bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FGM-based remote intervention for adults with type 1 diabetes: The FRIEND randomized clinical trial
Authors: Lee Jinju , Lee Myeong Hoon , Park Jiyun , Kim Kyung-Soo , Kim Soo-Kyung , Cho Yong-Wook , Han Hyun Wook , Song Young Shin
Published: November 2022

Background

The use of flash glucose monitoring (FGM) in conjunction with proper education has been reported to improve glycemic control in people with diabetes on insulin therapy. However, there are still few randomized controlled trials on the educational effect, and an ideal educational model has not been established. This study aimed to estimate the efficacy of remote intervention for glycemic control in adults with type 1 diabetes using FGM.

Methods

In this single-center, randomized controlled trial, we enrolled adults with type 1 diabetes (HbA1c ≥7.0%). The participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to either FGM use with remote intervention (intervention group) or FGM use only (control group). Changes in glycemic outcomes such as HbA1c levels and continuous glucose monitoring metrics were evaluated at 12 weeks.

Results

Among 36 randomized participants (mean age, 44.3 years; mean baseline HbA1c, 8.9%), 34 completed the study. The remote intervention did not significantly reduce HbA1c levels. FGM use significantly improved HbA1c levels by −1.4% and −0.8% in both groups with and without remote intervention, respectively (P=0.003 and P=0.004, respectively). However, the intervention group showed significant increases in time with glucose in the range of 70–180 mg/dL (TIR; from 49.8% to 60.9%, P=0.001) and significant decreases in time with hyperglycemia (P=0.002) and mean glucose (P=0.017), but the control group did not. Moreover, the TIR (P=0.019), time with hyperglycemia >250 mg/dL (P=0.019), and coefficient of variation (P=0.018) were significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group. In particular, the CGM metrics improved gradually as the remote intervention was repeated. Furthermore, the intervention group reported higher treatment satisfaction (P=0.016).

Conclusions

Ongoing, personalized education during FGM use may lead to amelioration of glycemic control in adults with type 1 diabetes, even remotely.

Clinical trial registration

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04936633, identifier NCT04936633.
Association of circulating miRNAS in patients with Alstrőm and Bardet-Biedl syndromes with clinical course parameters
Authors: Zmyslowska Agnieszka , Smyczynska Urszula , Stanczak Marcin , Jeziorny Krzysztof , Szadkowska Agnieszka , Fendler Wojciech , Borowiec Maciej
Published: November 2022

Background

Patients with the rare syndromic forms of monogenic diabetes: Alström syndrome (ALMS) and Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) have multiple metabolic abnormalities, including early-onset obesity, insulin resistance, lipid disorders and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to determine if the expression of circulating miRNAs in patients with ALMS and BBS differs from that in healthy and obese individuals and determine if miRNA levels correlate with metabolic tests, BMI-SDS and patient age.

Methods

We quantified miRNA expression (Qiagen, Germany) in four groups of patients: with ALMS (n=13), with BBS (n=7), patients with obesity (n=19) and controls (n=23). Clinical parameters including lipids profile, serum creatinine, cystatin C, fasting glucose, insulin and C-peptide levels, HbA1c values and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were assessed in patients with ALMS and BBS.

Results

We observed multiple up- or downregulated miRNAs in both ALMS and BBS patients compared to obese patients and controls, but only 1 miRNA (miR-301a-3p) differed significantly and in the same direction in ALMS and BBS relative to the other groups. Similarly, 1 miRNA (miR-92b-3p) was dysregulated in the opposite directions in ALMS and BBS patients, but diverged from 2 other groups. We found eight miRNAs (miR-30a-5p, miR-92b-3p, miR-99a-5p, miR-122-5p, miR-192-5p, miR-193a-5p, miR-199a-3p and miR-205-5p) that significantly correlated with at least of the analyzed clinical variables representing an association with the course of the diseases.

Conclusions

Our results show for the first time that serum miRNAs can be used as available indicators of disease course in patients with ALMS and BBS syndromes.
Human stem cell derived beta-like cells engineered to present PD-L1 improve transplant survival in NOD mice carrying human HLA class I
Authors: Santini-González Jorge , Castro-Gutierrez Roberto , Becker Matthew W. , Rancourt Chad , Russ Holger A. , Phelps Edward A.
Published: November 2022

