bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors plus molecular targeted agents after the progression of lenvatinib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Xie Fucun , Chen Bowen , Yang Xu , Wang Huaiyuan , Zhang Ge , Wang Yanyu , Wang Yunchao , Zhang Nan , Xue Jingnan , Long Junyu , Li Yiran , Sun Huishan , Xun Ziyu , Liu Kai , Chen Xiangqi , Song Yang , Yang Xiaobo , Lu Zhenhui , Mao Yilei , Sang Xinting , Lu Yinying , Zhao Haitao
Published: December 2022

Background

Lenvatinib is a standard first-line systemic therapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC) and is widely used in all lines. However, the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) plus molecular targeted agents (MTAs) after the progression of lenvatinib treatment are unclear.

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anticancer effects of ICI plus MTA in patients with aHCC who progressed after lenvatinib.

Methods

We retrospectively included aHCC patients treated with ICI plus MTA after the progression of lenvatinib from two medical centers. Participants who continued lenvatinib treatment were classified into the “ICI+Lenva” group, while the “ICI+Others” group included patients receiving other MTAs. The efficacy endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), post-progression survival (PPS), overall survival (OS), and tumor response following RECIST v1.1. Safety was evaluated according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v5.0.

Results

In this study, 85 eligible aHCC patients were enrolled, including 58 in the ICI+Lenva group and 27 in the ICI+Others group. At a median follow-up time of 22.8 months, the median PPS and PFS were 14.0 (95% CI: 9.0-18.2) and 4.5 months (95% CI: 3.5-8.3), respectively. The objective response and disease control rates were 10.6% and 52.9%, respectively. No significant differences were observed in any of the efficacy endpoints between the two groups. Prolonged PPS was associated with Child–Pugh grade A, AFP < 400 IU/ml, and concomitant locoregional treatment. All patients experienced adverse events (AEs), but no fatal AEs were observed.

Conclusion

ICI plus MTA in aHCC patients after the progression of lenvatinib presented high antitumor activity and safety. Patients could continue lenvatinib treatment and receive ICIs as well as locoregional treatment to achieve better OS.
Geomorphologic evolution of the shallow-buried abandoned Yellow River delta during the last 2000 years
Authors: Wang Qing , Zeng Lin , Zhan Chao , Liu Xianbin , Wang Longsheng , Cheng Shanshan , Cui Buli
Published: December 2022

Different from the continuous development of many river deltas since the major Holocene transgression, the modern Yellow River delta (YRD) remained for nearly 1000 years (from 893 AD to 1855 AD) in an abandonment state, until after 1855 AD when it was buried after the Yellow River entered the sea via Lijin. In this study we used optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating and grain size and sedimentary facies analysis of four borehole cores, combined with an analysis of landform morphology, to reconstruct the history of the ancient abandoned YRD. The results indicate that after the delta was abandoned due to the reduced sediment supply by the Yellow River in 893 AD, a sandy coast developed under the influence of wave erosion, and offshore shell ridges were formed beyond the coastline. During the interval from the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) to the Little Ice Age (LIA), driven by climate change and storm surges, the shell ridges migrated laterally, widened and rose, while sediment accumulation in the landward-side interfluvial floodplains was relatively weak. This configuration subsequently constituted a coastal highland – plain depression system. After 1077 AD, this system, together with the abandoned delta, was eroded by the Daqing River estuary. After 1855 AD, the abandoned delta landform system was completely buried by Yellow River sediments, and the wave-controlled sandy coast was transformed to a tide-controlled silt-mud coast. We summarize these findings in the form of a geomorphic model of the evolution of the abandoned delta from the MWP to the LIA. Overall, our results highlight the geomorphic effects of the sediment-laden river delta and the response of the abandoned delta geomorphic system on the millennial timescale, and they provide a theoretical foundation for predicting the geomorphic evolution of a major river delta on different timescales, against the background of global change.
Overall feasibility assessment of polyester polyurethane concrete used as steel bridge deck pavement
Authors: Niu Shi-Lei , Wang Jun-Yi , Wang Zuo-Cai , Wang Dong-Hui , Sun Xiao-Tong , Zhao Xi
Published: December 2022

