bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cinnamon essential oil and its emulsion as efficient antibiofilm agents to combat Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Ganić Tea , Vuletić Stefana , Nikolić Biljana , Stevanović Magdalena , Kuzmanović Maja , Kekić Dušan , Đurović Saša , Cvetković Stefana , Mitić-Ćulafić Dragana
Published: October 2022

Acinetobacter baumannii is an emerging nosocomial pathogen resistant to a wide spectrum of antibiotics, with great potential to form a biofilm, which further aggravates treatment of infections caused by it. Therefore, searching for new potent agents that are efficient against A. baumannii seems to be a necessity. One of them, which has already been proven to possess a wide spectrum of biological activities, including antimicrobial effect, is cinnamon essential oil. Still, further increase of antibacterial efficacy and improvement of bioavailability of cinnamon oil is possible by emulsification process. The aim of this study was comparative analysis of cinnamon essential oil and its emulsion against biofilm forming A. baumannii clinical isolates. Furthermore, the investigation of toxicological aspects of possible applications of essential oil and emulsion was done as well. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry of essential oil indicated trans-cinnamaldehyde as the most abundant component. The cinnamon emulsion was synthesized from cinnamon essential oil by combining modified low- and high- energy methods. Synthesized emulsion was characterized with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and photon correlation spectroscopy. Both substances exhibited significant antibacterial (minimal inhibitory concentrations in the range 0.125–0.5 mg/ml) and antibiofilm effects (inhibitions of formation and reduction of pre-formed biofilm were 47–81 and 30–62%, respectively). Compared to essential oil, the efficacy of emulsion was even stronger considering the small share of pure oil (20%) in the emulsion. The result of biofilm eradication assay was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Even though the cytotoxicity was high especially for the emulsion, genotoxicity was not determined. In conclusion, strong antibacterial/antibiofilm effect against A. baumannii of the cinnamon essential oil and the fact that emulsification even potentiated the activity, seems to be of great significance. Observed cytotoxicity implicated that further analysis is needed in order to clearly determine active principles being responsible for obtained antibacterial/antibiofilm and cytotoxic properties.
A revolving algae biofilm based photosynthetic microbial fuel cell for simultaneous energy recovery, pollutants removal, and algae production
Authors: Zhang Huichao , Yan Qian , An Zhongyi , Wen Zhiyou
Published: October 2022

Photosynthetic microbial fuel cell (PMFC) based on algal cathode can integrate of wastewater treatment with microalgal biomass production. However, both the traditional suspended algae and the immobilized algae cathode systems have the problems of high cost caused by Pt catalyst and ion-exchange membrane. In this work, a new equipment for membrane-free PMFC is reported based on the optimization of the most expensive MFC components: the separator and the cathode. Using a revolving algae-bacteria biofilm cathode in a photosynthetic membrane-free microbial fuel cell (RAB-MFC) can obtain pollutants removal and algal biomass production as well as electrons generation. The highest chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rates of the anode and cathode chambers reached 93.5 ± 2.6% and 95.8% ± 0.8%, respectively. The ammonia removal efficiency in anode and cathode chambers was 91.1 ± 1.3% and 98.0 ± 0.6%, respectively, corresponding to an ammonia removal rate of 0.92 ± 0.02 mg/L/h. The maximum current density and power density were 136.1 mA/m2 and 33.1 mW/m2. The average biomass production of algae biofilm was higher than 30 g/m2. The 18S rDNA sequencing analysis the eukaryotic community and revealed high operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of Chlorophyta (44.43%) was dominant phyla with low COD level, while Ciliophora (54.36%) replaced Chlorophyta as the dominant phyla when COD increased. 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing revealed that biofilms on the cathode contained a variety of prokaryote taxa, including Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Firmicutes, while there was only 0.23–0.26% photosynthesizing prokaryote found in the cathode biofilm. Collectively, this work demonstrated that RAB can be used as a bio-cathode in PMFC for pollutants removal from wastewater as well as electricity generation.
Characterization of Mycobacterium salfingeri sp. nov.: A novel nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from a human wound infection
Authors: Musser Emily , Smith Carol , Halse Tanya A. , Kohlerschmidt Donna , Rourke Amy , Fiero Alexandra , Musser Kimberlee A. , Escuyer Vincent , Lapierre Pascal
Published: October 2022

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are environmental bacteria commonly found in soil and water in almost every part of the world. While usually non-pathogenic, they can cause acute respiratory and cutaneous infections under certain circumstances or in patients with underlying medical conditions. Contrary to members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, documented human-to-human transmissions of NTM have been rarely reported and most cases result from direct environmental exposure. Here we describe the identification of a new NTM species isolated from a hand laceration of a New York State patient after a fall. This new NTM forms rough, orange pigmented colonies and is naturally resistant to doxycycline and tobramycin. Whole genome analysis reveal no close relatives present in public databases, and our findings are in accordance with the recognition of a new taxonomic species of NTM. We propose the name Mycobacterium salfingeri sp. nov. for this new NTM representative. The type strain is 20-157661T (DSM = 113368T, BCCM = ITM 501207T).
Refinement of SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein structure in a native-like environment by molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Yang Rui , Wu Sijin , Wang Shen , Rubino Grace , Nickels Jonathan D. , Cheng Xiaolin
Published: October 2022