There is a critical need for therapeutic approaches that combine renewable sources of replacement beta cells with localized immunomodulation to counter recurrence of autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, there are few examples of animal models to study such approaches that incorporate spontaneous autoimmunity directed against human beta cells rather than allogenic rejection. Here, we address this critical limitation by demonstrating rejection and survival of transplanted human stem cell-derived beta-like cells clusters (sBCs) in a fully immune competent mouse model with matching human HLA class I and spontaneous diabetes development. We engineered localized immune tolerance toward transplanted sBCs via inducible cell surface overexpression of PD-L1 (iP-sBCs) with and without deletion of all HLA class I surface molecules via beta-2 microglobulin knockout (iP-BKO sBCs). NOD.HLA-A2.1 mice, which lack classical murine MHC I and instead express human HLA-A*02:01, underwent transplantation of 1,000 human HLA-A*02:01 sBCs under the kidney capsule and were separated into HLA-A2 positive iP-sBC and HLA-class I negative iP-BKO sBC groups, each with +/- doxycycline (DOX) induced PD-L1 expression. IVIS imaging showed significantly improved graft survival in mice transplanted with PD-L1 expressing iP-sBC at day 3 post transplantation compared to controls. However, luciferase signal dropped below in vivo detection limits by day 14 for all groups in this aggressive immune competent diabetes model. Nonetheless, histological examination revealed significant numbers of surviving insulin+/PD-L1+ sBCs cells for DOX-treated mice at day 16 post-transplant despite extensive infiltration with high numbers of CD3+ and CD45+ immune cells. These results show that T cells rapidly infiltrate and attack sBC grafts in this model but that significant numbers of PD-L1 expressing sBCs manage to survive in this harsh immunological environment. This investigation represents one of the first in vivo studies recapitulating key aspects of human autoimmune diabetes to test immune tolerance approaches with renewable sources of beta cells.
Role of mechanization: The impact of the cropland use scale on fertilizer reduction
Authors: Liu Jin , Xu Qing , Zhou Tianshu
Published: November 2022

The input of chemical fertilizers to save land and the input of agricultural mechanization to save labor have been important driving forces in China’s grain production since the reform and opening-up. In recent years, the existing literature discussed the relationship between the scale of agricultural land and the application of chemical fertilizers but ignored the role of mechanization in agricultural production and management. We used the intermediary effect model to examine how the cropland use scale affected farmers’ fertilization behavior through agricultural mechanization investment. Our dataset contained data from the Fixed Observation Points of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in China conducted between 2015 and 2017. The results showed that the expansion of the cropland scale significantly reduced the fertilizer input per mu and indirectly reduced the fertilizer input of farmers by increasing the input of agricultural mechanization. In a word, agricultural mechanization played a mediation effect. Further heterogeneity results showed that because grain crops are easier to operate mechanically, the mediation effect was more significant; similarly, under the patterns of “south prefer to service, north prefer to self-purchase” and “south grow rice and north grow wheat,” southern areas received a more significant reduction effect in mainland China. These findings defined the role of agricultural mechanization and provided a new perspective for realizing the reduction and efficiency of chemical fertilizers and reducing agricultural non-point source pollution.
Carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen stable isotopes in modern tooth enamel: A case study from Gorongosa National Park, central Mozambique
Authors: Lüdecke Tina , Leichliter Jennifer N. , Aldeias Vera , Bamford Marion K. , Biro Dora , Braun David R. , Capelli Cristian , Cybulski Jonathan D. , Duprey Nicolas N. , Ferreira da Silva Maria J. , Foreman Alan D. , Habermann Jörg M. , Haug Gerald H. , Martínez Felipe I. , Mathe Jacinto , Mulch Andreas , Sigman Daniel M. , Vonhof Hubert , Bobe René , Carvalho Susana , Martínez-García Alfredo
Published: November 2022

The analyses of the stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C), nitrogen (δ15N), and oxygen (δ18O) in animal tissues are powerful tools for reconstructing the feeding behavior of individual animals and characterizing trophic interactions in food webs. Of these biomaterials, tooth enamel is the hardest, most mineralized vertebrate tissue and therefore least likely to be affected by chemical alteration (i.e., its isotopic composition can be preserved over millions of years), making it an important and widely available archive for biologists and paleontologists. Here, we present the first combined measurements of δ13C, δ15N, and δ18O in enamel from the teeth of modern fauna (herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores) from the well-studied ecosystem of Gorongosa National Park (GNP) in central Mozambique. We use two novel methods to produce high-precision stable isotope enamel data: (i) the “oxidation-denitrification method,”which permits the measurement of mineral-bound organic nitrogen in tooth enamel (δ15Nenamel), which until now, has not been possible due to enamel’s low organic content, and (ii) the “cold trap method,” which greatly reduces the sample size required for traditional measurements of inorganic δ13Cenameland δ18Oenamel(from ≥0.5 to ≤0.1 mg), permitting analysis of small or valuable teeth and high-resolution serial sampling of enamel. The stable isotope results for GNP fauna reveal important ecological information about the trophic level, dietary niche, and resource consumption. δ15Nenamelvalues clearly differentiate trophic level (i.e., carnivore δ15Nenamelvalues are 4.0‰ higher, on average, than herbivores), δ13Cenamelvalues distinguish C3and/or C4biomass consumption, and δ18Oenamelvalues reflect local meteoric water (δ18Owater) in the park. Analysis of combined carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen stable isotope data permits geochemical separation of grazers, browsers, omnivores, and carnivores according to their isotopic niche, while mixed-feeding herbivores cannot be clearly distinguished from other dietary groups. These results confirm that combined C, N, and O isotope analyses of a single aliquot of tooth enamel can be used to reconstruct diet and trophic niches. Given its resistance to chemical alteration, the analysis of these three isotopes in tooth enamel has a high potential to open new avenues of research in (paleo)ecology and paleontology.
Criteria for identifying potentially resectable patients with initially oncologically unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma before treatment with lenvatinib plus an anti–PD–1 antibody
Authors: Xu Bin , Zhu Xiao-Dong , Shen Ying-Hao , Zhu Jin-Jin , Liu Jie , Li Mei-Ling , Tang Pei-Wen , Zhou Jian , Fan Jia , Sun Hui-Chuan , Huang Cheng
Published: November 2022

Background

Conversion therapy is feasible in patients with oncologically unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, it is challenging to prospectively identify patients who are more likely to achieve successful conversion before initiating systemic therapy, either alone or combined with locoregional therapy.

