bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bioinformatics and experimental analyses of glutamate receptor and its targets genes in myocardial and cerebral ischemia
Authors: Liao Wei , He Chunming , Yang Shaochun , Zhou Man , Zeng Chuan , Luo Muyun , Yu Junjian , Hu Shuo , Duan Yanyu , Liu Ziyou
Published: June 2023

Background

There is a mutual hemodynamic and pathophysiological basis between the heart and brain. Glutamate (GLU) signaling plays an important role in the process of myocardial ischemia (MI) and ischemic stroke (IS). To further explore the common protective mechanism after cardiac and cerebral ischemic injuries, the relationship between GLU receptor-related genes and MI and IS were analyzed.

Results

A total of 25 crosstalk genes were identified, which were mainly enriched in the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, Th17 cell differentiation, and other signaling pathways. Protein-protein interaction analysis suggested that the top six genes with the most interactions with shared genes were IL6, TLR4, IL1B, SRC, TLR2, and CCL2. Immune infiltration analysis suggested that immune cells such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells and monocytes were highly expressed in the MI and IS data. Memory B cells and Th17 cells were expressed at low levels in the MI and IS data; molecular interaction network construction suggested that genes such as JUN, FOS, and PPARA were shared genes and transcription factors; FCGR2A was a shared gene of MI and IS as well as an immune gene. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression analysis identified nine hub genes: IL1B, FOS, JUN, FCGR2A, IL6, AKT1, DRD4, GLUD2, and SRC. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that the area under the curve of these hub genes was > 65% in MI and IS for all seven genes except IL6 and DRD4. Furthermore, clinical blood samples and cellular models showed that the expression of relevant hub genes was consistent with the bioinformatics analysis.

Conclusions

In this study, we found that the GLU receptor-related genes IL1B, FOS, JUN, FCGR2A, and SRC were expressed in MI and IS with the same trend, which can be used to predict the occurrence of cardiac and cerebral ischemic diseases and provide reliable biomarkers to further explore the co-protective mechanism after cardiac and cerebral ischemic injury.
Identification of C2H2 zinc finger genes through genome-wide association study and functional analyses of LkZFPs in response to stresses in Larix kaempferi
Authors: Shao Liying , Li Lu , Huang Xun , Fu Yanrui , Yang Da , Li Chenghao , Yang Jingli
Published: June 2023

Background

C2H2 zinc finger proteins (C2H2-ZFPs), one of the largest transcription factors, play a variety of roles in plant development and growth as well as stress response. While, the evolutionary history and expression profile of the C2H2-ZFP genes in Larix kaempferi (LkZFPs) have not been reported so far.

Results

In this study, the whole genome of the LkZFPs was identified and characterized, including physicochemical properties, phylogenetic relationships, conservative motifs, the promoter cis-elements and Gene Ontology (GO) annotation. We identified 47 LkZFPs and divided them into four subfamilies based on phylogenetic analysis and conserved motifs. Subcellular localization prediction showed that most of the LkZFPs were located in the nucleus. Promoter cis-element analysis suggested that the LkZFPs may be involved in the regulation of stress responses. Moreover, Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) results showed that Q-type LkZFP genes were involved in the response to abiotic stress, such as salt, drought and hormone stresses. Subcellular localization results showed that LkZFP7 and LkZFP37 were located in the nucleus, LkZFP32 was located in both cytoplasm and nucleus.

Conclusion

The identification and functional analysis of LkZFPs suggested that some LkZFP genes might play important roles in coping with both biological and abiotic stresses. These results could further increase understanding of the function of the LkZFPs, and provide some research direction and theoretical support.
The Arabidopsis thaliana onset of leaf death 12 mutation in the lectin receptor kinase P2K2 results in an autoimmune phenotype
Authors: Zhao Liming , Wang Hao-Jie , Martins Patricia Dalcin , van Dongen Joost T. , Bolger Anthony M. , Schmidt Romy R. , Jing Hai-Chun , Mueller-Roeber Bernd , Schippers Jos H. M.
Published: June 2023

Background

Plant immunity relies on the perception of immunogenic signals by cell-surface and intracellular receptors and subsequent activation of defense responses like programmed cell death. Under certain circumstances, the fine-tuned innate immune system of plants results in the activation of autoimmune responses that cause constitutive defense responses and spontaneous cell death in the absence of pathogens.

Results

Here, we characterized theonset of leaf death 12(old12) mutant that was identified in the Arabidopsis accession Landsbergerecta. Theold12mutant is characterized by a growth defect, spontaneous cell death, plant-defense gene activation, and early senescence. In addition, theold12phenotype is temperature reversible, thereby exhibiting all characteristics of an autoimmune mutant. Mapping the mutated locus revealed that theold12phenotype is caused by a mutation in theLectin Receptor Kinase P2-TYPE PURINERGIC RECEPTOR 2(P2K2) gene. Interestingly, the P2K2 allele from Landsbergerectais conserved amongBrassicaceae. P2K2 has been implicated in pathogen tolerance and sensing extracellular ATP. The constitutive activation of defense responses inold12results in improved resistance againstPseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000.

