bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Relationship Between the Amount of Breastfeeding and Late-onset Sepsis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants Within 4 Weeks After Birth
Authors: Xiong Xiaoyun , Wang Huiyan , Chen Xueyu , Yang Chuanzhong , Chen Lilian , Lin Bingchun , Chen Chun
Published: February 2022

Objective: To assess the relationship between the amount of breastfeeding and late-onset sepsis in very low birth weight infants within 4 weeks after birth.Study Design: In this retrospective study, we analyzed the effect of the breastfeeding ratio of 305 very-low-birth-weight infants on late onset sepsis.Results: The incidence of late-onset sepsis in the high-breastfeeding group, low-breastfeeding group, and the formula-fed group was 0.49% (1/203), 7.41% (6/81), and 4.76% (1/21), respectively (P < 0.05). Single-factor logistic regression analysis showed that, in the low-breastfeeding group, the risk of late-onset sepsis higher than that in the high-breastfeeding group, with an OR value of 16.16 (95% CI: 1.91, 136.47) (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis also confirmed that, compared with the high-breastfeeding group, the low-breastfeeding group had an increased risk of late-onset sepsis, with an OR value of 18.86 (95% CI: 1.91, 136.47) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The breastfeeding amount of very-low-birth-weight newborns accounting for more than 60% of the total feeding amount within four weeks after birth may reduce the risk of late-onset sepsis.
Pro-MAP: A Robust Pipeline for the Pre-processing of Single Channel Protein Microarray Data
Authors: Mowoe Metoboroghene Oluwaseyi , Garnett Shaun , Lennard Katherine , Talbot Jade , Townsend Paul , Jonas Eduard , Blackburn Jonathan Michael
Published: February 2022

Background: The central role of proteins in diseases has made them increasingly attractive as therapeutic targets and indicators of cellular processes. Protein microarrays are emerging as an important means of characterising protein activity. Their accurate downstream analysis to produce biologically significant conclusions is largely dependent on proper pre-processing of extracted signal intensities. However, existing computational tools are not specifically tailored to the nature of these data and lack unanimity. Results: Here, we present the single-channel Protein Microarray Analysis Pipeline (Pro-MAP), a tailored computational tool for analysis of single-channel protein microarrays enabling biomarker identification, implemented in R, and as an interactive web application. We compared four existing background correction and normalization methods as well as three array filtering techniques, applied to four real datasets with two microarray designs, extracted using two software programs. The normexp, cyclic loess, and array weighting methods were most effective for background correction, normalization, and filtering respectively.Conclusions: Thus, here we provided a versatile and effective pre-processing and differential analysis workflow for single-channel protein microarray data in form of an R script and web application for those not well versed in the R programming language.
Probiotics are a good choice for the treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trial
Authors: Chen Rongdan , Li Rong , Qing Wei , Zhang Yingxuan , Zhou Zuyi , Hou Yi , Shi Yiya , Zhou Hongwei , Chen Muxuan
Published: February 2022

Background: Bacterial vaginosis is one of the most common vaginal infectious diseases in female reproductive period. Although the existing view is that probiotic treatment may be one of the feasible methods for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, different intervention methods lead to different treatment results. Therefore, up-to-date and comprehensive evidence in this regard is essential for the development of intervention strategies.Objective: This meta-analysis aims to systematically evaluate the role of probiotics in the treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) in adult women. Methods: We searched the databases of Embase, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science and ClinicalTrials.gov for Randomized Controlled Trials published until November 7, 2021.Meta-analysis was performed by Revman5.3 software to systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of probiotics adjunctive therapy in the treatment of BV. The literatures were screened and evaluated according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Chi-square test was used to test the heterogeneity between trials. Random or Fixed effect models were used to analyze the cure rate of BV. Results: Fourteen randomized controlled trials compared the efficacy of probiotics with antibiotic therapy (probiotics + antibiotics group) versus antibiotics alone or plus placebo (antibiotics (+placebo) group) for BV [RR = 1.23, 95% CI (1.05, 1.43), P = 0.009]. Three compared the efficacy of probiotics regimen (probiotics group) and antibiotics (antibiotics group) in the treatment of BV [RR = 1.12, 95% CI (0.60, 2.07), P =0.72]. Another Three compared the efficacy of probiotics regimen (probiotics group) with placebo (placebo group) [risk ratios (RR) = 15.20, 95% CI (3.87, 59.64), P < 0.0001]. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis suggests probiotics may play a positive role in the treatment of BV, but more strong evidence is needed.
A Clinical Differential Study on Symptomatic Lacunar Infarction between Smoking and Non-smoking Male Patients
Authors: Diao Sheng-Peng , Peng Zhong-Xing , Liu Ai-Qun , Zhou Zhi-Hua , YU Qing-Yun , Hong Ming-Fan
Published: February 2022