COVID-19 has become an unprecedented threat to human health. The SARS-CoV-2 envelope (E) protein plays a critical role in the viral maturation process and pathogenesis. Despite intensive investigation, its structure in physiological conditions remains mysterious: no high-resolution full-length structure is available and only an NMR structure of the transmembrane (TM) region has been determined. Here, we present a refined E protein structure, using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate its structure and dynamics in a 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) bilayer system. Our initial homology model based upon the SARS-CoV E protein structure is shown to be unstable in the lipid bilayer, and the H3 helices tend to move away from the membrane center to the membrane-water interface. A more stable model was developed by replacing all H3 helices with the fully equilibrated H3 structure sampled in the MD simulations. This refined model exhibited more favorable contacts with lipids and water than the original homology model and induced local membrane curvature, decreasing local lipid order. Interestingly, the pore radius profiles showed that the channel in both homology and refined models remained in a closed state throughout the simulations. We also demonstrated the utility of this structure to develop anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs by docking a library of FDA-approved, investigational, and experimental drugs to the refined E protein structure, identifying 20 potential channel blockers. This highlights the power of MD simulations to refine low-resolution structures of membrane proteins in a native-like membrane environment, shedding light on the structural features of the E protein and providing a platform for the development of novel antiviral treatments.
Structural and electronic properties of the active site of [ZnFe] SulE
Authors: Moubarak Samah , Rippers Yvonne , Elghobashi-Meinhardt Nadia , Mroginski Maria Andrea
Published: October 2022

The function of the recently isolated sulerythrin (SulE) has been investigated using a combination of structural and electronic analyses based on quantum mechanical calculations. In the SulE structure of Fushinobu et al. (2003), isolated from a strictly aerobic archaeon, Sulfolobus tokadaii, a dioxygen-containing species was tentatively included at the active site during crystallographic refinement although the substrate specificity of SulE remains unclear. Studies have suggested that a structurally related enzyme, rubrerythrin, functions as a hydrogen peroxide reductase. Since SulE is a truncated version of rubrerythrin, the enzymes are hypothesized to function similarly. Hence, using available X-ray crystallography data (1.7 Å), we constructed various models of SulE containing a ZnII–Fe active site, differing in the nature of the substrate specificity (O2, H2O2), the oxidation level and the spin state of the iron ion, and the protonation states of the coordinating glutamate residues. Also, the substrate H2O2 is modeled in two possible configurations, differing in the orientation of the hydrogen atoms. Overall, the optimized geometries with an O2 substrate do not show good agreement with the experimentally resolved geometry. In contrast, excellent agreement between crystal structure arrangement and optimized geometries is achieved considering a H2O2 substrate and FeII in both spin states, when Glu92 is protonated. These results suggest that the dioxo species detected at the [ZnFe] active site of sulerythrin is H2O2, rather than an O2 molecule in agreement with experimental data indicating that only the diferrous oxidation state of the dimetal site in rubrerythrin reacts rapidly with H2O2. Based on our computations, we proposed a possible reaction pathway for substrate binding at the ZnFeII site of SulE with a H2O2 substrate. In this reaction pathway, Fe or another electron donor, such as NAD(P)H, catalyzes the reduction of H2O2 to water at the zinc–iron site.
Computational tools to study RNA-protein complexes
Authors: Bheemireddy Sneha , Sandhya Sankaran , Srinivasan Narayanaswamy , Sowdhamini Ramanathan
Published: October 2022

RNA is the key player in many cellular processes such as signal transduction, replication, transport, cell division, transcription, and translation. These diverse functions are accomplished through interactions of RNA with proteins. However, protein–RNA interactions are still poorly derstood in contrast to protein–protein and protein–DNA interactions. This knowledge gap can be attributed to the limited availability of protein-RNA structures along with the experimental difficulties in studying these complexes. Recent progress in computational resources has expanded the number of tools available for studying protein-RNA interactions at various molecular levels. These include tools for predicting interacting residues from primary sequences, modelling of protein-RNA complexes, predicting hotspots in these complexes and insights into derstanding in the dynamics of their interactions. Each of these tools has its strengths and limitations, which makes it significant to select an optimal approach for the question of interest. Here we present a mini review of computational tools to study different aspects of protein-RNA interactions, with focus on overall application, development of the field and the future perspectives.
Association of time to groin puncture with patient outcome after endovascular therapy stratified by etiology
Authors: Zhang Yiran , Hong Lan , Ling Yifeng , Yang Lumeng , Li Siyuan , Cheng Xin , Dong Qiang
Published: October 2022

Background

Randomized clinical trials and large stroke registries have demonstrated a time-dependent benefit of endovascular treatment (EVT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to large vessel occlusion (LVO). The aim of this study was to investigate whether this could be applied to different stroke subtypes in a real-world single-center cohort.

