bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vietnam Association of Gastroenterology (VNAGE) consensus on the management of Helicobacter pylori infection
Authors: Quach Duc Trong , Mai Bang Hong , Tran Mien Kieu , Dao Long Van , Tran Huy Van , Vu Khanh Truong , Vu Khien Van , Pham Ho Thi-Thu , Bui Hoang Huu , Ho Dung Dang-Quy , Trinh Dung Tuan , Nguyen Vinh Thuy , Duong Thai Hong , Tran Tuong Thi-Khanh , Nguyen Ha Thi-Viet , Nguyen Thinh Tien , Nguyen Thang Duy , Nguyen Long Cong , Dao Hang Viet , Thai Ky Doan , Phan Nam Trung , Le Ly Thanh , Vo Cong Hong-Minh , Ho Phat Tan , Nguyen Tung Lam , Le Quang Dinh , Le Nho Viet , Phan Hoan Quoc , Nguyen Binh Canh , Tran Trung Thien , Tran Tu Viet , Ta Long
Published: January 2023

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is prevalent and has a rapidly increasing antibiotic resistance rate in Vietnam. Reinfection is quite common, and gastric carcinoma remains one of the most common malignancies, which is not uncommon to develop after successful eradication. The purpose of this consensus is to provide updated recommendations on the management of H. pylori infection in the country. The consensus panel consisted of 32 experts from 14 major universities and institutions in Vietnam who were invited to review the evidence and develop the statements using the Delphi method. The process followed the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The consensus level was defined as ≥80% for agreement on the proposed statements. Due to the limited availability of high-quality local evidence, this consensus was also based on high-quality evidence from international studies, especially those conducted in other populations in the Asia–Pacific region. The panel finally reached a consensus on 27 statements after two voting rounds, which consisted of four sections (1) indications for testing and selection of diagnostic tests (2), treatment regimens, (3) post-treatment confirmation of H. pylori status, and (4) reinfection prevention methods and follow-up after eradication. Important issues that require further evidence include studies on third-line regimens, strategies to prevent H. pylori reinfection, and post-eradication follow-up for precancerous gastric lesions. We hope this consensus will help guide the current clinical practice in Vietnam and promote multicenter studies in the country and international collaborations.
Delivery of high flow oxygen through nasal vs. tracheal cannulas: A bench study
Authors: Cour Martin , Guérin Claude , Degivry Florian , Argaud Laurent , Louis Bruno
Published: January 2023

Background

The use of high flow oxygen therapy (HFOT) has significantly escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. HFOT can be delivered through both dedicated devices and ICU ventilators. HFOT can be administered to a patient via a nasal cannula (NC). In intubated patients, a tracheal cannula (TC) is used instead. In this study, we aim to compare the work of breathing (WOB) using a TC or NC and to explore whether differences exist among HFOT devices.

Methods

Seven HFOT devices (three dedicated and four ICU ventilators) were connected to a manikin head (Laerdal Medical) through a NC (Optiflow 3S, large size, Fisher and Paykel Healthcare) or a TC (OPT 970 Optiflow+, Fisher and Paykel Healthcare). Each device was also attached to a manikin head that was connected to a lung simulator (ASL5000, Ingmar Medical), set at 40 ml/cmH2O compliance, 10 cmH2O/L/s resistance, and sinusoidal inspiratory effort (muscular pressure 10 cmH2O, rate 30 breaths/min). HFOT was delivered at 40 L/min and at 21% inspired oxygen fraction. The total WOB per breath and its resistive and elastic components were automatically analyzed breath by breath over the last 20 breaths by using Campbell's diagram.

Results

The WOB and its resistive and elastic components were significantly lower with the TC than with the NC for every device, and systematically lower with the reference device than with others. These differences were, however, very small and may be not clinically relevant.

Conclusion

The WOB is lower with the TC than with the NC and with the reference device, compared with the most recent devices.
The value of chest X-ray and CT severity scoring systems in the diagnosis of COVID-19: A review
Authors: Majrashi Naif Ali A.
Published: January 2023

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a coronavirus family member known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The main laboratory test to confirm the quick diagnosis of COVID-19 infection is reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) based on nasal or throat swab sampling. A small percentage of false-negative RT-PCR results have been reported. The RT-PCR test has a sensitivity of 50–72%, which could be attributed to a low viral load in test specimens or laboratory errors. In contrast, chest CT has shown 56–98% of sensitivity in diagnosing COVID-19 at initial presentation and has been suggested to be useful in correcting false negatives from RT-PCR. Chest X-rays and CT scans have been proposed to predict COVID-19 disease severity by displaying the score of lung involvement and thus providing information about the diagnosis and prognosis of COVID-19 infection. As a result, the current study provides a comprehensive overview of the utility of the severity score index using X-rays and CT scans in diagnosing patients with COVID-19 when compared to RT-PCR.
Elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis vs. polymyalgia rheumatica: Differences in pathogenesis
Authors: Wu Jinzhi , Yang Fan , Ma Xinlei , Lin Jin , Chen Weiqian
Published: January 2023