Objective: Lacunar infarction（LI） has a high prevalence and recurrence rates. Smoking is a risk factor for stroke and has a large population. At present, there are no studies on the clinical differences of symptomatic LI between patients with smoking and non-smoking. This study aimed to reveal the relationship between smoking and LI and help the treatment and primary and secondary prevention of LI. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of symptomatic LI in male patients. These patients were divided into the smoking group (SG) and non-smoking group (NSG). The variables with P<0.1 in univariate analysis were used as correction factors in multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: We enrolled 202 smoking and 162 non-smoking male patients with symptomatic LI. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the differences of SG age of onset<65Y（OR 2.461, 95%CI 1.524～3.973, P<0.001）, hyperlipidemia (OR 0.543, 95% CI0.332-0.887, P<0.05), drinking rate(OR 1.865, 95%CI 1.153-3.017, P<0.05), leukoaraiosis (OR 0.503, 95%CI 0.27-0.939, P<0.05), asymptomatic cerebral infarction (OR 0.484, 95% CI 0.276-0.846, P<0.05) and recurrence rate within 3 months of stroke (OR 2.792, 95% CI 1.014-7.691, P<0.05) were statistically significant. Conclusions: Smoking could lead to the onset age of symptomatic LI male patients significantly earlier, the prevalence of hyperlipidemia increased, accompanied by a higher drinking rate, with a higher incidence of leukoaraiosis and asymptomatic cerebral infarction. Smoking is a significant risk factor for LI. This study suggests that quitting smoking plays a vital role in the treatment and the primary and secondary prevention of LI.
Evaluation of the first two Frontline cohorts of the Field Epidemiology Training Program in Guinea, West Africa
Authors: MacDonald Pia D. M. , Collins Doreen , Diallo Boubacar Ibrahima , Bah Mariama Boubacar , Bah Marlyatou , Standley Claire J. , Corvil Salomon , Martel Lise D.
Published: February 2022

BackgroundThe 2014-2016 Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa revealed weaknesses in the health systems of the three most heavily affected countries, including a shortage of public health professionals at the local level trained in surveillance and outbreak investigation. In response, the Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) was created by CDC in 2015 as a three-month, accelerated training program in field epidemiology that specifically targets the district level. In Guinea, the first two FETP-Frontline cohorts were held from January to May, and from June to September 2017. Here, we report the results of a cross-sectional evaluation of these first two cohorts of FETP-Frontline in Guinea.MethodsThe evaluation was conducted in April 2018 and consisted of interviews with graduates, their supervisors, and directors of nearby health facilities, as well as direct observation of data reports and surveillance tools at health facilities. Interviews and site visits were conducted using standardized questionnaires and checklists. Qualitative data were coded under common themes and analyzed using descriptive statistics.ResultsThe evaluation revealed a significant perception of improvement in all assessed skills by the graduates, as well as high levels of self-reported involvement in key activities related to data collection, analysis, and reporting. Supervisors highlighted improvements to systematic and quality case and summary reporting as key benefits of the FETP-Frontline program. At the health facility level, staff reported the training had resulted in improvements to information sharing and case notifications. Reported barriers included lack of transportation, available support personnel, and other resources. Graduates and supervisors both emphasized the importance of continued and additional training to solidify and retain skills. ConclusionsThe evaluation demonstrated a strongly positive perceived benefit of the FETP-Frontline training on the professional activities of graduates as well as the overall surveillance system. However, efforts are needed to ensure greater gender equity and to recruit more junior trainee candidates for future cohorts. Moreover, although improvements to the surveillance system were observed concurrent with the completion of the two cohorts, the evaluation was not designed to directly measure impact on surveillance or response functions. Combined with the rapid implementation of FETP-Frontline around the world, this suggests an opportunity to develop standardized evaluation toolkits, which could incorporate metrics that would directly assess the impact of equitable field epidemiology workforce development on countries’ abilities to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats.
Identification of conditions associated with gene expression variation using GENEVA
Authors: Hu Zicheng , Kaur Navchetan
Published: February 2022

Motivation: While the normal expression patterns of human genes have been well characterized, how the expression varies under different conditions, such as diseases, drug treatments, and genetic perturbations, is not fully understood. Information related to gene expression variation is critical for understanding the regulation of human genes and identifying approaches for targeting disease-related genes. Results: We previously developed a method named GENEVA to mine a massive amount of RNA-sequencing data to identify previously studied conditions associated with the expression variation of ACE2. Here, we provide an introduction to GENEVA and its web application. We demonstrate that GENEVA can be used to study the expression of previously understudied genes. Availability: GENEVA is implemented as a web application and is available at https://genevatool.org/
Effects of Manipulations of Oblique Pulling on the Biomechanics of the Sacroiliac Joint: A Cadaver Study
Authors: Xu Zhun , Huang Zhiping , Zhang Zhaocong , Feng Ziyu , Yan Yiguo , Zhu Qingan , Li Yikai
Published: February 2022

At present, there are many clinical reports on the treatment of sacroiliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction by manipulation of oblique-pulling (MOP). However, the specific mechanism of MOP on the SIJ remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of MOP on the biomechanics of SIJ and the effect of the anterior sacroiliac ligament (ASL) on the stability of sacroiliac joint. Firstly, nine cadaveric pelvises were applied by MOP-F1 and MOP-F2. Then, segmental ASL resection and SIJ fixation were performed. The range of motion of SIJ were observed in all procedures. Under MOP-F1 and F2, the average total angles were 0.84° and 1.52°, and the displacements were 0.61 mm and 0.98 mm, respectively. Compared with MOP-F1, MOP-F2 caused greater obviously rotation angles and displacements of SIJ. In addition, SIJ mobility significantly increased after complete resection of ASL. The increase was mainly due to the transection of the upper part of ASL. Conclusively, MOP-F2 caused greater rotation angles and displacements of SIJ and it was a more effective manipulation. The ASL played an important role in maintaining the stability of the SIJ, and the upper part of ASL contributed more to the stability.
Cell Type-specific Study to Unveil the Relation Between DLBCL and GBM Through Blood-Brain-Barrier Disruption
Authors: DEY ASHMITA , Maulik Ujjwal
Published: February 2022

