bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative and clinical implications of the EARL2 versus EARL1 [18F]FDG PET-CT performance standards in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Cox Maurice C. , Jurcka Tijn , Arens Anne I.J. , Rijk Maartje C. van , Kaanders Johannes H.A.M. , Bosch Sven van den
Published: April 2023

Background: The EANM Research Ltd. (EARL) guidelines give recommendations for harmonization of [18F]FDG PET-CT image acquisition and reconstruction, aiming to ensure reproducibility of quantitative data between PET scanners. Recent technological advancements in PET-CT imaging resulted in an updated version of the EARL guidelines (EARL2). The aim of this study is to compare quantitative [18F]FDG uptake metrics of the primary tumor and lymph nodes in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) on EARL2 versus EARL1 reconstructed images and to describe clinical implications for nodal staging and treatment.Methods: Forty-nine consecutive patients with HNSCC were included. For all, both EARL1 and EARL2 images were reconstructed from a singular [18F]FDG PET-CT scan. Primary tumors and non-necrotic lymph nodes ≥ 5mm were delineated on CT-scan. In the quantitative analysis, maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) and standardized uptake ratios (SURmax, i.e. SUVmax normalized to cervical spinal cord uptake) were calculated for all lesions on EARL1 and EARL2 reconstructions. Metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were compared between EARL1 and EARL2 using different segmentation methods (adaptive threshold; SUV2.5/3.5/4.5; SUR2.5/3.5/4.5; MAX40%/50%). In the qualitative analysis, each lymph node was scored independently by two nuclear medicine physicians on both EARL1 and EARL2 images on different occasions using a 4-point scale.Results: There was a significant increase of SUVmax (19%) and SURmax (11%) of primary tumor and lymph nodes on EARL2 versus EARL1 imaging (p < 0.001). The proportional difference of both SUVmax and SURmax between EARL2 and EARL1 decreased with increasing tumor volume (p < 0.001). Absolute differences in MTVs between both reconstructions were small (< 1.0cm3), independent of the segmentation method. Relative differences in MTVs and TLGs were small using the adaptive threshold method and larger using static SUV or SUR thresholds. With visual scoring of lymph nodes 38% (11/29) of nodes with score 2 on EARL1 were upstaged to score 3 on EARL2, which resulted in an alteration of nodal stage in 18% (6/33) of the patients.Conclusions: Using the EARL2 method for PET image reconstruction resulted in higher SUVmax and SURmax compared to EARL1, with nodal upstaging in a significant number of patients.
Surgical Outcome in MCL and Extensor Mechanism Disruption Following Trauma in 80 years Old Post Total Knee Arthroplasty Spondyloarthropathic Patient: A Case Report
Authors: Bhattacharjee Sujoy , Mehta Abhishek , Jamshed Mohammad
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is characterized by osteoproliferation-induced axial skeleton and sacroiliac joint damage that leads to spinal deformity and functional disability; up to 70% of patients have knee and other joints involvement and may require total joint replacement despite adequate pharmacological support Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an effective procedure in AS patient but very little has been reported on the outcomes. But the peculiar gait pattern due to ankylosed joints, which do not improve substantially after TKA, increases the incidence of falls, leading to complications.Case presentation: An 80-year-old Asian male with Primary TKA suffers extensor mechanism disruption and medial collateral ligament injury after a fall and undergoes Rotating hinge knee and patellar tendon repair augmented with semi-t graft. The patient could initially achieve early weight-bearing with splint support, later with the cylindrical cast.Conclusion Rotating Hinge Knee is a viable option in low-demand patients with good outcomes in patients with collateral ligament rupture. Semi-T augmented PT repair reinforced with suture anchors gives the relatively best result.
Effects of axial elongation on ganglion cell complex thickness and retinal capillary density in the peripheral retina among highly myopic eyes
Authors: Wang Deming , Zhang Yinhang , Lin Fengbin , Song Yunhe , Jin Ling , Wang Zhenyu , Chen Meiling , Jiang Jiaxuan , Wang Peiyuan , Yang Zefeng , Li Fei , Zhang Xiulan
Published: April 2023

Background/Objectives: To investigate the effects of axial elongation on ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness and retinal capillary density (CD) in the circular region (12 mm diameter) using wide-field swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography.
Subjects/Methods: This retrospective and cross-sectional study included 506 eyes. Fovea-centred 15 × 12 mm² scans were acquired to measure the subregional GCC thickness and CD in the whole retina, superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) among three groups: normal controls, high myopia (HM) eyes with an axial length (AL) <28 mm, and HM eyes with an AL >28 mm. The magnitude of GCC thickness and retinal CD changes with axial elongation was estimated using multivariable linear regression models.
Results: The GCC thickness and retinal CD in HM eyes with an AL >28 mm were lesser than those in the other two groups in most regions (P<0.05). In HM eyes with an AL <28 mm, GCC beyond the 3 × 3 mm² area was generally thinner than that in normal controls (P<0.05), while a significant reduction in CD occurred only in the 9–12 mm whole retina, 9–12mm superior SCP and 6–12 mm DCP (P<0.05). The GCC thickness and retinal CD with axial elongation demonstrated the greatest reduction in the subregions beyond 6 × 6 mm².
Conclusions: GCC thickness beyond the 3 × 3 mm² area and peripheral retinal CD beyond the 6 × 6 mm² area were more susceptible to axial elongation, thereby deserving particular attention.
The Effects of Pelvic Floor and Abdominal Muscle Training in Urinary Incontinence According to Severity
Authors: EROĞLU Havva Sümeyye , HALATCI Emine İPEK , ŞEN İlker , KESER İlke
Published: April 2023

