bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MSASGCN :  Multi-Head Self-Attention Spatiotemporal Graph Convolutional Network for Traffic Flow Forecasting
Authors: Cao Yang , Liu Detian , Yin Qizheng , Xue Fei , Tang Hengliang
Published: June 2022

Traffic flow forecasting is an essential task of an intelligent transportation system (ITS), closely related to intelligent transportation management and resource scheduling. Dynamic spatial-temporal dependencies in traffic data make traffic flow forecasting to be a challenging task. Most existing research cannot model dynamic spatial and temporal correlations to achieve well-forecasting performance. The multi-head self-attention mechanism is a valuable method to capture dynamic spatial-temporal correlations, and combining it with graph convolutional networks is a promising solution. Therefore, we propose a multi-head self-attention spatiotemporal graph convolutional network (MSASGCN) model. It can effectively capture local correlations and potential global correlations of spatial structures, can handle dynamic evolution of the road network, and, in the time dimension, can effectively capture dynamic temporal correlations. Experiments on two real datasets verify the stability of our proposed model, obtaining a better prediction performance than the baseline algorithms. The correlation metrics get significantly reduced compared with traditional time series prediction methods and deep learning methods without using graph neural networks, according to MAE and RMSE results. Compared with advanced traffic flow forecasting methods, our model also has a performance improvement and a more stable prediction performance. We also discuss some problems and challenges in traffic forecasting.
Two-Dimensional Ultrasound and Triplane Tissue Doppler Ultrasound of Patients with Severe Preeclampsia
Authors: Tong Huili , Tian Yafeng
Published: June 2022

This study was to investigate the cardiac function characteristics under two-dimensional ultrasound and triplane tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) of patients with severe preeclampsia (SPE). 28 SPE patients with singleton pregnancy from January 2018 to December 2020 were included in the SPE group. 25 healthy nonpregnant women of reproductive age were taken as the control group (Ctrl group), and 26 normal pregnant women with singleton pregnancy were selected as the normal group (Norm group); all the research objects underwent ultrasonography. The morphological and functional indexes of left and right ventricles were compared among the cases in different groups. The results showed that the left ventricular end-diastolic period diameter (LVEDd), left ventricular relative wall thickness (LV-RWT), left ventricular mass index (LVMi), left anterior descending (LAd), left ventricular

E
/
e

and

e
/
a

values, right ventricular diameter (RV-D), right ventricular anterior wall thickness (RVAW),

a

value, right atrial septum (RA-S), pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), left ventricular end-systolic period diameter (LVEds), interventricular septal thickness (IVSd), posterior wall thickness (PWd), end-diastolic period volume (EVD), end-systolic period volume (ESV), relative wall thickness (RWT), sphericity index (SpI), left atrium volume index (LAVi), and

E
/
e

value of patients in the SPE group were higher than those in the Ctrl group and the Norm group (

P
<
0.05

). The mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE),

s

value, tricuspid annual plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), ratio of early diastolic blood flow velocity to late diastolic blood flow velocity (

E
/
A

), ratio of peak early diastolic velocity to peak late diastolic velocity (

e
/
a

), peak early diastolic velocity (

e

), and ejection fraction (EF) of the SPE group were lower than those of the Ctrl group and the Norm group (

P
<
0.05

). The ratio of mitral valve early diastolic blood flow velocity to peak early diastolic velocity (

E
/
e

) of the Norm group was higher than that of the Ctrl group (

P
<
0.05

). In two-dimensional ultrasound of the SPE group, the maximum difference in time from the start to the peak of systole (Ts) of the right ventricle between the basal and middle segments of the lateral wall and that of interventricular septum (RV-Ts-max) was

31.56
±
0.39
%

. The maximum difference in time to peak of early diastole (Te) under the same condition (RV-Te-max) was

47.16
±
0.19
%

. Left ventricular LV-Ts-max and LV-Te-max were

9.83
±
0.80
%

and

8.37
±
0.68
%

, respectively, in triplane TDI, which were considerably higher than those in the Ctrl and Norm groups (

P
<
0.05

). It suggested that two-dimensional ultrasound and triplane TDI could reflect the ventricular morphology as well as diastolic and systolic function injury in patients, which offered a reference basis for the diagnosis of SPE.
Prevalence of Diarrhea, Feeding Practice, and Associated Factors among Children under Five Years in Bereh District, Oromia, Ethiopia
Authors: Feleke Yirgalem , Legesse Alemayehu , Abebe Meskerem
Published: June 2022

Background. Diarrheal disease is a major public health problem among under-five children globally. In Ethiopia, it is the second cause of hospital admission and death among children under five years. Objectives. To assess the prevalence of diarrhea, feeding practice, and associated factors among children under five years in Bereh District, Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfine, Ethiopia. Methods. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among children less than 5 years old in Bereh District from May 15 to 29, 2021. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select a total of 455 study participants. Descriptive statistics were used to measure the prevalence of diarrhea as well as to summarize other study variables. A binary logistic regression model with an adjusted odds ratio and a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to declare the associated factors with childhood diarrhea. Results. The prevalence of diarrhea was 17.3% in the past 15 days preceding the study period. About 53.4% of the mothers/caregivers were engaged in poor child feeding practices. Age of children [