Conclusion

We demonstrate thatold12is an auto-immune mutant and that allelic variation ofP2K2contributes to diversity in Arabidopsis immune responses.
Weighted gene coexpression correlation network analysis reveals the potential molecular regulatory mechanism of citrate and anthocyanin accumulation between postharvest ‘Bingtangcheng’ and ‘Tarocco’ blood orange fruit
Authors: Jin Yan , Liao Manyu , Li Na , Ma Xiaoqian , Zhang Huimin , Han Jian , Li Dazhi , Yang Junfeng , Lu Xiaopeng , Long Guiyou , Deng Ziniu , Sheng Ling
Published: June 2023

Background

Organic acids and anthocyanins are the most important compounds for the flavor and nutritional quality of citrus fruit. However, there are few reports on the involvement of co-regulation of citrate and anthocyanin metabolism. Here, we performed a comparative transcriptome analysis to elucidate the genes and pathways involved in both citrate and anthocyanin accumulation in postharvest citrus fruit with ‘Tarocco’ blood orange (TBO; high accumulation) and ‘Bingtangcheng’ sweet orange (BTSO; low accumulation).

Results

A robust core set of 825 DEGs were found to be temporally associated with citrate and anthocyanin accumulation throughout the storage period through transcriptome analysis. Further according to the results of weighted gene coexpression correlation network analysis (WGCNA), the turquoise and brown module was highly positively correlated with both of the content of citrate and anthocyanin, and p-type ATPase (PH8), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase kinase (PEPCK), chalcone isomerase (CHI), flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H), flavonoid 3’-hydroxylase (F3’H) and glutathione S transferase (GST) were considered key structural genes. Moreover, MYB family transcription factor (PH4), Zinc finger PHD-type transcription factor (CHR4, HAC12), Zinc finger SWIM-type transcription factor (FAR1) and Zinc finger C3H1-type transcription factor (ATC3H64) were considered hub genes related to these structural genes. Further qRT-PCR analysis verified that these transcription factors were highly expressed in TBO fruit and their expression profiles were significantly positively correlated with the structural genes of citrate and anthocyanin metabolism as well as the content of citrate and anthocyanin content.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that the CHR4, FAR1, ATC3H64 and HAC12 may be the new transcription regulators participate in controlling the level of citrate and anthocyanin in postharvest TBO fruit in addition to PH4. These results may providing new insight into the regulation mechanism of citrate and anthocyanin accumulation in citrus fruit.
Iva xanthiifolia leaf extract reduced the diversity of indigenous plant rhizosphere bacteria
Authors: Wu Jia-wen , Li Feng-lan , Yao Shu-kuan , Zhao Zi-yi , Feng Xu , Chen Rong-ze , Xu Yong-qing
Published: June 2023

Background

Iva xanthiifolia, native to North America, is now widely distributed in northeastern China and has become a vicious invasive plant. This article aims to probe the role of leaf extract in the invasion of I. xanthiifolia.

Methods

We collected the rhizosphere soil of Amaranthus tricolor and Setaria viridis in the invasive zone, the noninvasive zone and the noninvasive zone treated with extract from I. xanthiifolia leaf, and obtained I. xanthiifolia rhizosphere soil in the invasive zone. All wild plants were identified by Xu Yongqing. I. xanthiifolia (collection number: RQSB04100), A. tricolor (collection number: 831,030) and S. viridis (collection number: CF-0002-034) are all included in Chinese Virtual Herbarium (https://www.cvh.ac.cn/index.php). The soil bacterial diversity was analyzed based on the Illumina HiSeq sequencing platform. Subsequently, taxonomic analysis and Faprotax functional prediction were performed.

Results

The results showed that the leaf extract significantly reduced the diversity of indigenous plant rhizosphere bacteria. A. tricolor and S. viridis rhizobacterial phylum and genus abundances were significantly reduced under the influence of I. xanthiifolia or its leaf extract. The results of functional prediction showed that bacterial abundance changes induced by leaf extracts could potentially hinder nutrient cycling in native plants and increased bacterial abundance in the A. tricolor rhizosphere related to aromatic compound degradation. In addition, the greatest number of sensitive Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) appeared in the rhizosphere when S. viridis was in response to the invasion of I. xanthiifolia. It can be seen that A. tricolor and S. viridis have different mechanisms in response to the invasion of I. xanthiifolia.

Conclusion

I. xanthiifolia leaves material has potential role in invasion by altering indigenous plant rhizosphere bacteria.
Radiomics for therapy-specific head and neck squamous cell carcinoma survival prognostication (part I)
Authors: Bernatz Simon , Böth Ines , Ackermann Jörg , Burck Iris , Mahmoudi Scherwin , Lenga Lukas , Martin Simon S. , Scholtz Jan-Erik , Koch Vitali , Grünewald Leon D. , Koch Ina , Stöver Timo , Wild Peter J. , Winkelmann Ria , Vogl Thomas J. , dos Santos Daniel Pinto
Published: June 2023

Background

Treatment plans for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) are individually decided in tumor board meetings but some treatment decision-steps lack objective prognostic estimates. Our purpose was to explore the potential of radiomics for SCCHN therapy-specific survival prognostication and to increase the models’ interpretability by ranking the features based on their predictive importance.