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of incontinence severity on pelvic floor and abdominal muscle strengthening training in women with stress urinary incontinence (UI). Sixteen patients with stress and mixed UI were included in the study. According to 24-hour pad test (24hPT), individuals were divided into two groups as group 1 (24hPT 4-20gr, mild group, n: 9) and group 2 (21g and above in 24hPT, moderate-severe group, n: 7). Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT) and Abdominal Muscle Training were applied to the groups for 6 weeks. Urinary incontinence, pelvic floor muscle strength measurement, quality of life, symptom, and the presence of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) were evaluated respectively using 24hPT, Electromyography (EMG) Biofeedback device, King’s Health Questionnaire (KHQ), Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6), and Global Pelvic Floor Bother Questionnaire (GPFBQ). Evaluations were performed at the beginning and at the end of the physiotherapy program, and subjective improvement rate was determined. After treatment, 24hPT values decreased in groups, but this decrease was only significant in group 2 (p < 0.05). The results obtained from this study showed that there was no difference between mild and moderate-severe groups in terms of having benefit from strengthening training to the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. It was proved that, an increase in pelvic floor muscle strength, and quality of life, a decrease in UI symptoms and PFD might be achieved with physiotherapy application regardless of the severity of UI, and improvements in subjective recovery rate were provided. NCT05549193, 22/09/2022, retrospectively registered
Use of organic acids in micropropagation helps the production of salinity tolerant strawberry
Authors: de Oliveira Eduarda , Nadal Michele , Rodriguesa Filipe Almendagna , Santos Heloisa Oliveira dos , de Sousa Lilian Ferreira , Martins Adalvan Daniel , Sepúlveda Ana Milena Gómez , Dória Joyce , Pasqual Moacir
Published: April 2023

Abiotic stresses cause numerous harms to crops, such as limited growth and reduced yield, salt stress being one of the main culprits. The search for plants that are more tolerant to abiotic stresses is necessary to increase yield. The objective of this study was to investigate whether humic and fulvic acids inserted in vitro promote salt stress tolerance in strawberry plants. Salt stress was induced in plants in vitro, as well as the insertion of humic and fulvic acids. After this process, the plants were taken to the greenhouse and grown under stress to determine the efficiency of the process. The in vitro concentration of NaCl used caused stress in the plants. It was observed that the concentrations of humic acid and fulvic acid influenced the increase in the activity of the plant's antioxidant system in response to the NaCl applied during the growth of seedlings in a greenhouse. Therefore, plants grown in the presence of humic acid or fulvic in vitro acid respond to abiotic stress more quickly, suggesting that humic substances can be used to produce strawberries that are more tolerant to salt stress.
Th2/Th17 cell associated cytokines found in seroma fluids after breast cancer surgery
Authors: Pochert Nicole , Schneider Mariella , Köpke Melitta B , Wild Carl Mathis , Mattmer Angelika , Sagasser Jacqueline , Golas Monika M , Banys-Paluchowski Maggie Maggie , Metz Aline , Hinske Christian , Reiger Matthias , jeschke udo , Dannecker Christian , Neumann Avidan , Traidl-Hoffmann Claudia , Untch Michael , Kühn Thorsten , Ditsch Nina
Published: April 2023

Purpose The development of a seroma after breast cancer surgery is a common postoperative complication seen after simple mastectomy and axillary surgery. We could recently demonstrate that breast cancer patients undergoing a simple mastectomy with subsequent seroma formation developed a T helper cell increase within the aspirated fluid measured by flow cytometry. The same study revealed a Th2 and/or a Th17 immune response in peripheral blood and seroma fluid of the same patient. Based on these results and within the same study population, we now analyzed the Th2/Th17 cell associated cytokine content as well as the best known clinical important cytokine IL6.Methods Multiplex cytokine measurements (IL4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-10, IL17, and IL-22) were done on 34 seroma fluids (Sf) after fine needle aspiration of patients who developed a seroma after a simple mastectomy. Serum of the same patient (Sp) and of healthy volunteers (Sc) were used as controls.Results We found the Sf to be highly cytokine rich. Almost all analyzed cytokines were significantly higher in abundance in the Sf compared to Sp and Sc, especially IL-6, which promotes Th17 differentiation as well as suppresses Th1 differentiation in favour of Th2 development.Conclusion Our Sf cytokine measurements reflect a local immune event. In contrast, former study results on T-helper cell populations in both Sf and Sp tend to demonstrate a systemic immune process.
The healing capacity and osteogenesis pattern of Demineralized Dentin Matrix (DDM)-Fibrin Glue (FG) compound
Authors: Bao Jibo , Fu Xunan , Wu Yirong , Yang Shengyin , Ren Xiaobin , Fang Xingchen , Yuan Quan , Xie Zhigang , Seriwatanachai Dutmanee
Published: April 2023

