bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Additional adjuvant radiotherapy improves survival at 1 year after surgical treatment for pancreatic cancer patients with T4, N2 disease, positive resection margin, and receiving adjuvant chemotherapy
Authors: Wu Lili , Xu Yaolin , Zhou Yuhong , Zeng Zhaochong , Fan Yue , Wang Dansong , Wu Wenchuan , Guo Xi , Lv Minzhi , Ouyang Yuxiu , Du Shisuo , Lou Wenhui
Published: July 2023

Background

While adjuvant chemotherapy has been established as standard practice following radical resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the role of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) and which patients may benefit remains unclear.

Methods

This retrospective study included PDAC patients who received pancreatic surgery from April 2012 to December 2019 in Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University. Patients with carcinoma in situ, distant metastasis, and without adjuvant chemotherapy were excluded. Cox proportional hazards modeling of survival were constructed to find potential prognostic factors. Propensity score matching (PSM) and exploratory subgroup analyses were used to create a balanced covariate distribution between groups and to investigate therapeutic effect of radiotherapy in certain subgroups.

Results

A total of 399 patients were finally included, 93 of them receiving adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (C+R+) and 306 of them receiving chemotherapy only. Patients in C+R+ group were more likely to be male patients with T3-4 disease. Lymph node metastases was the only negative prognostic factor associated with overall survival (OS). Additional adjuvant RT was not associated with an OS benefit both before and after PSM. Surprisingly, a trend towards improved OS with RT among patients with either T4, N2 disease or R1 resection becomes significant in patients alive more than 1 year after surgery.

Conclusion

Adjuvant RT was not associated with an OS benefit across all patients, though did show a possible OS benefit for the subgroup with T4N2 disease or R1 resection at 1 year after surgery.
Development and validation of the thyroid cancer self-perceived discrimination scale to identify patients at high risk for psychological problems
Authors: Liu Zhi-jin , Feng Lin-sen , Li Feng , Yang Li-rong , Wang Wan-qi , He Yuan , Meng Zong-ting , Wang Yu-feng
Published: July 2023

Objective

To develop a Thyroid Cancer Self-Perceived Discrimination Scale (TCSPDS) to identify patients at high risk for psychological problems and to test its reliability, validity and acceptability.

Methods

Using classical test theory, a total of 176 thyroid cancer patients from November 2021 to October 2022 were recruited to develop the TCSPDS. Item analysis was used to improve the preliminary TCSPDS. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation model (SEM) were used to test the construct validity of the final TCSPDS. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze the validity coefficient between TCSPDS and EORTC QLQ-C30 to test the criterion-related validity (CRV) of the final TCSPDS. The internal consistency coefficient (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient), split half reliability (Spearman-Brown coefficient) and test-retest reliability were used to verify the reliability of the final TCSPDS. The questionnaire completion time and effective response rate were used to validate the acceptability of the final TCSPDS.

Results

The TCSPDS consisted of 20 items and was divided into 3 subscales: 8 items for stigma, 6 items for self-deprecation, and 6 items for social avoidance. The TCSPDS had good validity (χ2/df=1.971, RMSEA=0.074, GFI=0.921, CFI= 0.930, IFI=0.932, TLI=0.901, Validity coefficient=0.767), reliability (Cronbach’s alpha=0.867, Spearman-Brown coefficient=0.828, test-retest reliability coefficient=0.981) and acceptability [average completion time (15.01 ± 1.348 minutes) and an effective response rate of 95.14%]. Patients with higher TCSPDS scores reported a lower quality of life (P<0.05).

Conclusion

The TCSPDS could be used for early identification and assessment of the level of self-perceived discrimination in patients with thyroid cancer, which may provide a scientific basis for health education, social support and psychosocial oncology services in the future, especially in Southwest China.
Febrile seizures and convulsions with mild gastroenteritis: age-dependent acute symptomatic seizures
Authors: Cappellari Alberto M. , Mariani Stefano , Bruschi Gaia
Published: July 2023

Background

Febrile seizures (FS) and benign convulsions in children with mild gastroenteritis (CwG) are acute symptomatic seizures, transiently occurring in infants and young children, probably related to the immaturity of the brain. Our paper aims to review the literature data on patients with FS and CwG.

Methods

A review of series of patients with FS and CwG was performed by literature search on PubMed January 1960 to October 2022. Several parameters were considered, including epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical features, electroencephalographic findings and other diagnostic studies, and treatment.

Results

FS and CwG share an age-dependent course, but they show significant differences in the pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnostic studies, and treatment.