Methods

We included 157 SCCHN patients (male, 119; female, 38; mean age, 64.39 ± 10.71 years) with baseline head and neck CT between 09/2014 and 08/2020 in this retrospective study. Patients were stratified according to their treatment. Using independent training and test datasets with cross-validation and 100 iterations, we identified, ranked and inter-correlated prognostic signatures using elastic net (EN) and random survival forest (RSF). We benchmarked the models against clinical parameters. Inter-reader variation was analyzed using intraclass-correlation coefficients (ICC).

Results

EN and RSF achieved top prognostication performances of AUC = 0.795 (95% CI 0.767–0.822) and AUC = 0.811 (95% CI 0.782–0.839). RSF prognostication slightly outperformed the EN for the complete (ΔAUC 0.035, p = 0.002) and radiochemotherapy (ΔAUC 0.092, p < 0.001) cohort. RSF was superior to most clinical benchmarking (p ≤ 0.006). The inter-reader correlation was moderate or high for all features classes (ICC ≥ 0.77 (± 0.19)). Shape features had the highest prognostic importance, followed by texture features.

Conclusions

EN and RSF built on radiomics features may be used for survival prognostication. The prognostically leading features may vary between treatment subgroups. This warrants further validation to potentially aid clinical treatment decision making in the future.
Predicting insulin use among women with gestational diabetes diagnosed in oral glucose tolerance test
Authors: Zaccara Tatiana A , Mikami Fernanda C F , Paganoti Cristiane F , Francisco Rossana P V , Costa Rafaela A
Published: June 2023

Background

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common complications affecting pregnant women. While most women will achieve adequate glycemic levels with diet and exercise, some will require pharmacological treatment to reach and maintain glucose levels between the desired thresholds. Identifying these patients early in pregnancy could help direct resources and interventions.

Methods

This retrospective cohort of women with GDM diagnosed with an abnormal 75g-OGTT presents data from 869 patients (724 in the diet group and 145 in the insulin group). Univariate logistic regression was used to compare the groups, and multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent factors associated with the need for insulin. A log-linear function was used to estimate the probability of requiring pharmacological treatment.

Results

Women in the insulin group had higher pre-pregnancy BMI index (29.8 vs 27.8 kg/m2, odds ratio [OR] 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.09), more frequent history of previous GDM (19.4% vs. 7.8%, OR 2.84, 95% CI 1.59–5.05), were more likely to have chronic hypertension (31.7% vs. 23.2%, OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.04–2.27), and had higher glucose levels at all three OGTT points. Multivariable logistic regression final model included age, BMI, previous GDM status, and the three OGTT values as predictors of insulin requirement.

Conclusions

We can use regularly collected data from patients (age, BMI, previous GDM status, and the three OGTT values) to calculate the risk of a woman with GDM diagnosed in OGTT needing insulin. Identifying patients with a greater risk of requiring pharmacological treatment could help healthcare services to better allocate resources and offer closer follow-up to high-risk patients.
Intracardiac thrombosis after congenital heart disease surgeries in neonates: a report of two cases
Authors: Yang Yanlin , Lv Jing , Li Yajiao , Gan Changping , Ji Peng
Published: June 2023

Background

Intracardiac thrombosis (ICT) is a rare complication after the cardiopulmonary surgery for interrupted aortic arch (IAA) or total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) without previous records. There are still no general guidelines regarding as the mechanism or management of postoperative ICT in neonates and younger infants.

Case presentation

We reported the conservative and surgical therapies in two neonates with intra-ventricular and intra-atrial thrombosis after the anatomical repair for IAA and TAPVC, respectively. There were no risk factors for ICT in both patients, except for the use of blood product and prothrombin complex concentrate. The surgery was indicated after TAPVC correction due to the worsening respiratory status and rapidly decreased mixed venous saturation. Anticoagulation combined with antiplatelet therapies was adopted in another patient. These two were both finally recovered, and three-month, six-month, and one-year follow-up echocardiography revealed no abnormality.

Conclusions

ICT is uncommon in pediatric population after the surgery for congenital heart disease. Single ventricle palliation, heart transplantation, longer central line use, post-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and massive blood product use are major risk factors for postcardiotomy thrombosis. The causes of postoperative ICT are multifactorial, and the immaturity of thrombolytic and fibrinolytic system in neonates may serve as a prothrombotic factor. However, no consensus reached regarding as the therapies for postoperative ICT, and the large-scale prospective cohort study or randomized clinical trial is needed.
Prevalence and associated factors of eating disorder symptoms in adolescents: a cross-sectional school-based study
Authors: Dias Roges Ghidini , Rech Ricardo Rodrigo , Halpern Ricardo
Published: June 2023

Purpose

To estimate the prevalence of eating disorder symptoms and associated factors in adolescents between 14 and 17 years old.

Methods

The data were obtained from a cross-sectional school-based study with 782 adolescents from public schools in Caxias do Sul, in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in 2016. The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) was used to investigate eating disorder symptoms. The chi-square test and Poisson regression with robust variance were performed to estimate the prevalence ratios and associations between the outcome and the variables of interest.

Results

The prevalence of eating disorder symptoms was around 56.9% among adolescents and more prevalent in females. A significant association was found between eating disorders and female gender, mothers who did not study or had an incomplete elementary school, and body image dissatisfaction. To adolescents dissatisfied with being overweight, the prevalence was more than three times higher than that observed among those who did not report such dissatisfaction.

