bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dexmedetomidine attenuates neuroinflammation-mediated hippocampal neurogenesis impairment in sepsis-associated encephalopathy mice through central α2A-adrenoceptor
Authors: Guo Yao-Yi , Zhang Xinlong , Dai Yu-Qi , Zhong Yi , Feng Yue , Jiang Fan , Xing Yan , Shi Hong-Wei , Bao Hong-Guang , Si Yan-Na
Published: December 2023

Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE), one of the common complications of sepsis, is associated with higher ICU mortality, prolonged hospitalization and long-term cognitive decline. Sepsis can induce neuroinflammation, which negatively affects hippocampal neurogenesis. Dexmedetomidine has been shown to protect against SAE. However, the potential mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we added lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated astrocytes-conditioned media (LPS-CM) to neural stem cells (NSCs) culture, which were pretreated with dexmedetomidine in the presence or absence of the α2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine or the α2A-adrenoceptor antagonist BRL-44408. LPS-CM impaired the neurogenesis of NSCs, characterized by decreased proliferation, enhanced gliogenesis and declined viability. Dexmedetomidine alleviated LPS-CM-induced impairments of neurogenesis in a dose-dependent manner. Yohimbine, as well as BRL-44408, reversed the effects of dexmedetomidine. We established a mouse model of SAE by cecal ligation and perforation (CLP). CLP induced astrocyte-related neuroinflammation and hippocampal neurogenesis deficits, companied with learning and memory decline, which was reversed by dexmedetomidine. The effect of dexmedetomidine was blocked by BRL-44408. Collectively, our findings support the conclusion that dexmedetomidine can protect against SAE, likely mediated by the combination of inhibiting neuroinflammation via astrocytic α2A-adrenoceptor with attenuating neuroinflammation-induced hippocampal neurogenesis deficits via NSCs α2A-adrenoceptor.
Histological description of new specialized reproductive structures in Atlantic dendrophylliid corals (Anthozoa, Scleractinia)
Authors: Zanetti Luca , Dourado Fernanda Santana , Santos Dalton dos , Divino André Amor , Nepomuceno Thalia , Alcantara Joseane , de Oliveira Alisson Carvalho , Farias Amilcar , Silva Aurea Helena Alves , Silva José Rogerio , Johnsson Rodrigo , Neves Elizabeth Gerardo
Published: December 2023

The family Dendrophylliidae comprises a genus of exotic azooxanthellate corals, Tubastraea (the ‘sun corals’), native from the Indo-Pacific and introduced in the Atlantic Ocean in the early 40s. In the Southwestern Atlantic, Tubastraea colonies were first registered in oil platforms on the northern coast of Rio de Janeiro State (22°S). Three decades later, the sun corals were for the first time identified in the Todos-os-Santos Bay (Bahia State, 13°S), a warmer environment with pristine marine ecosystems, such as estuaries, mangroves, and coral reefs. Regarding Brazilian native corals, studies on reproductive biology were developed for the broadcast spawner genera Madracis, Montastraea, and Mussismilia, as well as for the brooder corals Astrangia, Favia, Porites, Scolymia, and Siderastrea. Intending to describe the biological cycle of exotic dendrophylliids from the Brazilian northeastern coast, histological analyses revealed the occurrence of three new reproductive structures never yet observed in Scleractinia. The trophonema is commonly found among actiniarians and has also been registered for antipatharians, zoanthids, and coenothecalians (Alcyonaria). Similarly, an envelope of glycoproteic matter surrounding immature oocytes has never been mentioned for hard corals. Finally, the nucleolinus was thought to be restricted to mollusks and vertebrates, being an indicator of fertilized or parthenogenetic eggs. For the first time, the trophonema, the glycoproteic sac, and the nucleolinus are identified and described for Scleractinia. Beyond unexpected adaptative trends in the reproduction of the sun corals, these unprecedented results consolidate the knowledge about the anatomy and biology of basal metazoans.
Unveiling Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Targets of Metastatic Breast Cancer Through Sparse Modelling of Genomic Landscape
Authors: Zhang Yingsheng , Pu Mengchen , tian kai , zheng weisheng , li xiaorong , fan keyue , zheng liang , zhou jielong
Published: December 2023

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and ranks as one of the most lethal and frequently detected disease in the world. It poses significant challenges for precision therapy. To better decipher the patterns of heterogeneous nature in human genome and converge them into common functionalities, mutational signatures are introduced to define the types of DNA damage, repair and replicative mechanisms shaping the genomic landscape of each cancer patient. In this study, we developed an upgraded deep learning (DL) model, based on pruning technology to improve model generalization through deep sparsity. We applied it to patient whole genome sequencing (WGS) samples, and identified statistically significant mutational signatures associated with metastatic progression using Shapley additive explanations (SHAP). We also employed gene cumulative contribution abundance analysis to link the mutational signatures with relevant genes uncovering the shared molecular mechanisms behind tumorigenesis and metastasis of each patient and potentially lead to novel therapeutic target identification. Our study illustrates that our approach is an effective tool for discovering clinically meaningful mutational signatures in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and relating them directly to relevant biological functions and gene targets. These findings could facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies and improve the clinical outcomes for individual patients.
Probiotic characterization of Bacillus sp. strains from fermented palm wine and investigation of cellulolytic potential in regards to application as animal feed additive
Authors: Borah Munmi , Mandal Manabendra
Published: December 2023