Conclusion

Acute symptomatic seizures include seizures that are caused by acute structural brain pathologies, such as stroke, as well as seizures that are provoked by a reversible factor, such as hyponatraemia, although the two groups should be not equated. Furthermore, FS and CwG should be set apart as “age-dependent acute symptomatic seizures”, reinforcing the concept of their self-limited course over a certain period.
Can BioSAXS detect ultrastructural changes of antifungal compounds in Candida albicans?–an exploratory study
Authors: Hilpert Kai , Rumancev Christoph , Gani Jurnorain , Collis Dominic W. P. , Lopez-Perez Paula Matilde , Garamus Vasil M. , Mikut Ralf , Rosenhahn Axel
Published: July 2023

The opportunistic yeast Candida albicans is the most common cause of candidiasis. With only four classes of antifungal drugs on the market, resistance is becoming a problem in the treatment of fungal infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. The development of novel antifungal drugs with different modes of action is urgent. In 2016, we developed a groundbreaking new medium-throughput method to distinguish the effects of antibacterial agents. Using small-angle X-ray scattering for biological samples (BioSAXS), it is now possible to screen hundreds of new antibacterial compounds and select those with the highest probability for a novel mode of action. However, yeast (eukaryotic) cells are highly structured compared to bacteria. The fundamental question to answer was if the ultrastructural changes induced by the action of an antifungal drug can be detected even when most structures in the cell stay unchanged. In this exploratory work, BioSAXS was used to measure the ultrastructural changes of C. albicans that were directly or indirectly induced by antifungal compounds. For this, the well-characterized antifungal drug Flucytosine was used. BioSAXS measurements were performed on the synchrotron P12 BioSAXS beamline, EMBL (DESY, Hamburg) on treated and untreated yeast C. albicans. BioSAXS curves were analysed using principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA showed that Flucytosine-treated and untreated yeast were separated. Based on that success further measurements were performed on five antifungal peptides {1. Cecropin A-melittin hybrid [CA (1–7) M (2–9)], KWKLFKKIGAVLKVL; 2. Lasioglossin LL-III, VNWKKILGKIIKVVK; 3. Mastoparan M, INLKAIAALAKKLL; 4. Bmkn2, FIGAIARLLSKIFGKR; and 5. optP7, KRRVRWIIW}. The ultrastructural changes of C. albicans indicate that the peptides may have different modes of action compared to Flucytosine as well as to each other, except for the Cecropin A-melittin hybrid [CA (1–7) M (2–9)] and optP7, showing very similar effects on C. albicans. This very first study demonstrates that BioSAXS shows promise to be used for antifungal drug development. However, this first study has limitations and further experiments are necessary to establish this application.
Bibliometric analysis of stem cells for spinal cord injury: current status and emerging frontiers
Authors: Shang Zhizhong , Wanyan Pingping , Wang Mingchuan , Zhang Baolin , Cui Xiaoqian , Wang Xin
Published: July 2023

Background: This study aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the literature on stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury to visualize the research status, identify hotspots, and explore the development trends in this field.

Methods: We searched the Web of Science Core Collection database using relevant keywords (“stem cells” and “spinal cord injury”) and retrieved the published literature between 2000 and 2022. Data such as journal title, author information, institutional affiliation, country, and keywords were extracted. Afterwards, we performed bibliometric analysis of the retrieved data using Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace.

Results: A total of 5375 articles related to stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury were retrieved, and both the annual publication volume and the cumulative publication volume showed an upward trend. neural regeneration research was the journal with the most publications and the fastest cumulative publication growth (162 articles), Okano Hideyuki was the author with the highest number of publications and citations (114 articles), Sun Yat-sen University was the institution with the highest number of publications (420 articles), and China was the country with the highest number of publications (5357 articles). However, different authors, institutions, and countries need to enhance their cooperation in order to promote the generation of significant academic achievements. Current research in this field has focused on stem cell transplantation, neural regeneration, motor function recovery, exosomes, and tissue engineering. Meanwhile, future research directions are primarily concerned with the molecular mechanisms, safety, clinical trials, exosomes, scaffolds, hydrogels, and inflammatory responses of stem cell therapy for spinal cord injuries.

Conclusion: In summary, this study provided a comprehensive analysis of the current research status and frontiers of stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury. The findings provide a foundation for future research and clinical translation efforts of stem cell therapy in this field.
Regulation of human salt-sensitivite hypertension by myeloid cell renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system
Authors: Ertuglu Lale A. , Pitzer Mutchler Ashley , Elijovich Fernando , Laffer Cheryl L. , Sheng Quanhu , Wanjalla Celestine N. , Kirabo Annet
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Salt sensitivity of blood pressure is a phenomenon in which blood pressure changes according to dietary sodium intake. Our previous studies found that high salt activates antigen presenting cells, resulting in the development of hypertension. The mechanisms by which salt-induced immune cell activation is regulated in salt sensitivity of blood pressure are unknown. In the current study, we investigated dietary salt-induced effects on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) gene expression in myeloid immune cells and their impact on salt sensitive hypertension in humans.

Methods: We performed both bulk and single-cell sequencing analysis on immune cells with in vitro and in vivo high dietary salt treatment in humans using a rigorous salt-loading/depletion protocol to phenotype salt-sensitivity of blood pressure. We also measured plasma renin and aldosterone using radioimmunoassay.

Results: We found that while in vitro high sodium exposure downregulated the expression of renin, renin binding protein and renin receptor, there were no significant changes in the genes of the renin-angiotensin system in response to dietary salt loading and depletion in vivo. Plasma renin in salt sensitive individuals tended to be lower with a blunted response to the salt loading/depletion challenge as previously reported.