Materials and methods

Consecutive ischemic stroke patients with LVOs presenting within 24 h after symptom onset were prospectively registered and retrospectively assessed. Baseline multimodal imaging was conducted before EVT. Independent predictors of functional independence [90-day modified Rankin scale (mRS), 0–2] and any incidence of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) were explored using a stepwise logistic regression model in the entire cohort and in stroke subtypes.

Results

From 2015 to 2020, 140 eligible patients received EVT, of whom 59 (42%) were classified as large artery atherosclerosis (LAA)-related. Time from last known normal to groin puncture was identified as an independent predictor for functional independence in patients of cardioembolic (CE) subtype [odds ratio (OR) 0.90 per 10 min; 95% CI 0.82–0.98; P = 0.013] but not in the LAA subtype and the whole cohort. Groin puncture within 6 h after the time of last known normal was associated with a lower risk of any ICH in the whole cohort (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.17–0.75, P = 0.007). Sensitivity analysis of patients with complete imaging profiles also confirmed the above findings. Besides, compared with patients of the CE subtype, the LAA subtype had a smaller baseline ischemic core volume, a better collateral status, a slower core growth rate, and a numerically smaller final infarct volume.

Conclusion

Faster groin puncture has a more pronounced effect on the functional outcome in patients of CE subtype than those of LAA subtype. Reducing time to groin puncture is of great importance in improving the prognosis of patients after EVT, especially those of CE subtype, and reducing the incidence of any ICH in all patients.
Altered functional connectivity and regional brain activity in a triple-network model in minimally conscious state and vegetative-state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome patients: A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Authors: Wang Yituo , Chen Shanshan , Xia Xiaoyu , Peng Ying , Wu Bing
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in functional connectivity and regional brain activity between and within the default mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and executive control network (ECN) among individuals with disorders of consciousness (DOC) in the conditions of minimally conscious state (MCS) and vegetative-state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (VS/UWS). Twenty-five VS/UWS patients, 14 MCS patients, and 30 healthy individuals as normal control, completed resting-state fMRI scans. ROI-wise functional connectivity and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) were implemented to examine group differences. All ROI-wise and fALFF analyses masks were identified from the triple-network model. ROI-wise analyses indicated significantly decreased functional connectivity between posterior cingulate cortex (DMN)-left anterior insula (SN), right anterior insula (SN)-left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (ECN), and right anterior insula (SN)-right amygdala (SN) in VS/UWS patients compared to MCS patients. Moreover, fALFF were observed reduced in the triple-network across all DOC patients, and as the clinical manifestations of DOC deteriorated from MCS to VS/UWS, fALFF in dorsal DMN, anterior/posterior SN, and left ECN became significantly reduced. Moreover, a positive correlation between fALFF of the left ECN and Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) total scores was found across all DOC patients. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the underlying neural mechanism of functional connectivity and regional brain activity in DOC patients, and this triple-network model provides new connectivity pattern changes that may be integrated in future diagnostic tools based on the neural signatures of conscious states.
EEG-based emotion recognition using hybrid CNN and LSTM classification
Authors: Chakravarthi Bhuvaneshwari , Ng Sin-Chun , Ezilarasan M. R. , Leung Man-Fai
Published: October 2022

Emotions are a mental state that is accompanied by a distinct physiologic rhythm, as well as physical, behavioral, and mental changes. In the latest days, physiological activity has been used to study emotional reactions. This study describes the electroencephalography (EEG) signals, the brain wave pattern, and emotion analysis all of these are interrelated and based on the consequences of human behavior and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Post-traumatic stress disorder effects for long-term illness are associated with considerable suffering, impairment, and social/emotional impairment. PTSD is connected to subcortical responses to injury memories, thoughts, and emotions and alterations in brain circuitry. Predominantly EEG signals are the way of examining the electrical potential of the human feelings cum expression for every changing phenomenon that the individual faces. When going through literature there are some lacunae while analyzing emotions. There exist some reliability issues and also masking of real emotional behavior by the victims. Keeping this research gap and hindrance faced by the previous researchers the present study aims to fulfill the requirements, the efforts can be made to overcome this problem, and the proposed automated CNN-LSTM with ResNet-152 algorithm. Compared with the existing techniques, the proposed techniques achieved a higher level of accuracy of 98% by applying the hybrid deep learning algorithm.
Head-to-head comparison of commercial artificial intelligence solutions for detection of large vessel occlusion at a comprehensive stroke center
Authors: Schlossman Jacob , Ro Daniel , Salehi Shirin , Chow Daniel , Yu Wengui , Chang Peter D. , Soun Jennifer E.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Despite the availability of commercial artificial intelligence (AI) tools for large vessel occlusion (LVO) detection, there is paucity of data comparing traditional machine learning and deep learning solutions in a real-world setting. The purpose of this study is to compare and validate the performance of two AI-based tools (RAPID LVO and CINA LVO) for LVO detection.