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that mainly affects the facet joints. Elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis appears to exhibit symptoms similar to those of polymyalgia rheumatica, characterized by morning stiffness and pain in the shoulder and hip joints. Both diseases develop in the elderly, and it is sometimes challenging to distinguish them. Here, we identify the differences in pathogenesis between elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica to assist with a clear differential diagnosis and effective early intervention.
PRRSV-1 induced lung lesion is associated with an imbalance between costimulatory and coinhibitory immune checkpoints
Authors: Ruedas-Torres Inés , Sánchez-Carvajal José María , Carrasco Librado , Pallarés Francisco José , Larenas-Muñoz Fernanda , Rodríguez-Gómez Irene Magdalena , Gómez-Laguna Jaime
Published: January 2023

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus(PRRSV) induces a dysregulation on the innate and adaptive immune responses. T-cell activation requires a proper interaction and precise balance between costimulatory and coinhibitory molecules, commonly known as immune checkpoints. This study aims to evaluate the expression of immune checkpoints in lung and tracheobronchial lymph node from piglets infected with two PRRSV-1 strains of different virulence during the early stage of infection. Seventy 4-week-old piglets were grouped into three experimental groups: (i) control, (ii) 3249-infected group (low virulent strain), and (iii) Lena-infected group (virulent strain) and were euthanized at 1, 3, 6, 8, and 13 days post-infection (dpi). Lung and tracheobronchial lymph node were collected to evaluate histopathological findings, PRRSV viral load and mRNA expression of costimulatory (CD28,CD226,TNFRSF9,SELL,ICOS, andCD40) and coinhibitory (CTLA4,TIGIT,PD1/PDL1,TIM3,LAG3, andIDO1) molecules through RT-qPCR. Our findings highlight a mild increase of costimulatory molecules together with an earlier and stronger up-regulation of coinhibitory molecules in both organs from PRRSV-1-infected animals, especially in the lung from virulent Lena-infected animals. The simultaneous expression of coinhibitory immune checkpoints could work in synergy to control and limit the inflammation-induced tissue damage. Further studies should be addressed to determine the role of these molecules in later stages of PRRSV infection.
β-LacFamPred: An online tool for prediction and classification of β-lactamase class, subclass, and family
Authors: Pandey Deeksha , Singhal Neelja , Kumar Manish
Published: January 2023

β-Lactams are a broad class of antimicrobial agents with a high safety profile, making them the most widely used class in clinical, agricultural, and veterinary setups. The widespread use of β-lactams has induced the extensive spread of β-lactamase hydrolyzing enzymes known as β-lactamases (BLs). To neutralize the effect of β-lactamases, newer generations of β-lactams have been developed, which ultimately led to the evolution of a highly diverse family of BLs. Based on sequence homology, BLs are categorized into four classes: A–D in Ambler’s classification system. Further, each class is subdivided into families. Class B is first divided into subclasses B1–B3, and then each subclass is divided into families. The class to which a BL belongs gives a lot of insight into its hydrolytic profile. Traditional methods of determining the hydrolytic profile of BLs and their classification are time-consuming and require resources. Hence we developed a machine-learning-based in silico method, named as β-LacFamPred, for the prediction and annotation of Ambler’s class, subclass, and 96 families of BLs. During leave-one-out cross-validation, except one all β-LacFamPred model HMMs showed 100% accuracy. Benchmarking with other BL family prediction methods showed β-LacFamPred to be the most accurate. Out of 60 penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) and 57 glyoxalase II proteins, β-LacFamPred correctly predicted 56 PBPs and none of the glyoxalase II sequences as non-BLs. Proteome-wide annotation of BLs by β-LacFamPred showed a very less number of false-positive predictions in comparison to the recently developed BL class prediction tool DeepBL. β-LacFamPred is available both as a web-server and standalone tool at http://proteininformatics.org/mkumar/blacfampred and GitHub repository https://github.com/mkubiophysics/B-LacFamPred respectively.
RIG-I and MDA5 are modulated by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP6) and are essential for restricting Zika virus infection in human Sertoli cells
Authors: Jiyarom Boonyanudh , Giannakopoulos Stefanos , Strange Daniel P. , Panova Nataliya , Gale Michael , Verma Saguna
Published: January 2023