Discussion: These findings suggest that unlike systemic RAAS, acute changes in dietary salt intake do not regulate RAAS expression in myeloid immune cells.
Drought stress in rice: morpho-physiological and molecular responses and marker-assisted breeding
Authors: Hassan Muhammad A. , Dahu Ni , Hongning Tong , Qian Zhu , Yueming Yi , Yiru Li , Shimei Wang
Published: July 2023

Rice (Oryza SativaL.) is an essential constituent of the global food chain. Drought stress significantly diminished its productivity and threatened global food security. This review concisely discussed how drought stress negatively influenced the rice’s optimal growth cycle and altered its morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses. To withstand adverse drought conditions, plants activate their inherent drought resistance mechanism (escape, avoidance, tolerance, and recovery). Drought acclimation response is characterized by many notable responses, including redox homeostasis, osmotic modifications, balanced water relations, and restored metabolic activity. Drought tolerance is a complicated phenomenon, and conventional breeding strategies have only shown limited success. The application of molecular markers is a pragmatic technique to accelerate the ongoing breeding process, known as marker-assisted breeding. This review study compiled information about quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and genes associated with agronomic yield-related traits (grain size, grain yield, harvest index, etc.) under drought stress. It emphasized the significance of modern breeding techniques and marker-assisted selection (MAS) tools for introgressing the known QTLs/genes into elite rice lines to develop drought-tolerant rice varieties. Hence, this study will provide a solid foundation for understanding the complex phenomenon of drought stress and its utilization in future crop development programs. Though modern genetic markers are expensive, future crop development programs combined with conventional and MAS tools will help the breeders produce high-yielding and drought-tolerant rice varieties.
On pharmacological neuroenhancement as part of the new neurorights' pioneering legislation in Chile: a perspective
Authors: Cornejo-Plaza María Isabel , Saracini Chiara
Published: July 2023

The so-called neurorights are emerging human rights, or rather reconfigurations of already existing human rights, seeking to address the impact of the possible misuse of neurotechnologies, which have the potential to become more invasive and harmful in the future if not regulated. The aim of specifying neurorights is to protect the dignity and autonomy of the individual in the face of neurotechnological advances. Recently, Chile proposed a Constitutional reform inspired by the neurorights, opening a debate. One of the proposed neurorights is fair and equitable access to cognitive enhancement, which will be the specific object of this perspective article. Starting from the legal proposal, we analyse and discuss some perspectives on cognitive enhancement, or “neuroenhancement”, which could be considered as part of enhancement neurotechnologies, pointing out that pharmacological enhancers, or “smart drugs”, might be considered as part of these enhancers. We present a classification of the different types of cognitive enhancements as it has been proposed in the literature, into which pharmacological cognitive enhancement can be included, concluding that there is currently no agreement amongst scholars and lawyers about the ethical consideration of pharmacological cognitive enhancement. We therefore argue that it is necessary for the legislator to explicitly address the issue in the proposed regulations, in order to take a clear position on the topic, as it has been done in the United Kingdom, where the pharmacological neuroenhancers have been explicitly excluded from the regulation. If pharmacological neuroenhancers are going to be considered neurotechnologies, then new law proposals should seek harmonization with the already existing legislation regulating pharmacological health and consumer rights (both globally, taking into account international drug laws, and locally, according to each country's internal regulations) and of course, with the whole system of fundamental rights. Finally, we briefly discuss the ethical problem of equitable access to this new type of neurotechnologies (as part of the neurorights) and leave the debate open for new insights from the scientific community on the possible consequences of including (or not) pharmacological neuroenhancers as neurotechnologies for cognitive enhancement in the framework of the ethical and legal debate.
Profiles and predictors of mental health of university students in Hong Kong under the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Shek Daniel T. L. , Chai Wenyu , Li Xiang , Dou Diya
Published: July 2023

This study investigated the mental health problems of university students in Hong Kong and related sociodemographic and psychosocial predictors under the pandemic. A total of 978 undergraduate students (mean age = 20.69 ± 1.61) completed an online questionnaire measuring sociodemographic factors, psychological morbidity, positive well-being, COVID-19 related stress and self-efficacy, and positive psychosocial attributes. Psychosocial risk factors included psychological morbidity, COVID-19 related stress, and difficulties encountered under the pandemic, whereas protective factors comprised pandemic related self-efficacy, positive psychological attributes, positive environmental factors, need satisfaction and positive perception toward service. Results showed that psychological morbidity in the participants was widespread, and it was related to sociodemographic factors, particularly family financial difficulties. While pandemic related stress positively predicted psychological morbidity and negatively predicted well-being indicators, COVID-19 self-efficacy showed an opposite effect. Besides, positive psychological attributes (resilience, emotional competence, and positive beliefs related to adversity) and environmental factors (healthy family functioning, peer support, and supportive community atmosphere) negatively predicted psychological morbidity and positively predicted well-being. Furthermore, need satisfaction and positive perception toward service were negatively associated with psychological morbidity and positively associated with well-being, while perceived difficulties showed an opposite effect.
Protein structure and dynamics in the era of integrative structural biology
Authors: Grandori Rita
Published: July 2023