Materials and methods

This was a retrospective, single center study performed at a comprehensive stroke center from December 2020 to June 2021. CT angiography (n = 263) for suspected stroke were evaluated for LVO. RAPID LVO is a traditional machine learning model which primarily relies on vessel density threshold assessment, while CINA LVO is an end-to-end deep learning tool implemented with multiple neural networks for detection and localization tasks. Reasons for errors were also recorded.

Results

There were 29 positive and 224 negative LVO cases by ground truth assessment. RAPID LVO demonstrated an accuracy of 0.86, sensitivity of 0.90, specificity of 0.86, positive predictive value of 0.45, and negative predictive value of 0.98, while CINA demonstrated an accuracy of 0.96, sensitivity of 0.76, specificity of 0.98, positive predictive value of 0.85, and negative predictive value of 0.97.

Conclusion

Both tools successfully detected most anterior circulation occlusions. RAPID LVO had higher sensitivity while CINA LVO had higher accuracy and specificity. Interestingly, both tools were able to detect some, but not all M2 MCA occlusions. This is the first study to compare traditional and deep learning LVO tools in the clinical setting.
Increased risk of sleep-related movement disorder in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection: A nationwide population-based study
Authors: Sung Yueh-Feng , Yin Jiu-Haw , Lee Kuang-Heng , Tsai Chia-Lin , Lin Yu-Kai , Chen Shao-Yuan , Chung Chi-Hsiang , Chien Wu-Chien , Lee Jiunn-Tay , Chou Chung-Hsing
Published: October 2022

Background and purpose

Evidence increasingly suggests that Helicobacter pylori infection (HPI) is associated with movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the relationship between HPI and sleep-related movement disorders (SRMD) remains unknown. This nationwide population-based study tried to demonstrate whether patients with HPI have a higher risk of developing SRMD in a general adult population.

Methods

The study cohort enrolled 9,393 patients who were initially diagnosed with HPI between 2000 and 2013. Notably, 37,572 age- and sex-matched controls without prior HPI were selected as the reference. A Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed for multivariate adjustment.

Results

Patients with HPI had a higher risk of developing SRMD (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 2.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.26–3.82, p < 0.01). Patients with HPI aged ≥65 years exhibited the highest risk (HR = 3.01, 95% CI = 1.90–5.30, p < 0.001), followed by patients aged 45–64 years (HR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.26–2.90, p <0.01) and <45 years (HR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.12–2.49, p < 0.01). Patients were most likely to develop SRMD 5 years or more after diagnosis of HPI (HR = 3.33, 95% CI = 1.97–5.89, p < 0.001). The increased risk of SRMD in male patients with HPI (HR = 2.73, 95% CI = 1.53–4.79, p < 0.001) was greater than in female patients (HR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.04–1.65, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Patients with HPI were associated with an increased risk for SRMD, with a higher risk in men, aged ≥65 years, and diagnosed for more than 5 years.
Is simultaneous cranioplasty with cerebrospinal fluid shunts implantation as safe as staged procedures?
Authors: Zhou Qian , Shen Wei , Zhou Zhiying , Yang Xiaofeng , Wen Liang
Published: October 2022

Objective

The combination of cranioplasty and ventriculoperitoneal shunt is a therapeutic strategy for patients with hydrocephalus after decompressive craniectomy (DC). However, the efficacies of simultaneous vs. staged surgery in reducing postoperative complications have not been conclusively determined. This was a meta-analysis of relevant studies to assess whether simultaneous surgery significantly reduces postoperative complication risks, compared to staged surgery.

Methods

We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of science databases for studies (published by 11 May 2022) comparing patients undergoing concurrent and staged cranioplasty and ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Our main endpoints were; overall postoperative complications, postoperative bleeding, postoperative infection and reoperation. We assessed the pooled data using a random effects model to compare complication rates using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Of the 494 identified studies, 12 were included in our analysis (N = 651 participants). Compared to staged surgery, concurrent surgery increased the relative risk for overall complications (pooled OR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.10–3.67), however, it did not increase the relative risks for postoperative bleeding, postoperative infection or reoperation. Subgroup analysis revealed that in the Asian population, concurrent surgery increased the relative risks for overall complications (staged vs. concurrent group: OR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.51–3.83, I2 = 0.0%) and postoperative infections (staged vs. concurrent group: OR: 2.35, 95% CI: 1.06–5.21, I2 = 31.8%).

Conclusion

Compared to staged surgery, concurrent surgery increases the overall complication rates. However, differences between the two therapeutic approaches in terms of postoperative bleeding, postoperative infection, or reoperation are insignificant. Simultaneous surgery was associated with increased overall post-operative complications and post-operative infection rates in the Asian population.
Effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation in combination with citalopram on patients with post-stroke depression
Authors: Zhu Zhen , Zhu Hao-Xuan , Jing Shao-Wei , Li Xia-Zhen , Yang Xiao-Yan , Luo Tu-Nan , Ye Shuai , Ouyang Xiao-Chun , Song Wei-Wei
Published: October 2022

Background

Amelioration of depression in patients with post-stroke depression (PSD) remains challenging.