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma is an aggressive and fast-growing form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. DLBCL becomes fatal if it is not treated in the early stage. Despite its aggressive nature, ~50-70\% patients respond successfully, whereas ~30-40\% patients have an inadequate response to the currently available therapies. DLBCL spread to the brain through spinal fluid. It is becoming a rapid emergency to detect the cell-specific changes of DLBCL metastasis that leads to central nervous system (CNS) disorder. As per our knowledge, the cell-specific studies of genes of DLBCL involved in CNS disorder are still limited. To bridge this gap, we proposed a novel analysis. Firstly, we have identified DLBCL cell-specific gene clusters and considered genes along with their associated pathways that have an impact on blood-brain-barrier disruption. In the second stage, we tried to establish the relation between Diffuse large B cell lymphoma and glioblastoma based on cell-specific pathways. Interestingly it has been observed that high semantic-valued pathways are the prime regulators of GBM. Finally, this study reveals how cell types are responsible for the pathway shifts and also provides a cell-specific channel of triggering the progression of GBM among DLBCL patients.
Trajectories of Health-Related Quality of Life In Patients With Advanced Cancer During The Last Year of Life: Findings From The COMPASS Study
Authors: Lee Jonathan , Shafiq Mahham , Malhotra Rahul , Ozdemir Semra , Teo Irene , Malhotra Chetna
Published: February 2022

Background: Patients with advanced cancer prioritise health-related quality of life (HrQoL) in end-of-life care, however an understanding of pre-death HrQoL trajectories is lacking. We aimed to delineate and describe the trajectories of physical, social, emotional and functional HrQoL during last year of life among advanced cancer patients. We assessed associations between these trajectories and patient socio-demographic characteristics, healthcare use and place of death.Methods: We used data from 345 decedents from a prospective cohort study of 600 patients with a solid advanced cancer receiving secondary care at public hospitals in Singapore. Patients were surveyed every three months until death and HrQoL was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – General (FACT-G) questionnaire. Interviews were conducted between July 2016 and December 2019. Group-based multi-trajectory modelling was used to assess potential heterogeneity in the four HrQoL dimensions during patients’ last year of life.Results: We identified four distinct trajectories of HrQoL - (1) overall high HrQoL (47% of sample), (2) progressively decreasing HrQoL (32%), (3) asymmetric decline in HrQoL (13%), (4) overall low HrQoL (8%). Compared to patients with secondary or above education, those with primary education or less (β=1.39, SE=0.55, p-value=0.012) were more likely to have “progressively decreasing HrQoL” or “overall low HrQoL” in contrast to “overall high HrQoL”. Compared to patients with ‘overall high HrQoL’, those with ‘overall low HrQoL’ had longer length of hospital stay during the last year of life (β=0.47, SE=0.21, p-value=0.026) and were more likely to die in a hospice/care home (β=1.86, SE=0.66, p-value=0.005). Conclusion: Our results showed heterogeneity in deterioration of HrQoL among patients with advanced cancer in the last year of life. Systematic monitoring of HrQoL, early identification and referral of high-risk patients to palliative care may provide timely relief and mitigate the steep decline in their HrQoL.Trial Registration: NCT02850640
Screening of a High-yield Strain of Avermectin B1a by Colony Analysis In situ
Authors: Gou Zhongxuan , Li Junhua , He Feng , Bamao Zhaxi , Li Zixuan , Xu Tingyu
Published: February 2022

Avermectin, an agricultural antibiotic, is widely used as an agricultural insecticide and an important lead compound of antibiotics. It is manufactured by Streptomyces avermitilis through fermentation. Manufacturers pay special attention to screening for strains with high fermentation capacity based on morphological properties of the colony and by the result of shake flask fermentation. These traditional screening methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive and require specialized equipment. Moreover, evaluation of colony appearance is highly subjective. To improve and accelerate the screening process, we developed a rapid in situ screening method. Forty-four strains isolated naturally from the spores of industrial high-yielding strains were studied. The data show that the colony fermentation titer is highly correlated with the yield from the shake flask fermentation of avermectin, and the Pearson R is 0.990. The total titer of avermectins by shake flask fermentation is also highly correlated with the B1a titer (Pearson R is 0.994). This result also shows that strains can be quickly screened by analyzing the colony titer. Pigment rings of the colonies that appeared after growing and maturing on the new medium plate were analyzed. The chosen colonies were directly marked and punched and then extracted with methanol. The fermentation ability can be evaluated by measuring the absorbance at 245 nm. This methodology can be applied in both natural breeding and mutation breeding conditions. By continuously breeding from 2008 to 2020, the flask titer of avermectin B1a increased from 4582±483 µg/mL to 9197 ± 1134 µg/mL.
Identification and Validation of a Novel Immune-related Five-lncRNA Signature for Osteosarcoma
Authors: Huo Tianqun , Li Jun , Liu Baofang , Zhai Yu , Wu Xingbiao , Fu Zhiguo , Tao Hongming , Zhao Hong
Published: February 2022