Conclusion

The presence of eating disorder symptoms was associated with female gender, maternal education, and body image dissatisfaction. The results show the need to identify early signs and symptoms related to changes in eating behavior and non-acceptance of their bodies in a population especially concerned with their physical appearance.
Life course rural/urban place of residence, depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment among older adults: findings from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India
Authors: Muhammad T.
Published: June 2023

Background

Given the unique socioeconomic structures, and the rural/urban differentials in the prevalence of mental illnesses in the country, this study aimed to explore the associations of childhood, adulthood and late-life rural/urban place of residence with mental health outcomes, namely depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment, among older adults in India. The study also examined the relationship between older individuals’ life-course rural/urban place of residence and late-life mental and cognitive health.

Methods

Utilizing data from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (n = 28,027 older adults age 60 years and above), the study employed multivariable logistic and linear regression models to examine the association between urban/rural residential status, life-course residence, depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment among older adults.

Results

Childhood and adulthood place of residence was not associated with depressive symptoms in older men and women. Current rural place of residence was positively associated with depressive symptoms in older women [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.37, confidence interval (CI): 1.05–1.80] but not men. Childhood [aOR: 1.88, CI: 1.16–3.04], adulthood [aOR: 2.00, CI: 1.26–3.16] and current rural residence [aOR: 1.93, CI: 1.27–2.91] was positively associated with cognitive impairment in men. Only current rural residence [aOR: 1.71, CI: 1.29–2.27] was associated with cognitive impairment in women. There was no significant association between life-course place of residence and depressive symptoms except in case of lifetime rural residence Respondents with urban-urban-urban (childhood-adulthood-current) place of residence were less likely to have depressive symptoms [adjusted coefficient (aCoef.): -0.14, CI: -0.21- -0.07] compared to those with rural-rural-rural place of residence. There were significant associations between life-course residence and cognitive impairment except among rural-urban-rural and urban-rural-rural migrants, showing an urban advantage in cognitive function among older adults.

Conclusions

This study showed significant associations between life-course residence and depressive symptoms among permanent rural/urban residents. The study also showed significant associations between life-course residence and cognitive impairment except among rural-urban-rural and urban-rural-rural migrants. Considering the rural disadvantage in mental and cognitive health among older adults, the government should continue to support policies that can improve access to education and healthcare among people residing in rural areas and women, in particular. The findings also urge social scientists and gerontologists in particular, to consider the importance of lifetime historical context while evaluating mental and cognitive health of older persons.
Clinicopathological characteristics of rectal multiple neuroendocrine neoplasms and literature review
Authors: Zheng Xiuli , Wu Mingli , Li Shengmian , Er Limian , Deng Huiyan , Guo Shuo , Liu Zhihuan
Published: June 2023

Background

There are only a few epidemiological reports available for reference. The clinicopathological features are not clear, so there is no consensus on treating rectal multiple neuroendocrine neoplasms. This study aims to summarize the clinicopathological characteristics and preliminarily discuss the clinical diagnosis and treatment of rectal multiple neuroendocrine neoplasms.

Methods

This study retrospectively analyzed rectal neuroendocrine neoplasm patients diagnosed and treated at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from February 2007 to May 2021. The clinicopathological characteristics of rectal multiple neuroendocrine neoplasms were summarized and analyzed in combination with 14 studies on rectal multiple neuroendocrine neoplasms.

Results

The incidence of RM-NENs accounted for 3.8% of all R-NENs in this study. The number of tumors varied to some extent, the size of tumors was basically no more than 10 mm, and there were more G1 grade tumors. In the analysis of 46 cases with known lymph node metastasis, the difference in lymph node metastasis rate between the number of tumors < 8 and ≥ 8 was statistically significant (p = 0.002).

Conclusions

The incidence of rectal multiple neuroendocrine neoplasms accounted for 3.8% of all rectal neuroendocrine neoplasms. For rectal multiple neuroendocrine neoplasms, the lymph node metastasis rate was higher when the number of tumors was ≥ 8. The influence of the number of tumors on lymph node metastasis should be considered in the selection of treatment.
The association of parity number with multimorbidity and polypharmacy among Iranian women in the Azarcohort: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Faramarzi Elnaz , Somi Mohammd Hossein , Tutunchi Helda , Almaspour Hanieh , Sanaie Sarvin , Asemani Sanaz
Published: June 2023

Objective

We aimed to study the association of parity number with multimorbidity (MM) and polypharmacy among women in the Azar cohort population.

Patients & methods

This cross-sectional investigation was based on data from the Azar Cohort Study. Information regarding demographics, personal habits, physical activity level, medical and reproductive history, and anthropometric measurements of 8,290 females (35–70 years) were evaluated. Ordinal logistic and logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess for associations of parity number with multimorbidity (MM), polypharmacy, chronic disease, and abdominal obesity.

Results

More educated participants and people in the fifth quintile of the Wealth Score Index were less likely to have a higher parity number. With increasing parity numbers, the prevalence of MM, polypharmacy, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease, stroke, rheumatoid diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancers tended to rise. Moreover, we found that increasing parity numbers (especially when ≥ 5) enhanced the odds of abdominal obesity, waist-to-hip ratio ≥ 0.85, and waist-to-height ratio ≥ 0.5; these significant associations were more obvious in parity numbers ≥ 9 and WHtR ≥ 0.5.

