bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preoperative Inverse Albumin-to-Globulin Ratio Predicts Worse Oncologic Prognosis Following R0 Resection for Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Liu Zhi-Peng , Cheng Zheng-Jun , Dai Hai-Su , Chen Wei-Yue , Liu Xing-Chao , Fan Hai-Ning , Pan Yu , Bai Jie , Jiang Yan , Zhang Yan-Qi , Deng Shi-Quan , Chen Zhi-Yu
Published: February 2022

Background & Aims: Inverse albumin-to-globulin ratio (IAGR) is defined as an AGR in serum of less than 1, which commonly indicates poor protein synthesis and severe inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate whether preoperative IAGR is associated with worse oncologic survival after R0 resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA).Methods: Patients who underwent R0 resection for newly diagnosed HCCA from January 2011 to December 2018 were enrolled from a multicenter database. Based on their preoperative AGR levels, all patients were divided into the IAGR and NAGR groups. We compared their clinical characteristics and long-term oncologic prognosis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). The time-dependent area under the curve (AUC) was compared to determine the predictive ability of AGR and other liver function indicators for long-term oncologic prognosis.Results: Overall, 323 patients with R0 resection of HCCA were included; 58 (18.0%) were in the IAGR group. The 5-year OS and RFS rates in the IAGR group were 6.3% and 2.5%, which were significantly worse than those in the NAGR group (24.5% and 21.2%, P < 0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analyses identified IAGR an independent risk factor for predicting worse OS (HR: 1.619, 95% CI: 1.161-2.258, P = 0.005) and RFS (HR: 1.773, 95% CI: 1.289-2.438, P < 0.001). The time-dependent AUCs of AGR for OS and RFS were superior to those of other liver function indicators.Conclusion: Preoperative IAGR is valuable for predicting worse OS and RFS in patients who underwent R0 resection for HCCA. AGR has ideal predictive ability for long-term oncological prognosis.
Risk Factors and Predictive Models for Early Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak after Anterior Surgery for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy
Authors: Heng Wei , Wang Mingqi , Wei Feilong , Du Mingrui , Zhu Kailong , Gao Haoran , Qian Jixian , Zhou Chengpei
Published: February 2022

OBJECTIVE To investigate the incidence of and risk factors for early cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak after anterior surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) and construct risk predictive models.METHODS Patients diagnosed with DCM and treated with anterior surgery from January 2007 to August 2018 were retrospectively selected. The basic data of preoperative and intraoperative records were extracted. Subsequently, we analyzed the relationship between early postoperative CSF leak and variables by performing restrictive cubic splines (RCS) for continuous variables and univariate and multivariate logistic regression for possible variables. The selected independent variables and covariates were modeled based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC). We generated receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curves to evaluate the nomogram. RESULTS Seventeen patients had CSF leak, with an incidence of 3.66%. There was a linear relationship between CSF leak and age (P=0.003) as well as bleeding loss (P<0.001). Variables were selected by logistic regression analysis, including age (per SD) (OR=2.04, P=0.004), revision surgery (OR=1.13, P=0.032), ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) (OR=4.07, P=0.027), and blood loss (per SD) (OR=1.75, P=0.002). The predictive model included age (per SD), sex, revision surgery, OPLL, and blood loss (per SD), with c-statistic=0.821. CONCLUSIONS Older age, revision surgery, OPLL and more intraoperative blood loss were independent risk factors for early postoperative CSF leak. The predictive model can be used to guide the prevention of CSF leak in DCM patients.
Translation, Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Urdu Version of Ronald Morris Low Back Pain and Disability Questionnaire in Pakistani Population
Authors: Sohail Maria , Ahmad Ashfaq , Arslan Syed Asadullah , Munawar Arooj , Amjad Fareeha , Asjad Ayesha
Published: February 2022

Background: The most common cause of disability is low back pain and it is common in every population especially in older generation. Low back pain is not a disease but a symptom instead. A most prevalent type of low back pain is non-specific low back ache. Low back pain is causing functional disabilities in both of the populations belong to developed and under developed countries. It is on sixth number in terms of overall disease burden.Methodology: According to the pre-defined guidelines the translation and cultural adaptation was performed in the study. A total of 150 participants were recruited (86 men and 64 women). There were two stages to the research: 1) Translation and cultural adaptation 2) Testing for reliability and validity The final Urdu version of the RMDQ was tested for reliability (test-retest and internal consistency at 95% confidence interval) and validity (Convergent validity).Results: The Urdu-RMDQ demonstrated very good test-retest reliability (ICC= 0.846 (0.808-0.880); CI=95 percent). Cronbach's alpha was 0.860, indicating that RMQ has very good internal consistency. The item total correlation value is 0.23, confirming that the Urdu version of the RMQ is internally consistent. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess convergence validity. The study found strong correlation between RMDQ and Visual analogue scale that means RMDQ has strong convergent validity.Conclusion: RMDQ Urdu is reliable and valid instrument to measure low back pain and disability in Pakistani population with excellent psychometric properties.
Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Delay Muscular Atrophy After Peripheral Nerve Injury in Rats
Authors: Qu Siwei , Ma Ning , Wang Weixin , Chen Sen , Wu Qi , Li Yangqun , Yang Zhe
Published: February 2022