Traditional pavement materials used in the orthotropic steel bridge deck suffer from various pavement distresses and thus reduce the service life of the steel bridge. Therefore, this study proposed a novel engineered material named polyester polyurethane concrete (PPUC) for the steel bridge deck pavement. Indoor laboratory experiments and numerical comparison analysis were conducted to comprehensively assess the feasibility of PPUC as the steel bridge deck pavement and ordinary Portland cement (OPC), guss asphalt concrete (GAC), asphalt mastic concrete (SMAC) and epoxy asphalt concrete (EAC) were used as references compared with PPUC. After the specimens of PPUC were prepared by mixing polyester polyurethane binder (PPUB) and aggregate with the binder-aggregate ratio of 15%, the specimens were subjected to compressive test, splitting tensile test, flexural tensile strength test, wheel tracking test, low-temperature cracking test, freeze-thaw splitting test, shear test and pull-out test. The mechanical performance comparison of different pavement structures with different materials was also analyzed using finite element analysis method. Results show that PPUC presents higher mechanical properties (compressive, tensile and flexural strength) compared to OPC, and it has good durability properties compared to SMAC, GAC, and EAC, such as high temperature stability, low temperature cracking resistance and water stability. In addition, PPUC has strong adhesive property with steel deck and does not change significantly with temperature changes. The finite element simulation results show that the maximum tensile strength and maximum compressive strength of PPUC in the single-layer structure are 0.51 MPa and 3.52 MPa respectively, which are much smaller than the experimental values and those of other materials. The maximum tensile strength and maximum shear strength of PPUC in the PPUC + SMAC composite structure are 0.232 MPa and 0.148 MPa respectively, which are also much smaller than the experimental values and those of other structures. The mechanical performance comparison results indicate that PPUC pavement structure can improve the overall stiffness of the steel bridge deck and protect the wear layer. These results support that the PPUC has a promising application for the steel bridge deck pavement.
Porous single-crystalline molybdenum nitride enhances electroreduction of nitrogen to ammonia
Authors: Li Xue , Xie Kui
Published: December 2022

The industrial ammonia synthesis reaction has the disadvantage of large energy consumption; thus, the electrochemical reduction method of ammonia synthesis characterized by its clean nature and environmental protectiveness has received extensive attention. Molybdenum nitride is a commonly used electrocatalyst for ammonia synthesis, and its Faraday efficiency is low, which may be due to many internal grain boundaries and few active sites. In this work, we grow microscale porous Mo2N single crystals and polycrystalline Mo2N from non-porous MoO3 single crystals. Porous molybdenum nitride materials facilitate charge transport in grain boundaries due to their single-crystal nature and enhance the catalytic properties of ammonia synthesis reactions. Compared with polycrystalline Mo2N, the porous Mo2N single crystal shows better performance, with a high NH4+ yield of 272.56 μg h−1 mg−1 and a Faradaic efficiency of 7.3%. In addition, the porous Mo2N single crystal exhibits superior long-term stability with little attenuation after 16 h electrolysis reaction. It provides a new method for the catalyst of ammonia synthesis.
Medium optimization for high mycelial soluble protein content of Ophiocordyceps sinensis using response surface methodology
Authors: Tang Chu-Yu , Wang Jie , Liu Xin , Chen Jian-Bo , Liang Jing , Wang Tao , Simpson Wayne Roydon , Li Yu-Ling , Li Xiu-Zhang
Published: December 2022

Ophiocordyceps sinensis is widely utilized due to its pharmaceutical value. Mycelial protein forms a key active component of O. sinensis and determines the medicinal potential of fungus. Here, we describe the development of an optimized fermentation medium to obtain more mycelial soluble protein from O. sinensis using response surface methodology (RSM) and investigate the increased mycelial protein content using transcriptomics. The maximum mycelial protein content of 2.11% was obtained using a medium consisting of 20% beef broth, 0.10% peptone, 2% glucose, 0.15% yeast extract, 0.20% KH2PO4, and 0.02% MgSO4. Transcriptome analysis identified 790 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 592 up-regulated genes and 198 down-regulated genes, optimisation resulted in more up-regulated genes. The main DEGs were enriched in metabolic pathways, ABC transporters, starch and sucrose metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, and glutathione metabolism. In addition, some DEGs associated with mycelial protein enhancement such as tyrosinase (TYR), glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutamine synthetase (glnA), and β-glucosidase may contribute to increased mycelial protein content. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to confirm gene expression and the results support the accuracy of RNA-Seq and DEG analysis. This study provides an optimized fermentation method for enhancing the mycelial protein content of O. sinensis and a reference for the effective development of O. sinensis protein.
Designing double-site lipidated peptide amphiphiles as potent antimicrobial biomaterials to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria
Authors: Lai Zhenheng , Chen Hongyu , Yuan Xiaojie , Tian Jiahui , Dong Na , Feng Xingjun , Shan Anshan
Published: December 2022

Rapidly evolving antimicrobial resistance and extremely slow development of new antibiotics have resulted in multidrug-resistant bacterial infections that present a serious threat to human health. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) provide promising substitutes, but more research is needed to address several of their present limitations, such as insufficient antimicrobial potency, high toxicity, and low stability. Here, we designed a series of novel double-site lipidated peptide amphiphiles based on a heptad repeat parent pentadecapeptide. The double-site lipidated peptide amphiphiles showed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities. Especially the double-site lipidated peptide amphiphile WL-C6 exhibited high potency to inhibit multidrug-resistant bacteria without significant toxicity toward mammalian cells. Furthermore, even at physiological salt ion concentrations, WL-C6 still exhibited outstanding antibacterial properties, and a sizeable fraction of it maintained its molecular integrity after being incubated with different proteases. Additionally, we captured the entire process of WL-C6 killing bacteria and showed that the rapid bacterial membrane disruption is the reason of bacterial death. Overall, WL-C6 shows great promise as a substitute for conventional antibiotics to combat the growing threat of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.
Response of soil bacterial communities in wheat rhizosphere to straw mulching and N fertilization
Authors: Chen Songhe , Xiang Xiaoling , Ma Hongliang , Penttinen Petri , Zheng Ting , Huang Xiulan , Fan Gaoqiong
Published: December 2022