AOR
=
9.146

, 95% CI (2.055, 40.707)], birth order [

AOR
=
0.137

, 95% CI (0.057, 0.329)], total family size [AOR: 5.042, 95% CI (2.326, 10.931)], not EBF [AOR: 4.723, 95% CI (1.166, 19.134)], prepare child foods separately [AOR: 0.252, 95% CI (0.091, 0.701)], feeding child immediately after cooking, handwashing method, and source of drinking water were significantly associated with under-five diarrhea. Conclusions. The prevalence of diarrhea among children under five is high. More than half of the participants were engaged in poor IYCF practice. Action targeting the factors associated with diarrhea should be taken to improve under-five child’s health.
The Analysis of Potential Diagnostic and Therapeutic Targets for the Occurrence and Development of Gastric Cancer Based on Bioinformatics
Authors: Ding Chuan , Zhang Qiqi , Jiang Xinying , Wei Diandian , Xu Shu , Li Qingdai , Wu Meng , Wang Hongbin
Published: June 2022

Objective. Gastric cancer is among the most common malignant tumors of the digestive system. This study explored the molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for gastric cancer occurrence and progression using bioinformatics. Methods. The gastric cancer microarray dataset was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The R package was used for data mining and screening differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). Based on the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, core targets and core subsets were screened. Then, the relationship between the expression level of the core genes and the prognosis of gastric cancer patients was analyzed using the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database. Results. Using the GSE19826 and GSE54129 datasets, a total of 550 DEGs were identified, including 248 upregulated and 302 downregulated genes. GO and KEGG analyses showed that the upregulated DEGs were mainly enriched in the extracellular matrix (ECM) organization of the biological process (BP), the collagen-containing ECM of cellular component (CC), and the ECM structural constituent of molecular function (MF). DEGs were also enriched in human papillomavirus infections, the focal adhesion pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and among others. The downregulated DEGs were mainly enriched in digestion, basal part of the cell, and aldo-keto reductase (NADP) activity. And the above pathways were enriched primarily in the metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450, drug metabolism-cytochrome P450, and retinol metabolism. Five core genes, including COL1A2, COL3A1, BGN, FN1, and VCAN, were significantly highly expressed in gastric cancer patients and were associated with poor prognosis. Conclusion. This study identified new potential molecular targets closely related to gastric cancer occurrence and development via mining public data using bioinformatics analysis methods.
Metastasis to the Bladder: A Rare Site of Recurrence of Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Smart Amanda , Wynne Michael , Baraban Ezra , Ged Yasser , Smith Armine
Published: June 2022

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is considered to be the deadliest urologic cancer with high rates of metastasis and recurrence after nephrectomy. RCC can metastasize to nearly any organ but most commonly metastasizes to the liver, lung, brain, and bone. To date, there are only about 40 reported cases of RCC with solitary bladder metastasis. The following report contributes to this limited data set of patients with RCC who develop solitary metastasis to the bladder. A 69-year-old male presented with occasional gross hematuria and was found to have a left renal mass infiltrating the collecting system. Ureteroscopic biopsy revealed clear cell RCC, and the patient subsequently underwent radical left nephrectomy. Eight months after nephrectomy, the patient presented to the clinic with gross hematuria. In-office cystoscopy demonstrated a nodular lesion in the bladder arising from the left ureteral orifice. The patient underwent transurethral resection of the bladder mass and pathology demonstrated clear cell RCC. Subsequent imaging showed no evidence of metastatic disease. Five months after transurethral resection, the patient was found to have a left distal ureteral mass and underwent left ureterectomy with partial cystectomy. Pathology again demonstrated clear cell RCC. RCC with solitary metastasis to the bladder is rare, and there are no targeted guideline recommendations for management. Per standard of care, patients with painless hematuria and risk factors for malignancy should undergo cystoscopy. In patients with a history of RCC, metastasis to the bladder should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Patients with metastatic RCC to the bladder should undergo a thorough work-up for additional sites of metastasis. In patients with RCC who develop solitary bladder metastasis amenable to resection following nephrectomy, there is a lack of evidence to guide therapy and a multidisciplinary discussion is warranted. However, if the tumor is amenable to resection, metastasectomy is a reasonable therapeutic approach and offers the patient an improved quality of life and an opportunity for remission.
Scene Construction and Application of Panoramic Virtual Simulation in Interactive Dance Teaching Based on Artificial Intelligence Technology
Authors: Guo Na , Liu Feng.ming
Published: June 2022

In recent years, with the rapid development of human motion simulation technology and virtual simulation technology, natural human-computer interaction has become the main form of research in the computer industry. Due to the research capabilities and practical value of mobile video technology, it is widely used in advanced fields, such as video animation production, rehabilitation medicine, sports training, and game software, effectively realizing the connection between the three-dimensional world and the simulation world. However, the application of motion imaging technology in teaching activities is not perfect. This article is based on dance teaching, adopts a dance movement analysis method based on vector matching, and uses artificial intelligence technology to create a virtual panoramic scene. Experimental data show that the average recognition rate of gestures is 89.8%, which can meet the gesture switching interaction of working conditions in virtual simulation of equipment operation.
Cultural Tourism Industry Feature Extraction Based on Multiscale Feature Fusion Algorithm and Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Fang Wang
Published: June 2022