Introduction: Muscle is often accompanied by denervation atrophy after peripheral nerve injury. Human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) and platelet-rich plasma injections into a muscle after peripheral nerve injury were examined.Methods: The rats were randomly divided into 5 groups. First group rats’ sciatic nerve was exposed with untreated, others groups rats’ sciatic nerve injury model was created first. PBS, hADSCs, PRP, and a mixture of hADSCs and PRP were injected into the gastrocnemius immediately postoperatively. Quantitation of gross musculature and muscle fiber area, SFI were investigated.Results: In 4 weeks post-surgery, post hoc Bonferroni tests showed significant differences in wet weight ratios when the hADSC group, the PRP group, and the combine group were compared with the PBS group. Areas of muscle fiber were larger in the hADSC group and the combine group compared with the PBS group at 4 weeks post-surgery.Discussion: hADSCs injection may delay muscular atrophy after sciatic nerve injury in rats, and PRP injection has little effect on delayed muscular atrophy.
Identification of immune-related lncRNA Pairs and construction and validation of a new prognostic signature of colon cancer
Authors: Xie Hui , Xu Minxian , Li Qing , Zhang Jianfang
Published: February 2022

Background: More and more evidences show that immune-related long non-coding ribonucleic acid (irlncRNAs) is a potential prognostic factor for colon cancer. The relevant gene pair pattern can improve the sensitivity of the prognostic model. Therefor, our present study aimed to identify irlncRNA Pairs and construct and validate a new prognostic signature in colon cancer.Methods:We downloaded the expression matrix of mRNA and lncRNA of patients with colon cancer and their clinical information from the public TCGA database. We obtained immune genes from the ImmPort database. Co-expression analysis was performed to identify irlncRNAs. We built an irlncRNA pair matrix by comparing the expression levels of each lncRNA pair in a cycle. Univariate Cox regression analysis, LASSO penalized regression analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed to determine the final variables to construct the prognostic risk score model (a new signature). We darw the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the signature and clinical characteristics, and determined the optimal cutoff value by the optimal Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) value. Based on the optimal cutoff value of the ROC curve of the signature, colon cancer patients were divided into the high- and low-risk groups. Then, the signature was evaluated by clinicopathological features, tumor infiltrating immune cells, checkpoint-related biomarkers, targeted therapy, and chemotherapy.Results:We identified 8 lncRNA pairs including AC103740.1|LEF1−AS1, LINC02391|AC053503.5, WWC2−AS2|AL355916.2, AC104090.1|NEURL1−AS1, AC099524.1|AL161908.1, AC074011.1|AL078601.2, AL355916.2|LINC01723 and AP003392.4|LINC00598 from 71 differently expressed irlncRNAs. We constructed a prognostic risk score model (a new signature) using these optimal 8 irlncRNA pairs. ROC curve analysis revealed that the highest AUC value of the signature was 0.776 at 1 year, with the the optimal cutoff value of 1.283. Our present study also showed that the constructed signature could accurately identify adverse survival outcomes, prognostic clinicopathological features, and specify tumor invasion status. The expression of immune checkpoint-related genes and chemical drug sensitivity were related to different risk groups.Conclusion: In our present study, we constructed a new irlncRNA signature of colon cancer based on the irlncRNA pairs instead of the special expression level of lncRNA. We found this signature not only had good prognostic value, but also had certain clinical value, which might provide a new sight for the treatment and prognosis of colon cancer.
Association of Perceived Life Satisfaction with Attitudes toward Life-Sustaining Treatment Among the Elderly in South Korea
Authors: Yun Il , Kim Hyunkyu , Park Eun-Cheol , Jang Suk-Yong
Published: February 2022

Background
Amidst rapid population aging, South Korea enacted the Well-dying Act, late among advanced countries, but public opinion on the act is not still clear. Against this background, this study aims to: 1) investigate factors affecting elderly individuals’ attitude toward life-sustaining treatment, and 2) examine whether attitude toward life-sustaining treatment is related to their perceived life satisfaction.
Methods
Data from the 2020 Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Persons were used. There were 9,916 participants (3,971 males; 5,945 females). We used multivariable-adjusted Poisson regression models with robust variance to examine the association between perceived life satisfaction and attitude toward life-sustaining treatment and calculate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
Results
After adjusting potential confounders, the probabilities that the elderly who were dissatisfied with their current life would favor life-sustaining treatment were 1.52 times (95% CI: 1.15–1.64) and 1.28 times (95% CI: 1.09–1.51) higher for men and women, respectively, than the elderly who were satisfied. In addition, attitudes in favor of life-sustaining treatment were observed prominently among the elderly with long schooling years or high household income, when they were dissatisfied with their life.
Conclusions
Our results suggested that for the elderly, life satisfaction is an important factor influencing how they exercise their autonomy and rights regarding dying well and receiving life-sustaining treatment. It is necessary to introduce interventions that would enhance the life satisfaction of the elderly and terminally ill patients and enable them to make their own decisions according to the values of life.
Instantaneous synthesis of organic-inorganic laccase-cobalt phosphate hybrid nanoflowers: Structural and biocatalytic characterization
Authors: Vojdanitalab Khashayar , Jafari-Nodoushan Hossein , Mojtabavi Somayeh , Shokri Mahtab , Jahandar Hoda , Faramarzi Mohammad Ali
Published: February 2022