Background: Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common malignant tumor in primary bone cancer. It often occurs in children or adolescents. It has the characteristics of strong invasiveness, early blood metastasis, and poor prognosis. Recent studies have shown that the tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune-related lncRNAs (IR-lncRNAs) play an important role in tumor prognosis. Therefore, exploring prognostic biomarkers that reflect the bioheterogeneity of OS can provide better interventions for patients.Methods: The gene expression data and corresponding clinical data of OS patients were downloaded from the GEO (n=102) and TARGET (n=101) databases. We applied single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) to the transcriptomes of these samples, generating the three immune subgroups. The ESTIMATE algorithm, CIBERSORT, and Kaplan–Meier analysis were used to explore the TME and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) among the 3 immune subgroups. The immune gene set in the ImmPort database was used to screen out immune-related mRNAs (IR-mRNAs) in the two databases, and IR-lncRNAs were selected through coexpression with IR-mRNAs. Based on these groupings, we identified differentially expressed immune-related lncRNAs (IRD-lncRNAs) between the high- and low-immune subgroups. Then, an IRD-lncRNA prognostic signature was established by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression.Results: We found that as the immune status of the immune subgroups increased, the prognosis significantly improved (P<0.05). Moreover, the stromal, immune, and ESTIMATE scores increased, while tumor purity decreased (P<0.01). The TIIC results showed that CD8+ T cells had a positive correlation with the prognosis of OS (P<0.01). After using the ImmPort database and coexpression analysis, we screened 3767 IR-lncRNAs and identified 117 IRD-lncRNAs between the immune-H and immune-L subgroups. Finally, we identified five IRD-lncRNAs as a prognostic signature for OS. Kaplan–Meier, ROC curve and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses further confirmed that the prognostic signature was an innovative and significant independent prognostic factor.Conclusion: The study results may help clarify the impact of the TME on OS and provide a method to predict the prognosis of OS patients using the five-IR-lncRNA signature as a potential biomarker.
Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of some Nigerian Accessions of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc) using DArT SNP Markers
Authors: OSUNDARE OPEYEMI TUNDE , Akinyele Benjamin O. , Odiyi Alexander C. , Paliwal Rajneesh , Oyatomi Olaniyi A. , Abberton Michael T.
Published: February 2022

Bambara groundnut is one of the crops with inadequate molecular research to show its full potentials. Previous studies showed morphological diversity with inadequate information to confirm genetic variations. In the quest to reveal the genetic potentials, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the selected accessions were extracted through leaf samples at 3 weeks old, using Dellaporta Miniprep for Plant DNA Isolation procedure. The high quality DNA was sequenced using Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT) markers to unlock diversity among Bambara groundnut of Nigerian origin. Cluster analysis (neighbor-joining clustering) of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP’s) were used to generate sub-population to show relatedness and differences. Seven sub-populations were generated with 5,927 (50.13 %) high quality DArT markers out of the 11, 821 SNPs generated. This revealed high genetic diversity existed among the selected Bambara groundnut accessions in Nigeria. This also revealed that DArT markers were highly efficient in classifying the accessions based on molecular expressions. This study also identified markers responsible for genetic variation that could facilitate the characterization of larger collections for further utilization of genetic resources and most importantly Bambara groundnut for the purpose of crop improvement.
PRMT5-Mediated RNF4 Methylation Promotes Therapeutic Resistance of APL Cells to As2O3 by Stabilizing Oncoprotein PML-RARα
Authors: Huang Xinping , Yang Yongfeng , Zhu Dan , Zhao Yan , Wei Min , Li Ke , Zhu Hong-hu , Zheng xiaofeng
Published: February 2022

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a hematological malignancy driven by the oncoprotein PML-RARα, which can be treated effectively with arsenic trioxide (As2O3) or/and all-trans retinoic acid. The protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) is involved in tumorigenesis. However, little is known about the biological function and therapeutic potential of PRMT5 in APL. Here we show that PRMT5 is highly expressed in APL patients. PRMT5 promotes APL by interacting with PML-RARα and suppressing its ubiquitination and degradation. Mechanistically, PRMT5 attenuates the interaction between PML-RARα and its ubiquitin E3 ligase RNF4 by methylating RNF4 at Arg164. Notably, As2O3 treatment triggers the dissociation of PRMT5 from PML nuclear bodies, attenuating RNF4 methylation and promoting RNF4-mediated PML-RARα ubiquitination and degradation. Moreover, knockdown of PRMT5 and pharmacological inhibition of PRMT5 with the specific inhibitor EPZ015666 significantly inhibit APL cells growth. Combination of EPZ015666 with As2O3 shows synergistic effects on As2O3-induced differentiation of bone marrow (BM) cells from APL mice, as well as on apoptosis and differentiation in primary APL cells from APL patients. These findings provide mechanistic insight into the function of PRMT5 in APL pathogenesis and demonstrate that inhibition of PRMT5 or in combination with As2O3 might be a promising therapeutic strategy against APL.
Cyclophilin A associates with and regulates the activity of ZAP70 in TCR/CD3 stimulated T cells
Authors: Anto Nikhil Ponnoor , Arya Awadhesh Kumar , Muraleedharan Amitha , Shaik Jakeer , Nath Pulak Ranjan , Livneh Etta , Sun Zuoming , Braiman Alex , Isakov Noah
Published: February 2022