Demineralized dentin matrix (DDM) is an osteoconductive and osteoinductive material, which was successfully performed in sinus floor augmentation and alveolar ridge augmentation in clinical application. It releases bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and other growth factors which make DDM a suitable grafting material. However, the granular particle of DDM makes it difficult to anchor into the bone defect area. The aim of this study was to investigate biological effects as well as an osteoinductivity of the combination of DDM and Fibrin Glue (FG) at an optimal ratio on bone healing from critical bone defect in an animal model. Mouse osteoblastic cell line (MC3T3-E1) was co-cultured with various ratios of DDM and FG to examine their effects on osteoblast proliferation and differentiation indicated by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, osteocalcin (OC) production and mineralized nodules formation. The optimal ratio was then chosen to further study with rabbit calvarial defective model which they were implanted with DDM or DDM-FG1 (1:0.1) and DDM-FG2 (1:0.5) compounds (w/v) or blank for 2, 4, 8 and 12weeks for investigating soft tissue and new bone regeneration. Micro-CT and histology analysis were used to evaluate the total grafting properties according to the different healing periods. The result from in vitro studies demonstrated that the ratio of 1:0.1 induced more ALP activity, mineralized nodules at the same time, 1: 0.5 (DDM-FG combined) induced more Osteocalcin (OC) at given days. In animal model, the 3D new bone volume in all DDM-FG treatment were significantly greater than blank group at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Furthermore, the new bone volume was greater in DDM-FG2 when compared to other groups at early week of the healing period. In histological analysis, numbers of osteoblasts were formed as a cluster adjacent to the DDM particles where we could observe a newly formed bone in all groups suggesting an osteoinductive property of DDM. Moreover, the greater new collagen synthesis observed at 4 weeks suggested that the early bone healing was induced in a group treated with DDM-FG2. This study demonstrates that at optimal ratio of DDM-FG compound enhances the osteogenic activities and bone regeneration.
Evaluating ChatGPT as an Adjunct for the Multidisciplinary Tumor Board Decision-Making in Primary Breast Cancer Cases
Authors: Lukac Stefan , Dayan Davut , Fink Visnja , Leinert Elena , Hartkopf Andreas , Veselinovic Kristina , Janni Wolfgang , Rack Brigitte , Pfister Kerstin , Heitmeir Benedikt , Ebner Florian
Published: April 2023

As the available information about breast cancer is growing every day, the decision-making process for the therapy is getting more complex. ChatGPT as a transformer-based language model possesses the ability to write scientific articles and pass medical exams. But is it able to support the multidisciplinary tumor board (MDT) in the planning of the therapy of patients with breast cancer?
We performed a pilot study on 10 consecutive cases of breast cancer patients discussed in MDT at our department in January 2023. Included were patients with a primary diagnosis of early breast cancer. The recommendation of MDT was compared with the recommendation of the ChatGPT for particular patients and the clinical score of the agreement was calculated.
Results showed that ChatGPT provided mostly general answers regarding chemotherapy, breast surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and antibody therapy. It was able to identify risk factors for hereditary breast cancer and point out the elderly patient indicated for chemotherapy to evaluate the cost/benefit effect. ChatGPT wrongly identified the patient with Her2 1+ and 2+ (FISH negative) as in need of therapy with trastuzumab and called endocrine therapy “hormonal treatment”.
Support of artificial intelligence by finding individualized and personalized therapy for our patients is unavoidable in this time of rapidly expanding amount of information. ChatGPT has the potential to find its spot in clinical medicine, but the current version is not able to provide specific recommendations for the therapy of patients with primary breast cancer.
Implementing Advance Care Planning in Palliative and End of Life Care: Perspectives from Community Nursing
Authors: Wilkin Katie , Fang Mei Lan , Sixsmith Judith
Published: April 2023

Background Advance care planning (ACP) is a priority topic within palliative care service provisions. Many healthcare professionals have a duty of care to engage patients in ACP discussions as early as possible. Family members of palliative patients are arguably best placed to encourage discussions of ACP, although often find this difficult. Therefore, community nurses immediately caring for these patients can encourage these discussions, utilising the built rapport and relationships they have with both patients and families. Despite this potential, nurses appear conflicted towards ACP discussions because of several barriers (e.g., education, time) or facilitators (e.g., relationships, patient readiness). This review was undertaken to explore these factors which influence how nurses apply ACP in the context of caring for their patients.Method To explore the perspectives of community nurses with ACP application, a scoping review was undertaken in June 2021 and the resultant database of 15 articles were thematically analysed to answer a research question: ‘What factors contribute to or hinder ACP discussion for community nurses, when providing care to palliative patients?’.Results Several ACP barriers and facilitators were identified from a nursing standpoint. Key barriers were – lack of confidence, competence, role, and prognostic uncertainty. Key facilitators identified the pertinence of the patient-practitioner relationship enabling ACP amongst nurses who had both competence and experience in ACP and/or palliative care.Conclusions This review suggests that community nurses’ perceived experience and competence is associated with implementing ACP effectively with palliative patients. Furthermore, it identified that future research is needed to develop interventions to promote ACP uptake in community settings, enabling confidence building and higher standards of palliative care via the implementation of ACPs.
Computational modeling and synthesis of Pyridine variants of Benzoyl-Phenoxy-Acetamide with high glioblastoma cytotoxicity and brain tumor penetration
Authors: IV Charles Ingraham , Stalinska Joanna , Carson Sean , Colley Susan , Rak Monika , Lassak Adam , Reiss Krzysztof , Jursic Branko
Published: April 2023