The cultural tourism industry combines the similarities of the cultural industry and tourism industry, which can be the most effective way to meet people's spiritual and cultural needs as well as their leisure needs simultaneously, and has a vast development potential. However, there are numerous and dispersed areas where the market value of cultural tourism resources is clustered, and frequently, each city has the clustering area with the highest market value concentration of cultural tourism resources. This feature of the spatial distribution of the market value of cultural tourism resources is significant for promoting the development of cultural tourism as a whole and constructing the industry's overall structure. It has broad application potential for extracting and differentiating cultural tourism industry characteristics. Texture feature extraction is typically performed using dual-tree complex wavelet transform (DT-CWT) and Gabor wavelet. In this paper, we propose a multiscale DT-CWT and Gabor-based method for identifying the cultural tourism industry. The method first decomposes the images of cultural tourism into multiscale space using a Gaussian pyramid, then extracts the multiscale features of the images using DT-CWT and Gabor, and lastly achieves feature fusion. Using a support vector machine (SVM) classifier to achieve classification, the effectiveness of the feature extraction method is determined. The experimental findings demonstrate that the method proposed in this paper can achieve a high rate of recognition.
Phytochemical Analysis and In Vitro and In Vivo Pharmacological Evaluation of Parthenium hysterophorus Linn
Authors: Gul  , Rauf Abdur , Khan Imtiaz Ali , Alnasser Sulaiman Mohammad , Shah Syed Uzair Ali , Rahman Md. Mominur
Published: June 2022

The main aim of this research was to explore Parthenium hysterophorus Linn phytochemically and pharmacologically. Phytochemical screening is important for the isolation of active compounds before bulk extraction. The crude extracts and their fractions were screened for enzyme (urease, α-glycosidase, and phosphodiesterase) inhibition assays, in vivo analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and sedative effects. Results indicated the presence of steroids, flavonoids, etc. The crude extracts such as methanol, hexane, aqueous, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and butanol exhibited excellent urease inhibitory activities with IC50 = 43.1 ± 1.24, 31.9 ± 2.21, 31.9 ± 2.21, 57.3 ± 1.27, 49.2 ± 2.16, and 35.3 ± 1.12, respectively, as compared to standard acetohydroxamic acid (20.3 ± 0.43). The extracts (methanol, hexane, aqueous, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and butanol) also showed promising α-glycosidase potency with IC50 = 13.1 ± 0.34, 21.2 ± 1.16, 23.1 ± 0.12, 84.2 ± 2.17, 118.6 ± 3.07, and 840 ± 1.73, respectively against acarbose (840 ± 1.73). The phosphodiesterase activity of the mentioned extracts was also excellent with IC50 = 131.1 ± 2.41, 197.2 ± 3.16, 24.2 ± 0.11, 62.4 ± 2.21, 152.4 ± 1.81, and 55.3 ± 2.15, respectively, against the standard (265.5 ± 2.25). Furthermore, butanol (14.96 ± 1.78), ethyl acetate (18.98 ± 1.71), and methanol (16.87 ± 1.00) showed dose-dependent analgesic effects with a maximum inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhes. Whereas, methanolic and butanol extracts exhibited maximum inhibition of inflammation in the carrageenan paw edema test. The aqueous (

p
<
0.01

) and butanol (

p
<
0.01

) extracts exhibited maximum a sedative effect followed by chloroform (

p
<
0.05

), ethyl acetate (

p
<
0.05

), and methanolic (

p
<
0.05

) fractions as compared to the standard drug. The current research concluded that Parthenium hysterophorus Linn has important phytochemical constituents having inhibitory effects on urease, α-glycosidase, and phosphodiesterase enzymes. Furthermore, the plant has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and sedative effects. The P. hysterophorus needs to further be explored for the candidate molecules responsible for the abovementioned activities.
Targeting Ferroptosis Attenuates Inflammation, Fibrosis, and Mast Cell Activation in Chronic Prostatitis
Authors: Lin Dongxu , Zhang Mengyang , Luo Changcheng , Wei Pengyu , Cui Kai , Chen Zhong
Published: June 2022

