bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk prediction for Dermatomyositis-associated hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Xusheng , Ma Yongxin , Liu Kejun , Chen Long , Ding Lin , Ma Weihu , Chen Bendong
Published: February 2023

Objective
To explore dermatomyositis signature genes as potential biomarkers of hepatocellular carcinoma and their associated molecular regulatory mechanisms.
Methods
Based on the mRNA-Seq data of dermatomyositis and hepatocellular carcinoma in public databases, five dermatomyositis signature genes were screened by LASSO regression analysis and support vector machine (SVM) algorithm, and their biological functions in dermatomyositis with hepatocellular carcinoma were investigated, and a nomogram risk prediction model for hepatocellular carcinoma was constructed and its predictive efficiency was initially evaluated. The immune profile in hepatocellular carcinoma was examined based on the CIBERSORT and ssGSEA algorithms, and the correlation between five dermatomyositis signature genes and tumor immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoints in hepatocellular carcinoma was investigated.
Results
The expression levels of five dermatomyositis signature genes were significantly altered in hepatocellular carcinoma and showed good diagnostic efficacy for hepatocellular carcinoma, suggesting that they may be potential predictive targets for hepatocellular carcinoma, and the risk prediction model based on five dermatomyositis signature genes showed good risk prediction efficacy for hepatocellular carcinoma and has good potential for clinical application. In addition, we also found that the upregulation of SPP1 expression may activate the PI3K/ART signaling pathway through integrin-mediated activation, which in turn regulates the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Conclusion
LY6E, IFITM1, GADD45A, MT1M, and SPP1 are potential predictive targets for new-onset hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with dermatomyositis, and the upregulation of SPP1 expression may activate the PI3K/ART signaling pathway through the mediation of integrins to promote the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Invasive Asteraceae plants can enhance community stability by changing pollination network structure, yet intense pollen disturbance to native plants in an oceanic island community
Authors: Wang Xiangping , Fu Xiao , Shi Miaomiao , Zhao Zhongtao , Li Shijin , Tu Tieyao
Published: February 2023

Invasive plant species severely threaten natural plant communities around the world, especially for islands. As introduction rates rise, novel species interactions appear within ecosystems. Studies that focus on invasive plant impacts on native plants, especially on native communities, remain largely unexplored and their conclusions are mixed. We constructed ten quantitative plant-pollinator interaction networks and calculated five network-level structure metrics (interaction evenness, linkage density, specialization, weighted connectance, and weighted nestedness) along an Asteraceae invasion gradient in the Yongxing Island community. We calculated the species-level nested contribution of each plant species in each network, and compared the nested contribution differences between invasive Asteraceae and non-Asteraceae species. Stigmas of three native and four invasive Asteraceae species were collected, and their pollen grains were identified. We analyzed invasive Asteraceae species impacts on native pollination network structure and native plant fitness. Both weighted nestedness and weighted connectance increased significantly as invasive Asteraceae became increasingly dominant. Invasive Asteraceae plants had higher nested contribution compared to native plants in most sites, and their nested contribution difference increased as the Asteraceae proportion increased. Furthermore, in native plant species, the proportion of conspecific pollen grains on stigmas decreased significantly, while the proportion of Asteraceae pollen grains on stigmas increased significantly with Asteraceae invasion level increased. For four invasive Asteraceae species, the proportion of conspecific pollen grains was significantly higher than heterospecific and other Asteraceae pollen grains on the stigmas. These results significantly add to our understanding of how the structure of plant-pollinator interaction networks changes concomitantly with plant invasion intensity. Invasive Asteraceae increase community stability and persistence, and negatively affect native plant fitness by influencing heterospecific pollen deposition on stigmas as invasion level increases. Invasive plants may greatly shape network structure and maintain community stability in oceanic island systems. Heterospecific pollen avoidance may be crucial mechanism facilitating Asteraceae invasion success within native communities, together with their ‘integration’, into plant-pollinator interactions on the Yongxing Island.
Alcohol use and multimorbidity among adults aged 40 years and above in rural South Africa: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Mpinganjira Mafuno G. , Chirwa Tobias , Kabudula Chodziwadziwa. W. , Gómez-Olivé Francesc Xavier , Tollman Stephen , Francis Joel Msafiri
Published: February 2023