Sexual transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) is associated with virus persistence in the testes and shedding in the seminal fluid for months after recovery. We previously demonstrated that ZIKV can establish long-term replication without causing cytotoxicity in human Sertoli cells (SC), responsible for maintaining the immune privileged compartment of seminiferous tubules. Functional gene expression analyses also predicted activation of multiple virus sensing pathways including TLR3, RIG-I, and MDA5. Here, we elucidated which of the RNA virus sensing receptors play a decisive role in restricting ZIKV replication. We show that both poly I:C and IFN-β treatment induced a robust antiviral state and reduced ZIKV replication significantly, suggesting that virus sensing and antiviral signaling are functional in SC. Silencing of TLR3, 7, and 9 did not affect virus replication kinetics; however, both RIG-I and MDA5 played a synergistic role in inducing an anti-ZIKV response. Further, the impact of SC-specific immunosuppressive pathways that collectively regulate SC function, specifically the TGF-β superfamily members, TGF-β, Activin A, and BMP6, on ZIKV replication was investigated. While ZIKV did not modulate the expression of TGF-β and Activin A, BMP6 signaling was suppressed at later stages of infection. Notably, treatment with BMP6 increased IFN-β, p-IRF3, and p-STAT1 levels, and expression of key interferon-stimulated genes including MDA5, suggesting that BMP6 enhances antiviral response in SC. Collectively, this study further delineates the key role of the RIG-I-like receptors in sensing ZIKV in SC, and reveals a novel role of BMP6 in modulating innate immune and antiviral response in the testes.
Dynamic changes in species richness and community diversity of symbiotic bacteria in five reproductive morphs of cotton aphid Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Authors: Chen Ruifang , Luo Junyu , Zhu Xiangzhen , Wang Li , Zhang Kaixin , Li Dongyang , Gao Xueke , Niu Lin , Huangfu Ningbo , Ma Xiaoyan , Ji Jichao , Cui Jinjie
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Reproductive polymorphism and symbiotic bacteria are commonly observed in aphids, but their interaction remains largely unclear. In polymorphic aphid species (Aphis gossypii), offspring of parthenogenetic females (PFs) develops into sexuparae which produces gynoparae and males successively. Gynoparae further produces sexual females (SFs), and these sexual females mate with males to produce offspring.

Methods

In this study, we investigated the dynamic changes of symbiotic bacteria during the above-mentioned five reproductive morph switch in A. gossypii via 16S rRNA sequencing technology.

Results

The results showed that species richness and community diversity of symbiotic bacteria in males were the highest. Proteobacteria was absolutely dominant bacterial phylum (with relative abundance of more than 90%) in the five reproductive morphs of A. gossypii, and Buchnera was absolutely dominant genus (with relative abundance of >90%), followed by Rhodococcus, Pseudomonas, and Pantoea. Male-killing symbiont Arsenophonus presented the highest relative abundance in gynoparae, a specific morph whose offsprings were exclusively sexual females. Both principal component analysis (PCA) and clustering analysis showed trans-generation similarity in microbial community structure between sexuparae and sexual females, between PFs and gynoparae. PICRUSt 2 analysis showed that symbiotic bacteria in the five reproductive morphs were mainly enriched in metabolic pathways.

Discussion

Reproductive morph switch induced by environmental changes might be associated with bacterial community variation and sexual polymorphism of aphids. This study provides a new perspective for further deciphering the interactions between microbes and reproductive polymorphism in host aphids.
Genomic characterization and assessment of pathogenic potential of Legionella spp. isolates from environmental monitoring
Authors: Svetlicic Ema , Jaén-Luchoro Daniel , Klobucar Roberta Sauerborn , Jers Carsten , Kazazic Snjezana , Franjevic Damjan , Klobucar Goran , Shelton Brian G. , Mijakovic Ivan
Published: January 2023

Several species in the genus Legionella are known to cause an acute pneumonia when the aerosols containing the bacteria from man-made water systems are inhaled. The disease is usually caused by Legionella pneumophila, but other species have been implicated in the infection. The disease is frequently manifested as an outbreak, which means several people are affected when exposed to the common source of Legionella contamination. Therefor environmental surveillance which includes isolation and identification of Legionella is performed routinely. However, usually no molecular or genome-based methods are employed in further characterization of the isolates during routine environmental monitoring. During several years of such monitoring, isolates from different geographical locations were collected and 39 of them were sequenced by hybrid de novo approach utilizing short and long sequencing reads. In addition, the isolates were typed by standard culture and MALDI-TOF method. The sequencing reads were assembled and annotated to produce high-quality genomes. By employing discriminatory genome typing, four potential new species in the Legionella genus were identified, which are yet to be biochemically and morphologically characterized. Moreover, functional annotations concerning virulence and antimicrobial resistance were performed on the sequenced genomes. The study contributes to the knowledge on little-known non-pneumophila species present in man-made water systems and establishes support for future genetic relatedness studies as well as understanding of their pathogenic potential.
Peptidoglycan enzymes of Francisella: Roles in cell morphology and pathogenesis, and potential as therapeutic targets
Authors: Bachert Beth A. , Bozue Joel A.
Published: January 2023

Peptidoglycan, found within the cell wall of bacteria, is a structure critical for maintaining cell morphology and providing a protective barrier in diverse environments. Peptidoglycan is a remarkably dynamic structure that is constantly remodeled during cell growth and division by various peptidoglycan enzymes. Numerous peptidoglycan enzymes have been characterized from diverse bacteria and are highly sought after as targets for therapeutics. However, very little is known about these enzymes within the biothreat agent Francisella tularensis. As the causative agent of tularemia, F. tularensis is classified as a category A biothreat pathogen, in part due to its low infectious dose and lack of FDA-approved vaccine. Many bacterial species encode multiple peptidoglycan enzymes with redundant functions that allow for compensation if one of the enzymes are inactivated. In contrast, F. tularensis appears to lack this redundancy, indicating peptidoglycan enzymes may be completely essential for growth and could be exploited as targets for medical countermeasures. Indeed, several peptidoglycan enzymes in F. tularensis have been shown to play important roles in cell division, cell morphology, virulence, and modulation of host response. The aim of this review is to summarize findings from the current literature on peptidoglycan enzymes present in Francisella and discuss areas where future research efforts might be directed. We conclude that Francisella harbors a distinct set of peptidoglycan enzymes important for cell growth and virulence and represent potentially valuable targets for the development of novel therapeutics.
Quantifying nitrous oxide production rates from nitrification and denitrification under various moisture conditions in agricultural soils: Laboratory study and literature synthesis
Authors: Wang Hui , Yan Zhifeng , Ju Xiaotang , Song Xiaotong , Zhang Jinbo , Li Siliang , Zhu-Barker Xia
Published: January 2023