Organic-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers (HNFs) have been synthesized by soft biomineralization procedures and are mainly used in biocatalysis and biosensing. Previously-reported methods for the synthesis of HNFs have so far required a 3-day incubation, bath sonication, or shear stress tension, which possibly introduces damage to the organic component. In this study, a novel method for instant fabrication of laccase@Co3(PO4)2•HNFs was developed without using harsh conditions. The prepared HNFs were assembled instantly by the “concentrated method,” which resulted in the fast growth of the flower-shaped nanostructures by a higher collision rate of the primary nucleation sites. The obtained results indicated that catalytic efficiency and enzymatic activity of laccase@Co3(PO4)2•HNFs were 113% and 110%, respectively, compared to the free enzyme. Also, the stability of the immobilized enzyme was enhanced by 400% in basic pH values. The activity of laccase@Co3(PO4)2•HNFs declined to 50% of the initial value after 10 reusability cycles, indicating successful immobilization of the enzyme. Structural studies revealed a 32% increase in the α-helix content after hybridization with cobalt phosphate, which improved the activity and stability of the immobilized laccase. Furthermore, the fabricated HNFs exhibited a considerable ability to remove moxifloxacin as an emerging pollutant. The antibiotic (10 mg/L) was removed by 24% and 75% after 24 h through adsorption and biodegradation mechanisms, respectively. This study introduces a new method for synthesizing HNFs, which could be used for the instant fabrication of efficient biocatalysts, biosensors, and adsorbents to be potentially employed in industrial, biomedical, and environmental applications.
Compare HBV relapse rates in patients who discontinue tenofovir disoproxil fumarate or tenofovir alafenamide fumarate
Authors: Chen CH , Jeng Wen-Juei , Hu Tsung-Hui , Liu Yen-Chun , Wang Jing-Houng , Hung Chao-Hung , Lu Sheng-Nan , Chien Rong-Nan
Published: February 2022

Background/purpose: Clinical relapse occurred majorly within the first six months after stopping tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. However, the incidence and relapse pattern in patients stopping Tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF), a prodrug of tenofovir which more concentrated in hepatocyte, is unknown. Methods: HBeAg-negative CHB patients stopping TDF (off-TDF) or switch to TAF more than 3 months (off-TAF) before discontinuation from two medical centers were recruited. The propensity score-matching method (PSM) was used by creating a ratio of 1:3 between the off-TAF group versus the off-TDF group to adjust age, sex, HBV genotype, cirrhosis, HBV DNA at entry, treatment and consolidation duration and end-of-treatment (EOT) HBsAg.Results: After PSM, 60 off-TAF and 180 off-TDF patients were analyzed. In off-TDF group, the cumulative rates of virological and clinical relapse at 52 weeks were 75.4% and 57.4%, respectively, and were 90.8% and 63.6% in off-TAF group, respectively. Patients in off-TAF group had significantly higher virological relapse rates than those in off-TAF group (p = 0.031), but not clinical relapse (p = 0.418). Multivariate cox regression analysis showed that off-TAF group was an independent factor of virological relapse, but not clinical relapse. Retreatment rate and severity of clinical relapse and hepatic decompensation rate were comparable between off-TDF and off-TAF groupsConclusions: Off-TDF group had a higher virological relapse rate than off-TAF group in HBeAg-negative CHB patients. However, the difference of clinical relapse pattern and severity was not clinically important between two groups.
Socioeconomic Factors and Use of Psychotherapy in Common Mental Disorders Predisposing to Disability Pension
Authors: Leppänen Helena , Kampman Olli , Autio Reija , Karolaakso Tino , Näppilä Turkka , Rissanen Päivi , Pirkola Sami
Published: February 2022

Background
Research in high-income countries has identified low socioeconomic status as a risk factor for disability pension (DP) due to common mental disorders (CMDs). Psychotherapy is an evidence-based treatment for the majority of CMDs along with medication and it is often targeted to prevent work disability. This study examines socioeconomic differences in the use of rehabilitative psychotherapy in Finland, where citizens have universal health coverage, but psychotherapy is partly dependent on personal finance.
Methods
The study subjects (N = 22,501) were all the Finnish citizens granted a DP due to CMD between 2010 and 2015 and a comparison group (N = 57,732) matched based on age, gender, and hospital district. Socioeconomic differences in psychotherapy use were studied using logistic regression models. Socioeconomic status was defined by education, income, and occupation. Age, gender, and family status were also examined.
Results
A lower level of education, lower occupational status (blue-collar worker), male gender, and older age, were associated with less frequent psychotherapy use, in both groups. Education was the strongest component of socioeconomic status associated with psychotherapy use, but the role of income was not straightforward. Unemployment when approaching DP, but not otherwise, was a risk factor for not receiving rehabilitative psychotherapy. Socioeconomic disparities were not any smaller among CMD patients approaching DP than in the comparison group.
Conclusion
This study demonstrates the disparity in the provision of psychotherapy for CMD patients, even on the verge of DP with an acute need for services. This disparity is partly related to a complex interplay of socioeconomic factors and the service system characteristics. Factors predisposing to unequal access to mental health services are presumably diverse and should be studied further.
The investigation of optical and photocatalytic properties in Dy2M2O7 (M= Hf, Zr and Ce)
Authors: Zaari halima , ouassoul khawla , mezzat fatima zahra , yahyaoui fadwa el , kenz abedllah , abilah benyoussef
Published: February 2022