Objective

The primary vision was to explore the effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in combination with citalopram on patients with PSD.

Methods

One hundred eligible patients who were diagnosed with PSD were recruited and randomly assigned to the control group (n = 50) or the TMS group (n = 50). The controls were given citalopram (10 mg/d for consecutive 8 weeks), while, in addition to citalopram, patients in the TMS group were also given TMS at 5 Hz once a workday for 8 weeks. The primary outcome was patient depression status as reflected by 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17) score, and the secondary outcome was patient neuropsychological score determined by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST).

Results

Patients treated with TMS in combination with citalopram had a drastic decrease in HAMD-17 score during treatment. Bigger changes in HAMD-17 score between baseline and 2 weeks as well as between baseline and 8 weeks in the TMS group were observed (P < 0.01). Patients in both groups had increased MMSE scores after treatment. Data of WCST revealed patients with TMS treatment completed more categories (P < 0.01) and had a lower RPP in comparison to patients in the control group (P < 0.0001). Additionally, TMS in combination with citalopram strikingly improved patients' MMSE scores when compared with those taking citalopram alone. Last, there was no striking difference in side effects between the two groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Our study found TMS in combination with citalopram is conducive to improving depression status and neuropsychological function, which holds great promise for treating PSD.
Quantitative electroencephalography interpretation of human brain activity after COVID-19 before and after Sudarshan Kriya Yoga
Authors: Kopańska Marta , Kuduk Barbara , Łagowska Anna , Mytych Wiktoria , Muchacka Renata , Banaś-Za̧bczyk Agnieszka
Published: October 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire world. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is wreaking havoc globally, leading to serious health problems and even death. The purpose of this study is to present the brainwave variability pattern using QEEG after exposure to COVID-19 and to introduce the subject of the Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY)-based breathing technique. QEEG is one of the basic neurological examinations through which we can compare the changes in the nervous system after SARS-CoV-2 virus infection and observe the variation of brainwave frequencies with a breathing technique.
Abnormal brain activities in multiple frequency bands in Parkinson’s disease with apathy
Authors: Xu Haikun , Zhang Mengchao , Wang Ziju , Yang Yanyan , Chang Ying , Liu Lin
Published: October 2022

Background

Apathy is among the most prevalent and incapacitating non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). PD patients with apathy (PD-A) have been reported to have abnormal spontaneous brain activity mainly in 0.01–0.08 Hz. However, the frequency-dependence of brain activity in PD-A remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to examine whether abnormalities in PD-A are associated with specific frequency bands.

Materials and methods

Overall, 28 patients with PD-A, 19 PD patients without apathy (PD-NA), and 32 gender-, age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. We collected resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data, demographic information, and neuropsychological assessments, including apathy, depression, anxiety and cognitive function for every participant. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF), percent amplitude of fluctuation (PerAF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and degree centrality (DC) were calculated in the conventional (0.01–0.08 Hz), slow-4 (0.027–0.073 Hz), and slow-5 (0.01–0.027 Hz) frequency bands based on statistical parametric mapping (SPM12) and RESTplus V1.25. Two-sample t-tests were performed to compare the differences among the three groups.

Results

PD-A reduced ALFF in the right anterior cingulate gyri in the slow-5 band and decreased fALFF in the right middle frontal gyrus in the conventional band, compared to patients with PD-NA. However, PerAF, ReHo, and DC could not distinguish PD-A from PD-NA in the three bands. PD-A had higher ALFF and fALFF in the left middle occipital gyrus and lower fALFF in the bilateral insula in the slow-5 band compared to the HCs. Furthermore, abnormal DC value in hippocampus and parahippocampus was observed separately in the conventional band and in the slow-4 band between PD-A and HCs. Moreover, PD-A and PD-NA showed lower ReHo in cerebellum in the three bands compared to the HCs.

Conclusion

Our study revealed that PD-A and PD-NA might have different neurophysiological mechanisms. Concurrently, the ALFF in the slow-5 band and fALFF in the conventional band were sensitive in differentiating PD-A from PD-NA. The influence of apathy on the disease can be considered in the future research on PD, with the effects of frequency band taken into account when analyzing spontaneous brain activities in PD-A.
Association between dietary intake of one-carbon metabolism nutrients and hyperglycemia in coal-burning fluorosis areas of Guizhou, China
Authors: Ding Li , Yang Qinglin , Sun Zhongming , Liu Lu , Meng Zeyu , Zhao Xun , Tao Na , Liu Jun
Published: October 2022

Background and aims

There are limited studies describing the association between dietary intake of one-carbon metabolism nutrients and hyperglycemia. The present study aimed to investigate the association of habitual dietary intake of one-carbon metabolism nutrients with hyperglycemia in a fluorosis area in China, and explored the interaction between these nutrients and fluorosis related to hyperglycemia.