Straw mulching and N fertilization are effective in augmenting crop yields. Since their combined effects on wheat rhizosphere bacterial communities remain largely unknown, our aim was to assess how the bacterial communities respond to these agricultural measures. We studied wheat rhizosphere microbiomes in a split-plot design experiment with maize straw mulching (0 and 8,000 kg straw ha−1) as the main-plot treatment and N fertilization (0, 120 and 180 kg N ha−1) as the sub-plot treatment. Bacterial communities in the rhizosphere were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and quantitative PCR. Most of the differences in soil physicochemical properties and rhizosphere bacterial communities were detected between the straw mulching (SM) and no straw mulching (NSM) treatments. The contents of soil organic C (SOC), total N (TN), NH4+-N, available N (AN), available P (AP) and available K (AK) were higher with than without mulching. Straw mulching led to greater abundance, diversity and richness of the rhizosphere bacterial communities. The differences in bacterial community composition were related to differences in soil temperature and SOC, AP and AK contents. Straw mulching altered the soil physiochemical properties, leading to greater bacterial diversity and richness of the rhizosphere bacterial communities, likely mostly due to the increase in SOC content that provided an effective C source for the bacteria. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria was high in all treatments and most of the differentially abundant OTUs were proteobacterial. Multiple OTUs assigned to Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi and Actinobacteria were enriched in the SM treatment. Putative plant growth promoters were enriched both in the SM and NSM treatments. These findings indicate potential strategies for the agricultural management of soil microbiomes.
Identification of Kv4.2 protein complex and modifications by tandem affinity purification-mass spectrometry in primary neurons
Authors: Hu Jia-Hua , Liu Ying , Hoffman Dax A.
Published: December 2022

Proteins usually form complexes to fulfill variable physiological functions. In neurons, communication relies on synapses where receptors, channels, and anchoring proteins form complexes to precisely control signal transduction, synaptic integration, and action potential firing. Although there are many published protocols to isolate protein complexes in cell lines, isolation in neurons has not been well established. Here we introduce a method that combines lentiviral protein expression with tandem affinity purification followed by mass-spectrometry (TAP-MS) to identify protein complexes in neurons. This protocol can also be used to identify post-translational modifications (PTMs) of synaptic proteins. We used the A-type voltage-gated K+ channel subunit Kv4.2 as the target protein. Kv4.2 is highly expressed in the hippocampus where it contributes to learning and memory through its regulation of neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity. We tagged Kv4.2 with the calmodulin-binding-peptide (CBP) and streptavidin-binding-peptide (SBP) at its C-terminus and expressed it in neurons via lentivirus. Kv4.2 was purified by two-step TAP and samples were analyzed by MS. MS identified two prominently known Kv4.2 interacting proteins [dipeptidyl peptidase like (DPPs) and Kv channel-interacting proteins (KChIPs)] in addition to novel synaptic proteins including glutamate receptors, a calcium channel, and anchoring proteins. Co-immunoprecipitation and colocalization experiments validated the association of Kv4.2 with glutamate receptors. In addition to protein complex identification, we used TAP-MS to identify Kv4.2 phosphorylation sites. Several known and unknown phosphorylation sites were identified. These findings provide a novel path to identify protein-protein interactions and PTMs in neurons and shed light on mechanisms of neuronal signaling potentially involved in the pathology of neurological diseases.
Analysis of forensic autopsy cases associated with epilepsy: Comparison between sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) and not-SUDEP groups
Authors: Zhang Xian , Zhang Jianhua , Wang Jinming , Zou Donghua , Li Zhengdong
Published: December 2022

Background and aims

Epilepsy is a common and chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures that increase the risk of mortality. SUDEP is the most common seizure-related category of death. The study aimed to evaluate the key characteristics between SUDEP and not-SUDEP death cases.

Methods

A retrospective study of forensic autopsy cases from 2002 to 2021, performed by the Academy of Forensic Science (Ministry of Justice, China), identified a total of 31 deaths associated with epilepsy. We compared the different characteristics between individuals who died of SUDEP (SUDEP group) and individuals with epilepsy died suddenly due to unrelated causes (not-SUDEP group).

