based on R0 and temperature, an ecological zoning of the pest was developed for Brazil. Brazilian regions with mean temperatures above 20 °C and below 30 °C are most favorable for the population growth of the boll weevil. The most suitable crop areas were found to be the north, midwest, and part of the northeast region, although the weevil can occur throughout Brazil if the host plants are available.
Outcomes of Atrioventricular Node Ablation and Pacing in Patients with Heart Failure and Atrial Fibrillation: From Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy to His Bundle Pacing
Authors: Koniari Ioanna , Gerakaris Andreas , Kounis Nicholas , Velissaris Dimitrios , Rao Archana , Ainslie Mark , Adlan Ahmed , Plotas Panagiotis , Ikonomidis Ignatios , Mplani Virginia , Hung Ming-Yow , de Gregorio Cesare , Kolettis Theofilos , Gupta Dhiraj
Published: June 2023

Objective: To review the relevant literature on the use of atrioventricular node ablation and pacing in patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation. Methods: APubMed/MEDLINE and SCOPUS search was performed in order to assess the clinical outcomes of atrioventricular node ablation and pacemaker implantation, as well as the complications that may occur. Results: Several clinical trials, observational analyses and meta-analyses have shown that the “pace and ablate” strategy not only improves symptoms but also can enhance cardiac performance in patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation. Although this procedure is effective and safe, some complications may occur including worsening of heart failure, permanent fibrillation, arrhythmias and sudden death. Regarding pacemaker implantation, cardiac resynchronization therapy is shown to be the optimal choice compared to right ventricle apical pacing. His bundle pacing is a promising alternative to cardiac resynchronization therapy and has shown beneficial effects, while left bundle branch pacing is an innovative modality. Conclusions: Atrioventricular node ablation and pacemaker implantation is shown to have beneficial effects on clinical outcomes of patients with atrial fibrillation ± heart failure who do not respond or are intolerant to medical treatment. Cardiac resynchronization therapy is the treatment of choice and His bundle pacing seems to be an effective alternative way of pacing in these patients.
Cardiology in a Digital Age: Opportunities and Challenges for e-Health: A Literature Review
Authors: Pegoraro Veronica , Bidoli Chiara , Dal Mas Francesca , Bert Fabrizio , Cobianchi Lorenzo , Zantedeschi Maristella , Campostrini Stefano , Migliore Federico , Boriani Giuseppe
Published: June 2023

To date, mortality rates associated with heart diseases are dangerously increasing, making them the leading cause of death globally. From this point of view, digital technologies can provide health systems with the necessary support to increase prevention and monitoring, and improve care delivery. The present study proposes a review of the literature to understand the state of the art and the outcomes of international experiences. A reference framework is defined to develop reflections to optimize the use of resources and technologies, favoring the development of new organizational models and intervention strategies. Findings highlight the potential significance of e-health and telemedicine in supporting novel solutions and organizational models for cardiac illnesses as a response to the requirements and restrictions of patients and health systems. While privacy concerns and technology-acceptance-related issues arise, new avenues for research and clinical practice emerge, with the need to study ad hoc managerial models according to the type of patient and disease.
Association between Body Composition Contents and Hepatic Fibrosis in Sarcopenic Obesity
Authors: Kim Tae-Hoon , Jeong Chang-Won , Lee ChungSub , Noh SiHyeong , Lim Dong Wook , Kim Jin Woong , Kim Hyung Joong , Kim Youe Ree
Published: June 2023