Method

In a cross-sectional study, we recruited 901 villagers, ages ranging from 18–75, in Guizhou Province. Dietary data and other covariate data were obtained through an interviewer-administered questionnaire. We collected venous blood samples from participants who had fasted for one night to obtain fasting blood glucose levels and we categorized dietary intake of betaine, total choline, methionine, folate, vitamins B6 and B12, and choline subclasses into quartiles (Q1–Q4). The lowest quartile (Q1) served as the reference group. An unconditional logistic regression model was used to evaluate the protective effects of a dietary intake of one-carbon nutrients against hyperglycemia. We calculated Odds Ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A presence or absence of fluorosis subgroup analysis was performed to determine the potential effect of fluorosis on hyperglycemia.

Result

After adjusting for potential confounding factors, we found that a greater intake of dietary vitamin B6, total choline and methyl-donor index was inversely associated with the occurrence of hyperglycemia (P-trend <0.05). However, there were no significant associations between hyperglycemia and the dietary intake of folate, vitamin B12, methionine, and betaine. As for the choline subgroups, it showed that the dietary intake of free choline, phosphatidylcholine, and glycerol phosphatidylcholine was negatively correlated with the occurrence of hyperglycemia (P < 0.05). In contrast, there was no statistical association between dietary phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin and hyperglycemia (all P > 0.05). The results of subgroup analysis showed that dietary intake of folate, vitamin B6, total choline, free choline, glycerol phosphorylcholine, and phosphocholine had a protective effect against the occurrence of hyperglycemia in the non-fluorosis subgroup, although no effects were observed in the fluorosis subgroup. There were significant interactions between these nutrients and fluorosis (P = 0.010–0.048).

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that higher dietary intake of vitamin B6, total choline, methyl-donor index, free choline, glycerol phosphorylcholine, and phosphocholine in choline compounds were associated with a lower incidence of hyperglycemia. Moreover, the associations were modified by the presence or absence of fluorosis. Further investigation is needed to test the association in large-scale follow-up studies.
Kynurenic acid as a biochemical factor underlying the association between Western-style diet and depression: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Francis Heather M. , Stevenson Richard J. , Tan Lorraine S. Y. , Ehrenfeld Lauren , Byeon Sooin , Attuquayefio Tuki , Gupta Dolly , Lim Chai K.
Published: October 2022

Consumption of a Western-style diet (WS-diet), high in saturated fat and added sugar, is associated with increased depression risk. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying the relationship requires elucidation. Diet can alter tryptophan metabolism along the kynurenine pathway (KP), potentially linking inflammation and depression. This study aimed to examine whether urinary inflammatory markers and KP metabolites differed according to WS-diet consumption and depression severity. Depression symptoms and habitual WS-diet consumption were assessed in 169 healthy adults aged 17–35 recruited from two experimental studies. Targeted metabolomics profiling of seven KP metabolites, ELISA-based assays of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were performed using urine samples collected from the participants. Parametric tests were performed for group comparison and associations analysis. Multilevel mixed-effect modelling was applied to control for biases. Higher intake of WS-diet was associated with lower levels of neuroprotective kynurenic acid (KA; R = −0.17, p = 0.0236). There were no differences in IL-6 or CRP across diet groups (p > 0.05). Physical activity had negative associations with most KP metabolites. Mixed-effects regression analysis showed the glutamatergic inhibitor, KA, was the only biomarker to have a significant association with depression symptoms in a model adjusted for demographic and lifestyle variables: a unit increase in KA was associated with 0.21 unit decrease in Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 depression score (p = 0.009). These findings suggest that urinary KA is associated with both habitual WS-diet intake, and levels of depression symptoms, independent of inflammation. Findings support the role of neuroprotection and glutamatergic modulation in depression. We propose that KA may act as endogenous glutamatergic inhibition in regulating depression severity in the absence of inflammation. Further comparison with blood-based markers will assist in validating the utility of non-invasive urine samples for measuring KP metabolites.
Vitamin D categories and postpartum thyroid function in women with hypothyroidism
Authors: Chen Yanrong , Zhang Sijing , Hu Lingling , Dong Lun , Liu Qiuhong , Liu Yunting , Cheng Wei , Liu Dongfang , Yang Gangyi , Li Ke
Published: October 2022

Objective

To analyze the related factors of the postpartum thyroid function in women with overt hypothyroidism (OH)/subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and explore the effects of vitamin D categories.

Methods

Thyroid hormones, thyroid autoantibody, and serum 25OHD levels were continuously recorded from the first trimester of pregnancy (T1) to the 12th postpartum month. Logistic regression analysis and Cox regression analysis were used to screen the related factors of postpartum thyroid function, and the Latent Class Growth Model was performed to analyze the trajectory characteristics of serum 25OHD levels.