Results and conclusions

13 cases met the general accepted definition of SUDEP; and 18 cases were classified as not-SUDEP. The mean age of the not-SUDEP group was significantly higher than that of the SUDEP groups (p < 0.05) and there were more cases without a clear cause of epilepsy in the SUDEP group than in the not-SUDEP group (p < 0.05). Death position differed significantly between the two groups, with more cases dying in the prone position in the SUDEP group (p < 0.05). Complete autopsies were performed in 24 of the 31 cases. There were no significant differences in heart, lungs and brain weights, or in ventricular thickness (p > 0.05) between the SUDEP and not-SUDEP groups. In addition, compared to the not-SUDEP group, the SUDEP group featured a significantly more cases with coronary lesions (grades 1-3, p < 0.05). Neuropathological lesions were identified in 12 of the 13 SUDEP cases (92.3%), cardiac lesions were present in 10 cases (76.9%) and pulmonary edema and pulmonary congestion were present in all cases. The primary cause of death in 13 of the 31 cases was seizure disorder or epilepsy. The primary mechanism of death in SUDEP group was mainly asphyxia while that in the not-SUDEP group was cardiopulmonary failure (p < 0.05). Patients in the prone position had a significantly higher risk of asphyxia than those who were not. Here, we investigated the key characteristics between SUDEP and not-SUDEP death cases, which may help to facilitate forensic diagnosis in presumed SUDEP cases.
Home-based portable fNIRS-derived cortical laterality correlates with impairment and function in chronic stroke
Authors: Lee Friesen Christopher , Lawrence Michael , Ingram Tony Gerald Joseph , Boe Shaun Gregory
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Improved understanding of the relationship between post-stroke rehabilitation interventions and functional motor outcomes could result in improvements in the efficacy of post-stroke physical rehabilitation. The laterality of motor cortex activity (M1-LAT) during paretic upper-extremity movement has been documented as a useful biomarker of post-stroke motor recovery. However, the expensive, labor intensive, and laboratory-based equipment required to take measurements of M1-LAT limit its potential clinical utility in improving post-stroke physical rehabilitation. The present study tested the ability of a mobile functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) system (designed to enable independent measurement by stroke survivors) to measure cerebral hemodynamics at the motor cortex in the homes of chronic stroke survivors.

Methods

Eleven chronic stroke survivors, ranging widely in their level of upper-extremity motor deficit, used their stroke-affected upper-extremity to perform a simple unilateral movement protocol in their homes while a wireless prototype fNIRS headband took measurements at the motor cortex. Measures of participants' upper-extremity impairment and function were taken.

Results

Participants demonstrated either a typically lateralized response, with an increase in contralateral relative oxyhemoglobin (ΔHbO), or response showing a bilateral pattern of increase in ΔHbO during the motor task. During the simple unilateral task, M1-LAT correlated significantly with measures of both upper-extremity impairment and function, indicating that participants with more severe motor deficits had more a more atypical (i.e., bilateral) pattern of lateralization.

Discussion

These results indicate it is feasible to gain M1-LAT measures from stroke survivors in their homes using fNIRS. These findings represent a preliminary step toward the goals of using ergonomic functional neuroimaging to improve post-stroke rehabilitative care, via the capture of neural biomarkers of post-stroke motor recovery, and/or via use as part of an accessible rehabilitation brain-computer-interface.
A human-in-the-loop based Bayesian network approach to improve imbalanced radiation outcomes prediction for hepatocellular cancer patients with stereotactic body radiotherapy
Authors: Luo Yi , Cuneo Kyle C. , Lawrence Theodore S. , Matuszak Martha M. , Dawson Laura A. , Niraula Dipesh , Ten Haken Randall K. , El Naqa Issam
Published: December 2022

Background

Imbalanced outcome is one of common characteristics of oncology datasets. Current machine learning approaches have limitation in learning from such datasets. Here, we propose to resolve this problem by utilizing a human-in-the-loop (HITL) approach, which we hypothesize will also lead to more accurate and explainable outcome prediction models.

Methods

A total of 119 HCC patients with 163 tumors were used in the study. 81 patients with 104 tumors from the University of Michigan Hospital treated with SBRT were considered as a discovery dataset for radiation outcomes model building. The external testing dataset included 59 tumors from 38 patients with SBRT from Princess Margaret Hospital. In the discovery dataset, 100 tumors from 77 patients had local control (LC) (96% of 104 tumors) and 23 patients had at least one grade increment of ALBI (I-ALBI) during six-month follow up (28% of 81 patients). Each patient had a total of 110 features, where 15 or 20 features were identified by physicians as expert knowledge features (EKFs) for LC or I-ALBI prediction. We proposed a HITL based Bayesian network (HITL-BN) approach to enhance the capability of selecting important features from imbalanced data in terms of accuracy and explainability through humans’ participation by integrating feature importance ranking and Markov blanket algorithms. A pure data-driven Bayesian network (PD-BN) method was applied to the same discovery dataset of HCC patients as a benchmark.

Results

In the training and testing phases, the areas under receiver operating characteristic curves of the HITL-BN models for LC or I-ALBI prediction during SBRT are 0.85 (95% confidence interval: 0.75-0.95) or 0.89 (0.81-0.95) and 0.77 or 0.78, respectively. They significantly outperformed the during-treatment PD-BN model in predicting LC or I-ALBI based on the discovery cross-validation and testing datasets from the Delong tests.