The ZAP70 protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) couples stimulated T cell antigen receptors (TCRs) to their downstream signal transduction pathways and is sine qua non for T cell activation and differentiation. TCR engagement leads to activation-induced post-translational modifications of the ZAP70 protein tyrosine kinase, predominantly by kinases, which modulate its conformation, leading to activation of its catalytic domain. Here we demonstrate that ZAP70 in activated T cells is regulated by the cyclophilin A (CypA) peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase), and that this regulation is blocked by the CypA inhibitor, cyclosporin A (CsA). We found that TCR crosslinking promoted the rapid and transient formation of cyclophilin A (CypA)-ZAP70 complexes, which were dependent on Lck-mediated phosphorylation of ZAP70. Cyclosporin A (CsA) inhibited CypA binding to ZAP70 and prevented CypA-ZAP70 colocalization at the cell membrane. In addition, fluorescent cell staining and imaging analyses revealed that TCR/CD3 triggering led to the association of the ZAP70-bound CypA with the TCR/CD3 complex within the immunological synapse. Enzymatically active CypA downregulated the catalytic activity of ZAP70 in vitro, an effect that was reversed by CsA and confirmed in vivo by FRET-based studies. We suggest that CypA plays a role in determining the conformational regulation and activity of ZAP70 in TCR-engaged T cells and impact on T cell activation by intervening with the activity of multiple downstream effector molecules.
Development of Risk Prediction Nomogram for Sarcopenia in Patients Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis
Authors: Cai Genlian , Ying Jinping , Pan Mengyan , lang Xiabing , Yu Weiping , Zhang Qinqin
Published: February 2022

Background

Sarcopenia is a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder characterized by accelerated loss of muscle mass and function that is more commonly observed in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis compared to the general population. This study aimed to explore a simple nomogram to evaluate the risk of developing sarcopenia.
Methods

From March to June 2021, 615 patients on maintenance hemodialysis were identified at the First Affiliated Hospital College of Medicine Zhejiang University and randomly divided into development cohorts (n=369) and validation cohorts (n=246) in a 6:4 ratio. Multi-factor logistic regression analysis was used to screen out statistically significant variables to construct risk prediction models. The line plots were drawn to evaluate the effectiveness of the predictive models from three aspects: differentiation, calibration, and clinical net benefit, and were further tested by Bootstrap method.
Results

Our study indicated that 16.6% patients enrolled in our study were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Serum creatinine, serum albumin, C-reactive protein, serum phosphorus, body mass index, and upper arm muscle circumference were identified as independent risk factors for the development of sarcopenia in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. The area under the ROC curve of the line chart model was 0.88 with 90% sensitivity and 75% specificity. The Yoden index was 0.64, and the internal verification C-statistic was 0.864.
Conclusions

Our study not only proved that sarcopenia was commonly observed in patients on maintenance hemodialysis but also established a prediction nomogram to evaluate the risk for developing sarcopenia in such patients.
A High-Quality Chromosome-Level Assembly Genome Provides Insights into Wing Dimorphism and Xenobiotic Detoxification in Metopolophium Dirhodum (Walker)
Authors: Zhu Bin , Wei Rui , Hua Wenjuan , Li Lu , Zhang Wenlin , Liang Pei , Gao Xiwu
Published: February 2022

The rose-grain aphid, Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is one of the most important aphid pests of cereals worldwide. Some studies have examined the biological and ecological characteristics of M. dirhodum. However, the lack of genomic data limits in-depth studies for this organism. Here, we presented a chromosome-level genome assembly of M. dirhodum using PacBio long HiFi reads and Hi-C technology. The final genome assembly is 447.8 Mb, with 98.50% of the assembled sequences anchored into nine chromosomes. The contig and scaffold N50 values are 7.82 Mb and 37.54 Mb, respectively. 18,003 protein-coding genes were predicted, of which 92.05% were functionally annotated. Transcriptome sequencing was performed between wingless and winged M. dirhodum, and ecdysone signaling is identified to be involved in wing dimorphism. High titers of ecdysone may promote the expression of E74A, BR-C and FTZ-F1 through ECR, and then induce more wingless individuals. Many detoxification enzyme genes showed different expression patterns between wingless and winged M. dirhodum, indicating the wing dimorphism is accompanied by a parallel change of detoxification mechanism. These results may provide an important reference for understanding the evolution, wing dimorphism and detoxification metabolic of this organism or even other Aphid insects.
Predicting mechanical complications after adult spinal deformity surgery using a machine learning approach
Authors: Kim Kyung Hyun , Noh Sung Hyun , Lee Hye Sun , Park Go Eun , Ha Yoon , Park Jeong Yoon , Kuh Sung Uk , Chin Dong Kyu , Kim Keun Su , Cho Yong Eun , Kim Sang Hyun
Published: February 2022