A great effort has been done to improve the efficiency of materials for photo-catalytic water splitting application. The most famous catalysis is TiO2, but its band gap, exceeds 3.0 eV, doesn’t fit into the visible spectrum. so, to exploit this range of energy, we are looking for other materials having band gap lower that 2.0 eV. The research focused on the enhancement of photo-catalysis by modification of TiO2 by means of metal loading, metal ion doping, …This paper aims to present a group of compounds Dy2M2O7 (with M = Hf, Ce and Zr) which could be an alternative having the same function as TiO2. Based on our studies and those reported in the literature, we will discuss in detail the roles and the functional mechanism of the catalysts. The results show that Zr2Dy2O7 is the best candidate to be a photo-catalyst: it has a band gap close to 2.2 eV, and a good absorption in visible range compared to the other compound having absorption in UV. The quantum efficiency of Zr2Dy2O7 reaches up to 3%, and the limit of conduction band and valence band are localized in potential redox zone. Doping with Cerium gives another energy level which allows to have other optical transitions, improve the absorption and reach the quantum efficiency to 4% in a visible range.
In-situ observation of the effect of the tribofilm growth on scuffing in rolling-sliding contact
Authors: Ueda Mao , Spikes Hugh , Kadiric Amir
Published: February 2022

General reductions in lubricant viscosities in many machine components mean that the role of lubricant additives in forming tribofilms has become increasingly important to provide adequate surface protection against scuffing. However, the relationship between scuffing and the formation and removal of tribofilms has not been systematically demonstrated. In this study a step-sliding speed scuffing test based on contra-rotation using MTM-SLIM and ETM-SLIM has been employed to observe concurrently tribofilm thickness and the onset of scuffing. The initial sliding speed used was found to significantly affect scuffing performance since it determines the extent to which a tribofilm can form before critical sliding speed conditions are reached. Generally, additives that formed thicker tribofilms, especially ZDDPs and triphenyl phosphate, gave effective protection against scuffing, though their protective tribofilms were progressively removed at higher sliding speeds, eventually resulting in scuffing.
Technical and oncological safety of laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer in elderly patients ≥80 years old
Authors: Ueda Yoshitake , Shiraishi Norio , Fujishima Hajime , Kawasaki Takahide , Ninomiya Shigeo , Shiroshita Hidefumi , Etoh Tsuyoshi , Inomata Masafumi
Published: February 2022

Background: As the incidence of gastric cancer increases in elderly patients worldwide, laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) for elderly patients with gastric cancer is also increasing. However, whether LG is an optimal surgical modality for elderly patients with gastric cancer remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the technical and oncological safety of LG for elderly patients ≥80 years old with gastric cancer.Methods: Patients who received curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer from 2003 to 2015 were enrolled in the study. They were divided into the LG in elderly patients aged over 80 years (LG-E) group, open gastrectomy (OG) in elderly patients (OG-E) group, and LG in non-elderly patients < 80 years (LG-NE) group. Short- and long-term outcomes were compared between the three groups, retrospectively.Results: The LG-E, OG-E, and LG-NE groups comprised 45, 43, and 329 patients, respectively. In the comparison between the LG-E and OG-E groups, the incidence of distal gastrectomy (DG) and the proportions of patients with pathological tumor stage T1, pathological N0, and final stage I were significantly higher in the LG-E versus OG-E group (89 vs. 56%, 76% vs. 16%, 82% vs. 37%, and 84% vs. 35%, p<0.01, respectively). Blood loss and the incidence of overall postoperative complications in the LG-E group were significantly lower than those in the OG-E group (40 vs. 240 g, p<0.01, and 29% vs. 53%, p<0.05, respectively). Although the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was not significantly different between the two groups, the 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) rate was significantly higher in the LG-E group versus OG-E group (93% vs. 78%, p<0.05). Overall comorbidities were significantly higher in the LG-E group versus LG-NE group, but there were no significant differences in short-term outcomes between the two groups. Further, although the 5-year OS rate was significantly lower in the LG-E group versus LG-NE group (67% vs. 87%, p<0.01), there was no significant difference between the two groups in 5-year DSS rate.Conclusion: LG is technically and oncologically safe for the treatment of gastric cancer in both elderly patients aged ≥80 years and the non-elderly and can be an optimal surgical modality for elderly patients with gastric cancer.
Omicron BA.2 (B.1.1.529.2): high potential to becoming the next dominating variant
Authors: Chen Jiahui , Wei Guo-Wei
Published: February 2022

The Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly replaced the Delta variant as a dominating SARS-CoV-2 variant because of natural selection, which favors the variant with higher infectivity and stronger vaccine breakthrough ability. Omicron has three lineages or subvariants, BA.1 (B.1.1.529.1), BA.2 (B.1.1.529.2), and BA.3 (B.1.1.529.3). Among them, BA.1 is the currently prevailing subvariant. BA.2 shares 32 mutations with BA.1 but has 28 distinct ones. BA.3 shares most of its mutations with BA.1 and BA.2 except for one. BA.2 is found to be able to alarmingly reinfect patients originally infected by Omicron BA.1. An important question is whether BA.2 or BA.3 will become a new dominating ``variant of concern''. Currently, no experimental data has been reported about BA.2 and BA.3. We construct a novel algebraic topology-based deep learning model trained with tens of thousands of mutational and deep mutational data to systematically evaluate BA.2's and BA.3's infectivity, vaccine breakthrough capability, and antibody resistance. Our comparative analysis of all main variants namely, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Lambda, Mu, BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3, unveils that BA.2 is about 1.5 and 4.2 times as contagious as BA.1 and Delta, respectively. It is also 30% and 17-fold more capable than BA.1 and Delta, respectively, to escape current vaccines. Therefore, we project that Omicron BA.2 is on its path to becoming the next dominating variant. We forecast that like Omicron BA.1, BA.2 will also seriously compromise most existing mAbs, except for sotrovimab developed by GlaxoSmithKline.
Inflammatory expression profiling defines the tumor microenvironment and immunity in lower-grade gliomas
Authors: Yang Hua , Xiang Xin , Xu Yaka , Zhao Ze-Jing , Peng Han , Chen Yi-Min , Li Wen-Yan , Yang Jie , Qi Xiao-Lan , You Chun-De , Chu Liang-Zhao , Zhou Xing-Wang
Published: February 2022

Objective: Lower-grade glioma (LGG) arises from glial or precursor cells including the world health organization (WHO) grade glioma, which has a favorable prognosis compared with glioblastomas. However, LGG progression is inevitable due to drug resistance and tumor invasiveness. The inflammatory response has been a well-established hallmark associated with tumor occurrence and recurrence. It is necessary to explore the heterogeneity of the inflammatory response in LGG.Methods: The differential and prognostic inflammatory response-related genes(IRRG) of the cancer genome atlas(TCGA) database were used to perform consensus clustering to identify robust clusters. The Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas(CGGA) database was used to validate this inflammation subtype. The clinical characteristics, immune infiltration, metabolism, and somatic variation of each cluster were assessed. A risk score associated with inflammation was constructed.Results: We successfully observed and validated three distinct inflammatory subtypes in LGG. It is noteworthy that the B subtype has a shorter overall survival than the A and C subtypes. The B subtype had higher immune, stromal, and ESTIMATE scores than the A and C subtypes but lower tumor purity than the A and C subtypes. In addition, immune, stromal, and ESTIMATE scores of the A subtype were higher than the hose of the C subtype, while tumor purity was lower than that of the C subtype. Three inflammation subtypes correlated with diverse metabolic characteristics, drug sensitivity, and somatic alterations. Furthermore, we developed and validated an inflammatory signature with better performance of prognosis prediction.Conclusion: This study identified a new classification of LGG according to inflammatory gene profiling and emphasized inflammatory heterogeneity within LGG.
Research on the damage pattern and mechanism of ice wedge saturated coal rock joint structure
Authors: Li Hewan , Sun Siyang , Wang Laigui , Liu Jian , Zhang Ziheng
Published: February 2022

The width and connectivity of the coal rock joints directly affect the percolation capacity of mobile energy sources such as gas. In order to study the damage pattern and mechanism of coal rock joints under the action of liquid nitrogen, two methods, liquid nitrogen-free loading and liquid nitrogen freeze-thawing, were used to modify the damage of joints in coal rocks with different water saturation. The OLS4000 laser confocal microscope and MH-25 universal tensile tester were used to observe the changes in surface joint width and Young's modulus of coal rock before and after the test, and to analyze the effect of ice wedge expansion stress on structural damage of coal rock by building a physical and mechanical model. The test results found that the ice wedge expansion stress in the joints, the surrounding pressure and the temperature stress together affect the structural damage of the coal rock joints, with the ice wedge expansion stress contributing the most. The damage to the coal rock joints increases with increasing water saturation, with the most pronounced damage to the coal rock joints being caused by ice wedge expansion stresses at water saturation. The physical and mechanical model of coal rock joints under load reveals the damage mechanism of coal rock joints affected by ice wedge expansion stress, and establishes damage criteria to provide new ideas for the exploitation of clean energy such as coal bed methane and prevention of impact ground pressure.
Immunomolecular Assay Based on Selective Virion Capture by Spike Antibody and Viral Nucleic Acid Amplification for Detecting Intact SARS-CoV-2 Particles
Authors: Wu Xiaoli , Liu Junye , Zhang Hongpeng , Zhou Hua , Wang Wen , Ma Yuanyan , Shen Shimei , Cai Xuefei , Huang Ailong , Ding Shijia , Wang Deqiang
Published: February 2022