Background:
We assessed the prevalence of reported alcohol use and its association with multimorbidity among adults aged 40 years and above in a rural, transitioning South African setting. Findings could potentially inform alcohol interventions integration in the prevention and treatment of chronic conditions.
Methods:
We analysed data from the first wave of The Health and Ageing in Africa – a longitudinal Study in an INDEPTH community (HAALSI) nested within the Agincourt Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems (HDSS), conducted between November 2014 and November 2015 (n=5059). We computed descriptive statistics and performed univariate analysis to determine factors independently associated with multimorbidity. Age, Body Mass Index, education, sex, and household wealth status and variables with a p-value <0.20 in univariate analysis were included in multivariable Modified Poisson regression models. Any factors with a p-value of <0.05 in the final models were considered statistically significant.
Results:
The first wave of HAALSI was completed by 5059 participants aged 40 years and above and included 2714 (53.6%) females. The prevalence of reported ever alcohol use was 44.6% (n=2253) and of these 51.9% (n=1171) reported alcohol use in the last 30 days. The prevalence of multimorbidity that includes HIV was 59.6% (3014/5059) and for multimorbidity without HIV 52.5% (2657/5059). Alcohol use was associated with multimorbidity that includes HIV among all participants (RR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02-1.08), and separately for males (RR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.00-1.10) and females (RR: 1.06, 95%CI: 1.02-1.11). Similarly, alcohol use was associated with multimorbidity without HIV among all participants (RR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02-1.09), and separately for males (RR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.00-1.12) and females (RR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01-1.11).
Conclusion:
Reported alcohol use was common and associated with multimorbidity that includes HIV and multimorbidity without HIV among older adults in rural northeast South Africa. There is a need to integrate screening, brief interventions, and referral for alcohol treatment (SBIRT) in the existing prevention and treatment of multimorbidity in South Africa.
Resting-State Functional Connectivity Changes in Older Adults with Sleep Disturbance and the Role of Amyloid Burden
Authors: Kim Hyun , Zhu Xi , Zhao Yiming , Bell Sophie , Gehrman Philip , Cohen Daniel , Devanand Davangere , Goldberg Terry , Lee Seonjoo
Published: February 2023

Sleep and related disorders could lead to changes in various brain networks, but little is known about the role of amyloid β (Aβ) burden—a key Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarker—in the relationship between sleep disturbance and altered resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) in older adults. This cross-sectional study examined the association between sleep disturbance, Aβ burden, and rsFC using a large-scale dataset from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Sample included 489 individuals (53.6% cognitively normal, 32.5% mild cognitive impairment, and 13.9% AD) who had completed sleep measures (Neuropsychiatric Inventory), PET Aβ data, and resting-state fMRI scans at baseline. Within and between rsFC of the Salience (SN), the Default Mode (DMN) and the Frontal Parietal network (FPN) were compared between participants with sleep disturbance versus without sleep disturbance. The interaction between Aβ positivity and sleep disturbance was evaluated using linear regressions, controlling for age, diagnosis status, gender, sedatives and hypnotics use, and hypertension. Although no significant main effect of sleep disturbance was found on rsFC, a significant interaction term emerged between sleep disturbance and Aβ burden on rsFC of SN (β=0.11, P=0.006). Specifically, sleep disturbance was associated with SN hyperconnectivity, only with the presence of Aβ burden. Sleep disturbance may lead to altered connectivity in the SN when Aβ is accumulated in the brain. Individuals with AD pathology may be at increased risk for sleep-related aberrant rsFC; therefore, identifying and treating sleep problems in these individuals may help prevent further disease progression.
Microbial modulation prevents the effects of pervasive environmental stressors on microglia and social behavior, but not the dopamine system
Authors: Bilbo Staci , Smith Caroline , Rendina Danielle , Kingsbury Marcy , Malacon Karen , Nguyen Dang , Tran Jessica , Devlin Benjamin , Raju Ravikiran , Clark Madeline , Burgett Lauren , Zhang Jason , Cetinbas Murat , Sadreyev Ruslan , Chen Kevin , Iyer Malvika
Published: February 2023