Methods

Criteria for identifying potentially resectable patients with initially oncologically unresectable HCC before treatment with lenvatinib plus an anti-PD-1 antibody were proposed based on real-world evidence. Multivariate Firth logistic regression was used to validate the proposed criteria in a retrospective cohort of consecutive patients with advanced HCC, who received combination therapy with lenvatinib plus an anti-PD-1 antibody between September 2018 and September 2021.

Results

The proposed criteria were as follows: (1) Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1; (2) Child-Pugh class A; (3) intrahepatic tumors confined to one lobe (left, right, or middle lobe), or present in one lobe alongside a single tumor with diameter ≤5 cm or up to three tumors each with diameter ≤3 cm in the remaining lobes, with R0 resection achievable by hemihepatectomy, alone or combined with locoregional therapy to the remaining lobes during surgery; and (4) no portal vein tumor thrombus involving the contralateral liver lobe or reaching the superior mesenteric vein, no hepatic vein tumor thrombus involving more than two major hepatic vein branches on the tumor side, and no tumor thrombus of the inferior vena cava reaching the atrium. Firth logistic regression confirmed the criteria were an independent predictor of surgery following conversion therapy with lenvatinib plus an anti-PD-1 antibody.

Conclusions

This study proposed and validated criteria for identifying patients with initially oncologically unresectable HCC who are potentially resectable when treated with combination therapy with lenvatinib plus an anti-PD-1 antibody. The proposed criteria could help standardize conversion therapy studies in advanced HCC.
Porcine sapelovirus 2A protein induces mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis
Authors: Mou Chunxiao , Wang Yuxi , Pan Shuonan , Shi Kaichuang , Chen Zhenhai
Published: November 2022

Porcine sapelovirus (PSV) is an emerging pathogen associated with symptoms of enteritis, pneumonia, polioencephalomyelitis and reproductive disorders in swine, resulting in significant economic losses. Although PSV is reported to trigger cell apoptosis, its specific molecular mechanism is unclear. In this research, the cell apoptosis induced by PSV infection and its underlying mechanisms were investigated. The morphologic features of apoptosis include nuclear condensation and fragmentation, were observed after PSV infection. The cell apoptosis was confirmed by analyzing the apoptotic rates, caspase activation, and PARP1 cleavage. Caspase inhibitors inhibited the PSV-induced intrinsic apoptosis pathway and reduced viral replication. Among the proteins encoded by PSV, 2A is an important factor in inducing the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. The conserved residues H48, D91, and C164 related to protease activity in PSV 2A were crucial for 2A-induced apoptosis. In conclusion, our results provide insights into how PSV induces host cell apoptosis.
The oxygen minimum zone relative depth is a key driver of dolphin habitats in the northern Humboldt Current System
Authors: Llapapasca Miguel A. , Pardo Mario A. , Grados Daniel , Quiñones Javier
Published: November 2022

Highly mobile odontocetes need habitats with environmental conditions with the potential of aggregating enough and high-quality prey, to maximize foraging success. Until now, the characterization of those habitats was in terms of physical and biological indicators of high production, capable of attracting and sustaining prey. Nevertheless, there has been no approach to quantifying the effects of a biophysical characteristic of the ocean with proven effects on the vertical distribution of prey for cetaceans: The oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) depth. In the northern branch of the Humboldt Current System off Peru (~6-18° S), a shallow OMZ (30-50 m) affects the distribution of the Peruvian anchovy (Engraulis ringens), main prey for several marine predators, including dolphins. We hypothesized these predators would aggregate in productive areas, but with preference for places where the relative OMZ depth can constrain prey vertically, making it more accessible and maximizing foraging success. We fitted Bayesian habitat models for three dominant odontocete species in this region, with multiple combinations of environmental covariates, smoothing techniques, and temporal and spatial random effects. Cetacean data came from 23 dedicated surveys spanning 2001-2019. Habitat predictors included the spatial anomalies of sea surface temperature, surface chlorophyl-a, pycnocline depth and OMZ depth. Dusky (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) and common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preferred productive, cold areas with a very shallow OMZ, regardless of the season, while bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) aggregated in both cold and warm waters, also with shallow OMZ. The former two species of higher metabolic demands would maximize energy intake by selecting areas with highly aggregated prey, while the latter, of more moderate metabolic needs and more diverse prey, would exploit less restricted habitats.
Coastline extraction based on multi-scale segmentation and multi-level inheritance classification
Authors: Hui Sheng , Mengliang Guo , Yuliang Gan , Mingming Xu , Shanwei Liu , Yasir Muhammad , Jianyong Cui , Jianhua Wan
Published: November 2022