Purpose. Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a common urological disorder. Although ferroptosis is closely associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, and neuropathic pain, its role in CP/CPPS has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we sought to explore the role and mechanism of ferroptosis in the prostatitis development. Methods. The experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP) was established through intradermal immunization of prostate extract. Iron chelator deferoxamine (DFO) and free radical scavenger edaravone (EDA) were applied to evaluate the effects of ferroptosis inhibition on oxidative stress, ferroptosis, inflammation, fibrosis, and mast cell activation in the context of CP/CPPS. Results. Increased generation of lipid peroxidation products (ROS and MDA) and decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) suggested an aberrant oxidative stress status in EAP model. Elevated iron concentration was observed in the EAP model. Meanwhile, we discovered significant biological performances associated with ferroptosis in CP/CPPS, including the downregulation of the system Xc-/GPX4 axis and the upregulation of the ACSL4/LPCAT3 axis. EAP rats performed serious leukocyte infiltration, advanced inflammatory grade, and abnormal expression of inflammatory mediators. Abundant collagen deposition, enhanced RhoA, ROCK1, and α-SMA protein levels indicated that EAP rats were prone to suffer from stromal fibrosis compared with control group. An elevated number of degranulated mast cells and corresponding marker TPSB2 represented that mast cell-sensitized pain was amplified in the EAP model. Furthermore, reduction of NRF2/HO-1 indicated a vulnerability of EAP towards ferroptosis response. However, application of DFO and EDA had partially reversed the adverse influences mentioned above. Conclusion. We first demonstrated that ferroptosis might be a crucial factor of chronic prostatitis progression. Inhibition of ferroptosis using DFO and EDA represented a promising approach for treating prostatitis by ameliorating inflammation, fibrosis, and mast cell activation.
Efficient Excavation and Support Cooperation Technology for Surrounding Rock of Deep Buried Long-Distance and Large Section Gob-Side Roadway: A Case Study
Authors: Yang Houqiang , Han Changliang , Zhang Nong , Li Xudong , Liu Yitao , Liu Wentao , Song Kai , Guo Yuxin , Yao Wei
Published: June 2022

The gob-side roadway technology is widely used in coal mining in China, as it can improves the recovery rate of coal resources and alleviate the shortage of mining replacement. However, it is still difficult to control the stability of surrounding rock in gob-side roadway under deeper mining depth and more complex stress environment. With the auxiliary transportation roadway 30207 (ATR 30207) of the Muduchaideng Coal Mine as engineering background, this paper introduces the engineering case of gob-side roadway characterized by deep buried, long-distance, and large section. Through comprehensive methods, we studied and put forward the efficient excavation-support cooperation technology for surrounding rock of gob-side roadway. The research shows that the head-on cutting of gob-side roadway causes the stress to transfer and gradually adjust in the heading face to form a steady-state advanced abutment stress field. The coupling effect of the advanced abutment stress and the lateral abutment stress of goaf are the main reasons for repeated hole collapse of anchor cable drilling in solid coal rib, development and expansion of the roof separation fracture, and the low excavation speed. Supposed that upon the heading face support is completed, the next excavation-support cycle is quickly started during the early stage of stress adjustment, and the time effect can be fully utilized to alleviate the disturbance intensity of the advanced abutment stress in the heading face, as well as reduce the damage of rock mass. This paper puts forward the time-effect collaborative control countermeasures of the roof and rib in gob-side roadway of “hole collapse anchor cable of solid coal rib lag construction and waits for pressure relief and rapid excavation-support cycle in the heading face.” Engineering practice shows that the mine pressure behavior of roadway roof and solid coal rib is effectively controlled, and the roadway forming speed is greatly improved, which can provide reference for the efficient excavation-support design of gob-side roadway under the conditions of deep buried, long-distance, and large section in similar deep mines.
An Empirical Analysis of Social Capital and Household Insurance Purchases in the Context of the Internet of Things: Evidence from China
Authors: Wang Mei
Published: June 2022

The Internet of Things has entered customers’ everyday lives around the globe and transformed business models across industries. This environment brings opportunities for insurers: to develop new products, open new distribution channels, and extend their role to include prediction, prevention, and assistance. Although the Chinese insurance business ranks second in the world, the participation rate of residents in the insurance market still lags far behind that of other countries. In Chinese society, where “guanxi” is omnipresent, social capital has a profound influence on household activities. However, there is a lack of research linking social capital and household insurance purchases. Based on a dataset from the 2017 China Household Finance Survey (CHFS), this article examines the impact of social capital on household insurance purchases in China. A new social capital indicator is constructed by incorporating online interaction into the measurement of household social capital. The results of the Probit and Tobit model analysis indicate that social capital has a significant positive impact on both the probability and the proportion of household insurance purchases. The results remain robust after changing the model, measurement, and sample of the study, and using instrumental variables. This article provides new evidence for the relationship between social capital and household insurance purchases, and enriches the research perspective on insurance purchasing decisions.
Head CT Image Segmentation and Three-Dimensional Reconstruction Technology Based on Human Anatomy
Authors: Wu Zhenyu , Wang Lin , Li Yifei , Dai Shuhui , Zhang Dongliang
Published: June 2022