Conclusion

By allowing the human expert to be part of the model building process, the HITL-BN approach yielded significantly improved accuracy as well as better explainability when dealing with imbalanced outcomes in the prediction of post-SBRT treatment response of HCC patients when compared to the PD-BN method.
A novel hybrid approach for “Scarless” (at the neck) lateral neck dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma: A case series and literature review
Authors: Chen Zhen-Xin , Chen Jing-Bao , Pang Feng-Shun , Lin Zhan-Hong , Zhang Xiao-Bo , Cai Bei-Yuan , Zheng Wei-Wu , Cao Ying , Qin You
Published: December 2022

Lateral neck dissection (LND) is a necessary treatment for thyroid cancer with lateral lymph node metastasis. However, the defect created during open surgery leaves a visible scar on the neck. With advancements in surgical technology, many robotic and endoscopic surgical techniques have been reported as alternatives to open surgery. In this study, we present a case series demonstrating the successful application of a novel hybrid approach for endoscopic LND and a review of different surgical approaches for “scarless” (at the neck) LND. We performed endoscopic LND via a combined chest and transoral approach in 24 patients between January 2021 and March 2022. The surgery was completed successfully in all patients with an average operation time of 298.1 ± 72.9 min. The numbers of positive/retrieved lymph nodes at levels II, III-IV, and VI were 0.7 ± 0.9/8.4 ± 4.1, 3.6 ± 2.7/19.5 ± 6.8, and 4.9 ± 3.9/10.3 ± 4.5, respectively. Complications included transient hypoparathyroidism in 10 patients, transient recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in 1 patient, internal jugular vein (IJN) injury in 1 patient, IJN sacrifice due to cancer invasion in 1 patient, and chyle leak in 1 patient, and no cases of tumor recurrence were observed during follow-up. The present case series indicates that the combined chest and transoral approach is feasible and effective for performing LND. Our review of different approaches for “scarless” (at the neck) LND identified advantages and disadvantages for all techniques. Our novel approach has unique advantages, and thus, it can provide an ideal surgical procedure for specific papillary thyroid carcinoma patients.
TKI or TKI combined with PD-1 inhibitors as second-line treatment for HCC patients after sorafenib failure
Authors: Lei Jin , Chen Bowen , Song Meiru , Zhang Linzhi , Zhang Xinfeng , Gao Xiaoqiang , Li Yinyin , Lu Yinying , Zuo Shi
Published: December 2022

Background: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in combination with programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors become the potential treatment modality for patients undergoing unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) in the first-line setting. However, the efficacy and safety of this combination regimen in patients after sorafenib failure remains unclear.

Methods: Participants in this study included patients with uHCC after sorafenib failure who received TKI monotherapy (TKI group) or TKI combined with PD-1 inhibitors therapy (combination group) in our center from July 2018 to July 2021. The overall survival (OS) was used to be the primary efficacy endpoint, while progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR) were applied to be secondary endpoints. In addition, the adverse events are recorded and evaluated.

Results: Among the 92 patients contained in this work, 50 patients were categorized into the TKI group, while 42 patients were in the combination group. There existed no evident differences between the two groups concerning the ORR (8.0% vs. 9.5%, p = 1.000). However, the DCR in the combined group was better in relative to that in the TKI group (71.4% vs. 50.0%, p = 0.037). In comparison with the TKI group, it was found that the combination group presented notably better median PFS (8.1 months vs. 4.7 months, p = 0.005) and median OS (21.9 months vs. 16.6 months, p = 0.042). According to multivariate analysis, PFS (HR 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3–0.8, p = 0.005) and OS (HR 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3–1.0, p = 0.051) were improved in the combination group in relative to the TKI group after the adjustment for some risk factors. Additionally, the incidence rates of grade ≥1 adverse event in the TKI group and the combination group were 96.0% and 97.6%, respectively. The most normal adverse event in the TKI group was neutropenia (n = 24,48.0%) and the combination group was hypoalbuminemia (n = 23,54.8%). All of these adverse events improved after symptomatic treatment, and no new toxic events were found to occur.

Conclusion: TKI combined with PD-1 inhibitors showed better prognosis with manageable toxicity in uHCC patients after sorafenib failure compared with TKI monotherapy.
Induction mechanism of ferroptosis: A novel therapeutic target in lung disease
Authors: Pan Lingyu , Gong Chunxia , Sun Yehong , Jiang Yeke , Duan Xianchun , Han Yanquan , Wang Yongzhong
Published: December 2022

Ferroptosis is a newly discovered form of non-apoptotic regulatory cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Ferroptosis significantly differs from other forms of cell death in terms of biochemistry, genetics, and morphology. Ferroptosis affects many metabolic processes in the body, resulting in disruption of homeostasis, and is related to many types of lung disease. Although current research on ferroptosis remains in the early stage, existing studies have confirmed that ferroptosis is regulated by a variety of genes, mainly involving changes in genes involved in iron homeostasis and lipid peroxidation metabolism. Furthermore, the mechanism of ferroptosis is complex. This review summarizes the confirmed mechanisms that can cause ferroptosis, including activation of glutathione peroxidase 4, synthesis of glutathione, accumulation of reactive oxygen species, and the influence of ferrous ions and p53 proteins. In recent years, the mechanism of ferroptosis in the occurrence and development of many diseases has been studied; the occurrence of ferroptosis will produce an inflammatory storm, and most of the inducing factors and pathological manifestations of lung diseases are also inflammatory reactions. Therefore, we believe that the association between ferroptosis and lung disease deserves further study. This article aims to help readers to better understand the mechanism of ferroptosis, provide new ideas and targets for the treatment of lung diseases, and point out the direction for the development of new targeted drugs for the clinical treatment of lung diseases.
Cold-atom optical filtering enhanced by optical pumping
Authors: Guan Xiaolei , Zhuang Wei , Shi Tiantian , Miao Jianxiang , Zhang Jia , Chen Jingbiao , Luo Bin
Published: December 2022