The main objective of this study was to assess cellulolytic probiotic strains from traditional fermented beverages such as palm wine in order to supplement the animal feed and strengthen the gut health of the animal for better digestibility and absorption. In the present study, different types of microbes were isolated from traditionally prepared palm wine and analyzed for their probiotic nature. For any microbe to be probiotic in nature, it has to sustain the harsh conditions of human gastrointestinal tract such as acid tolerance, bile tolerance at lower range of pH and other properties like auto aggregation test, cell surface hydrophobicity test with non-polar hydrocarbons for evaluating its capabilities to adhere to the intestinal cells and antimicrobial nature against pathogens. Bacillus mycoides strain PR04 and Bacillus subtilis strain PR21 were found to be resistant to acid and bile in simulated artificial gastrointestinal tract model, found to be greater than 55% hydrophobic with xylene and n-hexadecane and also showed antimicrobial activity towards pathogenic strains like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Salmonella typhimurium respectively. The cellulolytic activity of the isolates PR04 and PR21 was evaluated in (0.2-2) % CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose) plate. Bacillus mycoides PR04 and Bacillus subtilisPR21 could degrade carboxymethyl cellulose, filter paper and sugarcane bagasse. The degradation of sugarcane bagasse was confirmed by Scanning electron microscopy and filter paper degradation after 4 days of incubation at 37°C. Cellulase gene of the identified Bacillussp. strains was amplified by primers CF5’-‘ACAGGATCCGATGAAAACGGTCAATTTCTATTTT-3’and CR5’-ACTCTCGAGATTGGGTTCTGTTCCCAAT-3’. This study proposes potential probiotic Bacillus mycoides PR04 (Accession no. OR625070) and Bacillus subtilis PR21 (Accession no.OR625072) in application as animal feed additive to assist in its digestibility and encourage the gut health.
Measuring source control efficacy of different fitted masks for sub-micron aerosols
Authors: Pieris Supun , Leung Rachel , Peterson Sean D. , Yarusevych Serhiy , Duriseti Ram
Published: December 2023

SARS-CoV-2, as with other mucosal respiratory viruses, can be spread by both respiratory droplets and aerosols. We examined the filtration efficiency of fitted surgical, KN95, and N95 masks as source control for particle sizes in the 0.2 to 1 micron range. Barrier methods with higher filtration efficacy demonstrated greater filtration of sub-micron particles. However, once steady state was reached, the filtration efficacy was equivalent across the entire spectrum of sub-micron particle sizes tested. Aided by flow visualization, the analysis of the results show that the mask efficiency is driven by leakages despite “pinching” of a high quality form at the nose.
Overexpression ZNF281 facilitates cervical cancer cells invasion by promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition without affecting proliferation
Authors: Chong Ye , Zhang Kun , Zeng Yuting , Chen Qian , Feng Qian , Cui Nan , Ruan Litao , Zheng Pengsheng
Published: December 2023

Background
Zinc finger transcription factor ZNF281 was first named GC-box-binding zinc-finger protein. Relevant studies have confirmed that ZNF281 protein is involved in the process of cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, cell differentiation and tumorigenesis. However, the function of ZNF281 in cervical cancer remains unknown.
Methods
Both IHC and western blot assays demonstrated that the expression of ZNF281 protein in cervical cancer tissue was much higher than that in normal cervical tissue. ZNF281 was also expressed in human cervical carcinoma cell lines of HeLa, SiHa, C-33 A, CaSki and HT-3. Immunocytochemistry results showed that ZNF281 protein expresses both in the cell nucleus and cytoplasm.
Results
ZNF281 overexpression didn’t affect HeLa cells proliferation and tumor size in situ according to xenograft experiments in nude mice. However, trans-well experiments indicated ZNF281 overexpression facilitated migration and invasion. More tumor lesions were found in the lungs of the nude mice injected with ZNF281 overexpression cell lines than mice injected with control lines.
Conclusion
All these results suggest ZNF281 promoted tumor metastasis without affecting cell proliferation.
The impact of adult patient communication experiences on patient satisfaction with nursing cancer care: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Alshammari Mukhlid
Published: December 2023