Environmental toxicant exposure, including air pollution, is increasing worldwide. However, toxicant exposures are not equitably distributed. Rather, low-income and minority communities bear the greatest burden, along with higher levels of psychosocial stress. Both air pollution and maternal stress during pregnancy have been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, but biological mechanisms and targets for therapeutic intervention remain poorly understood. We demonstrate that combined prenatal exposure to air pollution (diesel exhaust particles, DEP) and maternal stress (MS) in mice induces social behavior deficits only in male offspring, in line with the male bias in autism. These behavioral deficits are accompanied by changes in microglial morphology and gene expression as well as decreased dopamine receptor expression and dopaminergic fiber input in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Importantly, the gut-brain axis has been implicated in ASD, and both microglia and the dopamine system are sensitive to the composition of the gut microbiome. In line with this, we find that the composition of the gut microbiome and the structure of the intestinal epithelium are significantly shifted in DEP/MS-exposed males. Excitingly, both the DEP/MS-induced social deficits and microglial alterations in males are prevented by shifting the gut microbiome at birth via a cross-fostering procedure. However, while social deficits in DEP/MS males can be reversed by chemogenetic activation of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area, modulation of the gut microbiome does not impact dopamine endpoints. These findings demonstrate male-specific changes in the gut-brain axis following DEP/MS and suggest that the gut microbiome is an important modulator of both social behavior and microglia.
An Integrated Decision Support Model for effective Institutional Coordination Framework in Public Transportation Planning
Authors: Bouraima Mouhamed Bayane , Oyaro Janet , Ayyildiz Ertugrul , Erdogan Melike , Ndiema Kevin Maraka
Published: February 2023

The lack of coordination among global institutions responsible for planning public transportation is a persistent issue. To tackle this issue, three strategies aimed at promoting sustainability have been proposed. However, there is a significant deficiency in preferentially prioritizing them, which poses a significant issue for local governments. In this study, a two-stage model is established by combining the Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis and the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution methods into a unique interval-valued spherical fuzzy framework. This allows for determining the criteria weights and ranking the strategies. The results of our investigation show that effective institutional coordination in public transportation planning can be achieved through the implementation of good governance principles. By doing so, Nairobi's local government can tackle the unexpected division of public transportation agreements among different institutions and guide the various sectors in executing their transportation plans while still adhering to the established policy objectives.
Association between self-reported gender-based discrimination and maternal mortality rates: Results of an ecological multi-level analysis across nine countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Orduhan Clara , Waitzberg Ruth , De Allegri Manuela , Chitah Bona , Dossou Jean-Paul , Elwange Charlestine Bob , Faye Adama , Fonn Sharon , Kambala Christabel , Mohammed Shafiu , Niangaly Hamidou , Sisimayi Chenjerai , Quentin Wilm
Published: February 2023

Background
Sub-Saharan Africa suffers from the highest maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in the world, with 542 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017, relative to a global ratio of 211. Reducing gender inequities, increasing awareness regarding gender-based discrimination (GBD), and increasing the empowerment of women and girls have recently been recognized as prerequisites for improving maternal health. Previous studies have shown GBD to be related to gender health inequities. GBD results in low utilization of maternal health services and poorer quality of care. However, there is very limited research available on the relationship between GBD and maternal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
Methods
We investigated the association between self-reported GBD and maternal mortality in an ecological study. We combined survey data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and from Afrobarometer across 78 sub-national regions, located in nine Sub-Saharan African countries. Data were analyzed using a random intercept two-level regression model, while controlling for relevant covariates at region- and country-level.
Results
The proportion of women who reported experiencing GBD varied between 0% in several regions in Benin, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, and Zimbabwe and 24·7% in Atacora, Benin. We identified a positive association between the proportion of women who reported experiencing GBD in a region in the past year and MMR. A 1% increase in the proportion of women experiencing GBD resulted in an increase of the MMR by nearly two, i.e., in two more maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. This association was even more pronounced after adjusting for region-level covariates, but did not change with the inclusion of country-level covariates.
Conclusions
Our findings show that the rate of self-reported GBD is associated with maternal mortality in a region, even after controlling for other factors that are known to influence maternal deaths. However, our model does not allow to rule out endogeneity. Further research is needed to unravel causal pathways between GBD and maternal mortality.
Solubility of Na 2 O·xAl 2 O 3 in NaF-KF-AlF 3 -based low-temperature electrolyte
Authors: Kuang Ye , Yan Hengwei , Liu Zhanwei , Yang Yonghui
Published: February 2023