Biogenic nitrous oxide (N2O) from nitrification and denitrification in agricultural soils is a major source of N2O in the atmosphere, and its flux changes significantly with soil moisture condition. However, the quantitative relationship between N2O production from different pathways (i.e., nitrification vs. denitrification) and soil moisture content remains elusive, limiting our ability of predicting future agricultural N2O emissions under changing environment. This study quantified N2O production rates from nitrification and denitrification under various soil moisture conditions using laboratory incubation combined with literature synthesis. 15N labeling approach was used to differentiate the N2O production from nitrification and denitrification under eight different soil moisture contents ranging from 40 to 120% water-filled pore space (WFPS) in the laboratory study, while 80 groups of data from 17 studies across global agricultural soils were collected in the literature synthesis. Results showed that as soil moisture increased, N2O production rates of nitrification and denitrification first increased and then decreased, with the peak rates occurring between 80 and 95% WFPS. By contrast, the dominant N2O production pathway switched from nitrification to denitrification between 60 and 70% WFPS. Furthermore, the synthetic data elucidated that moisture content was the major driver controlling the relative contributions of nitrification and denitrification to N2O production, while NH4+ and NO3− concentrations mainly determined the N2O production rates from each pathway. The moisture treatments with broad contents and narrow gradient were required to capture the comprehensive response of soil N2O production rate to moisture change, and the response is essential for accurately predicting N2O emission from agricultural soils under climate change scenarios.
Enzyme catalyzes ester bond synthesis and hydrolysis: The key step for sustainable usage of plastics
Authors: Lai Jinghui , Huang Huiqin , Lin Mengwei , Xu Youqiang , Li Xiuting , Sun Baoguo
Published: January 2023

Petro-plastic wastes cause serious environmental contamination that require effective solutions. Developing alternatives to petro-plastics and exploring feasible degrading methods are two solving routes. Bio-plastics like polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), poly (butylene succinate) (PBS), poly (ethylene furanoate) s (PEFs) and poly (ethylene succinate) (PES) have emerged as promising alternatives. Meanwhile, biodegradation plays important roles in recycling plastics (e.g., bio-plastics PHAs, PLA, PCL, PBS, PEFs and PES) and petro-plastics poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and plasticizers in plastics (e.g., phthalate esters, PAEs). All these bio- and petro-materials show structure similarity by connecting monomers through ester bond. Thus, this review focused on bio-plastics and summarized the sequences and structures of the microbial enzymes catalyzing ester-bond synthesis. Most of these synthetic enzymes belonged to α/β-hydrolases with conserved serine catalytic active site and catalyzed the polymerization of monomers by forming ester bond. For enzymatic plastic degradation, enzymes about PHAs, PBS, PCL, PEFs, PES and PET were discussed, and most of the enzymes also belonged to the α/β hydrolases with a catalytic active residue serine, and nucleophilically attacked the ester bond of substrate to generate the cleavage of plastic backbone. Enzymes hydrolysis of the representative plasticizer PAEs were divided into three types (I, II, and III). Type I enzymes hydrolyzed only one ester-bond of PAEs, type II enzymes catalyzed the ester-bond of mono-ester phthalates, and type III enzymes hydrolyzed di-ester bonds of PAEs. Divergences of catalytic mechanisms among these enzymes were still unclear. This review provided references for producing bio-plastics, and degrading or recycling of bio- and petro-plastics from an enzymatic point of view.
Non-coding RNAs regulate mitochondrial dynamics in the development of gastric cancer
Authors: Chen Xiatian , Wei Chuang , Huang Liting , Syrigos Konstantinos , Li Yuzhen , Li Peifeng
Published: January 2023

Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignant cancer that reduces life expectancy worldwide. Although treatment strategies have improved, patients with GC still have poor prognoses. Hence, it is necessary to understand the molecular mechanisms of GC and to find new therapeutic targets. Mitochondrial dynamics and mitochondrial dysfunction are associated with cancer cell growth and progression. Numerous studies have reported that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) can participate in the occurrence and development of GC by regulating mitochondrial dynamics. Elucidating the crosstalk between ncRNAs and mitochondria would be helpful in preventing and treating GC. Herein, we review and summarize the functions of oncogenes and tumor suppressors in suppressing ncRNAs and regulating mitochondrial dynamics in GC tumor growth, proliferation, invasion and metastasis. This review provides new insights into the pathogenesis of and intervention for GC.
Impact of glycosylated hemoglobin on early neurological deterioration in acute mild ischemic stroke patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis
Authors: Han Lin , Hou Zhangyan , Ma Mingwei , Ding Dongxue , Wang Dapeng , Fang Qi
Published: January 2023

Objective

In patients with acute mild ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis, the relationship between chronic hyperglycemic status and their early neurological deterioration (END) and clinical outcomes is unclear. We attempted to analyze the relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and END and 90-day functional outcomes.