Background Patient satisfaction in cancer care can be influenced by several factors including patient communication experiences with nurses. Therefore, understanding patient satisfaction is important in order to improve the quality of nursing care. This study aimed to measure the impact of patient characteristics and communication experiences on patient satisfaction with nursing cancer care.Methods Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants receiving cancer care in Saudi Arabia. Two validated instruments were used to measure patient communication experiences (PCC-36) and patient satisfaction (SNQ-10) with cancer care. The PCC-36 consisted of 36 items subdivided into six domains measuring patient communication experiences, and the SNQ consisted of ten items measuring patient satisfaction with nursing care. We performed descriptive and inferential statistics to analyse the data. A stepwise linear regression model was used to identify the significant predictors of patient satisfaction with cancer care.Results In total, 318 completed and returned surveys. Overall, participants reported good to high satisfaction with nursing care. We found that patient communication experiences regarding exchanging information with nurses, fostering healing relationships, and enabling patient self-management were significant predictors of patient satisfaction. Furthermore, patients with known communication issues relating to aphasia were less satisfied with nursing care. There was no relationship between patient satisfaction and the PCC-36 domains of response to emotions, decisions making, and managing uncertainty.Conclusions During cancer care in Saudi Arabia, exchanging information, fostering healing relationships and enabling patient self-management, all improve patient satisfaction with nursing. There is a need for qualitative research to explore more deeply the association between communication and patient satisfaction in cancer care settings in Saudi Arabia.Practice Implications: Understanding the predictors of patient satisfaction can potentially inform interventions to reduce disparities in the quality of communication. This would improve the care provided by healthcare providers, which would improve the patient’s experiences.
Comprehensive evaluation of coal mine pit lake hydrological connectivity in South Kalimantan, Indonesia
Authors: Triwibowo Didik , Elma Muthia , Suhartono Eko , Riduan Rony
Published: December 2023

This study presents the first comprehensive evaluation of an ex-coal mine pit lake at a landscape scale in Indonesia, using a hydrological connectivity approach. The stability of the water balance and water quality of a pit lake depends on the condition of the catchment area, which functions as a source of water inflow. To assess this, a combination of Remote Sensing (RS) and Global Information Systems (GIS) techniques, along with field surveys e.g., bathymetric, and hydraulic survey, infiltration rate testing, and soil sampling for geochemical analysis, was used. The study focused on the Paringin pit lake, situated in a rehabilitated catchment area, and its hydrological connections from upstream to downstream in which the lake plays important hydrological function. The evaluation of Paringin pit lake catchment area resulted in the first Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) map for the land cover assessment of the pit lake's catchment area in Indonesia. It is concluded that with the proportion of the pit lake and good catchment area being 1:7 in a tropical climate with rainfall of more than 3,000 mm/year and evaporation of 1,000 mm/year, the lake will become a flow-through lake with good water quality.
WITHDRAWN: Causal relationship between immune cells and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis based on Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Gong peng , Lu yimin , Li man , Li xiaobo , Carla Cristina Janjacomo
Published: December 2023

Context:
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and irreversible interstitial lung disease (ILD) characterized by respiratory disease with a pathogenesis closely linked to collagen fibrin deposition and autoimmunity, although the mechanism of action is unclear. The immune system is a diverse and complex system that employs its own defense functions to maintain homeostasis. The lungs are connected to the outside world, and immune cells play an important role. Therefore, the interaction between immune cells and the lungs is decisive for IPF disease progression and treatment. However, studies on immune cells have limitations, and there are no concrete conclusions at present, limiting to some extent the development of immunology in IPF. To identify immune cells associated with IPF, the relationship between immune cells and IPF was explored based on the Mendelian randomization (MR) method.
Materials and Methods
This study utilized two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis to confirm the causal relationship between immune cells and IPF. Based on the GWAS database and the immune cell database, MR analysis was performed using R software to explore the causal relationship between 731 immune cells and IPF, mainly through inverse variance weighting (IVW). Finally, the reliability of the results was analyzed, and scatterplots, forest plots and funnel plots were drawn using MR_heterogeneity, horizontal pleiotropy and leave-one-out analysis.
Results
The MR analysis identified 6 immune panels and 23 immune traits that were causally associated with IPF. including B-cell panel, myeloid cell panel, monocyte panel, maturation stages of T-cell panel, TBNK panel, and Treg panel. However, there was no significant causal relationship between IPF disease and immune traits, and the immune traits that increased IPF included the following (p < 0.05), (see Table 1).
Conclusion: This study demonstrated a causal link between immune cells and IPF by genetic database and two-sample MR analysis, mainly by Sw mem% B cell, IgD- CD38dim% B cell, CD25 on CD4 Treg, CD45RA+ CD28- CD8br% T-cell and CD45RA+ CD28- CD8br AC modulation of immune expression occurs in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This provides a theoretical.
The Effect of Inderal On Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia: Case report
Authors: Nassari Zeinab , Shafiee Mohsen , Tahery Noorollah , Baradaran Abdolvahab , Tabahfar Raha , Mohamadidarveshvan Elham , ShaabanZadeh Javad , Baghrobehbahani Alireza
Published: December 2023

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) has a destructive effect on people's health and heart. VT is a major cause of mortality among patients with cardiovascular diseases. The drug treatment of VT is highly sensitive and is selected according to the patient's condition. A 42-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with dyspnea, Levine sign, and severe chest pain. His EKG showed ST elevation, and the QT interval was normal. The patient was sent to the cath lab based on the treatment protocols. According to the results of angiography, three coronary arteries were severely obstructed. His coronary arteries did not open during PCI; thus, the healthcare team decided on open heart surgery. He suffered from recurrent polymorphic VT following open heart surgery and did not respond to any of the drugs suitable for this type of tachycardia. Inderal prevented the recurrence of VT in a patient with polymorphic VT, which, contrary to the healthcare team's expectations. Inderal was used as the last line of treatment because this patient's arrhythmia was polymorphic VT. Inderal is mainly used in monomorphic VT and in patients with heart structure disorders. The result of the present study demonstrates the effect of the antiarrhythmic drug Inderal on polymorphic VT.
Sex differences in Guinea Pigs' Performance in a Spatial Navigation Task
Authors: Scandurra Anna , Sadile Francesca , Lucrezia Alfredo Di , Pinelli Claudia , D’Aniello Biagio , Silvestre Pasqualino , Marcianó Antonino , Pero Maria Elena , Mastellone Vincenzo , Lombardi Pietro
Published: December 2023