Atomic optical filters such as Faraday anomalous dispersion optical filters (FADOFs) or similar technologies can achieve very narrow optical bandwidth close to the scale of atomic linewidth, which can be greatly reduced in cold atoms. However, limited by the number of cold atoms and the size of the cold atomic cloud, the number of atoms interacting with the laser is reduced, and the transmission remains as low as 2%. In this work, we introduce the optical pumping into the cold atomic optical filter to solve this problem. Circular polarized optical pumping can produce polarization of the atomic ensemble and induce dichromatic as well as the Faraday rotation. We demonstrate a cold-atom optical filter which operates on the 87Rb 52S1/2 (F=2) to 52P3/2 (F′=2) transition at 780 nm. The filter achieves an ultranarrow bandwidth of 6.6(4) MHz, and its peak transmission is 15.6%, which is nearly 14 times higher than that of the cold-atom optical filter realized by Faraday magneto-optic effect. This scheme can be extended to almost all kinds of atomic optical filters and may find applications in self-stabilizing laser and active optical clock.
The model for non-Abelian field topology for the multilayer fractional quantum anomalous Hall device
Authors: Shen Jie , Dong Wen Qi , Shi Xuewei , Wang Jing , Wang Yang , Liu Han Min
Published: December 2022

From the recent empirical discovery of the quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE), the interaction of the particle with spin–orbit coupling (SOC) plays an essential role in the cause of the QAHE, which includes three terms: external, internal, and chiral symmetric terms. Then, the non-Abelian quantum field theory was adopted to analyze and prove the conjecture on the causes that can lead to the fractional quantum Hall effect (FQHE). The spontaneously topological chiral symmetry breaking is the main contribution to the FQHE, which also includes two terms: the hopping of sublattice and Coulomb energy by the interaction of many-body particles. More generally, this exciton possesses an intermediate characteristic between the Wannier regimes and displays a peculiar two-dimensional wavefunction in the three-dimensional FQHE states. Finally, a bilayer three-dimensional model is proposed to implement the FQHE on the lattice by incorporating ferromagnetic dopants into three-dimensional topological insulative thin films. This study theoretically predicts the FQHE on the basis of other reports that have experimentally verified the rationality of the proposed model in magnetic topological insulators.
Assessment of the potential of Vachellia seyal and Prosopis chilensis for the reclamation of saline soil lands in the peanut basin production of Senegal
Authors: Thiao Mansour , Sene Godar , Ndiaye Moustapha , Sylla El Hadji Samba Ndao
Published: December 2022

Soil properties and microbial activities are indicators that shape plant communities and evolution. We aimed to determine the interdependency between trees, belowground herbaceous plants, soil characteristics, and arbuscular mycorrhizal communities. Vachellia seyal and Prosopis chilensis and their associated herb layers were targeted. Soils sampled beneath the trees and outside the canopies were subjected to physicochemical and microbial characterization. Randomly collected living roots of trees and dominant herbs were checked for arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization. A tree seedlings nursery was conducted using black bags filled with the following substrates: natural soil 100%, soil mixed with leaf tree plants (LTPs) as organic matter at 10%, soil mixed with LTP at 20%, soil mixed with LTP at 30%, and soil mixed with LTP at 50%. As a result, the presence of trees improves both herb richness and diversity. Soil mycorrhizal inoculum potentials are higher beneath V. seyal than P. chilensis and decreased significantly with increasing distance from trees. The soil MIP decreased with increasing organic matter content for both tree species but was more pronounced for P. chilensis. Soil salinity is lower beneath V. seyal and higher under P. chilensis and outside the canopies. Soil fertility parameters such as carbon, nitrogen, and available phosphorus are higher beneath the trees and then decreased as the distance to the trees increases. We conclude that microbial communities, soil properties, and herb richness and diversity increased beneath the trees but decreased with increasing distance from the trees. This effect is tree species-dependent as P. chilensis increased soil salinity and decreased the belowground density of herbs.
Insight into the formation of trumpet and needle-type leaf in Ginkgo biloba L. mutant
Authors: Tang Fang , Sun Pengbo , Zhang Qian , Zhong Fengwei , Wang Ying , Lu Mengzhu
Published: December 2022