It is well established that sarcopenic obesity (SO) is linked to many diseases such as metabolic and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases, but there is little known about the relationship between SO and hepatic fibrosis progression in chronic liver disease. This study compared body composition contents in patients with non-obesity (NOb) and SO using abdominal magnetic resonance imaging and investigated the relationship between hepatic fibrosis and SO factors. This retrospective study enrolled 60 patients (28 NOb; 32 SO) from June 2014 to December 2020. Patients underwent histopathologic investigation where they classified fibrosis stages based on the Meta-analysis of Histological Data in Viral Hepatitis fibrosis scoring system. Muscle and fat areas at the third lumber vertebra level were assessed. The variation in the areas of muscle (MA), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) among fibrosis stages, and associations between hepatic fibrosis and SO factors, were analyzed. There were significant differences in SAT and VAT (p < 0.001), whereas there was no difference in MA (p = 0.064). There were significant differences in MA/SAT (p = 0.009), MA/VAT (p < 0.001), and MA/(SAT+VAT) (p < 0.001). In all the patients, hepatic fibrosis positively correlated with serum aspartate aminotransferase level (AST, R = 0.324; p = 0.025). Especially in SO patients, hepatic fibrosis closely correlated with body mass index (BMI, R = 0.443; p = 0.011), AST (R = 0.415; p = 0.044), VAT (R = 0.653; p < 0.001), MA/VAT (R = −0.605; p < 0.001), and MA/(SAT+VAT) (R = −0.416; p = 0.018). However, there was no association in NOb patients. This study demonstrated that SO patients had larger SAT and VAT than NOb patients. Hepatic fibrosis in SO positively correlated with body visceral fat composition in combination with BMI and AST level. These findings will be useful for understanding the relationship between the hepatic manifestation of fibrosis and body fat composition in sarcopenia and SO.
Maternal Serum Angiogenic Profile and Its Correlations with Ultrasound Parameters and Perinatal Results in Normotensive and Preeclamptic Pregnancies Complicated by Fetal Growth Restriction
Authors: Dymara-Konopka Weronika , Laskowska Marzena , Grywalska Ewelina , Hymos Anna , Leszczyńska-Gorzelak Bożena
Published: June 2023

FGR is a complication of pregnancy in which the fetus does not reach its programmed growth potential due to placental reasons and it is the single largest risk factor of stillbirth. Babies with FGR are at increased risk of mortality and morbidity not only in the perinatal period, but also in later life. FGR presents a huge challenge for obstetricians in terms of its detection and further monitoring of pregnancy. The ultrasound is the gold standard here; apart from assessing fetal weight, it is used to measure Doppler flows in maternal and fetal circulation. It seems that additional tests, like biochemical angiogenic factors measurement would be helpful in diagnosing FGR, identifying fetuses at risk and adjusting the surveillance model. The study aimed to assess the potential relationship between the concentration of sEng, sFlt-1, PlGF, and the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in maternal serum at delivery and maternal and fetal Doppler flow measurements as well as perinatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by FGR with and without PE, isolated PE cases and normal pregnancies. The use of angiogenic markers is promising not only in PE but also in FGR. Numerous correlations between ultrasound and Doppler studies, perinatal outcomes and disordered angiogenesis marker levels in maternal serum suggest that biochemical parameters have a great potential to be used as a complementary method to diagnose and monitor pregnancies with FGR. The, PlGF in particular, could play an outstanding role in this regard.
Lung Transplant Recipients and COVID-19: Report of Two Cases
Authors: Antonacci Filippo , Petroncini Matteo , Salvaterra Elena , Bertoglio Pietro , Daddi Niccolò , Lai Giulia , Brandolini Jury , Solli Piergiorgio , Dolci Giampiero
Published: June 2023

Although the WHO has declared the end of the pandemic emergency, COVID-19 still poses a threat to immunocompromised patients. The COVID-19 pandemic has spread throughout the world over the last two years, causing a significant number of deaths. After three years, SARS-CoV-2 has lost its initial lethality but has shown a significantly worse prognosis for immunocompromised patients, especially those who have undergone lung transplantation, compared with the general population. This paper presents two compelling case studies that highlight the complex challenges of COVID-19 infection in lung transplant recipients. The first case involves a patient who received a bilateral lung transplant for pulmonary artery hypertension in 2009, followed by a kidney transplant in 2022. Surprisingly, despite an initially favorable clinical course after contracting COVID-19, the patient deteriorated rapidly and died within a few days due to extensive lung involvement. This case highlights the unpredictable nature of COVID-19 and its potentially devastating impact on lung transplant recipients. The second case involves a patient who underwent bilateral lung transplantation five years earlier for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This individual also contracted COVID-19 and had pre-existing complications, including chronic lung allograft rejection (CLAD) and diffuse bronchial stenosis. Following viral infection, the patient’s clinical condition deteriorated rapidly, with worsening bronchial stenosis. This case highlights the ability of COVID-19 to exacerbate pre-existing pulmonary complications in transplant recipients. These cases highlight the urgent need for increased vigilance and tailored management strategies when dealing with COVID-19 in lung transplant recipients. The unpredictable and detrimental course of the disease observed in these patients highlights the importance of implementing stringent preventive measures, such as vaccination and strict adherence to infection control protocols, in this vulnerable population. Further research is essential to gain a full understanding of the unique dynamics of COVID-19 in lung transplant recipients and to develop targeted interventions to improve their outcomes.
Therapeutic Plasma Exchange in Early-Onset Preeclampsia: A 7-Year Monocentric Experience
Authors: Iannaccone Antonella , Reisch Beatrix , Kimmig Rainer , Schmidt Börge , Mavarani Laven , Darkwah Oppong Marvin , Tyczynski Bartosz , Dzietko Mark , Jahn Michael , Gellhaus Alexandra , Köninger Angela
Published: June 2023