Spatial navigation has been extensively investigated for detecting sex differences in mammals, and the domesticated guinea pig (Cavia aperea porcellus) serves as a promising species for such studies, due to distinct parental investment between the sexes. In our exploration of sex-related effects on spatial navigation, we focused on the learning performance and spatial strategy (allocentric or egocentric) employed by guinea pigs in a plus maze paradigm. Results show that 50% of the animals completed the spatial navigation test. Regarding sex differences, 24.2% of females completed the test, while the completion rate for males was significantly higher at 64%. Males achieved the learning criterion with a significantly lower number of trials compared to females, indicating superior spatial abilities in the plus maze paradigm. Like their wild counterparts, male domestic guinea pigs exhibited better spatial skills than females. However, we observed no sex difference in the preference of strategy or the latency of task resolution.
Subjective global assessment, symptoms, blood nutritional indicators and the associated factors in pancreaticobiliary tumor patients
Authors: chen zhenyan , Wang Ming , Xu Simiao , Yao Ying
Published: December 2023

Objective: We aimed to investigate the subjective global assessment (SGA), symptoms and blood nutritional indicators in pancreaticobiliary tumor patients and the associated factors.
Method: 153 pancreaticobiliary tumor patients’ information was collected on admission including SGA, symptoms, blood lymphocyte count (Lmy), hemoglobin (Hb), creatinine (Cr), total cholesterol (TC), total triacylglycerol (TG), serum C-reactive protein (CRP), globulin, albumin (Alb), prealbumin (PA), transferrin (Tf), retinol binding protein (RBP) and micro-nutrients (folic acid, vit B12, vit A, vit E, vit K, vit D, iron, zinc and copper). Associated factors were explored.
Result: Advanced tumor stage, elevated CRP and CA 19-9 were risk factors for malnutrition by SGA; elevated CRP contributed to fatigue, anorexia and pain; Alb, PA and Tf decreased with age; men were associated with decrease of Lmy, folic acid and TC, and increase of vit D; advanced tumor stage was associated with elevated vit B12;elevated CRP was associated with decreased Hb, Alb, PA, Tf, RBP, vit A, vit D and increased globulin and copper; SGA was associated with decreased Lym, HB, Alb, PA and Tf; elevated bilirubin was associated with decreased Cr , Alb, vit K and vit D, and increased TC, TG, vit B12 and copper;
Conclusion：Inflammation should be controlled to relieve the discomforts; old patients should give more protein; gender affects nutritional indicators; advanced cancer underestimates vitB12 deficiency. Inflammation overestimates the deficiency of serum protein, vit A, vit D, iron and zinc.Malnutrition by SGA increases the deficiency of Lym and serum protein. Obstructive jaundice increases the deficiency of Cr, Alb, vit D and vitK, and cause vitB12 elevation, hyperlipemia, and copper accumulation.
Rapid and highly sensitive detection of bacterial pathogens using AgSnO/Si chip
Authors: Mateen Abdul , Ali M. Yasir , Hussain M. Sharafat , Ashraf Fouzia , Ikram S. , Javaid K. , Amin N. , Sajjad Muhammad Tariq , Ali Adnan , Mahmood Khalid
Published: December 2023

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is an important technique for detecting and identifying various chemical and biological species. In this study, we developed a low-cost, uniform, and stable SERS chip based on AgSnO/Si nanostructures for the detection of Tuberculosis (TB) and E. coli bacteria. We demonstrate that the post-annealing temperature significantly impacts the crystallinity, surface morphology, and resulting Raman signal of the chip. The highest enhancement in the Raman signal was achieved at a post-annealing temperature of 800 °C with more than ten times higher enhancement than that on a glass substrate (around 1622cm-1). This improved performance can be attributed to enhanced carrier concentrations in the host SnO due to oxygen related donor defect sites and a large surface area for adsorption due to the rough surface morphology of the AgSnO/Si chip. Further, the stability of the chip was confirmed by reproducing the same results after 12 months, and uniformity through identical Raman signals from different parts of the substrate. Hence, we demonstrate that rapid and accurate detection of bacterial pathogens is possible with a cost-effective AgSnO/Si chip.
Artificial intelligence-enhanced electrocardiogram analysis for identifying cardiac autonomic neuropathy in patients with diabetes
Authors: Irlik Krzysztof , Aldosari Hanadi , Hendel Mirela , Kwiendacz Hanna , Piaśnik Julia , Kulpa Justyna , Ignacy Paweł , Boczek Sylwia , Herba Mikołaj , Kegler Kamil , Coenen Frans , Gumprecht Janusz , Zheng Yalin , Lip Gregory Y. H. , Alam Uazman , Nabrdalik Katarzyna
Published: December 2023