Background: Effective therapeutics and vaccines for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are currently lacking because of the mutation and immune escape of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Based on the propagation characteristics of SARS-CoV-2, rapid and accurate detection of complete virions from clinical samples and the environment is critical for assessing infection risk and containing further COVID-19 outbreaks. However, currently applicable methods cannot achieve large-scale clinical application because of factors such as the high viral load, cumbersome virus isolation steps, demanding environmental conditions, and long experimental periods. In this study, we developed an immunomolecular detection method combining capture of the viral spike glycoprotein with monoclonal antibodies and nucleic acid amplification via quantitative reverse transcription PCR to rapidly and accurately detect complete virions.Results: After constructing a novel pseudovirus, screening for specific antibodies, and optimizing the detection parameters, the assay achieved a limit of detection of 9 × 102 transduction units/mL of viral titer with high confidence (~95%) and excellent stability against human serum and common virus/pseudovirus. The coefficients of variation were 1.0–2.0% for intra-assay and inter-assay analyses, respectively. Compared with reverse transcription-PCR, the immunomolecular method more accurately quantified complete virions. SARS-CoV-2/pseudovirus was more stable on plastic and paper than on aluminum and copper in the detection of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus under different conditions, and complete virions were detected up to 96 h after they were applied to these surfaces (except for copper), although the titer of the virions was greatly reduced. Conclusions: Convenient, inexpensive, and accurate complete virus detection can be applied in many fields, such as monitoring the infectivity of convalescent and post-discharge patients and assessing high-risk environments (isolation rooms, operating rooms, patient living environments, and cold chain logistics). This method can also be used to detect intact virions such as those of hepatitis B and C viruses, human immunodeficiency virus, influenza, and the partial pulmonary virus, which may further improve the accuracy of diagnoses and facilitate individualized and precise treatments.
Atypical primary biliary cholangitis results in Vanishing bile duct syndrome with cutaneous xanthomas:A case report
Authors: Jia Yuebo , Zhao Jiaqi , Liu Lin , Bai Guang
Published: February 2022

BACKGROUNDVanishing bile duct syndrome (VBDS) is a rare but potentially severe acquired chronic cholestatic liver disease. Bile duct deficiency is a reduction of bile ducts in the liver, which can eventually lead to cholestatic liver disease and progress to biliary cirrhosis. Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is one of the causes of bile duct deficiency. In addition, 75% of PBC patients may have dyslipidemia, and in case of secondary dyslipidemia, cutaneous xanthomas may occur.CASE SUMMARYA 49-year-old woman was admitted with jaundice and multiple subcutaneous nodules. She received diagnosis of autoimmune liver disease 2 years before. Although she was treated with liver-protecting drugs, such as Essentiale and ursodeoxycholic acid, jaundice occurred repeatedly, and the color of her skin was becoming darker and more yellow.CONCLUSIONThis case highlights that the positivity of ANA that in PBC have a well diagnostic and prognostic significance and antinuclear antibodies giving the 'multiple nuclear dots' or the 'rim-like/membranous' pattern scan ca diagnose primary biliary cirrhosis accurately. Since the liver biopsy of PBC alone may not be sufficient to establish the diagnosis, serum antibodies should also be examined. PBC can also lead to intrahepatic cholestasis, which can cause dyslipidemia and cutaneous xanthomas.
Androgen Receptor Reprogramming Demarcates Prognostic Gene Sets In Prostate Cancer
Authors: Severson Tesa , Qiu Xintao , Alshalalfa Mohammed , Sjöström Martin , Bergman Andries , Long Henry , Feng Felix , Freedman Matthew L. , Zwart Wilbert , Pomerantz Mark M.
Published: February 2022

The androgen receptor (AR) is a prostate master transcription factor. It binds to genetic enhancers, where it regulates gene activity and plays a fundamental role in prostate pathophysiology. Previous work has demonstrated AR-DNA binding is systematically and consistently reprogrammed during prostate tumorigenesis and disease progression. We charted these reprogrammed AR sites and identified genes proximal to them. We were able to devise gene lists based on AR status within specific histological contexts: normal prostate epithelium, primary prostate tumor, and metastatic prostate cancer. We evaluated expression of the genes in these gene sets in subjects from two distinct clinical cohorts – men treated with surgery for localized prostate cancer and men with metastatic prostate cancer. Among men with localized prostate cancer, expression of genes proximal to AR sites lost in the transition from normal prostate to prostate tumor was associated with clinical outcome. Among men with metastatic disease, expression of genes proximal to AR sites gained in metastatic tumors were associated with clinical outcome. The study demonstrates the power of incorporating context-dependent epigenetic data into genetic analyses.
3D Printing For Surgical Planning Of Canine Oral And Maxillofacial Surgeries
Authors: Huang Yu-Hui , Lee Bonnie , Chuy Jeffrey , Goldschmidt Stephanie
Published: February 2022