Glioblastomas are highly aggressive brain tumors for which therapeutic options are very limited. In a quest for new anti-glioblastoma drugs, we focused on specific structural modifications of benzoyl-phenoxy-acetamide (BPA) present in a common lipid-lowering drug, fenofibrate, and in our first prototype glioblastoma drug, PP1. Here, we propose extensive computational analyses to improve selection of the most effective glioblastoma drug candidates. Initially over 100 structural BPA variations were analyzed and their physicochemical properties such as water solubility (-logS), calculated partition coefficient (ClogP), probability for BBB crossing (BBB_SCORE), probability for CNS penetration (CNS-MPO) and calculated cardiotoxicity (hERG), were evaluated. This integrated approach allowed us to select pyridine variants of BPA that show improved BBB penetration, water solubility, and low cardiotoxicity. Herein the top 24 compounds were synthesized and analyzed in cell culture. Six of them demonstrated glioblastoma toxicity with IC50 ranging from 0.59 to 3.24mM. Importantly, one of the compounds, HR68, accumulated in the brain tumor tissue at 3.7+/-0.5mM, which exceeds its glioblastoma IC50 (1.17mM) by over 3-fold.
Thin Nacreous Films with Enhanced Mechanical Properties for Highly Efficient Durable Radiative Cooling
Authors: Deng Hua , Xiong Lianhu , Wei Yun , Chen Chuanliang , Chen Xin , Fu Qiang
Published: April 2023

Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) is a promising path to tackle energy, environment and security issues originated from global warming. However, the contradiction between optical properties (especially desired high solar reflectivity) and other applicable performance (e.g. strength, modulus, durability and thickness) limits the practical applications of PDRC. Herein, we demonstrate a nacreous PDRC film integrating aramid nanofibers (ANFs) network with core-shell TiO2-coated mica microplatelet (Mica@TiO2) scatterers via a “Solvent exchange-Reprotonation” processing strategy for enhancing mechanical strength and durability without compromising optical performance. The slow but complete two-step protonation transition regulates the three-dimensional dendritic ANFs network with strong fibrillar joints, where overloaded scatterers (> 50 wt%) are stably grasped and anchored in alignment, thereby resulting in a high strength of ~ 112 MPa. Meanwhile, the strong backward scattering excited by multiple interfaces of core-shell Mica@TiO2 and interlamellar micropores guarantees a balanced reflectivity (~ 92%) and thickness (~ 25 µm). Notably, such design renders excellent environmental durability, including high temperature, UV radiation, water rinsing and scratch damage, to meet the realistic requirements. The practical PDRC cooling capability is further revealed by outdoor tests where attainable subambient temperature drops are ~ 3.35 ℃ for daytime and ~ 6.11 ℃ for nighttime, thus providing possibility for thermal protection of vehicles, mobile phones and cables exposed to direct sunlight. Consequently, both the cooling capacity which equals those of state-of-the-art PDRC designs and comprehensive outdoor-services performance, greatly push PDRC towards practical applications.
Objective Cognitive Functioning in Patients with Stress-Related Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Remote Digital Cognitive Testing
Authors: Föyen Ludwig Franke , Sennerstam Victoria , Kontio Evelina , Lekander Mats , Hedman-Lagerlöf Erik , Lindsäter Elin
Published: April 2023

Background

Patients with stress-related mental disorders often report cognitive impairment, but studies investigating objective cognitive impairment in patients with stress-related disorders have produced inconsistent findings.

Aim

The primary aim of this study was to investigate objective cognitive functioning in patients diagnosed with the stress-related disorders adjustment disorder or exhaustion disorder, compared to a healthy normative group. Secondary aims were to conduct subgroup analyses of cognitive functioning between the diagnostic groups and explore associations between self-reported symptoms and cognitive functioning.

Methods

Cognitive test results on a digitally self-administered cognitive test battery from 266 patients (adjustment disorder, n = 131; exhaustion disorder, n = 135) were cross-sectionally compared with results from a healthy normative group (N =184 to 692) using one-tailed t-tests. ANOVAs were conducted for subgroup analyses, and regression analyses for associations between self-reported symptoms and cognitive functioning. Effect sizes were calculated.