Detailed management of the coastline is critical to the development of coastal states. However, the current classification of the coastline is relatively weak. This study proposed an automatic method to detect coastlines with category attributes based on multi-scale segmentation and multi-level inheritance classification. Fully integrating the advantages of multi-scale segmentation and multi-level classification, it solved the problems that traditional methods could not solve, such as extracting coastlines with categorical attributes, cultivation ponds that are easily affected by tidal flats, and complex coastal terrain. The Chinese GF-2 satellite images are used to extract various types of coastlines in Jiaozhou Bay and its surrounding areas such as the harbor-wharf coastline, silt coastline, pond coastline, rocky coastline, and sandy coastline. Compared with the human interpretation, it is found that the coastline extracted by our proposed method is different by 10.104 km in the harbor-wharf coastline, 0.099 km in the silt coastline, 2.677 km in the pond coastline, 8.831 km in the rocky coastline, and 0.218 km in the sandy coastline. Furthermore, compared to the object-based region growing integrating edge detection (OBRGIE) method, it is increased by 13.52%, 2.16%, 14.48%, 52.57%, and 22.97%, respectively. The results show that our proposed method is algorithmically more reasonable, accurate, and powerful. It can provide data support for refined coastline management.
Deriving the functional relation of input parameters in single-point incremental forming through dimensional analysis
Authors: Oraon Manish , Sharma Vinay
Published: November 2022

The system is designed with the basics of fundamental units termed dimensional analysis (DA). The fundamental units are modeled to figure out some quantitative measures without the knowledge of the system behavior. Subsequently, the dimension analysis-based modeling helps to develop the functional relation of input parameters for the set objectives. The generalized model is validated with the output of experiments with an agreement to adopt the model within a certain range of error. Single-point incremental forming (SPIF) is an innovative sheet metal forming technique in which the metal sheets are shaped as desired without using dedicated dies. The SPIF investigations and declared results are desperately waiting for its industrial acceptability, but the optimization of the process is absent. The current study is to develop the functional relation of input parameters of SPIF through dimensional analysis. The investigation included statistical, ANN, and DA results for R in SPIF. Statistically, the step-down size (Δz; p = 0.005), area of tool end (A; p = 0.048), and wall angle (θ; p = 0.014) are found significant. The modified R-values are lower than the true and ANN modeled R, and its mean error is noted as 6.136. The functional relation confirmed that the step-down size and area of tool end are prominent factors for surface roughness and its influences on output are 150% and 100%, respectively.
Predicting the risk of nodular thyroid disease in coal miners based on different machine learning models
Authors: Zhao Feng , Zhang Hongzhen , Cheng Danqing , Wang Wenping , Li Yongtian , Wang Yisong , Lu Dekun , Dong Chunhui , Ren Dingfei , Yang Lixin
Published: November 2022

Background

Nodular thyroid disease is by far the most common thyroid disease and is closely associated with the development of thyroid cancer. Coal miners with chronic coal dust exposure are at higher risk of developing nodular thyroid disease. There are few studies that use machine learning models to predict the occurrence of nodular thyroid disease in coal miners. The aim of this study was to predict the high risk of nodular thyroid disease in coal miners based on five different Machine learning (ML) models.

Methods

This is a retrospective clinical study in which 1,708 coal miners who were examined at the Huaihe Energy Occupational Disease Control Hospital in Anhui Province in April 2021 were selected and their clinical physical examination data, including general information, laboratory tests and imaging findings, were collected. A synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) was used for sample balancing, and the data set was randomly split into a training and Test dataset in a ratio of 8:2. Lasso regression and correlation heat map were used to screen the predictors of the models, and five ML models, including Extreme Gradient Augmentation (XGBoost), Logistic Classification (LR), Gaussian Parsimonious Bayesian Classification (GNB), Neural Network Classification (MLP), and Complementary Parsimonious Bayesian Classification (CNB) for their predictive efficacy, and the model with the highest AUC was selected as the optimal model for predicting the occurrence of nodular thyroid disease in coal miners.

Result

Lasso regression analysis showed Age, H-DLC, HCT, MCH, PLT, and GGT as predictor variables for the ML models; in addition, heat maps showed no significant correlation between the six variables. In the prediction of nodular thyroid disease, the AUC results of the five ML models, XGBoost (0.892), LR (0.577), GNB (0.603), MLP (0.601), and CNB (0.543), with the XGBoost model having the largest AUC, the model can be applied in clinical practice.