Background: Advanced diagnostic imaging is an essential part of preoperative planning in oral and maxillofacial surgery in veterinary patients. 3D printed model and surgical guide generated from diagnostic imaging can provide a deeper understanding of the complex maxillofacial anatomy and relevant spatial relationships. Additionally, patient-specific 3D printed models allow surgeons and trainees to better examine anatomical features through tactile and visual spatial feedback resulting in improved preoperative planning and enhanced trainee education.Case presentation: Our case series consists of three 3D printed models segmented from computed tomography (CT) and cone beam CT (CBCT) and fabricated via desktop vat polymerization for preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance for resection of maxillary osteosarcoma, mandibular reconstruction after mandibulectomy, and gap arthroplasty for temporomandibular joint ankylosis in dogs.Conclusions: We illustrate potential benefits and indications for 3D printing in veterinary oral and maxillofacial surgery. A 3D printed model facilitates the understanding of complex surgical anatomy and creates an opportunity to assess the spatial relationship of complex anatomical structures. The patient-specific 3D model facilitates individualized surgical planning allowing surgeons to tailor and augment the surgical plan by identifying challenging anatomy and simulating surgical steps in advance. This includes the planning of osteotomy lines and pre-contouring of titanium plates for reconstruction. The 3D printed model and surgical guide also serve as intraoperative reference and guidance. In addition to preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance, 3D printed models have the potential to improve veterinary resident and student training as well as pet owners’ understanding and communication regarding the condition of their pets, treatment plan and intended outcomes.
Total Laparoscopic Pancreaticoduodenectomy with Left Posterior Superior Mesenteric Artery First-Approach and Plexus-Preserving Circumferential Lymphadenectomy: A Surgical Case Report (With Video)
Authors: NGUYEN Thanh Khiem , NGUYEN Ham Hoi , LUONG Tuan Hiep , DANG Kim Khue , LE Van Duy , Inoue Yosuke , TRINH Hong Son , TRAN Duc Dung
Published: February 2022

Introduction:
Total laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (tLPD) for cancer of Vater remains a challenging procedure. Recently, several meta-analyses showed the superior aspects of “Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA)-first approach”, “Systematic mesopanreas dissection” and “Circumferential lymphadenectomy around SMA” in increasing R0-resection rate and reducing postoperative complications including pancreatic fistula and bleeding as well as improving overall survival particularly.
Case presentation:
Our patient is a 70-year-old female with a no special medical history, recruited because of jaundice. She was referred for pancreaticoduodenectomy because of a 10mm-sized mass in distal bile duct referred to Vater’s tumor. We use 5 trocars and the patient placed in a Trendelenburg position. The transverse colon was lifted, the first loop of the jejunum was pulled to the left, the lymph nodes groups 14th and 15th were removed en bloc and then exposed the SMA from the anterior to the left posterior side from the caudal side to the origin. The first jejunal vessels and the posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery were ligated and extensive mobility of the duodenum and head of the pancreas from the left side. The systematic mesopancreas dissection from the right site of the SMA will be easily and conveniently done afterwards. Histopathological examination of ypT2N1 indicated that 1 of the 22 lymph nodes was positive, that was 1 of 7 LNs No. 14. Pathological results showed a Vater adenocarcinoma with all margins being negative.
Conclusions
This technique was safe and effective to perform precise level-2 mesopancreas dissection and complete lymphadenectomy around SMA without dissection of pl-SMA in laparoscopic field.
Primary Chemotherapy Resistance Malignant Mural Nodules Originated from Mucinous Borderline Ovarian Tumor: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Purbadi Sigit , Tjahjadi Hartono , Tjokroprawiro Brahmana Askandar , Purwoto Gatot , Winarto Hariyono , Sotarduga Gilbert Elia , Scovani Laurensia
Published: February 2022

BackgroundThe borderline ovarian mucinous cystic tumor may appear with mural nodules. However, its entity may remain rare. Malignant mural nodules mainly occur in old patients and have poor clinical outcomes. Accurate diagnosis of mural nodules is vital to choose the proper treatment, although it is complicated to manage.Case PresentationA 24-years-old nulliparous woman was examined due to abdominal pain and enlargement. She had been performed salpingo-oophorectomy due to ovarian tumor suspicion in the previous hospital. We did the surgical staging and found severe adhesion, but no cancer cell was found. During the follow-up, the symptoms got worsened. The CT-Scan results said massive ascites, CA 125 levels raise to 174 U/mL, and CA 19-9 920 U/mL. Exploratory laparotomy was performed, histology examination concluded malignant mural nodules mixed type on an ovarian borderline mucinous tumor. Carboplatin 750mg, paclitaxel 300mg, and bevacizumab 800mg was prescribed. In the beginning, the response was great, CA 125 and CA 19-9 levels decreased. But after four cycles, the CA 19-9 levels raise significantly. On the other hand, the CA 125 remains normal. We concluded that it was a chemotherapy resistance – malignant mural nodules and new chemotherapy regiment was prescribed but also resistance. Currently, the patient refused to continue the treatment.ConclusionAlthough it is rare, malignant mural nodules should be considered when we find a mucinous borderline ovarian tumor at a younger age. The angiosarcoma-type mural nodule is very difficult to manage due to the high probability of chemotherapy resistance.
Beneficial of adding Tocilizumab to standard care in critical forms of Covid-19: Study on paired series
Authors: Trifi Ahlem , Abdennebi Cyrine , Romdhane Kais Ben , Blel Youssef , Daly Foued , Zakhama Boubaker , Mestiri Taher , Abdellatif Sami , Lakhal Salah Ben
Published: February 2022