With the continuous development of computer science and technology, the level of medical image processing and analysis technology has been significantly improved. In order to further optimize the medical imaging technology and provide assistance for medical diagnosis and treatment, this study will explore the head CT image segmentation technology and three-dimensional reconstruction technology based on human anatomy, using two morphological operation methods of image expansion and image corrosion, as well as the triangulation method based on surface contour, Optimize CT image segmentation technology and three-dimensional reconstruction technology. The results show that the CT image segmentation technology based on human anatomy can obtain the more essential morphology and features of the target image, and significantly improve the image quality. The size of the threshold can have a certain impact on the 3D reconstruction effect and reconstruction time to a certain extent. The larger the threshold, the shorter the reconstruction time, but the worse the 3D reconstruction effect. This shows that the target image after fitting has a good reconstruction effect, but the threshold level should be kept at a low level. The head CT image segmentation technology and three-dimensional reconstruction technology based on human anatomy have good application effects and can be popularized and applied in clinical diagnosis and treatment.
The Cause of Drop of the Water Level of Underground Quaternary Aquifer of a Mine under Mining Influence
Authors: Liu Xianghong
Published: June 2022

Water outburst on the coal mining face will result in the shutdown of the working face, tense mine connection, a sharp increase in mine drainage fee, and serious impact on normal production. In severe cases, it will give rise to mine flooding and endanger state property and life safety. Hydrogeochemical evolution characteristics of groundwater in different aquifers of the test mine were studied using the hydrogeochemical method, especially the source of chemical constituents of groundwater in different aquifers (type of water-rock interaction). Meanwhile, the GMS model was built, and change law of the stratigraphic texture of the gob overlying rock was studied based on site geological conditions. Specific to a sharp drop in Quaternary aquifer of the second west mining area of the test mine, the cause was analyzed based on site geological conditions and using hydrogeochemistry and geologic modeling method to ensure high yield and high efficiency of mine and provide references for production safety of mines of the same kind.
Selected Liver Markers in Predicting the Severity of Organophosphate and Carbamate Poisoning
Authors: Senarathne R. , Hettiaratchi U. , Athiththan L. , Peiris H. , Sarathchandra C. , Senanayake H. , Weerawansa P. , Siribaddana S.
Published: June 2022

Background. Intentional ingestion of organophosphate (OP) and carbamate is a significant health issue worldwide. It causes adverse health effects on the liver. This study aimed to determine liver transaminases (AST and ALT) and bilirubin levels to assess the severity of poisoning in patients with acute OP and carbamate poisoning. Methods. A descriptive cross‐sectional study was conducted on patients admitted to a selected hospital in Sri Lanka with acute OP and carbamate poisoning. The severity of poisoning was measured by RBC cholinesterase and Peradeniya Organophosphorus Poisoning scale (POP), where six clinical features were assessed based on a 3‐point scale. A score of 0–3 was considered mild, 4–7 to be moderate, and 8–11 to be severe poisoning. Liver parameters such as AST, ALT, and total and direct bilirubin were measured. Results. Among the 188 screened patients, 166 were recruited. Majority were males (112, 67.5%). Kruskal–Wallis test showed significant differences in AST and ALT on admission and AST on discharge, across POP groups ((χ2 (2, n = 166) = 26.48, p ≤ 0.001), (χ2 (2, n = 166) = 14.31, p = 0.001), and (χ2 (2, n = 157) = 11.34, p = 0.003), respectively)). Mann–Whitney U test showed significantly higher AST and ALT in the moderate POP group compared to the mild POP group (AST: U = 1709, z = −4.50, p ≤ 0.001, r = 0.36; ALT: U = 2114, z = −3.04, p = 0.002, r = 0.26) on admission. In addition, the treatment outcomes (duration of hospital stay and duration of ventilator assistance) were significantly correlated (p ≤ 0.001) with the severity of poisoning and serum AST and ALT at the time of admission. Conclusion. AST and ALT levels on admission and AST level at discharge showed significant correlations with the severity of poisoning. Treatment outcomes significantly correlated with the severity of poisoning and serum AST and ALT levels.
Significant Associations between Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infections in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Pregnant Women
Authors: Ngobese Bongekile , Swe-Han Khine Swe , Tinarwo Partson , Abbai Nathlee S.
Published: June 2022

There is a lack of data on the burden of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae among human immunodeficiency virus- (HIV-) infected pregnant women in South Africa. We conducted a cross-sectional study which included 385 HIV-infected pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the King Edward VIII Hospital in Durban, South Africa. The women provided vaginal swabs which were tested for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae. The prevalence of the individual STIs was as follows: C. trachomatis (47/385, 12.2%) and N. gonorrhoeae (16/385, 4.1%). Having a circumcised partner, testing positive for N. gonorrhoeae, and perceiving themselves of being at risk for infection were shown to increase the risk for C. trachomatis infection. Without controlling for the other factors, testing positive for N. gonorrhoeae increased the risk for C. trachomatis infection by 10-fold (OR: 10.17, 95% CI: 3.39-29.66,

p
<
0.001

). Similarly, adjusting for the other factors, the risk for C. trachomatis infection in women who tested positive for N. gonorrhoeae was 9-fold (OR: 9.16, 95% CI: 2.19-40.18,

p
=
0.003

). The following factors were associated with the increased risk of N. gonorrhoeae infection: not knowing their partner’s HIV status, partner having other partners, and C. trachomatis infection status. Without controlling for the other factors, testing positive for C. trachomatis increased the risk for N. gonorrhoeae infection by 6-fold (OR: 6.52, 95% CI: 2.22-18.49,