Results

Totally, 252 pregnant women with OH/SCH were enrolled in the study. In the 12th month postpartum, 36.5% of the patients improved thyroid function, 37.3% continued hypothyroidism, and 26.2% developed thyroid dysfunction. Vitamin D sufficiency, positive TPOAb, and positive TgAb in T1 were independent prognostic factors of postpartum thyroid function. Vitamin D sufficiency in T1 was illustrated as an independent factor of the improved postpartum thyroid function, but the protective effect for the developed postpartum thyroid dysfunction was only confirmed in TPOAb-positive patients. Cox regression analysis further confirmed the effects of vitamin D categories. Notably, the high-level 25OHD trajectory during pregnancy and postpartum could predict improved postpartum thyroid function and decrease the risk of developed postpartum thyroid dysfunction.

Conclusion

Appropriate vitamin D nutrition during pregnancy and postpartum may be beneficial to postpartum thyroid function.
Nutritional quality and greenhouse gas emissions of vegetarian and non-vegetarian primary school meals: A case study in Dijon, France
Authors: Dahmani Justine , Nicklaus Sophie , Grenier Jean-Michel , Marty Lucile
Published: October 2022

Since 2018 in France, national regulation mandates that school canteens serve a weekly vegetarian meal to reduce school canteens' environmental impact in addition to previous regulations imposing nutritional composition guidelines. However, a lunch without meat is often perceived as inadequate to cover the nutritional needs of children. The present study aims to assess the nutritional quality and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) of vegetarian and non-vegetarian school meals served in primary schools in Dijon, France. The catering department provided the composition of 249 meals served in 2019. Nutritional content and GHGE were retrieved from national food databases. The portion size of each meal component was the standard portion size recommended by the relevant French authority (GEMRCN). Meals were classified into vegetarian meals, i.e., without meat or fish (n = 66), or non-vegetarian meals (n = 183). The nutritional adequacy of the meals for children aged from 6 to 11 years was estimated using the mean adequacy ratio (MAR/2,000 kcal) as the mean percentage of daily recommended intake for 23 nutrients and the mean excess ratio (MER/2,000 kcal) as the mean percentage of excess compared to the maximum daily recommended value for three nutrients. This analysis of actual school meals shows that both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals had a similar good nutritional quality with MAR/2,000 kcal of 87.5% (SD 5.8) for vegetarian and of 88.5% (SD 4.5) for non-vegetarian meals, and a MER/2,000 kcal of 19.3% (SD 15.0) for vegetarian and of 19.1% (SD 18.6) for non-vegetarian meals. GHGE were more than twofold reduced in vegetarian compared to non-vegetarian meals (0.9 (SD 0.3) vs. 2.1 (SD 1.0) kgC02 eq/meal). Thus, increasing the frequency of vegetarian meals, by serving egg-based, dairy-based or vegan recipes more frequently, would reduce GHGE while maintaining adequate nutritional quality of primary school meals.
Survival nomogram for endometrial cancer with lung metastasis: A SEER database analysis
Authors: Yan Guangwei , Li Yingbin , Du Yanmin , Ma Xiaotian , Xie Yifei , Zeng Xianxu
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The lung is the most common distant metastatic organ in patients with endometrial cancer (EC) but is rarely reported. This study examines the association between clinical characteristics and overall survival (OS) in EC with lung metastasis.

Methods

Patients with EC who had accompanying lung metastasis were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2010 and 2017. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) and assess OS outcomes related to EC with lung metastasis. A Cox proportional hazards nomogram model for OS was constructed and validated. The calibration plot, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the discriminative ability and clinical benefit of the novel nomogram. Kaplan–Meier curves and scatter diagram analysis were used to investigate the risk stratifications of the nomogram.

Results

Overall, 1542 EC patients with lung metastasis between 2010 and 2017 were included and randomly divided into training and validation cohorts. A nomogram model was constructed using the clinical characteristics of tumor grade, histological type, surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant radiation, brain metastasis and liver metastasis. The concordance indexes (C-indexes) were 0.750 (95% CI, 0.732-0.767) and 0.743 (95% CI, 0.719-0.767) for the training cohort and validation cohort, respectively. Calibration plots and DCA showed good clinical applicability of the nomogram. The areas under the curves (AUCs) were 0.803 and 0.766 for 1-year and 3-year OS, respectively, indicating that the nomogram model had a stable discriminative ability. An online calculator of our nomogram is available on the internet at https://endometrialcancer.shinyapps.io/DynNomapp/. Additionally, patients in the high-risk group had a significantly worse OS than those in the low-risk group.

Conclusion

An easy-to-use, highly accurate nomogram was developed for predicting the prognosis of EC patients with lung metastasis.
Claudin-18 expression under hyperoxia in neonatal lungs of bronchopulmonary dysplasia model rats
Authors: Zuo Jingye , Tong Yajie , Yang Yuting , Wang Yirui , Yue Dongmei
Published: October 2022

Background

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is characterized by impaired alveolar and microvascular development. Claudin-18 is the only known lung-specific tight junction protein affecting the development and transdifferentiation of alveolar epithelium.

Objective

We aimed to explore the changes in the expression of claudin-18, podoplanin, SFTPC, and the canonical WNT pathway, in a rat model of hyperoxia-induced BPD, and to verify the regulatory relationship between claudin-18 and the canonical WNT pathway by cell experiments.