Results

Patients performed significantly worse than the normative group on all measures with small to moderate effect sizes ranging from d = -.13 to -.57. Those diagnosed with exhaustion disorder performed worse than norms on more measures than did patients with adjustment disorder, but no significant differences between diagnostic groups were found on any measure. Self-reported memory impairment was weakly associated with one of two memory measures. No clear associations between self-reported burnout symptoms and objective cognitive functioning were found.

Conclusions

This study adds to the literature indicative of small to moderate objective cognitive impairments in patients diagnosed with stress-related mental disorders. Further exploration into mechanisms of cognitive functioning in different populations is needed for development of theoretical models that may explain the weak correlation between self-reported symptoms and objective measures.

Study registration

This study was pre-registered on Open Science Framework (osf.io) with DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/TQXZV
Microbiome-metabolomics analysis reveals abatement effects of itaconic acid on odorous compound production
Authors: Zhu Xin , Zhang Yinhang , Liu Haiying , Yang Guiqin , Li Lin
Published: April 2023

Background: Public complaints concerning odor emissions from intensive livestock and poultry farms continue to grow, as nauseous odorous compounds have adverse impacts on the environment and human health. Itaconic acid is a metabolite from the citric acid cycle of the host and shows volatile odor-reducing effects during animal production operations. However, the specific role of itaconic acid in decreasing intestinal odorous compound production remains unclear. A total of 360 one-day-old chicks were randomly divided into 6 treatments: control group (basal diet) and itaconic acid groups (basal diet + 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 g/kg itaconic acid, respectively). The feeding experiment lasted for 42 d.
Results: Dietary itaconic acid supplementation linearly and quadratically decreased (P < 0.05) the cecal concentrations of indole and skatole but did not affect (P> 0.05) those of lactic, acetic, propionic and butyric acids. The cecal microbial shift was significant in response to 6 g/kg itaconic acid supplementation, in that the abundances of Firmicutes, Ruminococcus and Clostridiumwas increased (P < 0.05), while that of Bacteroidetes, Escherichia-Shigella and Bacteroides were decreased (P < 0.05), indicative of increased microbial richness and diversity. Furthermore, a total of 35 significantly (P < 0.05) modified metabolites were obtained by metabolomic analysis. Itaconic acid decreased (P < 0.05) the levels of nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, glucose-6-phosphate, fumatic acid and malic acid and increased (P< 0.05) 5-methoxytroptomine, dodecanoic acid and stearic acid, which are connected with the glycolytic pathway, citrate acid cycle and tryptophan metabolism. Correlation analysis indicated significant correlations between the altered cecal microbiota and metabolites; Firmicutes, Ruminococcus and Clostridiumwere shown to be negatively correlated with indole and skatole production, while Bacteroidetes, Escherichia-Shigellaand Bacteroides were positively correlated with indole and skatole production.
Conclusions: Itaconic acid decreased cecal indole and skatole levels and altered the microbiome and metabolome in favor of odorous compound reduction. These findings provide new insight into the role of itaconic acid and expand its application potential in broilers.
Malignant Otitis Externa in an Adult Diabetic Patient Caused by Escherichia coli: a Case Report
Authors: Batinović Franko , Kujundžić Sanja Lovrić , Golec Nikolina , Sunara Davor
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Malignant otitis externa (MOE) is commonly presented as invasive external otitis resistant to local treatment that classically affects elderly diabetic patients.
Case presentation: We presented a 55-year-old man with a history of diabetes mellitus (DM) and ear scratching, initially manifesting with left-sided nocturnal otalgia, purulent otorrhea, and external auditory canal (EAC) edema. A diagnosis of MOE was made based on Levenson's criteria and radiological findings. Antibiotics were given intravenously based on bacterial cultures from ear swabs, with repeated cultures growing Escherichia coli (E. coli). The patient's MOE caused by E. coli improved after two months of ear toilets, DM management, parenteral and local antibiotics, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). We detected that the MOE was caused by self-inflicted local trauma to the EAC on the same side as the dominant hand.
Conclusion: The isolation of E. coli from the EAC as the causative organism of MOE with a favorable response to HBOT as an adjunction to antibiotic therapy was previously unreported and could present a novel treatment strategy.
Physical mapping of the wheat genes in low recombination regions: Radiation Hybrid mapping of the C-locus
Authors: Kajla Anmol , Schoen Adam , Paulson Carl , Yadav Inderjit Singh , Neelam Kumari , Riera-Lizarazu Oscar , Leonard Jeff , Gill Bikram , Venglat Prakash , Datla Raju , Poland Jesse , Coleman Gary , Rawat Nidhi , Tiwari Vijay
Published: April 2023