p
<
0.001

). Similarly, adjusting for the other factors, the risk for N. gonorrhoeae infection in women who tested positive for C. trachomatis was 6-fold (OR: 6.09, 95% CI: 1.73-22.03,

p
=
0.005

). We found a significant association between C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae in the pregnant women and the risk factors associated with these pathogens. Future studies are urgently required to investigate the impact of C. trachomatis/N. gonorrhoeae coinfections in HIV pregnant women since this data is lacking in our setting. In addition, etiological screening of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae during antenatal clinic is urgently required to prevent adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes associated with these infections.
The Effect of Curcumin on Lipid Profile and Glycemic Status of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Tian Jiao , Feng Bin , Tian Zhen
Published: June 2022

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a progressive metabolic disorder, some natural compounds are thought to be beneficial in improving the metabolic status of patients with T2DM. Curcumin is the main bioactive agent of turmeric, the impact of curcumin on T2DM is still controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of curcumin on lipids profile and glucose status in patients with T2DM. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effects of curcumin on lipids profile and glycemic control of T2DM patients were searched in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. Pooled estimates of weighted mean difference (WMD) were calculated between intervention and control groups using random-effects or fixed-effects model. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the effects. Nine eligible RCT with 604 subjects were included. The estimated pooled mean changes with curcumin were −18.97 mg/dL (95% CI: −36.47 to −1.47;

P
=
0.03

) for triglyceride (TG), −8.91 mg/dL (95% CI: −14.18 to −3.63,

P
=
0.001

) for total cholesterol (TC), -4.01 mg/dL (95% CI: -10.96 to 2.95,

P
=
0.259

) for low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), 0.32 mg/dL (95% CI: −0.74 to 1.37,

P
=
0.557

) for high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), −8.85 mg/dL (95% CI: −14.4 to −3.29,

P
=
0.002

) for fasting blood glucose (FBG), -0.54 (95% CI: −0.81 to −0.27,

P
≤
0.001

) for glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (%) compared with controls. There was a significant heterogeneity for the influence of curcumin on TG, LDL-c, FBG and HbA1c. Subgroup analysis revealed that the heterogeneity mainly attributed to trial period, curcumin dosage and other therapy. The results of this study showed that curcumin supplementation had beneficial effects on glycemic status and some lipid parameters in patients with T2DM. Further studies with large-scale are still needed to confirm the results.
Diplopia and Optic Disc Edema as the Ocular Manifestations of COVID-19 in a Seven-Year-Old Child
Authors: Rzeszotarska Anna , Pawlak Marta , Anna Chmielarz-Czarnocińska , Szczapa-Jagustyn Justyna , Kocięcki Jarosław , Siwiec-Siwiec-Prościńska Joanna , Gotz-Więckowska Anna
Published: June 2022

Serious ocular complications due to SARS-CoV-2 disease in children are rare. Herein, we present a case report of a seven-year-old patient, who was diagnosed with pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS) due to COVID-19 and developed the ocular manifestations comprising diplopia and binocular optic disc edema. The patient condition improved within few weeks without any ocular sequels so far.
Clinical Study of Intravitreal Injection of Anti-VEGF Drugs Combined with Triamcinolone Acetonide in the Treatment of Coats Disease
Authors: Wu ShaoFeng , Fang Jing , Yu Fang , Han Fang , Xiao Jun
Published: June 2022

Objective. To investigate the clinical study of intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF drugs combined with intravitreal injection of tretinoin for the treatment of Coats disease. Methods. The medical records of 90 patients (120 eyes) with Coats disease admitted to our hospital from April 2010 to June 2021 were selected as retrospective study subjects and divided into control and treatment groups according to the numerical table method. There were 45 cases and 60 eyes in each group. Among them, intravitreal tretinoin drug was injected into the control group, and anti-VEGF drug was injected into the vitreous sclera of the treatment group on the basis of the control group. Results. Before treatment, the differences in visual acuity changes between the two groups were not statistically significant (

P
>
0.05

). After treatment, the light perception, manipulation, and indexes of both groups were significantly improved, and the treatment group was significantly better than the control group. This difference was statistically significant (

P
<
0.05

) for statistical study comparison. The effective rate of 95.56% in the treatment group was significantly higher than that of 86.67% in the control group, and the complication rate was significantly lower than that of the control group, with statistically significant differences (

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. Intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF drugs combined with tretinoin injection can significantly improve the clinical efficacy of patients with Coats disease and improve visual acuity and central retinal thickness, which has certain reference value for the clinical treatment of Coats disease.
Alternatively Spliced Form of Angiopoietin-2 as a New Vascular Rheostat
Authors: Kamiyama Miki , Augustin Hellmut G.
Published: June 2022