The solubility of Na2O·xAl2O3 in a NaF-KF-AlF3-based low-temperature electrolyte was investigated, and the influence of electrolyte temperature at 750 ℃, CR = 1.3–1.4, CaF2, and LiF on the alumina solubility was studied. The dissolution rate of alumina in the electrolyte was determined by measuring the alumina concentration in the electrolyte at different times with an oxygen analyzer. The results showed that in the NaF-KF-AlF3-based low-temperature electrolyte, the dissolution rate of alumina in Na2O·xAl2O3 was better than that of Al2O3. As the Na2O content in alumina increased, the dissolution rate increased. Similarly, a higher CR of NaF-KF-AlF3 increased the dissolution rate. When the temperature of the molten salt rose (750–850 oC), the dissolution rate of alumina in the electrolyte gradually accelerated. The dissolution rate of alumina in NaF-KF-AlF3 decreased after adding CaF2 and LiF. According to the kinetics analysis, the dissolution rate of alumina followed the zero-order reaction rate law from 0–5 min, which showed that it depended on the amount of alumina absorbed in the electrolyte in the first five minutes.
Underlying driving forces of the SARS-CoV-2 evolution: immune evasion and ACE2 binding affinity
Authors: Ma Wentai , Fu Haoyi , Jian Fanchong , Cao Yunlong , Li Mingkun
Published: February 2023

The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 is characterized by the emergence of new variants with a sheer number of mutations compared to their predecessors, which conferred resistance to pre-existing antibodies and/or increased transmissibility. The recently emerged Omicron subvariants also exhibit a strong tendency for immune evasion, suggesting adaptive evolution. However, previous studies have been limited to specific lineages or subsets of mutations, the overall evolutionary trajectory of SARS-CoV-2 and the underlying driving forces are still not fully understood. In this study, we analyzed the mutations present in all open-access SARS-CoV-2 genomes (until November 2022) and correlated the mutation’s incidence and fitness change with its impact on immune evasion and ACE2 binding affinity. Our results showed that the Omicron lineage had an accelerated mutation rate in the RBD region, while the mutation incidence in other genomic regions did not change dramatically over time. Moreover, mutations in the RBD region (but not in any other genomic regions) exhibited a lineage-specific pattern and tended to become more aggregated over time, and the mutation incidence was positively correlated with the strength of antibody pressure on the specific position. Additionally, the incidence of mutation was also positively correlated with changes in ACE2 binding affinity, but with a lower correlation coefficient than with immune evasion. In contrast, the mutation’s effect on fitness was more closely correlated with changes in ACE2 binding affinity than immune evasion. In conclusion, our results suggest that immune evasion and ACE2 binding affinity play significant and diverse roles in the evolution of SARS-CoV-2.
Arginine, Symmetric and Asymmetric Dimethylarginine Levels in Canine Leishmaniasis
Authors: Gultekin Gamze , Pasa Serdar , Ural Kerem , Erdogan Hasan , Gonulveren Gizem , Gultekin Mehmet
Published: February 2023

The study aimed to investigate the levels of arginine, symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) in dogs with canine leishmaniasis (CanL) and their relationship with some renal and cardiovascular parameters. A total of 60 dogs were enrolled, including 40 with CanL and 20 healthy controls. The CanL group was divided into four stages based on clinical and laboratory findings. The levels of plasma arginine, SDMA, and ADMA were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The data from the healthy group were compared with those from the CanL group, and according to the stages. In dogs with CanL, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, plasma creatinine, cystatin-C, phosphorus, potassium, and low-density lipoprotein concentrations, the urine protein/creatinine ratio, the amount of nitric oxide, and creatine kinase-MB activity were higher, while the high-density lipoprotein concentration was lower compared to healthy controls. The concentration of arginine was low (p < 0.05) and the levels of ADMA (p < 0.001) and SDMA (p < 0.05) were high in dogs with CanL. There were no statistically significant differences in arginine concentration among the different stages of CanL. However, the concentration of plasma ADMA was higher in all stages of CanL compared to the healthy group, and the concentration of plasma SDMA was higher in Stage IV compared to the healthy group and Stage III. The present study demonstrates for the first time a decrease in arginine concentration and an increase in ADMA concentration in dogs with CanL. The increase in SDMA concentration in CanL dogs is consistent with previous studies. These findings may serve as a source of further diagnostic and therapeutic research on the renal and cardiovascular pathophysiology of CanL. It is suggested that more clinical studies, including patient follow-up and treatment, would be beneficial in further elucidating the changes observed in CanL.
Alarin potentiates ongoing epileptiform activity in rat brain slices: an in vitro electrophysiological study
Authors: KALKAN Ömer Faruk , BAŞOĞLU Harun , ŞAHİN Zafer , ÖZTÜRK Hilal , AYDIN-ABİDİN Selcen , ABİDİN Ismail
Published: February 2023