Conclusion

The parity number is associated with MM and polypharmacy in Iranian women enrolled in the Azar Cohort Study. Further studies exploring the pathways (biological, social, and environmental) underlying these relationships will provide clues for preventing morbidity and premature mortality among susceptible andhighly parous women.
Client retention in the continuum of maternal health services in Ethiopia
Authors: Birhanu Frehiwot , Yitbarek Kiddus , woldie Mirkuzie
Published: June 2023

Background

Even though the global maternal mortality has shown an impressive decline over the last three decades, the problem is still pressing in low-income countries. To bring this to an end, women in a continuum of maternity care should be retained. This study aimed to assess the status of Ethiopian women’s retention in the continuum of maternity care with their possible predictors.

Methods

We used data from the 2019 Ethiopian Mini-Demographic and Health Survey. The outcome variable in this study was retention in the continuum of maternity care, which consists of at least four ANC contacts, delivery in a health facility, and postnatal check within 48 h of delivery. We analyzed the data using STATA version 14 and a binary logistic regression model was used. In the multiple logistic regression model, variables with a p-value ≤ 0.05 were considered as significantly associated with the outcome variable. A weighted analysis was also done.

Results

Of the 3917 women included in this study, only 20.8% of women completed all of the recommended services. Besides, the use of maternal health services favors women living in the biggest city administrations, followed by women living in agrarian regions; however, those living in the pastoralist area were disadvantaged. Having four or more ANC was explained by the maternal secondary level of education [AOR: 2.54; 95% CI: 1.42, 4.54], wealth status [AOR: 2.59; 95% CI: 1.45, 4.62], early initiation of ANC [AOR: 3.29; 95% CI: 2.55, 4.24], and being in a union [AOR: 1.95; 95% CI: 1.16,3.29]. After having four ANC, factor-affecting delivery in a health facility was wealth status [AOR: 8.64; 95% CI: 4.07, 18.36]. The overall completion of care was associated with women’s higher level of education [AOR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.08, 4.25], richest wealth status [AOR: 5.16; 95% CI: 2.65, 10.07], timeliness of the first ANC visit [AOR: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.66, 2.85], and third birth order [AOR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.35, 0.97].

Conclusions

Despite the efforts by the Ethiopian government and other stakeholders, the overall completion of care was quite low. There is also a clear inequality because of women's background characteristics and regional variation. Strategies aiming to empower women through improved educational experience and economic standing have to be implemented in collaboration with other relevant sectors.
Open-source environmental data as an alternative to snail surveys to assess schistosomiasis risk in areas approaching elimination
Authors: Grover Elise N. , Allshouse William B. , Lund Andrea J. , Liu Yang , Paull Sara H. , James Katherine A. , Crooks James L. , Carlton Elizabeth J.
Published: June 2023

Background

Although the presence of intermediate snails is a necessary condition for local schistosomiasis transmission to occur, using them as surveillance targets in areas approaching elimination is challenging because the patchy and dynamic quality of snail host habitats makes collecting and testing snails labor-intensive. Meanwhile, geospatial analyses that rely on remotely sensed data are becoming popular tools for identifying environmental conditions that contribute to pathogen emergence and persistence.

Methods

In this study, we assessed whether open-source environmental data can be used to predict the presence of human Schistosoma japonicum infections among households with a similar or improved degree of accuracy compared to prediction models developed using data from comprehensive snail surveys. To do this, we used infection data collected from rural communities in Southwestern China in 2016 to develop and compare the predictive performance of two Random Forest machine learning models: one built using snail survey data, and one using open-source environmental data.

Results

The environmental data models outperformed the snail data models in predicting household S. japonicum infection with an estimated accuracy and Cohen’s kappa value of 0.89 and 0.49, respectively, in the environmental model, compared to an accuracy and kappa of 0.86 and 0.37 for the snail model. The Normalized Difference in Water Index (an indicator of surface water presence) within half to one kilometer of the home and the distance from the home to the nearest road were among the top performing predictors in our final model. Homes were more likely to have infected residents if they were further from roads, or nearer to waterways.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that in low-transmission environments, leveraging open-source environmental data can yield more accurate identification of pockets of human infection than using snail surveys. Furthermore, the variable importance measures from our models point to aspects of the local environment that may indicate increased risk of schistosomiasis. For example, households were more likely to have infected residents if they were further from roads or were surrounded by more surface water, highlighting areas to target in future surveillance and control efforts.
Outcomes of surgical resection and intraoperative electron radiotherapy for patients with para-aortic recurrences of gastrointestinal and gynecologic malignancies
Authors: Hall Jacob , Wilson Jessica , Shumway John , Yanagihara Ted K. , Tepper Joel , Calvo Benjamin , Wang Andrew Z. , Pearlstein Kevin , Wang Kyle , Kim Hong Jin
Published: June 2023

Background

Para-aortic lymph node (PALN) metastases from primary pelvic malignancies are often treated with resection, but recurrence is common. We report toxicity and oncologic outcomes for patients with PALN metastases from gastrointestinal and gynecologic malignancies treated with resection and intraoperative electron radiotherapy (IORT).