Mapping wheat genes, in the centromeric and pericentromeric regions (~2/3rd of a given chromosome), poses a formidable challenge due to highly suppressed recombination. Using an example of compact spike locus (C-locus), this study provides an approach to precisely map wheat genes in the pericentromeric and centromeric regions that house ~30% of wheat genes. In Club-wheat, spike compactness is controlled by the dominant C-locus, but previous efforts have failed to localize it, on a particular arm of chromosome 2D. We integrated radiation hybrid (RH) and high-resolution genetic mapping to locate C-locus on the short arm of chromosome 2D. Flanking markers of the C-locus span a physical distance of 11.0 Mb (231.0-242 Mb interval) and contain only 11 high-confidence annotated genes. This work demonstrates the value of this integrated strategy in mapping dominant genes in the low-recombination regions of the wheat genome. A comparison of the mapping resolutions of the RH and genetic maps using common anchored markers indicated that the RH map provides ~9 times better resolution that the genetic map even with much smaller population size. This study provides a broadly applicable approach to fine-map wheat genes in regions of suppressed recombination.
Authentic Leadership and Nurses’ Caring Behavior in China: The Mediating Effect of Psychological Capital
Authors: Zhang Guo-wen , Zhang Xiao-hong , Lin Wen-feng , Chen Juan-juan , Li Hui-ping , Sun Li-qin , Cheng Bao-zhen , Ding Hui , Song Gui-qi
Published: April 2023

Background An increasing number of studies are indicating that caring behavior is an important indicator of quality nursing care and positive outcomes for patients and nurses. For this reason, identifying the factors that predict nurses’ caring behavior is crucial. Studies showed authentic leadership and psychological capital are the predictors of nurses’ caring behaviors, but the three relationships are still unclear.Methods An online survey was conducted in December 2021 with 3,495 registered nurses working in Ahhui Province, China. The Authentic Leadership Questionnaire, Psychological Capital Questionnaire, and Caring Behavior Inventory were used in this study. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and the bootstrapping procedure were utilized to examine the role of psychological capital in mediating the relationship between authentic leadership and nurses’ caring behaviour.Results Authentic leadership, psychological capital, and caring behavior among nurses exhibited significant correlations. Furthermore, psychological capital showed a significant mediating impact (β = 0.378, p < 0.001) on the correlation between authentic leadership and nurses’ caring behavior.Conclusion According to the findings of this research, enhancing psychological capital could help nurses who experience an authentic leadership style improve their caring behaviors effectively. This finding suggests that nursing managers should actively develop an authentic leadership style and take actions or provide education to increase the psychological capital of nurses, which can effectively promote nurses’ caring behaviors toward patients in clinical practice.
Terahertz Four-Way Out-of-phase Waveguide Power Combiner with Low Insertion Loss
Authors: Song Kaijun , Zhao Meng , Fan Yong
Published: April 2023

A terahertz four-way out-of-phase waveguide power combiner has been proposed and analyzed in this paper. The input return loss of the circuit is improved greatly by the power combiner through the metal matching square column in the center of the circuit node, and the four output ports are reversed in equal amplitude. A simple equivalent circuit model for this power-combining structure has been developed. In order to verify the validity of the proposed structure, a four-way power combiner structure with the center frequency of 145GHz has been designed and fabricated with conventional machining. The measured input return loss of the circuit is greater than 16dB from 130GHz to 162GHz. And the insertion loss is less than 0.5dB from 140GHz to 160GHz, which corresponds to a power-combining efficiency of 90%.
Incomplete immune reconstitution and its predictors in people living with HIV in Wuhan, China
Authors: Zhang Wenyuan , Yan Jisong , Luo Hong , Wang Xianguang , Ruan Lianguo
Published: April 2023

Objective This study aimed to build and validate a nomogram model to predict the risk of incomplete immune reconstitution in people living with HIV (PLWH).Methods Totally 3783 individuals with a confirmed diagnosis of HIV/AIDS were included. A predictive model was developed based on a retrospective set (N = 2678) and was validated using the remaining cases (N = 1105). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine valuable predictors among the collected clinical and laboratory variables. The predictive model was presented as a nomogram, and internally validated using another independent dataset. The predictive value of the model was evaluated by determining the area under the curve (AUC). Besides, calibration curve and decision curve (DCA) analyses were performed in both the training and test sets.Results The final model comprised 5 predictors, including baseline CD4, age at ART initiation, BMI, HZ and TBIL. The AUC of the nomogram model was 0.902 in the training cohort, versus 0.926 in the validation cohort. The calibration accuracy and diagnostic performance were satisfactory in both the training and test sets.Conclusions This predictive model based on a retrospective study was internally validated using 5 readily available clinical indicators. It showed high performance in predicting the risk of incomplete immune reconstitution.
Improving the Collection of National Health Data: The Case for the Middle Eastern and North African Checkbox in the United States
Authors: Kindratt Tiffany B
Published: April 2023

Objectives
To describe public comments posted in relation to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Statistical Policy Directive 15 proposals regarding the addition of a separate Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) checkbox on the US Census and other required federal forms.
Methods
A public comment period outlining changes to the collection of race and ethnicity data on the US Census and other federal forms opened in January 2023. Public comments posted in February and March 2023 were reviewed to determine whether MENA was mentioned, whether comments supported a MENA checkbox, and whether comments mentioned support for health-related reasons.
Results
There were 3,062 comments reviewed. Most (71.49%) mentioned adding a MENA checkbox. Of those, 98.86% supported adding a MENA checkbox. Among those, 31.98% mentioned adding a MENA checkbox for health-related reasons.
Conclusions
Overall, the comments reviewed demonstrated strong support for the addition of a MENA checkbox on federal forms. These findings are encouraging yet further review is needed to contribute to the OMB’s final decision on whether to add the checkbox and uncover the health of this underrepresented population.
The human acetylcholinesterase c-terminal T30 peptide activates neural growth through an alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor mTOR pathway
Authors: Graur Alexandru , Sinclair Patricia , Kabbani Nadine
Published: April 2023