Conclusion

In this research, all five ML models were found to predict the risk of nodular thyroid disease in coal miners, with the XGBoost model having the best overall predictive performance. The model can assist clinicians in quickly and accurately predicting the occurrence of nodular thyroid disease in coal miners, and in adopting individualized clinical prevention and treatment strategies.
Pure proton therapy for skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas: A systematic review of clinical experience
Authors: Nie Menglin , Chen Liying , Zhang Jing , Qiu Xiaoguang
Published: November 2022

Background

Skull base chordoma and chondrosarcoma are exceptionally rare bone tumors with high propensity for local recurrence. Different postoperative radiation modalities are often used to improve the clinical efficacy. Proton therapy (PT) might be among the most promising ones because of the unique ballistic characteristics of high-energy particles. However, previous meta-analysis often included studies with combined radiation techniques. No systematic review to date has directly analyzed the survival and toxicity of pure PT for these two types of malignancies.

Methods

By following the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of three databases was conducted. Articles were screened and data were extracted according to a prespecified scheme. R 4.2.0 software was used to conduct the meta-analysis. Normal distribution test was used for the incidence rate of each subgroup.

Results

A total of seven studies involving 478 patients were included in this analysis. The quality of included articles ranged from moderate to high quality. All patients were histopathologically diagnosed with chordoma or chondrosarcoma, and the follow-up time of the cohort ranged from 21 to 61.7 months. For PT planning, the median target volume ranged from 15 cc to 40 cc, and the administered median dose varied from 63 to 78.4 GyRBE at 1.8–2.0 GyRBE per fraction. The 1-, 2-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year local control and overall survival rates were 100%, 93%, 87%, 78%, and 68%, and 100%, 99%, 89%, 85%, and 68%, respectively. The late grade 3 or higher toxicities were reported in only two involved articles.

Conclusions

Until now, medical centers worldwide have exerted PT to improve outcomes of skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas. PT not combined with other radiation modalities showed favorable local control and survival with a low incidence of severe radiation-induced toxicities, which manifests promising clinical benefits. However, high-quality evidence is still limited, requiring future clinical trials and prospective studies in selected patients.
Multiple myeloma with isolated central nervous system relapse after autologous stem cell transplantation: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: Li Xian , Wang Weiqin , Zhang Xiaohong , Liang Yun
Published: November 2022

Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) rarely present with central nervous system (CNS) involvement as a manifestation of extramedullary disease (EMD), a condition that is associated with poor prognosis. CNS relapse without evidence of systemic involvement is even rarer, and there is no standardized treatment because there are only few case reports. We present a 47-year-old female who was diagnosed with nonsecretory multiple myeloma (NSMM) 9 years previously. She had a complete remission after receiving aggressive therapies, including high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). However, after 7 years of progression-free survival, she had CNS relapse without evidence of systemic involvement. We switched to a salvage regimen consisting of high-dose methotrexate with lenalidomide. She achieved rapid clinical improvement, with a reduction in cerebrospinal fluid plasmacytosis of more than 80%, and no notable side effects. Our description of this unique case of a patient with MM and isolated CNS relapse after ASCT provides a reference for physicians to provide more appropriate management of these patients. We also reviewed previously reported cases and summarized the outcomes of isolated CNS relapse after ASCT, and discuss the pathogenesis and possible treatment strategies for MM with isolated CNS relapse.
Potential of histone deacetylase inhibitors for the therapy of ovarian cancer
Authors: Guo Fengyi , Wang Hongjing
Published: November 2022

Malignant ovarian tumors bear the highest mortality rate among all gynecological cancers. Both late tumor diagnosis and tolerance to available chemotherapy increase patient mortality. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that histone modifications play a key role in cancerization and progression. Histone deacetylases is associated with chromatin condensed structure and transcriptional repression and play a role in chromatin remodeling and epigenetics. Histone deacetylases are promising targets for therapeutic interventions intended to reverse aberrant epigenetic associated with cancer. Therefore, histone deacetylases inhibitors could be used as anti-cancer drugs. Preclinical studies have shown promising outcomes of histone deacetylases inhibitors in ovarian cancer while clinical trials have had mixed results and limited success as monotherapy. Therefore, combination therapy with different anticancer drugs for synergistic effects and newly selective histone deacetylases inhibitors development for lower toxicity are hot issues now. In this review, we summarize the latest studies on the classification and mechanisms of action of histone deacetylase and the clinical application of their inhibitors as monotherapy or combination therapy in ovarian cancer.
Construction and validation of a prognostic nomogram in metastatic breast cancer patients of childbearing age: A study based on the SEER database and a Chinese cohort
Authors: Ma Xiang , Xing Yapeng , Li Zeying , Qiu Shun , Wu Wenzhao , Bai Jinfeng
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Cancer in patients of childbearing age continues to become increasingly common. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specifific survival (CSS) in patients of childbearing age and to construct prognostic nomograms to predict OS and CSS.

Methods

Data from MBC patients of childbearing age were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2010 and 2015, and the patients were randomly assigned into the training and validation cohorts. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were used to search for independent prognostic factors impacting OS and CSS, and these data were used to construct nomograms. The concordance index (C-index), area under the curve (AUC), and calibration curves were used to determine the predictive accuracy and discriminative ability of the nomograms. Additional data were obtained from patients at the Yunnan Cancer Hospital to further verify the accuracy of the nomograms.