Methods

We retrospectively identified patients with recurrent PALN metastases who underwent resection with IORT. All patients were included in the local recurrence (LR) and toxicity analyses. Only patients with primary colorectal tumors were included in the survival analysis.

Results

There were 26 patients with a median follow up of 10.4 months. The rate of para-aortic local control (LC) was 77% (20/26 patients) and the rate of any cancer recurrence was 58% (15/26 patients). Median time from surgery and IORT to any recurrence was 7 months. The LR rate for those with positive/close margins was 58% (7/12 patients) versus 7% (1/14 patients) for those with negative margins (p = 0.009). 15% (4/26 patients) developed surgical wound and/or infectious complications, 8% (2/26 patients) developed lower extremity edema, 8% (2/26 patients) experienced diarrhea, and 19% (5/26 patients) developed an acute kidney injury. There were no reported nerve injuries, bowel perforations, or bowel obstructions. For patients with primary colorectal tumors (n = 19), the median survival (OS) was 23 months.

Conclusions

We report favorable LC and acceptable toxicity for patients receiving surgical resection and IORT for a population that has historically poor outcomes. Our data show disease control rates similar to literature comparisons for patients with strong risk factors for LR, such as positive/close margins.
Klotho enhances bone regenerative function of hPDLSCs via modulating immunoregulatory function and cell autophagy
Authors: Niu Qingru , Chen Huan , Ou Qianmin , Yang Shuqing , Peng Yingying , Xie Yunyi , Yu Le , Cheng Zhilan , Cao Yang , Wang Yan
Published: June 2023

Background

Human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) have a superior ability to promote the formation of new bones and achieve tissue regeneration. However, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are placed in harsh environments after transplantation, and the hostile microenvironment reduces their stemness and hinders their therapeutic effects. Klotho is an antiaging protein that participates in the regulation of stress resistance. In our previous study, we demonstrated the protective ability of Klotho in hPDLSCs.

Methods

A cranial bone defect model of rats was constructed, and the hPDLSCs with or without Klotho pretreatment were transplanted into the defects. Histochemical staining and micro-computed tomography were used to detect cell survival, osteogenesis, and immunoregulatory effects of hPDLSCs after transplantation. The in vitro capacity of hPDLSCs was measured by a macrophage polarization test and the inflammatory level of macrophages. Furthermore, we explored autophagy activity in hPDLSCs, which may be affected by Klotho to regulate cell homeostasis.

Results

Pretreatment with the recombinant human Klotho protein improved cell survival after hPDLSC transplantation and enhanced their ability to promote bone regeneration. Furthermore, Klotho pretreatment can promote stem cell immunomodulatory effects in macrophages and modulate cell autophagy activity, in vivo and in vitro.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that the Klotho protein protects hPDLSCs from stress after transplantation to maintain stem cell function via enhancing the immunomodulatory ability of hPDLSCs and inhibiting cell autophagy.
Research priority setting in UK podiatric surgery
Authors: Posmyk Lesley , Carter‐Wale Robyn L. , Clark Kerry , Donson Lorna , Halstead Jill , Lennox Natalie , Milnes Helen
Published: June 2023

Evidence‐based practice provides the foundation for high quality patient care, and in the NHS, research is seen as vital to enable service transformation and improve outcomes. Research is one of the four pillars of enhanced and advanced clinical practice and is therefore a fundamental part of podiatric surgery services. In order to meet the UK health research strategies, the most recent being ‘Saving and Improving Lives: The Future of UK Clinical Research Delivery’ (2021), the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery in the UK agreed to support the development of research priorities in order to inform a future research strategy.

The Podiatric Surgery Research Strategy Group was set up and embarked on a project with the aim of engaging its members in formulating and agreeing national research priorities. The initial stage included a national research scoping survey to identify key themes, topic, and research questions. The final stage consisted of developing and enabling a live consensus vote conducted at the 2022 national Faculty of Podiatric Surgery Conference. At the end of the vote, the top five research topics that met the agreement criteria were: 1. Surgical treatment – forefoot, 2. Patient reported outcome measures, 3. Post‐operative management, 4. Surgical treatment – midfoot and 5. Service delivery. The top five research questions that met the criteria were1. How does quality of life improve following elective foot surgery? 2. How does podiatric surgery benefit the health of the population? 3. How does podiatric surgery benefit the health of the population in the at‐risk foot? 4. What is the most effective Lapidus fixation option? and 5. What is the benefit of utilising PASCOM‐10 to improve large scale outcome data? These will inform the initial UK podiatric surgery research priorities in the next three to five years.
A longitudinal study of Blastocystis in dairy calves from birth through 24 months demonstrates dynamic shifts in infection rates and subtype prevalence and diversity by age
Authors: Santin Monica , Molokin Aleksey , Maloney Jenny G.
Published: June 2023