Several methods have been developed to prevent mechanical complications after adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery, but mechanical complications remain frequent in ASD surgery. A modified Global Alignment and Proportion (GAP) scoring system in addition to body mass index (BMI) and bone mineral density (BMD; the GAPB system), was developed to predict mechanical complications after ASD surgery. This study aimed to create an ideal machine learning model to predict mechanical complications in ASD surgery based on GAPB factors. Between January 2009 and December 2018, 238 consecutive patients with ASD, who received at least four-level fusions and were followed-up for ≥2 years, were included in the study. Data collection included demographic and radiological examinations. The data were stratified into training (n=167, 70%) and test (n=71, 30%) sets and input to machine learning algorithms, including logistic regression, random forest gradient boosting system, and deep neural network. The patients’ average age and follow-up period were 67.1±6.17 years and 28.54±4.25 months, respectively. BMI, BMD, the relative pelvic version score, the relative lumbar lordosis score, and the relative sagittal alignment score of the GAP score were significantly different in the training and test sets (p<0.05) between the complication and no complication groups. In the training set, the AUCs for logistic regression, gradient boosting, random forest, and deep neural network were 0.871 (0.817–0.925), 0.942 (0.911–0.974), 1.000 (1.000–1.000), and 0.947 (0.915–0.980), respectively, and the accuracies were 0.784 (0.722–0.847), 0.868 (0.817–0.920), 1.000 (1.000–1.000), and 0.856 (0.803–0.909), respectively. In the test set, the AUCs were 0.785 (0.678–0.893), 0.808 (0.702–0.914), 0.810 (0.710–0.910), and 0.730 (0.610–0.850), respectively, and the accuracies were 0.732 (0.629–0.835), 0.718 (0.614–0.823), 0.732 (0.629–0.835), and 0.620 (0.507–0.733), respectively. The random forest achieved the best predictive performance on the training and test dataset. This study created a comprehensive model to predict mechanical complications after ASD surgery, and the random forest showed the best predictive ability. This information can be used to prevent mechanical complications during ASD surgery.
Cutting-state identification of machine tools based on improved Dempster-Shafer evidence theory
Authors: Sun Yingqiang , Xu Bo
Published: February 2022

The reliability of machine tools is highly influenced by the cutting-state. The traditional recognition method of cutting-state is emphasis on a single classifier, which has the weakness of low identification accuracy and strong randomness. This paper proposes a cutting-state identification method based on improved Dempster-Shafer (DS) evidence theory. This method is divided into multi-classifier preliminary-diagnosis layer and improved DS information-fusion layer. The wavelet packet analysis method is extracted as the input of multi-classifier (Back Propagation (BP) neural network, genetic algorithm Genetic Algorithm (GA) optimized BP neural network and thinking evolution (Mind Evolutionary Algorithms) MEA optimized BP neural network). After the preliminary judgment, the improved DS information-fusion method is integrated as the final judgment, and finally the effectiveness and feasibility of the method are verified.
Multi-nozzle electrospray method for high-throughput uniform superhydrophobic coating
Authors: Kwon Kye-Si , Mosa Md. Abu , Kim Se Hyun
Published: February 2022

Electrospray is an effective method to fabricate functional layers on substrates. With electrospray, uniform and fine droplets can be created and attracted to the substrate without being blown away using the electric field formed by the nozzle and the substrate. The uniformity of coated layer is seldom affected by the fluid drying process (such as Marangoni flow on substrates) since the size of droplets could reach micron level and the solvents in the droplets could evaporate quickly. That is why the electrospray process is often referred to as ‘dry deposition’. However, when a multi-nozzle electrospray system is considered for a faster fabrication process of large substrates, the drying process could be completely different from that of a single nozzle system. In addition, crosstalk and non-uniform spray volume from each nozzle could be an additional issue to be addressed. In this study, we proposed a multi-nozzle electrospray system and process to average out the non-uniformity of the spray amount and obtain the uniformity of the layer through a fast-drying process. Finally, we demonstrated the effectiveness of our proposed methods by fabricating superhydrophobic layers on a highly insulating substrate.
The Add-on Effects of Danhong Injection Among Patients With Ischemic Stroke Receiving Western Medicines: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Ma Yu , Deng Ke , Liu Jiali , Ma Bin , Mei Fan , Hui Wen , Luo Xiaochao , Yao Minghong , Liu Yanmei , Qin Xuan , Zhou Xu , Zou Kang , Li Ling , Sun Xin
Published: February 2022