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a highly conserved enzyme responsible for the regulation of acetylcholine signaling within the brain and periphery. AChE has also been shown to participate in non-enzymatic activity and contribute to cellular development and aging. In particular, enzymatic cleavage of the carboxy terminal region of the synaptic AChE isoform, AChE-T, is shown to generate a bioactive T30 peptide that binds to the ⍺7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) at synapses. Here, we explore intracellular mechanisms of T30 signaling within the human cholinergic neural cell line SH-SY5Y using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). Proteomic analysis of cells exposed to (100nM) T30 for 3-days reveals significant changes within proteins important for cell growth. Specifically, bioinformatic analysis identifies proteins that converge onto the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway signaling. Functional experiments confirm that T30 regulates neural cell growth via mTOR signaling and ⍺7 nAChR activation. In addition, T30 was found promote mTORC1 pro-growth signaling through an increase in phosphorylated elF4E, and a decrease in autophagy LC3B-II level. Taken together, our findings define mTOR as a novel pathway activated by the T30 cleavage peptide of AChE and suggest a role for mTOR signaling in cholinergic aspects of brain development, as well as disease.
Integrating single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in prostate cancer
Authors: Wen Xiao Yan , Wang Ru Yi , Yu Bei , Yang Yue , Yang Jin , Zhang Chao
Published: April 2023

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the leading causes of death for men worldwide. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are considered to be closely connected to tumour growth, invasion, and metastasis. We explored the role and characteristics of CAFs in PCa through bioinformatics analysis and built a CAFs-based risk model to predict prognostic treatment and treatment response in PCa patients. First, we downloaded the signal-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data of PCa from the GEO database. We extracted bulk RNA-seq data and microarray data of PCa from the TCGA and GEO databases respectively, and adopted "ComBat" to remove batch effects. Then, we created a Seurat object for the scRNA-seq data using the package "Seurat" of R and identified CAF clusters based on the CAF-related genes (CAFRGs). Based on CAFRGs, a prognostic model was constructed by univariate Cox, LASSO, and multivariate Cox analyses. And the model was validated internally and externally by Kaplan-Meier analysis, respectively. We further performed GO and KEGG analysis of differentially expressed genes between risk groups. Besides, we investigated differences in somatic mutations between different risk groups. We explored differences in the immune microenvironment landscape and immune checkpoint gene expression levels in the different groups. Final, we predicted the response to immunotherapy and the sensitivity of antitumour drugs between the different groups.We screened 4 CAF clusters and identified 463 CAFRGs in PCa scRNA-seq. We constructed a model containing 10 prognostic CAFRGs by univariate Cox, LASSO, and multivariate Cox analysis. Somatic mutation analysis revealed that TTN and TP53 were significantly more mutated in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group, suggesting that the high-risk group may have a poor prognosis. Finally, we screened 31 chemotherapeutic drugs and targeted therapeutic drugs for PCa.In conclusion, we identified four clusters based on CAFs and constructed a new CAFs-based prognostic signature that could predict PCa patient prognosis and response to immunotherapy and might suggest meaningful clinical options for the treatment of PCa.
Adapting Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Models for Machine Learning Applications
Authors: Habiballah Sohaib , Reisfeld Brad
Published: April 2023

Both machine learning and physiologically-based pharmacokinetic models are becoming essential components of the drug development process. Integrating the predictive capabilities of physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models within machine learning pipelines could offer significant benefits in improving the accuracy and scope of drug screening and evaluation procedures. Here, we describe the development and testing of a self-contained machine learning module capable of faithfully recapitulating summary pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters produced by a full PBPK model, given a set of input drug-specific and regimen-specific information. Because of its widespread use in characterizing the disposition of orally administered drugs, the PBPK model chosen to demonstrate the methodology was an open-source implementation of a state-of-the-art compartmental and transit model called OpenCAT. The model was tested for drug formulations spanning a large range of solubility and absorption characteristics, and was evaluated for concordance against predictions of OpenCAT and relevant experimental data. In general, the values predicted by the ML models were within 20% of those of the PBPK model across the range of drug and formulation properties. However, summary PK parameter predictions from both the ML model and full PBPK model were occasionally poor with respect to those derived from experiments, suggesting deficiencies in the underlying PBPK model.
Mitochondrial dynamics-related genes Drpl and Opal contributes to early diagnosis of cognitive impairment in diabetes
Authors: Liu Mengqian , Gong Chen , Shen Xiaozhu , Jiang Yi , Xu Yiwen , Zhong Wen , Chen Yujiao , Dong Nan , Liao Jingxian , Yin Ning
Published: April 2023