Background
Cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is an important yet often overlooked complication of diabetes, which significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular (CV) events and mortality. Traditional diagnostic methods like CV autonomic function tests (CARTs) are laborious and rarely evaluated in clinical practice. This study aimed to develop and employ machine learning (ML) algorithms to analyze electrocardiogram (ECG) for the diagnosis of CAN.
Methods
We utilized motif and discord extraction techniques alongside Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks to analyze 12-lead, 10 seconds ECG tracings to detect CAN in patients with diabetes. The performance of these methods with the Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification model was evaluated using Ten-Cross Validation (TCV) with the following metrics accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, and area under the ROC Curve (AUC).
Results
Among 205 patients (mean age 54 ± 17; 54% female), 100 were diagnosed with CAN, including 38 with definite or severe CAN (dsCAN) and 62 with early CAN (eCAN). The best model performance for dsCAN classification was achieved using both motifs and discords, with an accuracy of 0.92, an F1 score of 0.92, a recall at 0.94, a precision of 0.91, and an excellent AUC of 0.93 (95%CI 0.91-0.94). For the detection of any stage of CAN, the approach combining motifs and discords yielded best results with an accuracy of 0.65, F1 score of 0.68, a recall of 0.75, a precision of 0.68, and an AUC of 0.68 (95%CI 0.54-0.81).
Conclusion
Our study highlights the potential of using ML techniques, particularly motifs and discords, to effectively detect dsCAN in patients with diabetes. This approach could be applied in large-scale screening of CAN, particularly to identify definite/severe CAN where CV risk factor modification may be initiated.
Genome-wide identification and expression profiling of PIN-PILS family genes in barley reveal potential role in spikelet abortion and abiotic stress tolerance
Authors: Shahzad Ali , Gul Shareef , Gul Hameed , Shahzad Muhammad , Ullah Asad
Published: December 2023

Auxin profoundly shapes plant growth and development, directing morphogenesis and adaptive responses. PIN and PILS family genes facilitate auxin transport, influencing its movement between plant cells and intracellular accumulation. However, systematic studies on PIN and PILS genes in barley are lacking. Here, we identified 14 PIN and 7 PILS genes in Hordium vulgare, establishing their evolutionary relationships with Arabidopsis, Brachypodium, maize, rice and wheat. Through analysis, we explored the physical properties, motifs, cis-regulatory elements, chromosomal location, collinearity, protein interactions, miRNA targets, and expression patterns of HvPIN-PILS genes across tissues, spikelet abortion, and stresses. We discovered cis-regulatory elements in the promoter region associated with plant development and stress, highlighting their potential roles. Moreover, our network analysis revealed interactions between HvPIN-PILS proteins and auxin signaling pathway components, underlining their critical regulatory functions in barley's growth and stress management. Our results indicated that mostly HvPIN-PILS genes highly expressed in Morex genotype during apical spikelet abortion stages. These findings pave the way for future research to enhance growth and stress tolerance in barley and related species by exploring the functions of PIN-PILS genes.
The German research consortium for the study of bipolar disorder (BipoLife): A quality assurance protocol for MR neuroimaging data
Authors: Vogelbacher Christoph , Sommer Jens , Bopp Miriam H. A. , Falkenberg Irina , Ritter Philipp S. , Bermpohl Felix , Attar Catherine Hindi , Einenkel Karolin E. , Gruber Oliver , Juckel Georg , Flasbeck Vera , Hautzinger Martin , Pfennig Andrea , Matura Silke , Reif Andreas , Grotegerd Dominik , Dannlowski Udo , Kircher Tilo , Bauer Michael , Jansen Andreas
Published: December 2023

Background
The German multicenter research consortium BipoLife aims to investigate the mechanisms underlying bipolar disorders. It focuses in particular on people at high risk of developing the disorder and young patients in the early stages of the disease. Functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data was collected in all participating centers. The collection of neuroimaging data in a longitudinal, multicenter study requires the implementation of a comprehensive quality assurance (QA) protocol. Here, we describe this protocol and its impact on the analysis of data on the patient-level.
Methods
The QA protocol consisted of (1) a training of participating research staff, (2) regular phantom measurements to evaluate the MR scanner performance and its temporal stability across the course of the study, and (3) the assessment of the quality of human MRI data by evaluating a variety of image metrics (e.g., signal-to-noise ratio, ghosting level). In this article, we will provide an overview on these QA procedures and show exemplarily the influence of its application on the results different analysis pipelines.
Discussion
The QA protocol helped to characterize the various MR scanners, record their performance over the course of the study and detect possible malfunctions at an early stage. It also assessed the quality of the human MRI data systematically to characterize its influence on various analyses. Furthermore, by setting up and publishing this protocol, we define standards that must be considered when analyzing data from the BipoLife consortium. It further promotes approaches to systematically consider aspects of data quality and to implement standardized analysis methods and subject selection criteria. In the long term, it will help to increase the chance of achieving clinically relevant results.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease increases the risk of complications after radical resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Xiong Ke-Gong , Ke Kun-Yu , Kong Jin-Feng , Lin Tai-Shun , Lin Qing-Biao , Lin Su , Zhu Yue-Yong
Published: December 2023