Different therapeutic apheresis techniques have been clinically tested to delay preterm delivery in the case of eoPE (early-onset preeclampsia). Our study evaluated the feasibility of TPE (therapeutic plasma exchange) compared to standard-of-care treatment. Twenty patients treated with 95 TPE sessions were included in the final analysis and retrospectively matched with 21 patients with comparable placental dysfunction. Gestational age at admission was 23.75 ± 2.26 versus 27.57 ± 2.68 weeks of gestation (WoG) in the control group (p = < 0.001), mean sFlt-1/PlGF ratio was 1946.26 ± 2301.63 versus 2146.70 ± 3273.63 (p = 0.821) and mean sEng was 87.63 ± 108.2 ng/mL versus 114.48 ± 88.78 ng/mL (p = 0.445). Pregnancy was prolonged for 8.25 ± 5.97 days when TPE was started, compared to 3.14 ± 4.57 days (p = 0.004). The median sFlt-1/PlGF Ratio was 1430 before and 1153 after TPE (−18.02%). Median sEng fell from 55.96 ng/mL to 47.62 mg/mL (−27.73%). The fetal survival rate was higher in TPE-treated cases. NICU (Neonatal Intensive Center Unit) stay was in the median of 63 days in the TPE group versus 48 days in the standard-of-care group (p = 0.248). To date, this monocentric retrospective study, reports the largest experience with extracorporeal treatments in eoPE worldwide. TPE could improve pregnancy duration and reduce sFlt-1 and sEng in maternal serum without impairing neonatal outcomes.
Etiology, Severity, Audiogram Type, and Device Usage in Patients with Unilateral Moderate to Profound Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Japan
Authors: Koyama Hajime , Kashio Akinori , Nishimura Shinichi , Takahashi Haruo , Iwasaki Shinichi , Doi Katsumi , Nakagawa Takashi , Ito Ken , Yamasoba Tatsuya
Published: June 2023

Background: Few studies have reported on the etiology, severity, or device usage of unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (UHL) compared to bilateral hearing loss. Therefore, this study investigated the characteristics of UHL in adults and children. Methods: We performed a survey using questionnaires for secondary and tertiary otolaryngology institutions. Results: We included 15,981 patients (1549 children and 14,432 adults) from 196 institutions with otolaryngology residency programs and 2844 patients (336 children and 2508 adults) from 27 institutions with board members of the Japan Audiology Society. The latter submitted audiological data. Among children, most diagnoses were made at age 0. Approximately half of them had profound hearing loss, and 37 children (2.2%) used hearing devices. Among adults, the number of cases increased with age, but decreased when people reached their 80s and 90s. More than half of them had moderate hearing loss. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss was the most common cause of UHL of all ages; 4.4% of UHL patients used hearing devices, and most of the device users (98.6%) selected a conventional hearing aid. Conclusions: Hearing aid use is limited in children and adults with UHL in Japan. There could be many candidates with UHL for intervention such as a cochlear implant.
Defining Peri-Operative Myocardial Injury during Cardiac Surgery Using High-Sensitivity Troponin T
Authors: Sharma Vikram , Zheng Huili , Candilio Luciano , Nicholas Jennifer , Clayton Tim , Yellon Derek , Bulluck Heerajnarain , Hausenloy Derek
Published: June 2023