Background and aim DRP1 and OPA1 play important roles in mitochondrial fusion and fission. However, the role of DRP1 and OPA1 amplification in mitochondrial cognitive impairment has not been reported. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between DRP1 and OPA1 and the risk of cognitive impairment.Methods A total of 45 elderly patients with diabetes were enrolled in this study, including 15 patients with normal diabetes, 15 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 15 patients with dementia. Also, the clinical characteristics, AD8 score, and MoCA score were evaluated.Results DRP1(2-K) and OPA1(2-K) significantly increased and decreased in dementia and MCI groups compared with the normal group (P ≤ 0.001). DRP1 gene amplification was positively correlated with the AD8 score and negatively correlated with the MoCA score (P < 0.001). OPA1 gene amplification was positively correlated with the MoCA score (P = 0.0002). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that OPA1 amplification had a high predictive value for dementia (P < 0.0001), and the combination of OPA1 and DRP1 had a higher predictive value.Conclusion Multiples of DRP1 and OPA1 are associated with dementia risk in elderly patients and may serve as potential biomarkers.
CS-YOLO: A new detection algorithm for alien intrusion on highway
Authors: Lou Haitong , Guo Junmei , Chen Haonan , Liu Haiying , Gu Jason , Bi Lingyun , Duan Xuehu
Published: April 2023

In recent years, highway accidents occur frequently, the main reason is that there is always foreign body invasion on the highway, which makes people unable to respond to emergencies in time. In order to reduce the occurrence of highway incidents, an object detection algorithm for highway intrusion was proposed in this paper. Firstly, a novel network structure was proposed to improve the feature extraction ability. Secondly, a new feature fusion method was proposed to improve the accuracy of object detection. Finally, a lightweight method was proposed to reduce the computational complexity. We compare the algorithm in this paper with existing algorithms, the experimental results showed that: On the Visdron dataset (small targets), CS-YOLO improves by more than 3.6%; On the Tinypersons dataset (extremely small targets), CS-YOLO improves by more than 1.2%. On the PASCAL VOC2007 dataset (normal size), CS-YOLO improves by more than 1.4%.
Buffering or Deteriorating: How Filial Piety Influences the Associations Between Elder Abuse, Social Well-being, and Depression among Chinese Older Adults
Authors: Sun Xin , Yan Zi
Published: April 2023

Background Few empirical studies have examined how cultural values and social well-being affect depression amongst victims of elder abuse. This study thus incorporates the cultural context into a stress-and-coping model to explore how filial piety influences the dynamic associations between elder abuse, multi-dimensional social well-being, and depression among older adults in China.Methods The participants were 7,700 older adults (aged 60 years or older) enrolled in the 2018 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey, a national population-based study of older adults. Moderated mediation models were applied to test the mediating effects of multidimensional social well-being (social isolation, loneliness, social network, and social participation) and the moderating effect of filial piety. All mediation and moderated mediation effects were estimated using SPSS.26.Results Different dimensions of social well-being have a partial mediating effect on the association between elder abuse and depression. Traditional attitudes towards filial piety exacerbated the effects of elder abuse on depression by increasing social isolation and loneliness, but they also reversed some negative effects by improving the social network.Conclusions Certain sociodemographic factors are associated with greater risk of depression for victims of elder abuse. Our findings suggest that filial discrepancy and stigma from elder abuse might influence not only older adults’ feelings of loneliness and social isolation but also their social participation and social network; this will further deteriorate their depressive symptoms in late life. These results should be considered when developing culturally sensitive identification, prevention, and intervention services for older adults.
Efficacy and Safety of Nab-Paclitaxel Chemotherapy for Patients with Gastric Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Single Arm Meta-analysis
Authors: Madeeh Alyaa Khaled , Farouk Hossam Khaled , Belal Mohamed Mohamed , Ramadan Sara , Al-Masri Batool Emad , Samier Mohamed , Gadallah Salama Ahmed , Khapoli Naseba , Nashwan Abdulqadir J. , AbdelQadir Yossef Hassan
Published: April 2023

Aim This study aims to investigate the efficacy of nab-paclitaxel mono-chemotherapy as a second-line treatment for previously treated adenocarcinoma patients.Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective single-arm clinical studies that tested nab-paclitaxel monotherapy for treating gastric carcinoma. The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA.Results We included 6 studies with a total of 271 patients. The pooled analysis of response rate, overall survival, and progression-free survival were 0.21 (95% CI: [0.16,0.28]), 11.65 (95% CI: [10.56, 12.75]), and 2.983 (95% CI: [2.625, 3.342]), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the doses regarding response rate and progression-free survival. However, the overall survival of the 150 mg/m2 dose was statistically significantly higher than the 260 mg/m2 dose. The treatment was associated with manageable toxicity profiles.Conclusion Nab-paclitaxel mono-chemotherapy is an effective treatment option for previously treated and recurrent gastric cancer with a manageable toxicity profile. Future studies should aim to compare Nab-paclitaxel to other agents in direct head-to head comparison.