Participants and methods

The research comprised 267 patients with acute mild ischemic stroke. The incidence of END and functional outcomes at 90 days were evaluated between subgroups. END was defined in this study as a rise of at least 1 point in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score within 72 h of admission, with an excellent outcome of a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0–1 at 90 days following stroke beginning. The association between HbA1c and END, and clinical outcomes in patients with mild stroke, was assessed by logistic regression after adjusting for confounding factors. In addition, we used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to predict the predictive value of HbA1c for the incidence of END.

Results

There were 38 patients who suffered END and 105 patients who had disabled functional outcomes at 90 days. In multivariate analysis, elevated HbA1c levels were associated with END (adjusted OR = 1.476; 95% CI: 1.129–1.928; p = 0.004). With HbA1c greater than 7.75%, the ROC curve predicted a higher risk of END. However, they were not associated with patients’ functional outcomes at 90 days.

Conclusion

HbA1c levels were an independent predictor of END in patients with mild stroke, while there was no effect on functional outcomes at 90 days. The impact of HbA1c on functional prognosis may be a contributing factor rather than a direct factor.
Acupuncture for the treatment of overactive bladder: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Lee Jung-Ju , Heo Jeong-Weon , Choi Tae-Young , Jun Ji Hee , Lee Myeong Soo , Kim Jong-In
Published: January 2023

Background

Acupuncture (AT) successfully regulates overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms. However, previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have not provided sufficient evidence. This review presents the current evidence of the efficacy of AT in the management of OAB symptoms.

Methods and analyses

A total of 12 databases were searched from their inception: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and AMED databases; five Korean medical databases; and three Chinese medical databases. Study selection, data extraction, and assessment were independently performed by two researchers. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. RevMan 5.4.1 software was used for data aggregation, and the Grades of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) assessment was used to evaluate the quality of the study outcomes.

Results

A total of 30 studies were included in this review. Compared with the sham AT group, the AT group exhibited significant effects in reducing overactive bladder symptom scores (OABSS) [mean difference (MD): −1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI): −2.01 to −0.26, p = 0.01 I2 = 67%] and urinary frequency [standardized mean difference (SMD): −0.35, 95% CI: −0.62 to −0.08, I2 = 0%]. The AT group showed an equivalent effect as drug therapy in reducing OABSS (MD: −0.39, 95% CI: – 1.92 to 1.13, p = 0.61, I2 = 94%) and urinary frequency (MD: 0.74, 95% CI: −0.00 to 1.48, p = 0.05, I2 = 71%) with fewer adverse events [risk ratio (RR): 0.38, 95% CI: 0.16–0.92, p = 0.03, I2 = 58%]. The AT plus drug therapy group had a more favorable effect than drug therapy alone for reducing OABSS (MD: −2.28, 95% CI: −3.25 to −1.31, p < 0.00001, I2 = 84%) and urinary frequency (MD: −2.34, 95% CI: −3.29 to −1.38, p < 0.00001, I2 = 88%). The GRADE assessment demonstrated that the level of evidence was mostly low or very low given the high risk of bias and small sample sizes.

Conclusion

AT had more favorable effects than sham AT in reducing OAB symptoms. AT improved OAB symptoms as effectively as conventional drug therapy, and the combination of AT and drug therapy had more favorable effects than drug therapy alone. However, more rigorous studies are needed to enhance the level of evidence.

Systematic review registration

http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?ID=CRD42014010377, identifier: PROSPERO [CRD42014010377].
Hemodynamic MRI parameters to predict asymptomatic unilateral carotid artery stenosis with random forest machine learning
Authors: Gleißner Carina , Kaczmarz Stephan , Kufer Jan , Schmitzer Lena , Kallmayer Michael , Zimmer Claus , Wiestler Benedikt , Preibisch Christine , Göttler Jens
Published: January 2023

Background

Internal carotid artery stenosis (ICAS) can cause stroke and cognitive decline. Associated hemodynamic impairments, which are most pronounced within individual watershed areas (iWSA) between vascular territories, can be assessed with hemodynamic-oxygenation-sensitive MRI and may help to detect severely affected patients. We aimed to identify the most sensitive parameters and volumes of interest (VOI) to predict high-grade ICAS with random forest machine learning. We hypothesized an increased predictive ability considering iWSAs and a decreased cognitive performance in correctly classified patients.

Materials and methods

Twenty-four patients with asymptomatic, unilateral, high-grade carotid artery stenosis and 24 age-matched healthy controls underwent MRI comprising pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL), breath-holding functional MRI (BH-fMRI), dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC), T2 and T2* mapping, MPRAGE and FLAIR. Quantitative maps of eight perfusion, oxygenation and microvascular parameters were obtained. Mean values of respective parameters within and outside of iWSAs split into gray (GM) and white matter (WM) were calculated for both hemispheres and for interhemispheric differences resulting in 96 features. Random forest classifiers were trained on whole GM/WM VOIs, VOIs considering iWSAs and with additional feature selection, respectively.