Objective: Cut-offs for high-sensitivity troponin (hs-Tn) elevations to define prognostically significant peri-operative myocardial injury (PMI) in cardiac surgery is not well-established. We evaluated the associations between peri-operative high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) elevations and 1-year all-cause mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods: The prognostic significance of baseline hs-TnT and various thresholds for post-operative hs-TnT elevation at different time-points on 1-year all-cause mortality following cardiac surgery were assessed after adjusting for baseline hs-TnT and EuroSCORE in a post-hoc analysis of the ERICCA trial. Results: 1206 patients met the inclusion criteria. Baseline elevation in hs-TnT >x1 99th percentile upper reference limit (URL) was significantly associated with 1-year all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 1.90, 95% confidence interval 1.15–3.13). In the subgroup with normal baseline hs-TnT (n = 517), elevation in hs-TnT at all post-operative time points was associated with higher 1-year mortality, reaching statistical significance for elevations above: ≥100 × URL at 6 h; ≥50 × URL at 12 and 24 h; ≥35 × URL at 48 h; and ≥30 × URL at 72 h post-surgery. Elevation in hs-TnT at 24 h ≥ 50 × URL had the optimal sensitivity and specificity (73% and 75% respectively). When the whole cohort of patients was analysed, including those with abnormal baseline hs-TnT (up to 10 × URL), the same threshold had optimal sensitivity and specificity (66% and 70%). Conclusions: Both baseline and post-operative hs-TnT elevations are independently associated with 1-year all-cause mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The optimal threshold to define a prognostically significant PMI in our study was ≥50 × URL elevation in hs-TnT at 24 h.
XEN Gel Stent for Conjunctiva with Minimal Mobility Caused by Scleral Encircling: A Case Report
Authors: Kim Yuri , Kim Myungjin , Kim Dai Woo , Rho Seungsoo
Published: June 2023

This case report describes the successful use of a XEN gel stent for controlling intraocular pressure (IOP) in a patient who had previously undergone scleral encircling for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. The patient had very limited mobile conjunctiva due to scarring caused by the earlier surgery, which limited their options for glaucoma surgery. The XEN gel stent, a minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) procedure that does not require opening the conjunctiva, was implanted in the subconjunctival space using an ab interno approach. Postoperative blebs were imaged using anterior segment optical coherence tomography, and IOP was monitored over six months. This study found that the XEN gel stent effectively controlled the IOP, and there were no complications during or after surgery. This case report may expand the indication for the XEN gel stent, which could be considered a viable option for patients who have undergone scleral buckling and have limited mobile conjunctiva.
The Association between Varicella Vaccination and Herpes Zoster in Children: A Semi-National Retrospective Study
Authors: Forer Ester , Yariv Adi , Ostrovsky Daniel , Horev Amir
Published: June 2023

Varicella vaccination in children has been performed worldwide in recent years. Despite established effectiveness, many countries still do not routinely vaccinate children against varicella, probably due to concerns about complications, such as herpes zoster infection. We aimed to compare the herpes zoster incidence in children before and after implementing the mandatory varicella vaccine in Israel in 2008. As a secondary aim, we characterized several parameters, including age, sex, and ethnic sector among herpes zoster cases, and we evaluated the complication rate to identify data relevant to the immunization status of the pediatric population. A retrospective study was conducted between 2000 and 2021, including patients aged 0–18 years old in a large cohort in southern Israel. A time series analysis and complication rates evaluations were performed in the pre- and post-vaccination eras. A total of 109.24 herpes zoster cases per 100,000 population per year were diagnosed between 2000 and 2007 (pre-vaccination era), compared to 354.71 herpes zoster cases per 100,000 population per year diagnosed between 2008 and 2021 (post-vaccination era) (p < 0.001). No change in the complication rate was documented. Thus, we concluded that there is an association between the varicella vaccine implementation program and the increase in the rate of herpes-zoster occurrence without a concurrent negative contribution to herpes zoster-related morbidity.
Opioid Analgesics after Bariatric Surgery: A Scoping Review to Evaluate Physiological Risk Factors for Opioid-Related Harm
Authors: Wuyts Stephanie C. M. , Torensma Bart , Schellekens Arnt F. A. , Kramers Cornelis (Kees)
Published: June 2023