Blastocystis is a common microeukaryotic intestinal parasite in humans and other animal hosts globally. However, no large-scale longitudinal study has ever been conducted for Blastocystis. To understand patterns of infection prevalence and subtype diversity and their relationship with host age, we have conducted the most comprehensive longitudinal study of Blastocystis infection ever performed. Dairy calves from a herd located in Maryland, USA, were followed from birth through 24 months of age, and 990 individual fecal samples from 30 calves were collected over the study period, representing three age groups (pre-weaned, post-weaned, and heifer). All samples were screened for Blastocystis via PCR, and subtype determination was performed using next-generation amplicon sequencing. Associations between age group and infection status were assessed using logistic regression analyses. Blastocystis infection prevalence increased with time, significant associations were observed between age groups and infection risk, and a cumulative prevalence of 100% was observed among the study population during the 24-month period. Thirteen previously reported subtypes (ST1-6, ST10, ST14, ST21, ST23–26) and one potentially novel subtype were observed. Diversity within ST10 supports the need for division of the subtype into new subtype designations. Associations between subtype and age group were explored, and relationships between subtypes and infection chronicity are described. While subtype diversity increased with age in the study population, distinct patterns of individual subtype prevalence and chronicity were observed, supporting the importance of subtype discrimination in studies of host infection and disease. The data from this study represent a significant advance in our understanding of Blastocystis infection dynamics within a single host population over time and can be used to inform future studies of Blastocystis epidemiology in both humans and other animal hosts.

Graphical Abstract
Hypercalcemia as a rare presentation of hyaline fibromatosis syndrome from different Sudanese families: two case reports
Authors: Ismail Mariam M. , Musa Salwa A. , Hassan Samar S. , Abdullah Mohamed A.
Published: June 2023

Background

Hyaline fibromatosis syndrome is a rare progressive autosomal recessive connective tissue disorder caused by a mutation in the ANTXR2/CMG2 gene. According to its severity, patients may present with skin nodules or visceral infiltration, which carries a poor prognosis. Hypercalcemia has not been reported as a presenting feature of this syndrome. Stimulation of osteoclasts by inflammatory factors and immobilization­-induced hypercalcemia have played role in the pathophysiology. To our knowledge, this is the first report of hypercalcemia-associated hyaline fibromatosis syndrome.

Case presentation

Here, we describe cases of two Sudanese patients, a boy aged 9 months and a girl aged 3.5 years with hypercalcemia as an associated presenting feature of hyaline fibromatosis syndrome. Other features include gingival hypertrophy, painful joint swellings, and restriction of movement, which was misdiagnosed as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Workup showed normal phosphate, normal to mildly elevated parathyroid hormone, low vitamin D 25. Genetic testing confirmed the mutation of the ANTXR2/CMG2 gene. Both patients responded well to medical therapy for hypercalcemia, but one of them with the severe form of juvenile hyaline fibromatosis died due to sepsis, while the other one has maintained normocalcemic status.

Conclusions

These cases highlight the rare presentation of this syndrome and reflect the importance of biopsy and genetic testing in reaching the diagnosis, especially when the clinical presentation can mimic other inflammatory bone disorders. Calcium levels should be checked in such cases.
Chronic heat stress induces renal fibrosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in laying hens
Authors: Nanto-Hara Fumika , Yamazaki Makoto , Murakami Hitoshi , Ohtsu Haruhiko
Published: June 2023

Background

Heat stress in laying hens negatively affects egg production and shell quality by disrupting the homeostasis of plasma calcium and phosphorus levels. Although the kidney plays an important role in calcium and phosphorus homeostasis, evidence regarding the effect of heat stress on renal injury in laying hens is yet to be elucidated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of chronic heat stress on renal damage in hens during laying periods.

Methods

A total of 16 white-leghorn laying hens (32 weeks old) were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 8). One group was exposed to chronic heat stress (33 °C for 4 weeks), whereas the other group was maintained at 24 °C.

Results

Chronic heat exposure significantly increased plasma creatinine and decreased plasma albumin levels (P < 0.05). Heat exposure also increased renal fibrosis and the transcription levels of fibrosis-related genes (COLA1A1,αSMA, andTGF-β) in the kidney. These results suggest that renal failure and fibrosis were induced by chronic heat exposure in laying hens. In addition, chronic heat exposure decreased ATP levels and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) in renal tissue, suggesting that renal mitochondrial dysfunction occurs under conditions of heat stress. Damaged mitochondria leak mtDNAs into the cytosol and mtDNA leakage may activate the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway. Our results showed that chronic heat exposure activated the cGAS-STING pathway as indicated by increased expression ofMDA5,STING,IRF7,MAVS, andNF-κBlevels. Furthermore, the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-12) and chemokines (CCL4andCCL20) was upregulated in heat-stressed hens.

Conclusions

These results suggest that chronic heat exposure induces renal fibrosis and mitochondrial damage in laying hens. Mitochondrial damage by heat stress may activate the mtDNA-cGAS-STING signaling and cause subsequent inflammation, which contributes to the progression of renal fibrosis and dysfunction.
Review of deep learning methods for remote sensing satellite images classification: experimental survey and comparative analysis
Authors: Adegun Adekanmi Adeyinka , Viriri Serestina , Tapamo Jules-Raymond
Published: June 2023