Results

The most sensitive features in decreasing order were time-to-peak (TTP), cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral vascular reactivity (CVR), all of these inside of iWSAs. Applying iWSAs combined with feature selection yielded significantly higher receiver operating characteristics areas under the curve (AUC) than whole GM/WM VOIs (AUC: 0.84 vs. 0.90, p = 0.039). Correctly predicted patients presented with worse cognitive performances than frequently misclassified patients (Trail-making-test B: 152.5s vs. 94.4s, p = 0.034).

Conclusion

Random forest classifiers trained on multiparametric MRI data allow identification of the most relevant parameters and VOIs to predict ICAS, which may improve personalized treatments.
Acrolein-inducing ferroptosis contributes to impaired peripheral neurogenesis in zebrafish
Authors: Qi Haozhe , Kan Kejia , Sticht Carsten , Bennewitz Katrin , Li Shu , Qian Xin , Poschet Gernot , Kroll Jens
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with physiological disorders such as delayed wound healing, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Over 50% of diabetic patients will develop DPN, characterized by motor dysfunction and impaired sensory nerve function. In a previous study, we have uncovered acrolein (ACR) as an upstream initiator which induced impaired glucose homeostasis and microvascular alterations in zebrafish. Whether ACR has specific effects on peripheral neurogenesis and mediates DPN, is still waiting for clarification.

Methods

To evaluate the function of ACR in peripheral nerve development, in vivo experiments were performed in Tg(hb9:GFP) zebrafish. In addition, a series of rescue experiments, metabolomics assessment, and bioinformatics analysis was performed aimed at identifying the molecular mechanisms behind ACR’s function and impaired neurogenesis.

Results

Impaired motor neuron development was confirmed in wild-type embryos treated with external ACR. ACR treated embryos displayed ferroptosis and reduction of several amino acids and increased glutathione (GSH). Furthermore, ferroptosis inducer caused similarly suppressed neurogenesis in zebrafish embryos, while anti-ACR treatment or ferroptosis inhibitor could successfully reverse the detrimental phenotypes of ACR on neurogenesis in zebrafish.

Discussion

Our data indicate that ACR could directly activate ferroptosis and impairs peripheral neurogenesis. The data strongly suggest ACR and activated ferroptosis as inducers and promising therapeutic targets for future DPN studies.
Correlation between neural responses and human perception in figure-ground segregation
Authors: Shishikura Motofumi , Tamura Hiroshi , Sakai Ko
Published: January 2023

Segmentation of a natural scene into objects (figures) and background (ground) is one of crucial functions for object recognition and scene understanding. Recent studies have investigated neural mechanisms underlying figure-ground (FG) segregation and reported neural modulation to FG in the intermediate-level visual area, V4, of macaque monkeys (FG neurons). However, whether FG neurons contribute to the perception of FG segregation has not been clarified. To examine the contribution of FG neurons, we examined the correlations between perceptual consistency (PC), which quantified perceptual ambiguity in FG determination, and the reliability of neural signals in response to FG. First, we evaluated PCs for the images that were used in the previous neural recording in V4; specifically, we measured how consistently FG can be determined across trials and participants for each stimulus. The PCs were widely distributed, so that we identified the ambiguity in FG segregation for each stimulus. Next, we analyzed the correlation between the PCs and the reliability of neural modulation to FG. We found that the stimuli with higher PCs evoked more consistent and greater modulation in the responses of single neurons than those with lower PCs. Since perception is expected to show a greater correlation with responses of neural population compared to those of single neurons, we examined the correlation between the PCs and the consistency of the population responses in FG determination. Stimuli with higher PCs evoked higher population consistency than those with lower PCs. Finally, we analyzed the correlation between the PCs and neural latencies in FG modulation. We found that the stimuli with higher PCs showed shorter reaction times in FG perception and evoked shorter modulation latencies in FG neurons. These results indicate that the responses of FG neurons recorded from macaque monkeys show significant correlations with human FG perception, suggesting that V4 neurons with FG-dependent responses contribute to the perception of FG segregation.
Chronic stress is associated with reward and emotion-related eating behaviors in college students
Authors: Tuluhong Muyesaier , Han Pengfei
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Stress is related to altered olfactory perception and eating behaviors. The current study investigated the association between chronic stress, food reward and perception of food and non-food odors among college students.

Methods

Sixty-one participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Brief Daily Stressors Screening Tool (BDSST). The detective threshold and suprathreshold perception (pleasantness, intensity, and familiarity) of two food (chocolate, strawberry) odors and a non-food (rose) odor were measured. Food reward and macronutrient preference were measured using the computerized Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire and the Macronutrient and Taste Preference Ranking task, respectively. Reward-related eating, emotional eating and eating-related inhibitory control were measured by the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) and the Reward-Based Eating Drive Scale (RED) scales.

Results

Neither the perceived stress or the severity of daily life stressor exposure was related to odor sensitivity, however, the PSS score was significantly correlated with pleasantness for strawberry odor (r = 0.329, p = 0.013). Chronic stress (PSS and BDSST scores) was significantly correlated with the DEBQ emotional eating and reward-related eating measured by RED (all ps < 0.01). Moreover, the BDSST score was negatively correlated with subjective liking for low-calorie sweet foods (r = −0.46, p < 0.001).