Results

A total of 1,700 MBC patients of childbearing age were identifified from the SEER database, and an additional 92 eligible patients were enrolled at the Yunnan Cancer Hospital. Multivariate Cox analyses identifified 10 prognostic factors for OS and CSS that were used to construct the nomograms. The calibration curve for the probabilities of OS and CSS showed good agreement between nomogram prediction and clinical observations. The C-index of the nomogram for OS was 0.735 (95% CI = 0.725–0.744); the AUC at 3 years was 0.806 and 0.794 at 5 years.The nomogram predicted that the C-index of the CSS was 0.740 (95% CI = 0.730– 0.750); the AUC at 3 years was 0.811 and 0.789 at 5 years. The same results were observed in the validation cohort. Kaplan– Meier curves comparing the low-,medium-, and high-risk groups showed strong prediction results for the prognostic nomogram.

Conclusion

We identifified several independent prognostic factors and constructed nomograms to predict the OS and CSS for MBC patients of childbearing age.These prognostic models should be considered in clinical practice to individualize treatments for this group of patients.
The effects of birth spacing on early childhood development in high-income nations: A systematic review
Authors: Dhamrait Gursimran , Fletcher Tess , Foo Damien , Taylor Catherine L. , Pereira Gavin
Published: November 2022

Objective

This study aimed to systematically review the literature on the associations between birth spacing and developmental outcomes in early childhood (3–10 years of age). Studies examining the associations between interpregnancy intervals and child development outcomes during and beyond the perinatal period have not been systematically reviewed.

Methods

We searched Ovid/MEDLINE, Global Health, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, Educational Source, Research Starters, ERIC, Scopus, PubMed, Social Science Research Network database, and ProQuest's Social Sciences Databases for relevant articles published between 1 January 1989 and 25 June 2021. Studies published in English, conducted in populations residing in high-income countries with any measure of birth spacing, and child development outcomes among children aged <10 years were included. Two authors independently assessed the eligibility of studies and extracted data on the study design, setting and population, birth spacing, outcomes, and results.

Results

The search yielded 1,556 records, of which seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Five of these seven studies used birth intervals as the exposure measure. Definitions of exposure differed between the studies. Three studies reported an association between short birth spacing and poorer child development outcomes, and two studies reported an association between long birth spacing and poorer child development outcomes.

Conclusion

Currently, limited evidence suggests that the adverse effects of sub-optimal birth spacing are observable beyond infancy.
Solid pancreatic masses in children: A review of current evidence and clinical challenges
Authors: Patterson Kelli N. , Trout Andrew T. , Shenoy Archana , Abu-El-Haija Maisam , Nathan Jaimie D.
Published: November 2022

Pancreatic tumors in children are infrequently encountered in clinical practice. Their non-specific clinical presentation and overlapping imaging characteristics often make an accurate preoperative diagnosis difficult. Tumors are categorized as epithelial or non-epithelial, with epithelial tumors further classified as tumors of the exocrine or endocrine pancreas. Although both are tumors of the exocrine pancreas, solid pseudopapillary neoplasm is the most prevalent solid pancreatic tumor in children, while pancreatoblastoma is the most common malignant tumor. Insulinoma is the most common pediatric pancreatic tumor of the endocrine pancreas. Malignant tumors require a complete, often radical, surgical resection. However, pancreatic parenchyma-sparing surgical procedures are utilized for benign tumors and low-grade malignancy to preserve gland function. This review will discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical and diagnostic characteristics, and management options associated with both common and rare solid pancreatic masses in children. We will also discuss current challenges encountered in their evaluation and treatment.
An intravenous anesthetic drug-propofol, influences the biological characteristics of malignant tumors and reshapes the tumor microenvironment: A narrative literature review
Authors: Zhou Xueliang , Shao Yanfei , Li Shuchun , Zhang Sen , Ding Chengsheng , Zhuang Lei , Sun Jing
Published: November 2022

Malignant tumors are the second leading cause of death worldwide. This is a public health concern that negatively impacts human health and poses a threat to the safety of life. Although there are several treatment approaches for malignant tumors, surgical resection remains the primary and direct treatment for malignant solid tumors. Anesthesia is an integral part of the operation process. Different anesthesia techniques and drugs have different effects on the operation and the postoperative prognosis. Propofol is an intravenous anesthetic that is commonly used in surgery. A substantial number of studies have shown that propofol participates in the pathophysiological process related to malignant tumors and affects the occurrence and development of malignant tumors, including anti-tumor effect, pro-tumor effect, and regulation of drug resistance. Propofol can also reshape the tumor microenvironment, including anti-angiogenesis, regulation of immunity, reduction of inflammation and remodeling of the extracellular matrix. Furthermore, most clinical studies have also indicated that propofol may contribute to a better postoperative outcome in some malignant tumor surgeries. Therefore, the author reviewed the chemical properties, pharmacokinetics, clinical application and limitations, mechanism of influencing the biological characteristics of malignant tumors and reshaping the tumor microenvironment, studies of propofol in animal tumor models and its relationship with postoperative prognosis of propofol in combination with the relevant literature in recent years, to lay a foundation for further study on the correlation between propofol and malignant tumor and provide theoretical guidance for the selection of anesthetics in malignant tumor surgery.
Acute severe hepatitis outbreak in children: A perfect storm. What do we know, and what questions remain?
Authors: Matthews Philippa C. , Campbell Cori , Săndulescu Oana , Matičič Mojca , Ruta Simona Maria , Rivero-Juárez Antonio , van Welzen Berend Joost , Tan Boun Kim , Garcia Federico , Gherlan George Sebastian , Çınar Güle , Hasanoğlu İmran , Gmizić Ivana , Nicolini Laura Ambra , Santos Lurdes , Sargsyants Narina , Velikov Petar , Habibović Selma , Fourati Slim , Židovec-Lepej Snježana , Herder Vanessa , Dudman Susanne , Miron Victor Daniel , Irving William , Şahin Gülşen Özkaya ,   and ESCMID Study Group for Viral Hepatitis (ESGVH)
Published: November 2022