Proteins carry out their biological activity as dynamic structures and populate in solution or in biological membranes structural distributions with different degrees of heterogeneity. The central challenge in structural biology is to capture protein structural dynamics under equilibrium or kinetic conditions shifting from single, static pictures to movies of conformational ensembles. Ideally, this task should be pursued both in vitro and in vivo, under the influence of the native environment. The last decade has seen a tremendous development of biophysical methods for the investigation of protein structure and dynamics. However, each method has specific limitations and no single approach offers such a complex level of description. Nonetheless, the combination of experimental and computational, complementary methods is opening promising new avenues. Also the ambition of implementing structural studies on an “omic” scale is becoming more and more realistic. In spite of still major limitations, integrative structural biology is bringing dynamics into structural proteomics, with exciting perspectives for basic and applied sciences.
Green recovery optimization of phenolic compounds from “Spinoso sardo” globe artichoke by-products using response surface methodology
Authors: Cannas Michela , Conte Paola , Piga Antonio , Del Caro Alessandra
Published: July 2023

The reuse and valorization of agri-food by-products is a pivotal activity in the pursuit of a circular model that can improve sustainability and efficiency of agri-food production. During artichoke processing, 60–80% of the biomass produced by the plant consists of inedible fractions, which nevertheless represent a natural source of high value-added compounds, such as phenolics. In this study, response surface methodology was applied to investigate and optimize the amount of ethanol and the reduction of extraction time to achieve the maximum yield of polyphenols and flavonoids from artichoke stems, leaves, and bracts, by using two extraction methods, namely maceration and ultrasound-assisted extraction. Overall, phenolic compounds were most concentrated in extracts obtained from the stems, followed by those derived from the bracts and leaves, with the percentage of ethanol being the most influential factor. After applying the optimization criteria, the best factor setting to achieve maximum extraction yields and strong antioxidant capacities was: 53% ethanol for stems, 45% for leaves, and 50% for bracts and 60 min for all by-products in the case of maceration; 10 min for stems and leaves with 42 and 20% of ethanol, respectively, and 41 min and 64% ethanol for bracts in the case of ultrasound-assisted extraction. Comparison between the two techniques evidenced that maceration was significantly more efficient, but similar recoveries were obtained with ultrasound-assisted extraction in shorter extraction time and lower ethanol consumption. Therefore, using this unconventional method to convert Spinoso Sardo artichoke by-products into bioactive ingredients with interesting industrial applications could be a viable strategy to reduce food losses and mitigate related environmental impacts.
Changes in cortisol and cortisone in hair of pigs reared under heat stress conditions
Authors: Escribano Damián , Contreras-Jodar Alexandra , López-Arjona Marina , Cerón José Joaquín , Fàbrega Emma , Aymerich Pau , Dalmau Antoni
Published: July 2023

Heat stress accounts for millions of dollars in losses for swine producers worldwide. The aim of the present study was to determine and evaluate cortisol and cortisone in hair as indicators of thermal stress in growing pigs reared under high environmental temperatures. The study was carried out in two independent batches of commercial crosses of Lean Duroc and Pietrain in trials 1 and 2, respectively, during the growing period (from 40 to 100 kg; 81 days in trial 1 and 77 days in trial 2) in the same commercial farm in Spain during the summers of 2020 and 2021. In both cases, four rooms were used. In Trial 1, Room 1 had cooling and 11 pigs per pen; Room 2 had no cooling and 13 pigs per pen; Room 3 had no cooling and 11 pigs per pen, and Room 4 had cooling and 13 pigs per pen. In Trial 2, Rooms 2 and 3 had cooling and rooms 1 and 4 had no cooling, and all of them had 13 pigs per pen. Mean THI value was higher (p < 0.0001) in rooms without cooling systems (75.0 trial 1; 74.9 trial 2) than with them (71.3 trial 1; 71.7 trial 2). A total of four pens per room (16 in total) was selected for analysis of hair corticoids and all pigs inside were sampled at the end of the study. Fifty percent of the pigs were males (castrated and intact in trial 1 and 2, respectively) and 50% females. In total, 44, 52, 44, and 52 pigs, respectively, were sampled in four rooms from the first trial and 52 for each of four rooms in Trial 2. Cortisol concentrations in hair did not show any significant change in relation to cooling-non-cooling in any trial. However, hair cortisone concentration was 172.3 pg./mg and 105.8 pg./mg less (p < 0.001) in pigs housed with cooling systems compared to those without them in Trial 1 and 2, respectively. In addition, the cortisone/cortisol ratio, which is an estimator of the activity of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) type 2, was also greater in rooms without cooling than in rooms with cooling in both trials (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0105 for Trials 1 and 2, respectively). In relation to the sex effect, the results showed greater levels in females than in castrated males both in cortisone and the cortisol/cortisone ratio while cortisol hair levels were greater in intact males than in females. Therefore, the use of cortisone and the estimation of 11β-HSD type 2 activity in hair is recommended to evaluate the chronic stress produced by high environmental conditions in pigs instead of using hair cortisol concentrations alone.
An Antibody-Based Survey of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum Infection in Client-Owned Cats from Portugal
Authors: Pereira Maria Aires , Nóbrega Carmen , Mateus Teresa L. , Almeida Daniela , Oliveira Andreia , Coelho Catarina , Cruz Rita , Oliveira Paula , Faustino-Rocha Ana , Pires Maria J. , Mesquita João R. , Vala Helena
Published: July 2023

Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are obligate intracellular protozoan parasites infecting a wide range of hosts worldwide. However, information on the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis and neosporosis in cats from Portugal is limited. Thus, this study aims to evaluate anti-T. gondii and anti-N. caninum seroprevalence in client-owned cats from Portugal and to identify risk factors using a panel of well-characterized sera. A total of 183 domestic cats were sampled and screened for antibodies against T. gondii and N. caninum using commercial ELISA assays, and their owners answered an online questionnaire designed to obtain background information. The overall anti-T. gondii and anti-N. caninum seroprevalences were 13.1% (CI: 8.97–18.77) and 3.8% (CI: 1.87–7.68), respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that living strictly indoors was a significant protection factor (cOR: 0.053; CI: 0.005–0.627), and the presence of a chronic disease a significant risk factor (cOR: 3.106; CI: 1.062–9.082) to T. gondii seroprevalence. When performing multivariate analysis, only chronic disease (aOR: 57.527; CI: 1.7–1976.7) and seropositivity to N. caninum (aOR: 7.929; CI:0.8–82.9) were found to be a significant risk factor to anti-T. gondii antibodies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of N. caninum seropositivity in cats from Portugal.
Metabolic Changes Associated with Different Levels of Energy Deficits in Mediterranean Buffaloes during the Early Lactation Stage: Type and Role of the Main Lipid Fractions Involved
Authors: Lisuzzo Anastasia , Alterisio Maria Chiara , Mazzotta Elisa , Ciaramella Paolo , Guccione Jacopo , Gianesella Matteo , Badon Tamara , Fiore Enrico
Published: July 2023

Cell function and energy redistribution are influenced by lipid classes (phospholipids (PLs), free fatty acids (FFAs), triglycerides (TGs), and cholesterol esters (CEs)). The aim of this study was to investigate metabolic alterations that are related to changes in lipid classes according to different levels of energy deficits in early lactating Mediterranean buffaloes (MBs). Sixty-three MBs were enrolled at the beginning of lactation using an observational study with a cross-sectional experimental design. Serum β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) levels were used to group the animals into a healthy group (Group H; n = 38; BHB < 0.70 mmol/L) and hyperketonemia risk group (Group K; n = 25; BHB ≥ 0.70 mmol/L). Statistical analysis was performed using a linear model that included the effect of the group and body condition score to assess differences in fatty acid (FA) concentrations. A total of 40 plasma FAs were assessed in each lipid class. Among the FAs, eight PLs, seven FFAs, four TGs, and four CEs increased according to BHB levels, while three FFAs, three TGs, and one CE decreased. The changes among lipid class profiles suggested the influence of inflammatory response, liver metabolism, and the state of body lipid reserves. In addition, the possible similarities of buffaloes at risk of hyperketonemia with ketotic cows suggest the necessity of further investigations in these ruminants.
Animal Resources in the Economy of Medieval Moldova: Archaeozoological Case Study of the Urban Settlement from Târgu Neamț (NE Romania)
Authors: Stanc Margareta Simina , Bejenaru Luminița , Popovici Mariana , Diaconu Vasile , Danu Mihaela
Published: July 2023

This study aims to contribute to the knowledge of the medieval Moldovan economy by evaluating animal resources (e.g., animal husbandry, hunting, fishing) based on the skeletal remains found in archaeologic sites from northeastern Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Animal remains, especially those from the urban settlement of the 14th–16th centuries from Târgu Neamţ (NE Romania), were described in terms of their frequencies (i.e., number of identified specimens and minimum number of individuals), morphometry, and livestock management (i.e., animal selection by age and sex). The results were compared with those obtained from other settlements—rural, urban, and fortress—from medieval Moldova. Correspondence analysis of the identified animals and settlements on the basis of the frequency values reveals associations between the two variables (animal species and settlement).
Evaluation of the Effect of Pb Pollution on Avian Influenza Virus-Specific Antibody Production in Black-Headed Gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Authors: Ushine Nana , Ozawa Makoto , Nakayama Shouta M. M. , Ishizuka Mayumi , Kato Takuya , Hayama Shin-ichi
Published: July 2023

Lead (Pb), an environmental pollutant, has been widely reported to have contaminated mammals, including humans and birds. This study focuses on the effects of Pb pollution on avian influenza virus (AIV) antibody production. A total of 170 black-headed gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) were captured in Tokyo Bay (TBP) from January 2019 to April 2020 and in Mikawa Bay (MBP) from November 2019 to April 2021. The gulls were weighed, subjected to blood sampling, and released with a ring band on their tarsus. The samples were used to measure blood Pb levels (BLL) and AIV-specific antibodies. The BLL were compared using the Wilcoxon two-sample test between the period when black-headed gulls arrived and the wintering period, defined by the number of gulls counted in each area. A significant increase was found in the TBP. A decrease in BLL significantly increased antibody titer during wintering in TBP and MBP. Pb pollution had a negative effect on the production of AIV antibodies. These findings suggest that wild birds that were contaminated by Pb in the environment may facilitate the spread of zoonotic diseases, further increasing the possibility that environmental pollutants may threaten human health.
Depth Map Super-Resolution Reconstruction Based on Multi-Channel Progressive Attention Fusion Network
Authors: Wang Jiachen , Huang Qingjiu
Published: July 2023