Background and aims:
The prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is increasing, yet its association with postoperative complications of HCC remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of MAFLD on complications after radical resection in HCC patients.
Methods
Patients with HCC who underwent radical resection were included. Patients were stratified into MAFLD group and non-MAFLD group. Clinical features and post-hepatectomy complications were compared between the two groups, and logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent risk factors associated with post-hepatectomy complications.
Results
Among the 936 eligible patients with HCC who underwent radical resection, concurrent MAFLD was diagnosed in 201 (21.5%) patients. Compared to the non-MAFLD group, the MAFLD group exhibited a higher incidence of complications, including infectious and major complications after radical resection in HCC patients. The logistic regression analysis found that MAFLD was an independent risk factor for complications, including infectious and major complications in HCC patients following radical resection (OR 1.565, 95%CI 1.109–2.343, P = 0.012; OR 2.092, 95%CI 1.386–3.156, P < 0.001; OR 1.859, 95% CI 1.106–3.124, P = 0.019; respectively). Subgroup analysis of HBV-related HCC patients yielded similar findings, and MAFLD patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) exhibited a higher incidence of postoperative complications compared to those without T2DM (all P < 0.05).
Conclusions
Concurrent MAFLD was associated with an increased incidence of complications after radical resection in patients with HCC, especially MAFLD with T2DM.
Addition of an NK1 receptor antagonist to standard antiemetic prophylaxis in patients with B-cell lymphoma receiving EPOCH
Authors: English Sloane , Lei Matthew , Sorial Mark N , Roeland Eric , Lou Uvette
Published: December 2023

Purpose
Data on the optimal management of patients with hematologic malignancies and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) are lacking. We report our institutional experience in patients with B-cell lymphoma receiving multiday dose-adjusted R-EPOCH chemotherapy.
Methods
We performed a retrospective, single-center, cohort study evaluating hospitalized patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma receiving DA-R-EPOCH (April 2016 to October 2022). All patients received a corticosteroid and 5HT3RA and categorized by the addition of an NK1RA or not. The primary outcome was complete response (CR, no vomiting, and no rescue medication use) over 120 hours. Secondary outcomes included as-needed antiemetic use (acute, delayed, and overall phases), CR without escalating prophylactic antiemetics in cycle 2, and complete control. We performed a descriptive analysis and multivariate logistic regression for NK1RA use, adjusting for age and sex.
Results
Of 128 patients, 56 (43.8%) received an NK1RA as part of their antiemetic regimen, and 72 (56.3%) did not. No patients received prophylactic olanzapine. CR was achieved in 32 (57.1%) of those who received an NK1RA and 30 (41.7%) who did not (OR 0.45; 95% CI, 0.21–0.96; p = 0.039). We observed trends between groups in as-needed antiemetics use (29 [51.8%] vs. 49 [68.1%]; p = 0.061), with most use in the delayed phase (22 [39.3%] vs. 37 [51.4%], p = 0.173). We found no difference in healthcare utilization between the first and second cycle or in CR with escalation of cycle 2 prophylactic antiemetics.
Conclusion
CINV control in patients with non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma receiving DA-R-EPOCH in the hospital was suboptimal. These data support the need to optimize prophylactic antiemetic regimens for patients receiving DA-R-EPOCH.
Modelling of a parameterizable moving heat source for Ansys Mechanical
Authors: Favaretti Piero , Parussini Lucia , Favaretti Piero
Published: December 2023

Moving Heat Sources (MHSs) have multiple applications, most commonly in metal welding and cutting. For several years, Ansys has provided a free-to-download Application Customization Toolkit (ACT) Extension to define a moving heat flux. Although this tool is very useful, it has some limitations. Firstly, only the axisymmetric Gaussian power distribution is available, which is valid in many cases, but, for specific applications, other heat distributions such as the elliptical one may be preferred. Secondly, the ACT extension is not suitable for pulsed power sources. On/off processes can be in principle described as a sequence of single short and continuous impulses, but this approach is quite inefficient. Additionally, the standard version requires the power intensity as input, which is typically unknown and must be derived from the total power, adding an extra computation and increasing the risk of mislead. Another disadvantage is that the heating pattern is dependent on the geometry, requiring a predefined path. These limitations can be acceptable for a single simulation, but if the simulated process needs to be optimized, a different strategy for defining the moving heat source is required to allow parameterization of optimization input variables such as speed and pulse, just to name a few. To overcome these limitations, a generalized version of MHS is proposed. All parameters, including the heating pattern, are defined numerically, allowing for full customization and parameterization.
IFITM1 is a host restriction factor that inhibits porcine epidemic diarrhea virus infection
Authors: Cheng Jiahao , He Jiayi , Feng Simeng , Tan Lei , Wei Dong , Wang Aibing , Yuan Xiaomin
Published: December 2023