During the first half of 2022, the World Health Organization reported an outbreak of acute severe hepatitis of unknown aetiology (AS-Hep-UA) in children, following initial alerts from the United Kingdom (UK) where a cluster of cases was first observed in previously well children aged <6 years. Sporadic cases were then reported across Europe and worldwide, although in most countries incidence did not increase above the expected baseline. There were no consistent epidemiological links between cases, and microbiological investigations ruled out known infectious causes of hepatitis. In this review, we explore the evidence for the role of viral infection, superimposed on a specific host genetic background, as a trigger for liver pathology. This hypothesis is based on a high prevalence of Human Adenovirus (HAdV) 41F in affected children, together with metagenomic evidence of adeno-associated virus (Adeno-associated viruses)-2, which is a putative trigger for an immune-mediated liver injury. Roles for superantigen-mediated pathology have also been explored, with a focus on the potential contribution of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Affected children also had a high frequency of the MHC allele HLA-DRB1*04:01, supporting an immunological predisposition, and may have been vulnerable to viral coinfections due to disruption in normal patterns of exposure and immunity as a result of population lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss areas of ongoing uncertainty, and highlight the need for ongoing scrutiny to inform clinical and public health interventions for this outbreak and for others that may evolve in future.
Usnea improves high-fat diet- and vitamin D3-induced atherosclerosis in rats by remodeling intestinal flora homeostasis
Authors: Liu Yanjun , Dou Chongyang , Wei Guihua , Zhang Liudai , Xiong Wei , Wen Lingmiao , Xiang Chunxiao , Chen Chunlan , Zhang Tinglan , Altamirano Alvin , Chen Yunhui , Zhang Tian-e , Yan Zhiyong
Published: November 2022

Background: Usnea has various pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant, antiviral, and cardiovasculoprotective effects.

Aim of the study: To investigate the potential mechanisms underlying the anti-atherosclerosis (AS) activity of Usnea ethanol extract (UEE) via the regulation of intestinal flora.

Materials and Methods: The chemical composition of UEE was determined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-EOMS). Thirty-six male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into six groups. A high-fat diet and intraperitoneal vitamin D3 injections were used to establish a rat model of AS. After 4 weeks of treatment with UEE, hematoxylin–eosin staining was performed to evaluate the pathomorphology of the aorta, liver, and colon. The composition and diversity of the rat intestinal flora were determined using high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to measure the levels of plasma trimethylamine oxide (TMAO), serum bile acid (BA), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The protein expression of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) and flavin monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) in the liver and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin in colon tissue was detected via western blotting.

Results: Forty-four compounds were identified in UEE. In the rat model of AS, UEE significantly prevented calcium deposition; decreased the serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, LPS, TNF-α, and IL-6; and increased the serum level of HDL-C. Additionally, all UEE dosages decreased the relative abundance of Verrucomicrobiota while increased that of Bacteroidetes. FMO3 protein expression and TMAO levels decreased, whereas CYP7A1 protein expression and BA levels increased. The absorption of intestinal-derived LPS was minimized. Furthermore, the protein expression of ZO-1 and occludin was upregulated.

Conclusion: UEE ameliorated AS. The underlying mechanism was the reversal of imbalances in the intestinal flora by Usnea, thereby inhibiting calcium deposition, abnormal lipid metabolism, and inflammatory response.
Resolving the spatial scales of mass and heat transfer in direct plasma sources for activating liquids
Authors: Silsby J. A. , Dickenson A. , Walsh J. L. , Hasan M. I.
Published: November 2022