We designed a comparative study on two paired series of critical patients affected with Covid-19: the 1st group received Tocilizumab (TCZ) plus standard care (SC) versus a 2nd group which received only SC. Outcomes were: survival, mechanical ventilation (MV) and nosocomial infections. Ninety patients were included by pairing (n=45 in each group). 55.5% of SC group progressed to stage 3-acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) versus 31% of TCZ+SC patients (p=0.03). No effect of TCZ was found on mortality (49% in each group, p=1) nor on MV use (p=0.67). ICU stay was more prolonged in TCZ+SC group (16 versus 8 days, p <10-3). The administration of TCZ induced a significant decrease in CRP but not changed the IL-6 dosage. Nosocomial infections occurred in 18 (40%) of TCZ+SC group comparatively to 15 (33,5%) of SC group, p=0.66. We concluded to no real clinical impact benefit of TCZ in this kind of patients.
Acute undifferentiated leukaemia with undifferentiated myeloid sarcoma: case report and literature review
Authors: Zhong Ling , Jiang Tao , Wang Xiaoqing , Lan Luo , Zheng Shuai , He Yuan , Xi Qian , Chen Jiao
Published: February 2022

Background: With the advancement of diagnostic technology, true acute undifferentiated leukaemia is becoming more rare, and acute undifferentiated leukaemia with extramedullary sarcoma has not been reported.Case presentation: This article reports a case of acute undifferentiated leukaemia with extramedullary sarcoma. Flow cytometric analysis of the bone marrow and lymph nodes indicated that the tumour cells of both were of the same origin and mainly expressed stem cell markers and CD7, no myeloid-specific markers, T-lymphoblastic-related markers, and B-lymphoblastic-related markers. Although the priming regimen combined with azacitidine was ineffective, complete remission was achieved by switching to azacitidine combined with HIA (homoharringtonine, idarubicin plus Ara-C). Conclusions: To diagnosis de novo acute leukemia with extensive and comprehensive cellular immune maker detection is available and credible, the expression of a single relatively non-specific myeloid antigen as a immune maker to detect AUL or AUL associated with sarcoma is precise and effective in our case, which patient was benefit from HIA regiment.
Involvement of regulation of the excitation:inhibition functional balance in the mPFC in the antidepressant-anxiolytic effect of YL-IPA08, a novel TSPO ligand
Authors: Yuan Jin , Yao Jun-Qi , Fang Xin-Xin , Dai Wei , Wang Yun-Hui , Zhang Li-Ming , Li Yun-Feng
Published: February 2022

TSPO, an 18 kDa translocator protein, has received increased attention due to its antidepressant-anxiolytic effects. The balance between glutamatergic and GABAergic (E: I) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is crucial for antidepressant-anxiolytic effects. However, no evidence is available to clarify the relationship between TSPO and E:I balance. In the present study, we used the TSPO global-knockout (KO) and TSPO wild-type (WT) mice to assess the effects of TSPO on antidepressant-anxiolytic effects of YL-IPA08 (a novel TSPO ligand) and the underlying neurobiological mechanism. Additionally, a multichannel electrophysiological technique was used to explore the effects of YL-IPA08 on pyramidal neurons and interneurons in mPFC. Open field test (OFT) and elevated plus maze (EPM) test revealed that a single dose of YL-IPA08 (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) exhibited significant anxiolytic actions in WT mice except in KO mice. In only WT mice, significant antidepressant effects were observed in tail suspension test (TST) and forced swim test (FST). The multichannel electrophysiological technique demonstrated that YL-IPA08 significantly increased the firing rates of pyramidal neurons and decreased those of interneurons. Further studies illustrated that the firing rates of glutamatergic might be antagonized by PK11195 (a classic TSPO antagonist). Our results suggest that YL-IPA08 might regulate the E:I balance in mPFC, mediated by TSPO. In summary, TSPO regulates E:I functional balance in mPFC, play a critical role in antidepressant-anxiolytic effects of YL-IPA08, and provide a potential target site for the development of antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs.
Persistence of residual SARS-CoV-2 viral antigen and RNA in tissues of patients with long COVID-19
Authors: Goh Denise , Lim Jeffrey Chun Tatt , Fernández Sonia Bilbao , Lee Justina Nadia , Joseph Craig Ryan , Neo Zhen Wei , Guerrero Sílvia , Lau Mai Chan , Sheng Joe Yeong Poh
Published: February 2022

The World Health Organization has defined long COVID-19 (LC) as a condition where patients exhibit persistent symptoms over time after its acute phase, which cannot be explained by alternative diagnosis. Since we have previously reported residual viral antigens in tissues of convalescent patients, we now aim to assess the presence of such antigens in post-convalescent tissues. Here, we established the presence of residual virus within the appendix and breast tissue of 2 patients who exhibited LC symptoms, 175 to 462 days upon positive diagnosis, using immunohistological techniques. We observed positive staining for viral nucleocapsid protein (NP) in the appendix, and tumour-adjacent region of the breast, but not within the tumour via multiplex immunohistochemistry. Notably, with RNAscope, both positive-sense and negative-sense (replicative intermediate) viral RNA were detected. As a single-stranded virus, SARS-CoV-2, have to produce a replicative intermediate as a template to synthesize new genomic RNAs. Thus, the detection of negative-sense viral RNA suggests ongoing viral replication. While viral RNA and antigen from gastrointestinal and stool samples of convalescent patients has been extensively reported, we believe this is the first study to detect viable virus. Furthermore, our positive finding in the breast tissue also corroborated with recent reports that immunocompromised patients had also experienced LC symptoms and persistent viral replication. Overall, our findings, along with emerging LC studies, question the possibility of the gastrointestinal tract functioning as a reservoir.