Interferon-induced transmembrane proteins (IFITMs) play an important role in the innate immune response triggered by viral infection. Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a pathogen causing intestinal infectious diseases in pigs. The current study provided overexpression of IFITM1 could suppress the proliferation of PEDV in IPEC-J2, while knockdown of it had opposite effect. Furthermore, co-localization of IFITM1 with PEDV virions could be observed, with the former mainly residing in the cytoplasm surrounding the nucleus, as revealed by IFA. Intriguingly, a phenomenon of IFITM protein embedded on the surface of virions was revealed by immunocolloidal gold electron microscopy. Moreover, we identified that the IFITM1 binds to the N protein of PEDV via CO-IP. Notably, Further investigations revealed that the CTD mutations of IFITM1 greatly compromised its inhibitory function on PEDV proliferation, with the amino acid residues 113 to 117 in this domain of it having a pronounced effect. Collectively, these findings suggest that IFTIM1 exerts an inhibitory function in PEDV infection, with the residues and structural motifs in the CTD of IFITM1 having fundamental effect on this modulatory actio.
Sperm DNA fragmentation index: Limited effectiveness on predicting embryo quality in assisted reproduction technology treatments
Authors: Jiang Huan , Xia Xiaolu , Luo Ying , Pan Haiyan , Qu Shihao , Xu Jianying
Published: December 2023

Purpose
Prior sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) thresholds for diagnosing male infertility and predicting assisted reproduction technology (ART) outcomes fluctuated between 15–30%, with no agreed standard. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the sperm DFI on early embryonic development during ART treatments and establish appropriate DFI cut-off values.
Methods
Retrospectively analyzed 913 couple's ART cycles from 2021–2022, encompassing 1,476 IVF and 295 ICSI cycles, following strict criteria. The WHO guidelines directed the semen analysis, while the acridine orange test (AOT) determined the DFI. Male factors (age, BMI, DFI, infertility duration, sperm parameters) and female parameters (age, BMI, AMH, retrieved oocytes) were evaluated. We also assessed embryological parameters like fertilization rate, cleavage rate, and blastocyst quality. Correlations between DFI and embryo quality were examined and DFI cut-off values were established using ROC analysis.
Results
The Sperm DFI demonstrated a positive correlation with male age and a negative correlation with sperm motility, concentration, and normal morphology, while showing no relation to BMI. No connection between DFI and embryological parameters in only IVF and ICSI groups was found, but a negative correlation with fertilization rate was seen in all ART cycles. ROC curve analysis revealed a DFI cut-off value of 21.15% having 36.7% sensitivity and 28.9% specificity in predicting high fertilization rate (≥ 80%).
Conclusion
Sperm DFI had a negative correlation with fertilization rate, but limited predictive efficacy and no significant link to other embryological parameters. DFI assessments may improve early embryo development prediction during ART treatments, particularly in older males or those exhibiting poor sperm quality.
Effects of Couple-based Interventions on Psychological Outcomes among Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Thana Kanjana , Miller Megan , Chintanawat Rojanee , Reangsing Chuntana
Published: December 2023

Objective: Cancer and its treatment can generate substantial psychological distress (depression and anxiety). The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to explore the effectiveness of couples-based interventions on psychological outcomes among people with cancer, and to test subgroup analyses to explore sources of heterogeneity affecting effect sizes.
Design: Systematic searching across eight databases identified studies related to couples-based interventions for psychological outcomes of cancer patients published between 2007–2022. Rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria were utilized. Random-effects models were used to compute effect sizes with Hedge’s g, forest plot, and Q and I2 statistics to measure heterogeneity. Moderator analyses were examined.
Results: Twelve primary studies were identified (938 participants, 56.14±7.29 years old). Overall, couples-based interventions significantly improved depression (g=.36 95% confidence interval .03 to .68, I2=76%) and anxiety (g=.29, 95% confidence interval 0.14 to .45, I2=0%) compared to controls. With subgroup analyses, fidelity of couple-based intervention, number of weeks across intervention, and timing of outcome assessment (number of days post- intervention) were moderators affecting effect sizes.
Discussion: Couples-based interventions appear to be effective among adults with cancer. Additional research is needed to explore the efficacy of couple-based interventions among more diverse samples, and to examine routes for integrating couple-based interventions into practice.
PROSPERO registration id: CRD42023389697
Construction of hydrated lubricated interfaces on lyocell fabric surfaces and effects on anti-fibrillation performance
Authors: Zhao Zhaojun , Yang Zhuo , Zhang Xingmin , Sun Yaqian , Wang Qingmiao , Zhou Hang , Min Jie
Published: December 2023