The leaf type of a plant determines its photosynthetic efficiency and adaptation to the environment. The normal leaves of modern Ginkgo biloba, which is known as a “living fossil” in gymnosperm, evolved from needle-like to fan-shaped with obvious dichotomous venation. However, a newly discovered Ginkgo variety “SongZhen” have different leaf types on a tree, including needle-, trumpet-, strip-, and deeply split fan-shaped leaves. In order to explore the mechanism in forming these leaf types, the microscopy of different leaf types and transcriptome analysis of apical buds of branches with normal or abnormal leaves were performed. We found that the normal leaf was in an intact and unfolded fan shape, and the abnormal leaf was basically split into two parts from the petiole, and each exhibited different extent of variation. The needle-type leaves were the extreme, having no obvious palisade and spongy tissues, and the phloem cells were scattered and surrounded by xylem cells, while the trumpet-type leaves with normal vascular bundles curled inward to form a loop from the abaxial to adaxial side. The other type of leaves had the characteristics among needle-type, trumpet-type, or normal leaves. The transcriptome analysis and quantitative PCR showed that the genes related to abaxial domain were highly expressed, while the adaxial domain promoting genes were decreasingly expressed in abnormal-type leaf (ANL) buds and abnormal leaves, which might lead to the obvious abaxialized leaves of “SongZhen.” In addition, the low expression of genes related to leaf boundary development in ANL buds indicated that single- or double-needle (trumpet) leaves might also be due to the leaf tissue fusion. This study provides an insight into the mechanism of the development of the abnormal leaves in “SongZhen” and lays a foundation for investigating the molecular mechanism of the leaf development in gymnosperms.
Which symptoms are the psychopathological core affecting the manifestation of pseudo-cardiac symptoms and poor sleep quality in young adults? Symptoms of personality disorders versus clinical disorders
Authors: Bahremand Mostafa , Komasi Saeid
Published: December 2022

Background

Diagnosing and identifying the psychological origin of pseudo-cardiac symptoms and comorbid conditions such as poor sleep quality is very difficult due to its extensive and complex nature. The present study was conducted to determine the contribution of symptoms of personality disorders (PDs) and clinical disorders (CDs; i.e., psychological symptoms measured using the Symptom Checklist-90) to the manifestation of pseudo-cardiac symptoms and poor sleep quality.

Methods

Subjects in this cross-sectional study were 953 (64.3% female; 28.8 ± 6.2 years) community samples in the west of Iran who were selected by convenience sampling. After applying the inclusion criteria, data were collected using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90-R), the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ-4), and the Scale for Pseudo-Cardiac Symptoms and Poor Sleep Quality (SPSQ). Pearson correlations, factor analytical techniques, and hierarchical regression models were used to examine associations between symptoms of PDs/CDs and outcome factors.

Results

Factor analytical techniques confirmed both the integrated structure of symptoms of PDs and CDs. Both pseudo-cardiac symptoms and poor sleep quality were more strongly associated with symptoms of CDs than PDs. The results of the hierarchical analysis show that the CDs factor alone could explain the total variance of both pseudo-cardiac symptoms (change in R2 = 0.215 vs. 0.009; p < 0.001) and poor sleep quality (change in R2 = 0.221 vs. 0.001; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The different capabilities of two unique factors for the symptoms of PDs and CDs were confirmed by factor analytical methods and regression analysis techniques. Although each of the symptoms of PDs and CDs independently contributes to the manifestation of pseudo-cardiac symptoms and poor sleep quality, the CDs factor is the psychopathological core.
How individual social capital affects residents’ satisfaction with medical services: Based on the evidence from urban residents in China
Authors: Wang Wenbin , Cao Yang
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Residents’ satisfaction with medical services has commonly been treated as both a medical and psychosocial process. The influence of psychosocial factors on residents’ satisfaction with medical treatment is generally considered as important as that of medical factors. However, the effect of individual social capital on residents’ satisfaction after medical treatment–an important psychosocial variable that may influence health status and access to medical services–has not received sufficient attention.

Methods

This study used the questionnaire survey data of urban residents in eight Chinese cities in 2014 to investigate how individual social capital affects residents’ satisfaction with medical services over the past year.

Results

The results revealed a negative impact of individual social capital on residents’ overall satisfaction with medical services. In addition, the use of individual social capital significantly improved residents’ satisfaction with medical resources and significantly reduced residents’ satisfaction with the medical system. Moreover, the negative impact of individual social capital on residents’ overall satisfaction with medical services was greater for individuals with a lower likelihood of using this capital, which may lead to unequal allocation of medical resources and long-term life satisfaction.

Discussion

The heterogeneous impact and mechanism of individual social capital on residents’ satisfaction with medical services was confirmed under the premise of self-selection bias.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of pembrolizumab vs. chemotherapy as second-line treatment for advanced esophageal carcinoma in the United States
Authors: Hu Jia , Ye Zhuomiao , Xu Zhe , Hao Zhinan , Wang Yongjun
Published: December 2022

Background

The national Comprehensive Cancer Network has suggested pembrolizumab as a second-line therapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients with a programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) combined positive score (CPS) ≥ 10. However, despite the increased survival rate associated with pembrolizumab in these patient population, the high cost of pembrolizumab may influence its antitumor effect. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab compared to chemotherapy as second-line treatments for esophageal carcinoma (EC) based on KEYNOTE-181 trial.

Methods

A Markov model was constructed using TreeAge 2021 based on three different groups: all intent-to-treat patients (ITT population), patients with ESCC (ESCC population), and patients with a PD-L1 CPS ≥10 (CPS ≥10 population). Incremental cost, Incremental effect, Life-years, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and incremental cost–effectiveness ratio (ICER) were calculated. Analyses were conducted on the setting of a willingness-to-pay threshold of $150,000 from the US perspective.