Angiopoietin (ANPGT)–TIE signaling serves as a critical regulator of vessel maturation controlling vascular quiescence, maintenance, and homeostasis (primarily through ANGPT1–TIE2 signaling), as well as enabling vascular plasticity and responsiveness to exogenous cytokines (primarily through antagonistically acting ANGPT2). An alternatively spliced form of ANGPT2 (ANGPT2443) was first reported 20 years ago. Yet, little is known to this day about its biological functions. In this issue of Cancer Research, Kapiainen and colleagues report an elegant series of experiments adding to the complexity and contextuality of ANGPT–TIE signaling. The authors studied the function of ANGPT2443 in cellular experiments as well as in a genetic model in vivo, revealing that it is proteolytically cleaved into a lower molecular weight isoform (termed ANGPT2DAP) that lacks the superclustering domain necessary for multimer formation. When compared with full-length ANGPT2, ANGPT2443 and ANGPT2DAP showed lower binding affinity to α5β1 integrin, but were more potent inhibitors of ANGPT1–TIE2 signaling. Functionally, ANGPT2443 impaired vessel enlargement and vein morphogenesis during postnatal retinal angiogenesis. Tumor experiments in Angpt2443-expressing mice showed enhanced destabilization of the lung vasculature, with varying effects on metastasis. Taken together, the study provides important insight into the significance of ANGPT2 alternative splicing and identifies ANGPT2443 and ANGPT2DAP as a biological rheostat of ANGPT1–TIE2 signaling. Future work will need to characterize the relative ratios and functional contributions of the ANGPT2 variants in different pathophysiologic settings.

See related article by Kapiainen et al., p. 129
eQTL Set–Based Association Analysis Identifies Novel Susceptibility Loci for Barrett Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Wang Xiaoyu , Gharahkhani Puya , Levine David M. , Fitzgerald Rebecca C. , Gockel Ines , Corley Douglas A. , Risch Harvey A. , Bernstein Leslie , Chow Wong-Ho , Onstad Lynn , Shaheen Nicholas J. , Lagergren Jesper , Hardie Laura J. , Wu Anna H. , Pharoah Paul D.P. , Liu Geoffrey , Anderson Lesley A. , Iyer Prasad G. , Gammon Marilie D. , Caldas Carlos , Ye Weimin , Barr Hugh , Moayyedi Paul , Harrison Rebecca , Watson R.G. Peter , Attwood Stephen , Chegwidden Laura , Love Sharon B. , MacDonald David , deCaestecker John , Prenen Hans , Ott Katja , Moebus Susanne , Venerito Marino , Lang Hauke , Mayershofer Rupert , Knapp Michael , Veits Lothar , Gerges Christian , Weismüller Josef , Reeh Matthias , Nöthen Markus M. , Izbicki Jakob R. , Manner Hendrik , Neuhaus Horst , Rösch Thomas , Böhmer Anne C. , Hölscher Arnulf H. , Anders Mario , Pech Oliver , Schumacher Brigitte , Schmidt Claudia , Schmidt Thomas , Noder Tania , Lorenz Dietmar , Vieth Michael , May Andrea , Hess Timo , Kreuser Nicole , Becker Jessica , Ell Christian , Tomlinson Ian , Palles Claire , Jankowski Janusz A. , Whiteman David C. , MacGregor Stuart , Schumacher Johannes , Vaughan Thomas L. , Buas Matthew F. , Dai James Y.
Published: June 2022

Background:

Over 20 susceptibility single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) have been identified for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and its precursor, Barrett esophagus (BE), explaining a small portion of heritability.

Methods:

Using genetic data from 4,323 BE and 4,116 EAC patients aggregated by international consortia including the Barrett's and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Consortium (BEACON), we conducted a comprehensive transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) for BE/EAC, leveraging Genotype Tissue Expression (GTEx) gene-expression data from six tissue types of plausible relevance to EAC etiology: mucosa and muscularis from the esophagus, gastroesophageal (GE) junction, stomach, whole blood, and visceral adipose. Two analytical approaches were taken: standard TWAS using the predicted gene expression from local expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL), and set-based SKAT association using selected eQTLs that predict the gene expression.

Results:

Although the standard approach did not identify significant signals, the eQTL set–based approach identified eight novel associations, three of which were validated in independent external data (eQTL SNP sets for EXOC3, ZNF641, and HSP90AA1).

Conclusions:

This study identified novel genetic susceptibility loci for EAC and BE using an eQTL set–based genetic association approach.

Impact:

This study expanded the pool of genetic susceptibility loci for EAC and BE, suggesting the potential of the eQTL set–based genetic association approach as an alternative method for TWAS analysis.
Emerging Roles of the Copper–CTR1 Axis in Tumorigenesis
Authors: Su Yaqing , Zhang Xiaomei , Li Shaoqiang , Xie Wei , Guo Jianping
Published: June 2022