Classification and analysis of high-resolution satellite images using conventional techniques have been limited. This is due to the complex characteristics of the imagery. These images are characterized by features such as spectral signatures, complex texture and shape, spatial relationships and temporal changes. In this research, we present the performance evaluation and analysis of deep learning approaches based on Convolutional Neural Networks and vision transformer towards achieving efficient classification of remote sensing satellite images. The CNN-based models explored include ResNet, DenseNet, EfficientNet, VGG and InceptionV3. The models were evaluated on three publicly available EuroSAT, UCMerced-LandUse and NWPU-RESISC45 datasets containing categories of images. The models achieve promising results in accuracy, recall, precision and F1-score. This performance demonstrates the feasibility of Deep Learning approaches in learning the complex and in-homogeneous features of the high-resolution remote sensing images.
Reversible data hiding based on histogram and prediction error for sharing secret data
Authors: Islamy Chaidir Chalaf , Ahmad Tohari , Ijtihadie Royyana Muslim
Published: June 2023

With the advancement of communication technology, a large number of data are constantly transmitted through the internet for various purposes, which are prone to be illegally accessed by third parties. Therefore, securing such data is crucial to protect the transmitted information from falling into the wrong hands. Among data protection schemes, Secret Image Sharing is one of the most popular methods. It protects critical messages or data by embedding them in an image and sharing it with some users. Furthermore, it combines the security concepts in that private data are embedded into a cover image and then secured using the secret-sharing method. Despite its advantages, this method may produce noise, making the resulting stego file much different from its cover. Moreover, the size of private data that can be embedded is limited. This research works on these problems by utilizing prediction-error expansion and histogram-based approaches to embed the data. To recover the cover image, the SS method based on the Chinese remainder theorem is used. The experimental results indicate that this proposed method performs better than similar methods in several cover images and scenarios.
Development and validation of ICPMS methods for simultaneous determination of elemental impurities in topical cream containing ximenynic acid
Authors: Shivatare Rakesh , Jangra Sarita , Gaikwad Asmita , Kewatkar Shailesh , Bhutale Neetin , Suryavanshi Dhanaji S. , Tare Harshal
Published: June 2023

Background

These days, the presence of simple impurities in pharmaceuticals is a major cause for worry. This is because some contaminants are dangerous on their own, and even small impurities can make a drug less stable and shorten its shelf life. The goal of this study was to see if creams with ximenynic acid could be tested with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to find out how much arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, vanadium, cobalt, and nickel were in them. The best way to do things would be one that was quick, accurate, sensitive, and very productive (ICP-MS). The method included both inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and microwave digestion.

Results

Seven of the seven linearity correlation coefficient (‘R’) value were more than 0.99. LOD values were calculated using 33% of the 0.25 J threshold. Six LOQ responses (0.25 J level) were taken after considerable discussion. Calculated and reported %RSD for six LOQ copies. All elemental impurities Vanadium (V), Cobalt (Co), Nickel (Ni), Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Mercury (Hg), and Lead (Pb) were recovered between 83.33% and 115.97%, within acceptability limits. RSD% for procedure precision and intermediate precision data never exceeded 5%. The available evidence shows that the ICP-MS technique is a good way to measure these components.

Conclusion

The statistical analysis showed that the developed ICP-MS method for measuring elements in Topical Cream with Ximenynic Acid is selective and accurate. Since this ICPMS method is good at estimating several elements simultaneously, it could be used to check for elemental contaminants in the formulation.
Cytological and Ultrasound Features of Thyroid Nodules Correlate With Histotypes and Variants of Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Sgrò Daniele , Brancatella Alessandro , Greco Giuseppe , Torregrossa Liborio , Piaggi Paolo , Viola Nicola , Rago Teresa , Basolo Fulvio , Giannini Riccardo , Materazzi Gabriele , Elisei Rossella , Santini Ferruccio , Latrofa Francesco
Published: June 2023

Context

Prognosis is excellent for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasia with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFT-P), and follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) but is poor for poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC). Among PTCs, the prognosis is more favorable for follicular (FV-PTC) and classic (CV-PTC) than for tall cell (TCV-PTC), and solid (SV-PTC) variants.

Objective

To associate histotypes and variants of thyroid carcinoma with ultrasound and cytological features.

Methods

Histology of 1018 benign tumors and 514 PTC (249 CV, 167 FV, 49 TC, 34 SV, and 15 other variants), 52 NIFT-P, 50 FTC, 11 PDTC, and 3 ATC was correlated with fine-needle aspiration biopsy categories (Italian classification: TIR1, TIR2, TIR3A, TIR3B, TIR4, and TIR5) and ultrasound features at the Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa. In total, 1117 patients with thyroid nodule(s) who underwent thyroidectomy were included.

Results

Of PTC, 36.3% had indeterminate cytology (TIR3A or TIR3B), 56.6% were suspicious for malignancy or malignant (TIR4 or TIR5); 84.0% FTC and 69.3% NIFT-P were TIR3A or TIR3B; 72.5% FV-PTC and 73.6% SV-PTC were TIR3A or TIR3B; 79.9% CV-PTC and 95.9% TCV-PTC were TIR4 or TIR5. The association of a hypoechoic pattern, irregular margins, and no microcalcifications was more frequent in TCV-PTC than in CV-PTC (P = .02, positive predictive value = 38.9%; negative predictive value = 85.5%).

Conclusion

At cytology, most FTC, NIFT-P, FV-PTC, and SV-PTC were indeterminate, most CV-PTC and TCV-PTC were suspicious for malignancy or malignant. Ultrasound can be helpful in ruling out TCV-PTC.