Discussion

Together, our preliminary results suggest disassociated effect of chronic stress on odor perception and eating behaviors.
Barriers to adherence in time-restricted eating clinical trials: An early preliminary review
Authors: O'Neal Monica A. , Gutierrez Nikko Rigor , Laing Kyla L. , Manoogian Emily N. C. , Panda Satchidananda
Published: January 2023

Time-restricted eating (TRE) has shown potential benefits in optimizing the body's circadian rhythms and improving cardiometabolic health. However, as with all dietary interventions, a participant's ability to adhere to the protocol may be largely influenced by a variety of lifestyle factors. In TRE trials that reported participants' rates of adherence, the percentage of total days with successful adherence to TRE ranged from 47% to 95%. The purpose of this review is to (1) summarize findings of lifestyle factors affecting adherence to TRE clinical trials outside of the lab, and (2) explore a recommended set of behavioral intervention strategies for the application of TRE. A literature search on Pubmed was conducted to identify clinical TRE studies from 1988 to October 5, 2022, that investigated TRE as a dietary intervention. 21 studies included daily self-monitoring of adherence, though only 10 studies reported a combination of family, social, work, and miscellaneous barriers. To maximize participant adherence to TRE and increase the reliability of TRE clinical trials, future studies should monitor adherence, assess potential barriers, and consider incorporating a combination of behavioral intervention strategies in TRE protocols.
Case report: Thyroid carcinoma invading trachea: Multidisciplinary resection and reconstruction assisted by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: He Bo , Zhang Shixin , Ren Lin , Zhou Yi , Chen Qiao , Tang Jinghua , Zhang Yi , Tang Meng , Qiu Yang , Wang Haidong
Published: January 2023

Background

When thyroid cancer invades the trachea, tumor resection and trachea reconstruction are required. Although the traditional way of anesthesia and tracheal intubation can maintain the necessary ventilation function during the operation, tracheal intubation affects the surgical field of vision and is not conducive to the protection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve beside the trachea during the operation.

Case presentation

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used to replace traditional tracheal intubation in the process of resection and end-to-end anastomosis of tracheal tumors, and complete tracheal tumor resection and trachea reconstruction are achieved.

Conclusion

Using ECMO for thyroid carcinoma resection, invaded trachea resection, and trachea reconstruction is safe and effective, which reduces the obstruction of endotracheal intubation on the operative field, guarantees the rapid and efficient end-to-end anastomosis in the upper trachea, and clearly avoids laryngeal recurrent nerve injury in the process of anastomosis.
Outcomes of the advanced visualization in corneal surgery evaluation trial; a non-inferiority randomized control trial to evaluate the use of intraoperative OCT during Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty
Authors: Muijzer Marc B. , Delbeke Heleen , Dickman Mor M. , Nuijts Rudy M.M.A. , Noordmans Herke Jan , Imhof Saskia M. , Wisse Robert P. L.
Published: January 2023

Objective

To evaluate if an intraoperative-OCT (iOCT) optimized surgical protocol without prolonged overpressure is non-inferior to a standard protocol during Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK).

Methods

Sixty-five pseudophakic eyes of 65 patients with Fuchs endothelial dystrophy scheduled for routine DMEK were recruited in this prospective non-inferiority international multicenter randomized control trial. Subjects were randomized to the control arm (n=33) without iOCT-use and raising the intraocular pressure above normal physiological limits for 8 minutes (i.e., overpressure) or the intervention arm (n=32) with OCT-guidance to assess graft orientation and adherence, while refraining from prolonged overpressure. The primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative surgery-related adverse events (AE). The non-inferiority margin was set at a risk difference of 10%. Secondary outcomes included iOCT-aided surgical decision making, surgical times, and endothelial cell density (ECD) corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) at 6 months follow-up.

Results

In the intervention group, 12 subjects developed 13 AEs compared to 13 AEs in 10 subjects in the control group (P=0.644). The risk difference measured -0.32% (95%CI: -10.29 – 9.84). The ECD and CDVA did not differ between the two groups 3 and 6 months postoperatively (P=>0.05). Surgeons reported that iOCT aided surgical decision-making in 40% of cases. Surgery and graft unfolding time were, respectively, 13% and 27% shorter in the iOCT-group.

Conclusions

iOCT-guided DMEK surgery with refraining from prolonged over-pressuring was non-inferior compared to conventional treatment. Surgery times were reduced considerably and iOCT aided surgical decision-making in 40% of cases. Refraining from prolonged overpressure did not affect postoperative ECD or CDVA.