Physiologic roles of copper in metabolic homeostasis have been well established; however, whether and how copper is dysregulated in tumors and contributes to tumorigenesis is not recapitulated. Here, we comprehensively summarize the potential origins of copper accumulation in diseases, especially in cancers, by dysregulating copper transporter 1 (CTR1) or ATPase copper transporting alpha/beta (ATP7A/B) and further demonstrate the underlying mechanism of copper contributing to tumorigenesis. Specifically, in addition to modulating reactive oxygen species (ROS), angiogenesis, immune response, and metabolic homeostasis, copper recently has drawn more attention by directly binding to oncoproteins such as MEK, ULK, Memo, and PDK1 to activate distinct oncogenic signals and account for tumorigenesis. In the end, we disclose the emerging applications of copper in cancer diagnosis and highlight the promising strategies to target the copper–CTR1 axis for cancer therapies.
Left Ventricular Dysfunction Persists in the First Week after Re-Warming following Therapeutic Hypothermia for Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathy
Authors: Yajamanyam Phani Kiran , Negrine Rob J.S. , Rasiah Shree Vishna , Plana Maria Nieves , Zamora Javier , Ewer Andrew K.
Published: June 2022

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess serial myocardial function in newborn infants receiving therapeutic hypothermia (TH) as treatment for moderate to severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). Methods: Serial echocardiography was performed in 20 term infants receiving TH on days 1–3 and again after re-warming. Left ventricular (LV) fractional shortening, LV cardiac output, and tissue Doppler imaging-derived myocardial velocities and myocardial performance index were measured. Similar assessments were obtained from 20 well term infants within 48 h of birth. Results: LV fractional shortening (LVFS) was similar between cases and controls during all measurements (25.3% vs. 27.4%). The mean LV cardiac output on day 1 was significantly lower in cases (109 mL/kg/min) than in controls (162 mL/kg/min) but increased after re-warming (145 mL/kg/min). All myocardial velocities were significantly lower in cases on day 1, increased during TH, but LV indices remained consistently lower compared to controls even after re-warming. LV myocardial performance index was higher in cases compared to controls on day 1, improved during TH but remained abnormal after re-warming. The right ventricular myocardial performance index was similar between cases and controls. Conclusion: Among infants affected by moderate to severe HIE, LV function appears to be more affected than right ventricular function with LV dysfunction persisting after completion of TH. LVFS was not useful to determine dysfunction in this cohort.
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulopathy in Cranial Surgery: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Wolfert Christina , Shiban Ehab , Sommer Björn
Published: June 2022

We present a rare case with multifocal osseous metastases of prostate cancer and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC). The patient received systemic tumor therapy, including antiandrogen agents as well as cerebral radiation. Due to rapid clinical deterioration, indication for surgery of the space-occupying calvarial metastasis was made as a salvage therapy procedure. Depleted clotting factors were substituted, and patient underwent tumor embolization prior to surgery. Although his neurological status improved postoperatively, the patient died suffering from multiple supra- and infratentorial infarctions. Our case report elucidates the laboratory results and difficulties of DIC in this case as well as possible treatment strategies.
Huntington’s Disease Progression and Caregiver Burden
Authors: Modrzejewska-Zielonka Ewa , Ren Michał , Młodak Andrzej , Marcinkowski Jerzy Tadeusz , Zielonka Daniel
Published: June 2022

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative, progressive disorder conditioned by a mutation in the HTT gene. Its progression is dependent on the causative mutation extension. Caregivers of individuals affected by HD, most often patients’ relatives, are burdened with the care. This study aims to assess the caregivers’ burden cross-sectionally and longitudinally and look for biological and clinical patients-related burdening factors. In total, 144 caregiver-patient pairs observed annually for up to 8 years were included in the study. In all of the patients, demographic data were collected, Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) assessments were conducted, and disease burden (DB) was calculated when caregivers were assessed in Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). Caregivers’ burden measured in CBI at the first visit reached 18.7 ± 18.4 scores. Longitudinal observation showed no evidence for any discrepancy between clinical progression measured in UHDRS, nor biological progression measured in DB and the caregivers’ burden progression measured in CBI. Caregivers were burdened mostly by patients’ dependence and a discrepancy between reality and life expectations. This study indicates factors to be addressed to reduce caregivers’ burden. Strict relation between caregivers’ burden and biological and clinical progression denies conception of overloaded with care tasks or adaptation to the burden.
Onconephrology: Update in Anticancer Drug-Related Nephrotoxicity
Authors: García-Carro Clara , Draibe Juliana , Soler María José
Published: June 2022

The relation that connects cancer and renal damage is bidirectional and this renal damage worsens quality of life and increases morbidity in high-complexity patients such as patients with cancer and kidney injury. Strikingly, in the last decade, the treatment of advanced cancer has clearly advanced in terms of new therapeutic strategies with the ability to transform the advanced metastatic cancer in a chronic condition. In this new era of cancer therapies, cancer treatment including conventional chemotherapy, targeted cancer agents and immunotherapies among others are significantly associated with kidney injury. Renal toxicity that is currently seen in onconephrology departments is in part related to the new therapies such as immunotherapy, and to the prolonged survival achieved at the expense of increasing therapy lines, and a combination of different drugs. In this review, we will discuss in a practical way, nephrotoxicity caused by the main oncospecific treatments such as classical chemotherapy agents, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy. In addition, strategies for prevention and management recommendations in patients with malignancies and kidney disease will also be addressed.