When plasma is in direct contact with liquid, an exchange of mass and heat between the two media occurs, manifested in multiple physical processes such as vaporization and multiphase heat transfer. These phenomena significantly influence the conditions at the plasma–liquid interface and interfere with other processes such as the multiphase transport of reactive species across the interface. In this work, an experimentally validated computational model was developed and used to quantify mass and energy exchange processes at a plasma–liquid interface. On the liquid side of the interface, it was shown that a thin film of liquid exists where the temperature is approximately three times higher than the bulk temperature, extending to a depth of 10 μm. As the depth increased, a strongly nonlinear decrease in the temperature was encountered. On the plasma side of the interface, plasma heating caused background gas rarefaction, resulting in a 15% reduction in gas density compared to ambient conditions. The combined effect of gas rarefaction and liquid heating promoted vaporization, which increased liquid vapor density in the plasma phase. When water is the treated liquid, it is shown that water vapor constitutes up to 30% of the total gas composition in the region up to 0.1 mm from the interface, with this percentage approaching 70–80% of the total gas composition when the water’s temperature reaches its boiling point.
Free-electron terahertz radiation based on silicon gratings with in-plane waveguide emission
Authors: Chen Zhaofu , Mao Leilei , Jin Mengmeng
Published: November 2022

We present a method utilizing the coupling between a pre-bunched electron beam and a silicon subwavelength grating to generate coherent terahertz waves. The grating that is connected to two opposite-traveling in-plane waveguides functions as a resonator. An example operating around 2 THz shows that, when the velocity and repetition frequency of the electron bunches respectively match the phase velocity and resonant frequency of the Bragg resonance in the grating, the strong electron-wave coupling leads to coherent radiation through the waveguide. The repetition frequency of the electron bunches can be halved by using its second harmonic to match the resonant frequency. This study might offer a potential approach for on-chip terahertz sources.
Assorted exact explicit solutions for the generalized Atangana’s fractional BBM–Burgers equation with the dissipative term
Authors: Hong Baojian
Published: November 2022

In this study, the generalized Atangana’s fractional BBM–Burgers equation (GBBM-B) with the dissipative term is investigated by utilizing the modified sub-equation method and the new G'/(bG' + G + a)-expansion method; with the aid of symbolic computations, many types of new exact explicit solutions including solitary wave solutions, trigonometric function periodic solutions, and the rational function solutions are obtained. Some 3D and 2D plots of these solutions are simulated, which show the novelty and visibility of the propagation behavior and dynamical structure of the corresponding equation. Moreover, with the selection of different values on the parameters and orders, we can deduce many types of exact solutions in special cases. We also discussed the changes and characteristics of these solutions, which can help us further understand the inner structure of this equation. The obtained solutions indicate that the approach is easy and effective for nonlinear models with high-order dispersion terms.
Design of a polyurethane underwater sound absorber based on the BP neural network and genetic algorithm
Authors: Wang Feng , Chang Shan , Xie Jie
Published: November 2022

A coordinate transformation theory for the acoustic cloak design based on pentamode material was proposed by Norris in 2008. This theory avoids the problem of infinite density at the inner boundary of the inertial cloak, but the structural design of the pentamode material was difficult to be achieved. In order to solve this manufacturing problem, a design scheme of a low scattering cloak with only a few layers of polyurethane materials was proposed in this study. First, the material parameter distribution of the acoustic cloak was obtained based on the coordinate transformation theory. On this basis, the material parameter distribution in the two-dimensional annular acoustic cloak was derived by using linear mapping. Through simulation comparison between the uncovered acoustic cloak and covered acoustic cloak, the equivalent scattering characteristics of obstacles covered with the acoustic cloak were significantly reduced, which shows that anisotropic concealed materials have obvious advantages in acoustic control. When the thickness was given and the frequency was fixed, the sound pressure field of the cloak was simulated under the condition of uniform stratification. With the increase in the number of layers, the stealth effect was better, and the complexity of the preparation of metamaterials was increased. In order to obtain the cloak structure with a simple structure and good stealth performance, the BP neural network genetic algorithm and sound field finite element modeling were used. The minimum scattering area was taken as the optimization goal, and we tried to find the design scheme of a low scattering cloak with only a few layers of polyurethane materials. The optimization results show that when the target frequency is 2 KHz and the number of cloak layers is five, the optimized scattering area is 73% less than that of the uniformly layered structure. This shows that anisotropic stealth materials have obvious advantages in sound control. This study can guide the cell configuration design of polyurethane materials in different positions and greatly simplify the complexity of the manufacturing process of stealth materials.
Tunable thermal properties of the biphenylene and the lateral heterostructure formed with graphene: A molecular dynamics investigation
Authors: Cui Qiang , Ren Kai , Zheng Ruxing , Zhang Qiuhua , Yu Luxin , Li Jianping
Published: November 2022

Recently, biphenylene was successfully synthesized as a novel allotrope of carbon. In this investigation, non-equilibrium molecular dynamics calculations are conducted to explore the intrinsic thermal properties of biphenylene. The isotropic thermal conductivity of biphenylene is obtained, which is also sensitive to size and temperature. Furthermore, the graphene/biphenylene lateral heterostructure is constructed to possess an interfacial thermal conductance of about 2.84 × 109 W K−1 m−2. The external tensile strain can induce a redshift of the vibrational density of states of pristine graphene and biphenylene, and the improved overlap also results in an enhanced heat flux in the biphenylene/graphene heterostructure. Our approach can provide theoretical guidance to design a thermal management device based on graphene and biphenylene.