Methods

A neonatal rat and cell model of BPD was established by exposing to hyperoxia (85%). Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used to confirm the establishment of the BPD model. The mRNA levels were assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR). Protein expression levels were determined using western blotting, immunohistochemical staining, and immunofluorescence.

Results

As confirmed by HE staining, the neonatal rat model of BPD was successfully established. Compared to that in the control group, claudin-18 and claudin-4 expression decreased in the hyperoxia group. Expression of β-catenin in the WNT signaling pathway decreased, whereas that of p-GSK-3β increased. Expression of the AEC II marker SFTPC initially decreased and then increased, whereas that of the AEC I marker podoplanin increased on day 14 (P < 0.05). Similarly, claudin-18, claudin-4, SFTPC and β-catenin were decreased but podoplanin was increased when AEC line RLE-6TN exposed to 85% hyperoxia. And the expression of SFTPC was increased, the podoplanin was decreased, and the WNT pathway was upregulated when claudin-18 was overexpressed.

Conclusions

Claudin-18 downregulation during hyperoxia might affect lung development and maturation, thereby resulting in hyperoxia-induced BPD. Additionally, claudin-18 is associated with the canonical WNT pathway and AECs transdifferentiation.
Relationships between screen viewing and sleep quality for infants and toddlers in China: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Lin Yumin , Zhang Xueqin , Huang Yinying , Jia Zhiwei , Chen Jing , Hou Wanling , Zhao Lili , Wang Guiyan , Zhu Jiemin
Published: October 2022

Aim

Currently young children have more opportunity to access all kinds of media, while their sleep duration has been steadily decreasing. However, little is known about the relationships between screen viewing and sleep quality, and the reasons of screen viewing for children under three years old in China. This study aimed to describe the relationships between screen viewing and sleep quality of infants and toddlers in mainland China.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted. Eight hundred twenty-seven children were recruited at a health care unit from a university affiliated hospital in China, and the questionnaires were completed by their parents. An extended Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire and a Screen Viewing Questionnaire were used to collect information on children's sleep quality and screen viewing. Multivariate linear regression models were used to assess the relationships between screen viewing and sleep quality among infants and toddlers, adjusted for sociodemographic variables.

Results

Of the 827 children, 26.9% of the infants and 61.4% of the toddlers did not comply with the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline on screen time. Even after adjusting for the sociodemographic covariates for both infants and toddlers, negative relationships between screen time and total sleep time (P < 0.001), and screen time and nighttime sleep (P < 0.001) existed. TV viewing time was negatively related to infants' total sleep time (β = −0.15, P < 0.001) and toddlers' nighttime sleep (β = −0.1, P < 0.05). Smartphone viewing time was negatively related to toddlers' total sleep time (β = −0.12, P < 0.05) and daytime sleep (β = −0.22, P < 0.05). Parents who offered screen media for children when they needed to do house chores were more likely to report that their children had less total sleep time (β = −0.1, P < 0.05) and shorter longest sleep episode (β = −0.1, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The majority of toddlers did not meet the WHO guidelines on screen time in China. Screen time was negatively related to total sleep time and nighttime sleep among infants and toddlers. Practical strategies, such as education programs on children's screen viewing, more outdoor exercises and indoor parent-child activities, providing other educational materials instead of screening, early sleep, restricted use of TVs and smartphones, and screen co-viewing, are needed to improve young children's sleep quality and promote their development.
The OBTAINS study: A nationwide cross-sectional survey on the implementation of extended or continuous infusion of β-lactams and vancomycin among neonatal sepsis patients in China
Authors: Zhou Pengxiang , Cheng Yinchu , Cao Guangna , Xing Yan , Zhai Suodi , Tong Xiaomei , Yang Kehu
Published: October 2022

Background: Dosing strategies of β-lactams and vancomycin should be optimized according to pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic principles. However, there is no available data indicating the implementation of extended infusion (EI) or continuous infusion (CI) administration in the management of neonatal sepsis.

Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted and the pediatricians from 31 provinces in China were enrolled. A multidisciplinary team created the questionnaire, which had three sections and a total of 21 questions with open- and closed-ended responses. The survey was then conducted using an internet platform in an anonymous way. The data was eventually gathered, compiled, and examined. To identify the risk factors associated with the implementation of EI/CI, logistic regression was carried out.

Results: A total of 1501 respondents answered the questionnaires. The implementation of EI/CI of β-lactams and vancomycin were only available to one-third of the respondents, and the prolonged strategy was primarily supported by guidelines (71.25%) and advice from medical specialists (55.18%). A significant fraction (72.94%–94.71%) lacked a strong understanding of the infusions’ stability. Additionally, it was discovered that more frequent MDT discussions about antibiotic use and the appropriate time pediatricians worked in the neonatal ward were associated with an increase in the use of the EI/CI strategy.

Conclusion: The EI/CI strategy in neonatal sepsis was not well recognized in China, and it is necessary to establish a solid MDT team with regularly collaborates. In the near future, guidelines regarding prolonged infusion management in neonatal sepsis should be developed.