Depth maps captured by traditional consumer-grade depth cameras are often noisy and low-resolution. Especially when upsampling low-resolution depth maps with large upsampling factors, the resulting depth maps tend to suffer from vague edges. To address these issues, we propose a multi-channel progressive attention fusion network that utilizes a pyramid structure to progressively recover high-resolution depth maps. The inputs of the network are the low-resolution depth image and its corresponding color image. The color image is used as prior information in this network to fill in the missing high-frequency information of the depth image. Then, an attention-based multi-branch feature fusion module is employed to mitigate the texture replication issue caused by incorrect guidance from the color image and inconsistencies between the color image and the depth map. This module restores the HR depth map by effectively integrating the information from both inputs. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms existing methods.
Combined Effects of Ambient PM2.5 and Cold Exposure on the Development of Metabolic Disorder
Authors: Liu Zhixiu , Zhang Jia , Fan Dongxia , Wang Ge , Wu Biao , Lei Lei , Wang Lina , Zhao Jinzhuo , Chen Jianmin
Published: July 2023

The coexistence of temperature changes and air pollution poses a severe global environmental issue, exacerbating health burdens. The aim of this study was to clarify the combined effects of ambient PM2.5 and cold exposure on the development of metabolic disorders. Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: TN-FA, TN-PM, TC-FA and TC-PM. The mice were then exposed to concentrated PM2.5 or filtered air (FA) under normal (22 °C) or cold (4 °C) environment conditions for 4 weeks. Metabolic-disorder-related indicators, blood pressure, serous lipids, fasting blood glucose and insulin, energy metabolism, mitochondria and protein expression in tissues were detected for comprehensively assessing metabolic disorder. The results showed that, compared to being exposed to PM2.5 only, when mice were exposed to both PM2.5 and the cold (non-optimal), they exhibited more significant metabolic disorders regarding glucose tolerance (p < 0.05), insulin resistance (p < 0.05), lipid metabolism, adipocytes (p < 0.01) and mitochondrial function. This study suggested that a cold environment might substantially exacerbate PM2.5-induced metabolic disorder. The interaction between temperature changes and air pollution implied that implementing the necessary environment-related policies is a critical and complex challenge.
Endoscopic Ipsilateral Interhemispheric Approach for Middle-Third Falcine Meningioma: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Zhang Gang , Wang Junwei , Wang Pan , Wu Nan
Published: July 2023

Middle-third falcine meningiomas (FMs) are usually hidden deep under the eloquent cortex and abundant bridging veins, which represent the main hindrances to surgical access. The endoscopic approach has the advantages of wide visualization and free visual axis without areas of visual blindness, which allows for the resection of FMs with good visualization in a narrow space, especially in deep operations. Here, we report a case of a middle-third FM treated using the endoscopic ipsilateral interhemispheric approach. A 55-year-old female who had suffered a headache for 6 months without other remarkable symptoms was diagnosed with middle-third FM combined with imaging evaluation. According to the imaging performance and anatomical features, we scheduled the endoscopic ipsilateral interhemispheric approach to access and remove the tumor. Consequently, gross total tumor resection was achieved without surgery-related complications. After the surgery, the patient had an uneventful recovery and was discharged with no neurological deficit. During the 24-month follow-up, the patient’s condition remained favorable, with no tumor recurrence. In our opinion, the endoscopic ipsilateral interhemispheric approach is a feasible surgical strategy for FMs, which deserves further exploration as a treatment option.
Building Surface Crack Detection Using Deep Learning Technology
Authors: Chen Yulong , Zhu Zilong , Lin Zhijie , Zhou Youmei
Published: July 2023

Cracks in building facades are inevitable due to the age of the building. Cracks found in the building facade may be further exacerbated if not corrected immediately. Considering the extensive size of some buildings, there is definitely a need to automate the inspection routine to facilitate the inspection process. The incorporation of deep learning technology for the classification of images has proven to be an effective method in many past civil infrastructures like pavements and bridges. There is, however, limited research in the built environment sector. In order to align with the Smart Nation goals of the country, the use of Smart technologies is necessary in the building and construction industry. The focus of the study is to identify the effectiveness of deep learning technology for image classification. Deep learning technology, such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), requires a large amount of data in order to obtain good performance. It is, however, difficult to collect the images manually. This study will cover the transfer learning approach, where image classification can be carried out even with limited data. Using the CNN method achieved an accuracy level of about 89%, while using the transfer learning model achieved an accuracy of 94%. Based on this, it can be concluded that the transfer learning method achieves better performance as compared to the CNN method with the same amount of data input.
How [18F]-FDG-PET/CT Affects Clinical Management of Patients with Germ Cell Tumors in the Real World
Authors: Liang Cecilia , Sekler Julia , Gückel Brigitte , Pfannenberg Christina , Dittmann Helmut , Seith Ferdinand , Amend Bastian , Nikolaou Konstantin , Reinert Christian Philipp
Published: July 2023