Background: Danhong injection is widely used for treating ischemic stroke in China. However, its effects on ischemic stroke patients when adding to western medicines (i.e., the add-on effect) were not well established.Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and three Chinese databases from inception to 20 July 2020 to identify randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that assessed the effects of Danhong injection as an add-on therapy in patients with ischemic stroke. Pairs of trained reviewers independently screened for eligible studies, assessed risk of bias, and extracted data. The outcomes were National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale Score (NIHSS), Barthel index, activities of daily living (ADL), total cholesterol and homocysteine (Hcy).Results: 67 RCTs of 6594 patients with varying risk of bias were included. Compared with western medicine alone, the addition of Danhong injection to western medicine significantly lowered NIHSS score (45 RCTs with 4565 patients; MD -4.21, 95% CI -4.96～-3.46), total cholesterol (10 trials with 1019 patients; MD -1.14 mmol/L, 95% CI -1.57～-0.72) and Hcy (4 trials with 392 patients; MD -3.54 μmol/L, 95% CI -4.38～-2.07). The addition of Danhong also increased Barthel index (14 trials with 1270 patients; MD 8.71, 95% CI 3.68～13.74) and ADL (12 trials with 1114 patients; MD 14.48, 95% CI 9.04～19.92) scores. Subgroup analyses showed differential effects in average cerebral blood flow rate by mean age of patients (<60 years: MD 0.74 cm/s, 95% CI 0.29～1.19; ≥60 years: MD 4.09 cm/s, 95% CI 2.02～6.16; interaction P=0.002) and NIHSS score by type of baseline western medicines (interaction P<0.00001). Conclusions: The addition of Danhong injection to western medicine may improve neurological function, self-care ability and blood lipids of ischemic stroke patients. Furthermore, patients with different age and receiving different baseline western medicines may have different benefits in hemodynamic status and neurological function, respectively.
Associations Between Maternal Awakening Salivary Cortisol Levels in Mid-Pregnancy and Adverse Birth Outcomes
Authors: Vlenterie Richelle , Prins Judith B. , Roeleveld Nel , Gelder Marleen van
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Elevated levels of maternal cortisol have been hypothesized as the intermediate process between symptoms of depression and psychosocial stress during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes. Therefore, we examined associations between cortisol levels in the second trimester of pregnancy and risks of three common birth outcomes in a nested case-control study.
Methods

This study was embedded in the PRIDE Study (n=3,019), from which we selected all cases with preterm birth (n=64), low birth weight (n=49), and small-for-gestational age (SGA; n=65), and 260 randomly selected controls, among the participants who provided a single awakening saliva sample in approximately gestational week 19 in 2012-2016. Multivariable linear and logistic regression was performed to assess the associations between continuous and categorized cortisol levels and the selected outcomes.
Results

We did not observe any associations between maternal cortisol levels and preterm birth and low birth weight. However, high cortisol levels (≥90th percentile) seemed to be associated with SGA (adjusted odds ratio 2.1, 95% confidence interval 0.9-4.8), in particular among girls (adjusted odds ratio 3.7, 95% confidence interval 1.1-11.9, based on 8 exposed cases) in an exploratory analysis.
Conclusion

The results of this study showed no suggestions of associations between maternal awakening cortisol levels in mid-pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes, except for an increased risk of SGA.
Retinoschisin and novel Na/K-ATPase interaction partners Kv2.1 and Kv8.2 define a growing protein complex at the inner segments of mammalian photoreceptors
Authors: Schmid Verena , Wurzel Alexander , Wetzel Christian H. , Plössl Karolina , Bruckmann Astrid , Weber Bernhard , Friedrich Ulrike
Published: February 2022

The RS1 gene on Xp 22.13 encodes retinoschisin protein which is known to directly interact with the retinal Na/K-ATPase at the photoreceptor inner segments. Pathologic mutations in RS1 cause X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS), a hereditary retinal dystrophy in young males. To further delineate the retinoschisin-Na/K-ATPase complex, co-immunoprecipitation was performed with porcine and murine retinal lysates targeting the ATP1A3 subunit. This identified the voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channel subunits Kv2.1 and Kv8.2 as direct interaction partners of the retinal Na/K-ATPase. Colocalization of the individual components of the complex was demonstrated at the membrane of photoreceptor inner segments. We further show that retinoschisin-deficiency, a frequent consequence of molecular pathology in XLRS, causes mislocalization of the macromolecular complex and reduced protein expression of Kv2.1 and Kv8.2 during postnatal retinal development, while retinal Na/K-ATPase expression remains unaffected. Patch-clamp analysis revealed no effect of retinoschisin-deficiency on Kv channel mediated potassium ion currents. Together, our data suggest that Kv2.1 and Kv8.2 are integral parts of a macromolecular complex together with retinoschisin and the retinal Na/K-ATPase. Defective compartmentalization of this complex due to retinoschisin-deficiency may be a crucial step in initial XLRS pathogenesis.
Structure Guided Drug Designing Coupled to Advanced Molecular Dynamics Revealed Differential Binding Properties (Affinity/Stability) of Celecoxib and Niflumic Acid in the Active Site of Cyclooxygenase-2 Enzyme
Authors: ganai shabir ahmad , Shah Basit Amin , Lone Asif , Arwa Faieza , Malik Firdose Ahmad
Published: February 2022

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has aggressive implications in inflammation triggered disorders such as neurodegeneration and cancer. Among the various inhibitors available for this enzyme celecoxib and niflumic acid are considered as selective inhibitors. These inhibitors have shown in vitro assays have been observed to hamper the COX-2 activity. However, the structural studies at atomistic depth shedding light on diverse aspects of these inhibitors in the binding groove of COX-2 have not been addressed. Thus, in this study we employed structure-governed drug designing approach in concert with real-time molecular dynamics for unravelling the binding likeliness, interaction mechanism and stability of niflumic acid and celecoxib in the COX-2 active site. Our findings indicate the relatively higher binding proclivity and stability of niflumic acid in the active site of COX-2 as compared to celecoxib. Although these inhibitors bind at the same COX-2 site but they revealed differential interaction profile. The outcome from this study will serve as a point of departure for designing novel COX-2 inhibitors with improved potency, selectivity and stability for their subsequent use to vanquish vicious inflammation backed disorders.
Do audit committee attributes improve integrated reporting quality? Evidence from European Companies listed on STOXX EUROPE 600 INDEX
Authors: belhouchet saida , CHOUAIBI Jamel
Published: February 2022