Lyocell fibers are currently claimed as green fiber with a good application prospect, but the major problem of fibrillation restricts the further promotion and application. In this study, based on the theory of hydration lubrication at the solid/liquid interface, hexamethylene-diisocyanate trimer (HDIt), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and butanone oxime (MEKO) were used to synthesize a reactive hydrophilic triblock polyurethane (RHT-PU). RHT-PU could construct a water lubrication layer on the lyocell fiber surface via hydrogen bonding between polyoxyethylene ether and water molecular, reducing the coefficient of friction (COF) of the fiber interface in the water. It was found that PEG molecular weight and grafting density had significant dependence on the COF of modified fabrics, COFs decreased with the increase of PEG molecular weight and grafting density. In water, the COFs of fabrics modified by RHT-PU were reduced from 0.45 to 0.32 and maintained lower COF at higher temperature and higher normal loads. After mechanical friction and household washing test, the surface abrasion of modified fabrics were significantly improved, and color fading grade of fabrics raised from 3 grade to 4–5 grade. Construction of water lubricated interfaces effectively reduced the fibrillation.
Identification of cellular senescence-related genes in myopia pathogenesis
Authors: Su Wangming , Yuan Liyun , Li Yanling , Liao Xiaolan , Xie Ping , Qiu Pinsheng , Yuan Xiaoyong
Published: December 2023

Background
Myopia is a global epidemic, posing a significant public health challenge due to its association with serious eye conditions. Recent research has suggested a potential connection between cellular senescence and various age-related diseases, which may extend to myopia.
Methods
This study employs an integrative genomics approach to explore the role of cellular senescence in myopia. It involves bioinformatics analysis of transcriptomic data from both myopic and normal samples to identify genes differentially expressed in relation to cellular senescence. The study also includes protein-protein interaction network analysis to identify key hub genes and their pathways, as well as the construction of mRNA-miRNA and mRNA-transcription factor interactomes for understanding the post-transcriptional regulation of these senescence-associated genes.
Results
The findings highlight differentially expressed genes associated with cellular senescence in myopic samples compared to normal ones. The study also uncovers central hub genes within protein-protein interaction networks, and provides insight into the post-transcriptional regulation of senescence-related genes. Additionally, a comparative analysis of immune cell infiltration in normal and myopic samples is presented, offering insights into possible immune-mediated mechanisms in myopia.
Conclusion
This integrative analysis sheds new light on the molecular connections between cellular senescence and myopia. The findings offer a novel perspective on the pathogenesis of myopia and present potential targets for therapeutic interventions.
The CRISPR/Cas13 system edits viral spike and nucleocapsid RNA to resist SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Wang La , Wang WenJia , Luo RuiXi , Ke ZunLi , Tian WeiYi
Published: December 2023

Background
As a new type of virus that seriously threatens public health worldwide, there are currently very limited effective methods of prevention and control for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2. Therefore, people urgently need an efficient and specific mechanism to prevent COVID-19. CRISPR/Cas13 is a natural defense system in bacteria that has been successfully applied for the prevention and treatment of many viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. How to efficiently and specifically destroy SARS-CoV-2 RNA and avoid virus escape caused by base mutations is still an urgent problem.
Methods
By comparing and analyzing existing sequences in NCBI, highly conserved segments of protein-coding sequences were obtained to construct a highly specific crRNA plasmid. The A549 cell line stably expressing Cas13d was constructed by a lentivirus system. The cleavage efficiency of Cas13d for the target protein RNA of SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed by qPCR, WB, flow cytometry and immunofluorescence.
Results
This study focused on the spike (S) glycoprotein and nucleocapsid (N) protein. We found that the CRISPR/Cas13d system was able to effectively edit the SARS-CoV-2 genes at the mRNA or protein level. However, the results also showed that the combination of multiple crRNA could not effectively further improve the editing efficiency.
Conclusions
The CRISPR/Cas13 system was able to edit spike and nucleocapsid viral RNA to resist SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study provides strong theoretical support for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
Challenges and Solutions of Medical Residency: the example of Iran
Authors: Rahimi Behrooz , Tadayon Behzad , Samadpour Mahmood , Biglarkhani Amin , Nemati Ali
Published: December 2023

Background
Residency is a highly stressful and exhausting phase in the professional lives of physicians. Low income, high workload, and uncertainty about their career future can lead to lower job satisfaction among residents, and inadequate attention to this issue can have long-term negative effects on the quality and quantity of healthcare services provided. One of the solutions proposed in this regard is the transition from residency to a full-fledged job. This research explores the feasibility of this solution.
Methods
In this qualitative study, interviews were used to identify the challenges, facilitators, barriers, and solutions for transitioning from residency to a job. In the qualitative section, a total of 26 interviewees and for Delphi 17 expert were selected purposefully at three levels: macro (Ministry of Health), intermediate (university), and executive (hospital). The qualitative data were analyzed using a conceptual framework analysis, while the Delphi data were analyzed quantitatively.
Results
Based on the analysis of the qualitative results, 5 general themes with 13 main categories and 70 sub-categories were extracted as challenges, 2 general themes as facilitators, and barriers to the transition from residency to a job, and 8 main categories with 52 interventions were identified as solutions to overcome these barriers. In the Delphi stage, the number of proposed solutions reduced to 44 interventions. The most significant challenges identified in this study were high workload during residency, low income, career future challenges, welfare services, and educational and communication challenges.
Conclusion
The decrease in residents' willingness, along with the high work and financial pressures on them, poses a serious threat to the healthcare system that requires serious reforms. It appears that transitioning from residency to a full-fledged job can address a significant portion of the expressed needs. These reforms require serious determination and collaboration with sectors outside the healthcare system and should be carried out as part of the comprehensive national healthcare plan, taking into account the country's capabilities.