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of PET/CT on clinical management of patients with germ cell tumors (GCTs) conducted in a real-world setting, including avoidance of invasive procedures, additional diagnostic imaging, and changes in treatment. Methods: Patients with GCTs were prospectively enrolled into a PET/CT registry study between May 2013 and April 2021. Intended patient management prior and after PET/CT was documented using standardized questionnaires. Changes in oncologic staging and clinical management after PET/CT were recorded, including planned treatment and planned additional diagnostics. Results: Forty-three male patients with GCTs were included consecutively in this study. After PET/CT, oncologic staging changed in 22/43 patients (51%), with upstaging in seven cases (16%), downstaging in ten cases (23%), and cancer relapse in five cases (11%). The number of patients with intended curative treatment remained stable, while a considerable change in intended therapeutic intervention was noted after PET/CT, with an increase in planned chemotherapy from three to eleven patients and a decrease in planned surgical resection from eleven to two patients. In addition, PET/CT contributed to preventing patients from intended invasive procedures including biopsy and surgery in 8/43 (19%) cases and from additional diagnostic procedures in 25 (58%) cases. Conclusion: With the use of FDG-PET/CT as a tool to guide patient management in GCTs, we observed a notable impact on clinical staging and a consequent reduction in the need for additional invasive and diagnostic procedures. These findings are expected to be even more consequential in the future as treatment modalities improve and the life expectancy of GCT patients further increases. Key Points: PET/CT considerably influences the clinical stage of GCT patients. PET/CT has remarkable influence on the choice of therapeutic interventions and reduces additional diagnostic procedures.
Expression of Reaction Selectivity and the Substituent Effect in Ullmann, Suzuki, Hiyama, and Allylic Arylation Reactions Caused by Reducing Catalyst Loading
Authors: Kawase Misa , Shibata Tomohiro , Masuu Shouhei , Yamaguchi Masaki , Matsumura Yoshimasa , Shimomura Osamu , Ohtaka Atsushi
Published: July 2023

The control of stereo-, regio-, and chemo-selectivity in transition-metal-catalyzed coupling reactions is a key topic in organic synthesis. Several methods for controlling selectivity have been reported thus far. On the other hand, the reduction of catalyst loading during reactions is one of the most important issues in organic synthesis from the standpoint of green sustainable chemistry. As another advantage of reducing catalyst loading, the expression of reaction selectivity and the substituent effect caused by the reduction of catalyst loading to the parts-per-million (ppm) level in various catalytic reactions is presented herein.
Calcineurin B1 Deficiency Reduces Proliferation, Increases Apoptosis, and Alters Secretion in Enteric Glial Cells of Mouse Small Intestine in Culture
Authors: Teramoto Hikaru , Hirashima Naohide , Tanaka Masahiko
Published: July 2023

To investigate the roles of calcineurin (CN) in glial cells, we previously generated conditional knockout (CKO) mice lacking CNB1 in glial cells. Because these CKO mice showed dysfunction and inflammation of the small intestine in addition to growth impairment and postweaning death, we have focused on enteric glial cells (EGCs) in the small intestine. In this study, we examined the effects of CNB1 deficiency on the proliferation and survival of EGCs and the expression and secretion of EGC-derived substances in culture to reveal the mechanisms of how CNB1 deficiency leads to dysfunction and inflammation of the small intestine. In primary myenteric cultures of the small intestine, EGCs from the CKO mice showed reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis compared with EGCs from control mice. In purified EGC cultures from the CKO mice, Western blot analysis showed increased expression of S100B, iNOS, GFAP, and GDNF, and increased phosphorylation of NF-κB p65. In the supernatants of purified EGC cultures from the CKO mice, ELISA showed reduced secretion of TGF-β1. In contrast, GDNF secretion was not altered in purified EGC cultures from the CKO mice. Furthermore, treatment with an S100B inhibitor partially rescued the CKO mice from growth impairment and postweaning death in vivo. In conclusion, CNB1 deficiency leads to reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis of EGCs and abnormal expression and secretion of EGC-derived substances, which may contribute to dysfunction and inflammation of the small intestine.
Innate Immune Status of Glia Modulates Prion Propagation in Early Stage of Infection
Authors: Kang Sang-Gyun , Kim Chiye , Aiken Judd , McKenzie Debbie
Published: July 2023