The persisting use of opioids following bariatric surgery has emerged as a prevalent complication, heightening the probability of opioid-related harm (ORM), such as opioid-related fatalities and prescription opioid use disorder (OUD). A comprehensive review of PubMed literature from 1990 to 2023 was conducted to pinpoint physiological influences on postoperative ORM. As a result, we found that patients undertaking bariatric operations often exhibit an inherently higher risk for substance use disorders, likely attributable to genetic predisposition and related neurobiological changes that engender obesity and addiction-like tendencies. Furthermore, chronic pain is a common post-bariatric surgery complaint, and the surgical type impacts opioid needs, with increased long-term opioid use after surgeries. Additionally, the subjective nature of pain perception in patients with obesity can distort pain reporting and the corresponding opioid prescription both before and after surgery. Furthermore, the postoperative alterations to the gastrointestinal structure can affect the microbiome and opioid absorption rates, resulting in fluctuating systemic exposure to orally ingested opioids. The prospect of ORM development post-bariatric surgery appears amplified due to a preexisting susceptibility to addictive habits, surgically induced pain, modified gut–brain interaction and pain management and the changed pharmacokinetics post-surgery. Further research is warranted to clarify these potential risk variables for ORM, specifically OUD, in the bariatric population.
Exploring the Unique Characteristics of High-Pore-Volume Waterflooding and Enhanced Oil Recovery Mechanisms in Offshore Sandstone Reservoirs Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Technology
Authors: Liu Junrong , Li Hangyu , Xu Jianchun , Liu Shuyang , Liu Rongjiang , Hou Lianjie , Tan Qizhi
Published: June 2023

A single paragraph of about 200 words maximum. For research articles, abstracts should give a pertinent overview of the work. We strongly encourage authors to use the following style of structured abstracts, but without headings: (1) Background: Place the question addressed in a broad context and highlight the purpose of the study; (2) Methods: briefly describe the main methods or treatments applied; (3) Results: summarize the article’s main findings; (4) Conclusions: indicate the main conclusions or interpretations. The abstract should be an objective representation of the article and it must not contain results that are not presented and substantiated in the main text and should not exaggerate the main conclusions.
Flow Characteristics of the Rip Current System near a Shore-Normal Structure with Regular Waves
Authors: Xu Jie , Yan Sheng , Zou Zhili , Chang Chengshu , Fang Kezhao , Wang Yan
Published: June 2023

Rip currents are the strong narrow seaward current produced by waves breaking on the coast. Of the many types of rip currents, the present study investigates, experimentally and numerically, the rip current system produced by the wave reflection on a finite-length shore-normal structure (corresponding to groin, jetty and headland in a real-word environment) with strong wave reflection strength. The incident wave condition of an obliquely propagating monochromatic surface gravity wave is considered for the bottom topographies of planar and barred beaches without or with a rip channel. The corresponding laboratory experiment was conducted and used to validate the numerical model. A set of higher order Boussinesq equations is used to reproduce the experimental observation and produce the results for the related prototype cases, with the latter considering more factors which may influence the formation and evolution of rip current flow patterns. The resulting rip current system contains two parts: the node rips formed due to the presence of the longshore standing wave in the wave reflection field and the deflection rip formed due to the interaction between the incoming longshore current and the reflection wave field mentioned above. A new formation mechanism of the deflection rip has been proposed, i.e., the deflection rip is formed by the meeting and then deflection of the longshore current and lateral flow. The effects of different wave reflection strengths of the structure, wave incident angles and bathymetric conditions on the pattern and flow volume of the deflection rip are also studied.
Study on the Classification Perception and Visibility Enhancement of Ship Navigation Environments in Foggy Conditions
Authors: Wang Chiming , Fan Boyan , Li Yanan , Xiao Jingjing , Min Lanxi , Zhang Jing , Chen Jiuhu , Lin Zhong , Su Sunxin , Wu Rongjiong , Zhu Shunzhi
Published: June 2023

Based on ship navigational requirements and safety in foggy conditions and with a particular emphasis on avoiding ship collisions and improving navigational abilities, we constructed a fog navigation dataset along with a new method for enhancing foggy images and perceived visibility using a discriminant deep learning architecture and the EfficientNet neural network by replacing the SE module and incorporating a convolution block attention module and focal loss function. The accuracy of our model exceeded 95%, which meets the needs of an intelligent ship navigation environment in foggy conditions. As part of our research, we also determined the best enhancement algorithm for each type of fog according to its classification.