Clinical trial registration

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03763721 (NCT03763721).
Tracheostomy in infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia: A review
Authors: Akangire Gangaram , Manimtim Winston
Published: January 2023

In recent years, with increased survival of infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), long term ventilation due to severe BPD has increased and become the most common indication for tracheostomy in infants less than one year of age. Evidence shows that tracheostomy in severe BPD may improve short- and long-term respiratory and neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, there is significant variation among centers in the indication, timing, intensive care management, and follow-up care after hospital discharge of infants with severe BPD who received tracheostomy for chronic ventilation. The timing of liberation from the ventilator, odds of decannulation, rate of rehospitalization, growth, and neurodevelopment are all clinically important outcomes that can guide both clinicians and parents to make a well-informed decision when choosing tracheostomy and long-term assisted ventilation for infants with severe BPD. This review summarizes the current literature regarding the indications and timing of tracheostomy placement in infants with severe BPD, highlights center variability in both intensive care and outpatient follow-up settings, and describes outcomes of infants with severe BPD who received tracheostomy.
Invertebrates and herptiles for livelihoods—ethnozoological use among different ethnic communities in Jammu and Kashmir (Indian Himalayas)
Authors: Hassan Musheerul , Haq Shiekh Marifatul , Amjad Muhammad Shoaib , Ahmad Riyaz , Bussmann Rainer W. , Pérez de la Lastra José Manuel
Published: January 2023

Background: Ethnic communities have relied on animals and their derived products for ages, and their use is often intricately related to many cultural features. In remote regions across the globe, indigenous peoples have been using invertebrates and herptiles for a variety of purposes (medicine, food, culture, and spiritual importance); however, related scientific research is sparse, particularly in the western Himalayas. In this respect, we collected useful information on invertebrates and herpetofauna from Jammu and Kashmir, India, across different ethnic groups, i.e., Gujjar, Bakarwal, Dogra, Kashmiri, and Pahari.

Methodology: The data were gathered using semi-structured interviews followed by group discussions. The information gathered was analyzed using ordination techniques (principal component analysis). The Venn diagram was used to investigate cross-cultural similarities and differences between ethnic groups.

Results: We documented 30 species belonging to five classes and 20 families used for different ethnozoological practices (medicinal, magico-religious, food, costume, omen, poultry, and agricultural purposes). The use of fauna resources varied across ethnic groups, and cross-cultural examination revealed that Kashmiri and Pahari populations were more similar in their species utilization. The maximum number of species (27%) was uniquely used by Kashmiri, followed by Pahari (17%), and the least by Dogra and Gujjar (3% each). The ethnozoological use of all documented species is unprecedented. In addition to ethnozoological usage, various documented species (Apis cerana, Apis mellifera, Hirudinaria granulosa, and Bombyx mori) were also important for the local population’s livelihoods.

Conclusion: Our findings can be considered the baseline for understanding the relationship of invertebrates and herptiles with specific ethnic groups and will aid in the development of future research projects that can assess the interaction between local fauna and the diverse ethnic groups.
Advancing evidence-based treatment of infectious diseases in children with real-world data: Opportunities and challenges
Authors: Radtke Kendra K. , Butte Atul J.
Published: January 2023

There is an increased interest in utilizing real-world data (RWD) for pharmaceutical research and regulatory decision-making. The development and use of pediatric medicines could benefit greatly from real-world data studies given nearly half of drugs prescribed to children are “off-label”, meaning there is a lack of pediatric-specific evidence from controlled trials, while there is an abundance of data from routine clinical practice. Currently, the use of real-world data, such as data from electronic health records, is lacking in pediatric research, especially within infectious diseases. Here, we discuss opportunities and challenges for real-world data to generate evidence on the optimal treatment and management of infectious diseases in children.
AGREE II for TCM: Tailored to evaluate methodological quality of TCM clinical practice guidelines
Authors: Xie Xiuli , Wang Yangyang , Li Hui
Published: January 2023

Background: The Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument has been widely used in the methodological quality assessment of clinical practice guidelines (CPG). Chinese medicine CPGs have unique characteristics which distinguish them from those of Western medicine, e.g. syndrome differentiation, on which treatments are based. As such, certain domains and items in AGREE II are unsuitable for assessing TCM CPGs. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust and supplement the description and rating section of some items of the AGREE Ⅱinstrument.

Purpose: To adjust and expand AGREE II according to characteristics of TCM clinical practice guidelines.

Methods: A research working group was established, consisting of a core working group and an expert consensus group, before a systematic literature search performed to screen for TCM guidelines. Two researchers evaluated the quality of the included guidelines using AGREE Ⅱ and later proposed adjustments to some items of AGREE Ⅱ and supplementary comments, which were applicable to TCM CPGs, and drafted an initial version of AGREE Ⅱ for TCM. Suggestions from literature on development and evaluation of TCM CPGs were solicited and integrated into the revised version, which 16 experts were then invited to advise on. When the experts reached a consensus, their comments to the draft were adopted by the core group into the final version.

Results: After evaluating the included TCM guidelines, the two researchers offered adjustments and supplementary comments for AGREE Ⅱ Items 1, 7, 10, 11, 12, 15, and 18, and drafted an initial version of AGREE Ⅱ for TCM. Combining suggestions from the literature on development and quality evaluation of TCM clinical guidelines, the core working group modified AGREE Ⅱ items 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 13, 20, and 21, then proposed the revised version of AGREE Ⅱ for TCM, on which was advised by a group of experts, before consensus on improvements was reached. The results of the first round of expert surveys showed strong agreement, and experts’ opinions were adopted into the final version of AGREE Ⅱ for TCM.

Conclusion: Based on the characteristics of the TCM CPGs, we adjustment and expansion were made to create AGREE II for TCM. This version is suitable for the assessment of methodological quality of TCM CPGs, capable of providing content support for the standardization of procedures and methods of formulating TCM CPGs.