Prion diseases are progressive neurodegenerative disorders affecting humans and various mammals. The prominent neuropathological change in prion-affected brains is neuroinflammation, histopathologically characterized by reactive gliosis surrounding prion deposition. The cause and effect of these cellular responses are still unclear. Here we investigate the impact of innate immune responses on prion replication using in vitro cell culture models. Hamster-adapted transmissible mink encephalopathy prions, hyper (HY) and drowsy (DY) strains, were assayed for accumulation of pathogenic prion protein (PrPSc) in primary glial cultures derived from 8-day-old hamster pups. The kinetics of PrPSc accumulation largely depended on prion strain and brain regions from where glial cells originated. Glial cells derived from the cerebellum were susceptible to HY, but resistant to DY strain as determined by western blot analysis, immunocytochemistry, and animal bioassay. Glial cells from the cerebral cortex were, however, refractory to both strains. PrPSc accumulation was affected by innate immune modulators. Priming glial cells with lipopolysaccharide decreased prion replication, whereas pre-treatment with dexamethasone, inhibiting innate immunity, increased susceptibility to DY infection. Our results suggest that neuroinflammation resulting from prion infection is a response to resolve and/or prevent prion propagation in the brain. It implies a therapeutic potential of innate immune modulation in the early stages of prion disease.
Adjunct Therapy with T Regulatory Cells Decreases Inflammation and Preserves the Anti-Tumor Activity of CAR T Cells
Authors: Zeng Ke , Huang Meixian , Lyu Mi-Ae , Khoury Joseph D. , Ahmed Sairah , Patel Krina K. , Dropulić Boro , Reese-Koc Jane , Caimi Paolo F. , Sadeghi Tara , Lima Marcos de , Flowers Christopher R. , Parmar Simrit
Published: July 2023

With greater accessibility and an increased number of patients being treated with CAR T cell therapy, real-world toxicity continues to remain a significant challenge to its widespread adoption. We have previously shown that allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived (UCB) regulatory T cells (Tregs) can resolve inflammation and treat acute and immune-mediated lung injuries. Allogeneic, cryopreserved UCB Tregs have shown a clinical benefit in patients suffering from COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome. The unique properties of UCB Treg cells include a lack of plasticity under inflammatory micro-environments, no requirement for HLA matching, a long shelf life of cryopreserved cells, and immediate product availability, which makes them attractive for treating acute inflammatory syndromes. Therefore, we hypothesized that adjunct therapy with UCB Tregs may resolve the undesirable inflammation responsible for CAR T cell therapy-associated toxicity. In in vitro analysis, no interference from the addition of UCB Tregs was observed on CD19 CAR T cells’ ability to kill CD19 Raji cells at different CAR T: Raji cell ratios of 8:1 (80.4% vs. 81.5%); 4:1 (62.0% vs. 66.2%); 2:1 (50.1% vs. 54.7%); and 1:1 (35.4% vs. 44.1%). In the xenogeneic B-cell lymphoma model, multiple injections of UCB Tregs were administered 3 days after CD19 CAR T cell injection, and no detrimental effect of add-on Tregs was noted on the circulating CD8+ T effector cells. The distribution of CAR T cells in multiple organs remained unaffected by the addition of the UCB Tregs. Specifically, no difference in the overall tumor burden was detected between the UCB Treg + CAR T vs. CAR T alone recipients. No tumor was detected in the liver or bone marrow in CAR T cells + UCB Tregs recipients, with a notable corresponding decrease in multiple circulating inflammatory cytokines when compared to CART alone recipients. Here we show the proof of concept for adjunct therapy with UCB Tregs to mitigate the hyper-inflammatory state induced by CAR T cells without any interference in their on-target anti-tumor activity. Administration of UCB Tregs after CAR T cells allows sufficient time for their synapse formation with tumor cells and exerts cytotoxicity, such that the UCB Tregs are diverted to interact with the antigen-presenting cells at the site of inflammation. Such a differential distribution of cells would allow for a two-pronged strategy of a UCB Treg “cooling blanket” effect and lay the groundwork for clinical study.
Synthesis of Peptides from Glycine on Anatases with Different Crystal Facets
Authors: Chen Jingping , Zhong Xiaomei , Wu Haiyan , Liu Zeling , Nie Xiaoqin , Zhou Lei , Wei Hongfu , Hu Wenyuan , Liu Mingxue
Published: July 2023

Semiconductor minerals are widely present on the surface of Earth, but their roles in the process of peptide formation from amino acids are less studied, especially the role of different crystal facets in the origin of life. In this research, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), thermogravimetric analysis (TA/DTA), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and simulation calculations were used to study the condensation of glycine on the surface of anatase with (001) crystal facets and ordinary anatase as well as the reaction mechanism. Combined with TA/DTA and heating experiments (80–130 °C), it was found that anatase with (001) crystal facets and ordinary anatase could both catalyze the condensation of glycine to form corresponding oligopeptides (mainly DKP, Gly2 and Gly3). Anatase with (001) crystal facets shows better catalytic effect, which can reduce the condensation temperature of glycine to 90 °C. With the increase in temperature, the condensation efficiency of anatase with (001) crystal facets for Gly2 is relatively higher, and the maximum yield is about 0.20 mg/m2. The condensation efficiency of ordinary anatase for Gly3 is relatively higher, and the maximum yield is about 0.28 mg/m2. The results of FTIR and simulation calculation show that the electron density of the carboxyl group changes after glycine is adsorbed on the surface of anatase, which is easily subject to the nucleophilic attack of amino groups to promote the condensation reaction. These results can provide reference for the research of condensation of small biomolecules on semiconductor mineral surfaces in the origin of life.