Results

The ICERs for pembrolizumab were $157,589.545 per QALY, $60,238.823 per QALY, and $100,114.929 per QALY compared with chemotherapy in the ITT, ESCC, and CPS≥10 populations, respectively. The ICER of the ITT population was higher than $150,000, suggesting that pembrolizumab was not a cost-effective treatment scheme in patients with a PD-L1 CPS ≤ 10 or esophageal adenocarcinoma. The ICER was < $150,000 in the ESCC and CPS≥10 populations, indicating that pembrolizumab was cost-effective in these two subgroups.

Conclusion

The determining of pembrolizumab as a cost-effective second-line therapy for EC in the United States depends on the histologic type and PD-L1 expression.
Mediterranean diet score is associated with greater allocentric processing in the EPAD LCS cohort: A comparative analysis by biogeographical region
Authors: Gregory Sarah , Ritchie Craig W. , Ritchie Karen , Shannon Oliver , Stevenson Emma J. , Muniz-Terrera Graciela
Published: December 2022

Background: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), a primarily plant-based eating pattern, has been associated with lower dementia incidence. Much of the research has focused on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), with less research looking at the preclinical symptomatically silent stages that pre-empt MCI and AD dementia. Although there is evidence from studies conducted globally, no studies have compared the effects of the MedDiet within and outside of the Mediterranean region in one cohort.

Methods: Our study explored cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between MedDiet and cognition in the pan-European EPAD LCS, comparing those living within and outside of the Mediterranean region (as classified by European Union biogeographical definitions). After deriving MEDAS scores to quantify adherence to the MedDiet, we used linear regression and linear mixed effects models to test for associations between the MEDAS score and cognitive function measured by the Four Mountains Test (FMT) and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). We additionally calculated MEDAS continuous and PYRAMID scores to provide alternative measures of MedDiet adherence.

Results: We included 1826 participants, mean age 65.69 (±7.42) years, majority female (56.2%) with family history (65.8%) and minority APOEε4 carriers (38.9%). Higher MEDAS scores were associated with better performance on the FMT both cross-sectionally (n = 1,144, ß: −0.11, SE: 0.04, p = 0.007) and longitudinally (slope: 0.10, 95% CI: 0.04–0.17, p: 0.002). The effect was marginally greater in the Mediterranean region in the cross-sectional analysis, with a stronger effect emerging longitudinally. In exploratory analyses, the association between MEDAS and FMT scores was only seen in female participants. A sensitivity analysis excluding Toulouse and Perugia, as cities near, but not within, the biogeographical region, found significant associations between higher MEDAS and MEDAS continuous scores, and a number of RBANS total and index scores.

Conclusion: MedDiet adherence is associated with better FMT scores, with effects seen most strongly in the Mediterranean region from longitudinal data. Our sensitivity analysis suggested a more global cognitive benefit of MedDiet adherence. This study highlights the need to further explore for whom and for what brain health outcomes the MedDiet confers benefit. This evidence would identify a window of opportunity in the life-course to maximise the benefit and better inform public health campaigns and patient-level interventions.
Reflexive co-production for urban resilience: Guiding framework and experiences from Austin, Texas
Authors: Bixler R. Patrick , Coudert Marc , Richter Steven M. , Jones Jessica M. , Llanes Pulido Carmen , Akhavan Nika , Bartos Matt , Passalacqua Paola , Niyogi Dev
Published: December 2022

The growing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events have placed cities at the forefront of the human, social, economic, and ecological impacts of climate change. Extreme heat, extended freeze, excessive precipitation, and/or prolong drought impacts neighborhoods disproportionately across heterogenous urban geographies. Underserved, underrepresented, and marginalized communities are more likely to bear the burden of increased exposure to adverse climate impacts while simultaneously facing power asymmetries in access to the policy and knowledge production process. Knowledge co-production is one framework that seeks to address this convergence of disproportionate climate impact exposure and disenfranchised communities. Co-production is increasingly used in sustainability and resilience research to ask questions and develop solutions with, by, and for those communities that are most impacted. By weaving research, planning, evaluation, and policy in an iterative cycle, knowledge and action can be more closely coupled. However, the practice of co-production often lacks reflexivity in ways that can transform the science and policy of urban resilience to address equity more directly. With this, we ask what kind of co-production mechanism encourage academic and non-academic partners to reflect and scrutinize their underlying assumptions, existing institutional arrangements, and practices? How can these efforts identify and acknowledge the contradictions of co-production to reduce climate impacts in vulnerable communities? This paper presents a framework for reflexive co-production and assesses three modes of co-production for urban resilience in Austin, Texas, USA. These include a multi-hazard risk mapping initiative, a resident-driven community indicator system for adaptive capacity, and a neighborhood household preparedness guide. We establish a set of functional and transformational criteria from which to evaluate co-production and assess each initiative across the criteria. We conclude with some recommendations that can advance reflexive co-production for urban resilience.