This paper aims to shed light on the relationship between audit committee attributes and the integrated reporting quality (IRQ). This study uses panel data and multiple regression. The outcomes almost entirely confirm the expectations relating to the impact of audit committee attributes on the IRQ. In particular financial expertise and meetings are shown to have a significant positive impact on IRQ. However, we do not find a significant association between key aspects of the audit committee function, such as audit committee independence and IRQ.
Statins and the Risk of Gastric, Colorectal, and Esophageal Cancer Incidence and Mortality: a Cohort Study Based on Data From the Korean National Health Insurance Claims Database
Authors: Kim Dong-sook , Kim Hyun Jung , Ahn Hyeong Sik
Published: February 2022

Background: This study investigated the association between the use of statins, the incidence of gastric, colorectal, and esophageal cancers, and mortality in South Korea.Methods: We compared patients aged 45-70 years statin users for at least 6 months to non-statin users matched by age and sex, during 2005 to June 2013 using the National Health Insurance database Main outcomes were gastric, colorectal, and esophageal cancer incidence and mortality. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to calculate the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results: Out of 1,008,101 people, 21,454 incident cancers and 4,031 cancer deaths occurred. The aHRs for the association between the risk of cancers and statin use were 0.71 (95% CI 0.67-0.75) for gastric cancer, 0.73 (95% CI 0.69-0.78) for colorectal cancer, and 0.56 (95% CI 0.44-0.71) for esophageal cancer. There were associations between statin use and decreased gastric cancer mortality (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.62-0.85), and colorectal cancer mortality (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.57-0.80), whereas no significant association for esophageal cancer mortality. Discussion: Statin use for at least 6 months was significantly associated with a lower risk of cancer incidence and cancer mortality after a diagnosis of stomach cancer and colorectal cancer.
Effects of Voids and Raster Orientations on Fatigue Life of Notched Additively Manufactured PLA Components
Authors: Fard Soran Hassani , Behdinan Kamran
Published: February 2022

In this study, the fatigue life of notched Polylactic acid (PLA) samples fabricated through the fused deposition modeling (FDM) technique was studied experimentally and numerically. The volumetric method based on the theory of critical distance was employed for fatigue life predictions. The effects of influential process parameters including raster orientation and FDM-induced defects such as voids or gaps inside the parts were examined on the fatigue strength reduction factors and fatigue lives. Circular and elliptical-shaped notch geometries were considered with various dimensions. Fatigue tests were conducted on notched and un-notched samples at the load ratio of 0.1. Predicted results were compared with experimental fatigue test data. Results revealed that the raster orientation parameter had a substantial impact on fatigue strength reduction factors and fatigue lives. The stress concentrations induced by the FDM process on the surfaces and inside the parts for the samples with 90º raster angles acted similar to the sharp notches, resulting in no substantial difference in fatigue life of notched and un-notched 3D printed samples. In contrast, un-notched 3D printed specimens with 0º raster orientations possessed higher fatigue lives as compared to the notched samples. While the volumetric approach efficiently predicted the fatigue lives of the samples with 90º raster orientations, it moderately underpredicted the fatigue lives of the samples with 0º raster angles.
Actin Related Protein 2/3 Complex Subunit 2-enriched extracellular vesicles drive liver cancer metastasis
Authors: Mei Piaorong , Tey Sze Keong , Wong Samuel , Ng Tung Him , Mao Xiaowen , Yeung Cherlie , Huang Qianhua , Cao Peihua , Yam Judy Wai Ping , Gao Yi
Published: February 2022

BackgroundExtracellular vesicles (EVs) play pivotal roles in tumor growth, cancer metastasis and angiogenesis. Here, we aimed to identify proteins that contribute to the functionality of EVs derived from metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. MethodsProteins of EVs derived from metastatic HCC cells and normal liver cells were analyzed by mass spectrometry. Proteomic profiling identified Actin Related Protein 2/3 Complex Subunit 2 (ARPC2) to be highly expresses in EVs of metastatic HCC cells. The expression of ARPC2 in EVs and HCC tissues was examined using immunoblotting and TCGA database, respectively. The functional roles of EV-ARPC2 was investigated by knockout approach and various in vitro and in vivo assays. ResultsARPC2 was highly expressed in EVs of metastatic cells but barely detected in non-metastatic HCC cells and normal liver cells. Immunogold labeling showed the presence of APRC2 on the surface of EVs. Analysis of TCGA database of liver cancer revealed ARPC2 overexpression was correlated with poor prognosis of patients. ARPC2 was knockout in metastatic HCC cells. EVs derived from knockout cells displayed compromised activity in enhancing cell growth, motility and metastasis compared to EVs of control cells. Pimozide, an inhibitor of APRC2, also inhibited the promoting effect of EVs of metastatic cells in lung colonization of tumor cells in mice. ConclusionThis study reveals previously unreported expression and function of ARPC2 in EVs. EVs with highly expressed ARPC2 enhances cancer cell growth and metastasis. ARPC2 may provide a prospective target for the novel treatment of HCC patients.