Alarin is a newly discovered neuropeptide that belongs to the galanin peptide family and has a wide range of bioactivity in the nervous system. Its function in the brain's autonomic areas has been studied, and it has been reported that it is involved in the regulation of excitability in hypothalamic neurons. Its role in the regulation of excitability in the hippocampus, however, is unknown. In this study, we investigated if alarin induced any synchronous discharges or epileptiform activity, and if it has any effect on previously initiated epileptiform discharges. We used 350 µm thick acute horizontal hippocampal slices obtained from 30- to 35-day-old rats. Extracellular field potential recordings were evaluated in the hippocampus CA1 region. Our data demonstrated that, alarin application did not initiate any epileptiform activity or abnormal discharges. 4-Aminopyridine was applied to induce epileptiform activity in the slices. We found that 200 nM alarin increased the frequency of interictal-like events and mean power of local field potentials in the hippocampus CA1 region which was induced by 4-aminopyridine. These results exhibited for the first time that alarin has a modulatory effect on synchronized neuronal discharges which should be considered in future therapeutic approaches.
Machine learning-based multipath modelling in spatial-domain: a demonstration on GNSS short baseline processing
Authors: Pan Yuanxin , Möller Gregor , Soja Benedikt
Published: February 2023

Multipath is the main unmodeled error source hindering high-precision Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data processing. Conventional multipath mitigation methods, such as sidereal filtering (SF) and multipath hemispherical map (MHM), have certain disadvantages: they are either too complicated for implementation or not effective enough for multipath mitigation. In this study, we propose a machine learning (ML)-based multipath mitigation method. Multipath modelling was formulated as a regression task, and the multipath errors were fitted with respect to azimuth and elevation in the spatial-domain. We collected 30 days of 1 Hz GPS data to validate the proposed method. In total five short baselines were formed and multipath errors were extracted from the posfit residuals. ML-based multipath models, as well as observation-domain SF and MHM models, were constructed using 5 days of residuals before the target day and later applied for multipath correction. It was found that the XGBoost (XGB) method outperformed SF and MHM. It achieved the highest residual reduction rates, which were 24.9%, 36.2%, 25.5% and 20.4% for GPS P1, P2, L1 and L2 observations, respectively. After applying the XGB-based multipath corrections, kinematic positioning precisions of 1.6 mm, 1.9 mm and 4.5 mm could be achieved in east, north and up components, respectively, corresponding to 20.0%, 17.4% and 16.7% improvements compared to the original solutions. The effectiveness of the ML-based multipath model was further validated using 30 s sampling data. We conclude that the ML-based multipath mitigation method is effective, easy-to-use, and can be easily extended by adding auxiliary input features, such as signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), during model training.
Reducing interspecific competition to improve system productivity in apple-crop intercropping systems in arid regions
Authors: Zhang Shuai , Liu Tingting , Wei Wenwen , Li Zhe , Li Guoyu , Shen Lei , Wang Xiuyuan , Zhu Yun , Li Luhua , Zhang Wei
Published: February 2023

Aims The aims of this study were (1) to assess which intercropping pattern is feasible in enhancing soil moisture and promoting crop root growthand (2) to integrate crop root data to assess which intercropping pattern can reduce interspecific competition and thus increase system productivity. The optimal cropping pattern was determined by calculating the land equivalent ratio (LER).
MethodsIn this study, we designed two intercropping patterns (intercropped apple-soybean [IAS] and intercropped apple-alfalfa [IAA]) and analysed the effects of these intercropping patterns on soil moisture, crop roots, interspecific relationships and yields to determine the most suitable cropping pattern for local promotion.
Results At 50–200 cm, IAS and IAA increased soil moisture by 43.99% and 46.52%, respectively, compared to monocropped apple (M). However, due to competition, intercropped apple, intercropped soybean and intercropped alfalfa all showed a decreasing trend in the root system, by 6.04%, 30.8% and 13.9%, respectively. Both soybean and alfalfa were strongly competitive with apple at 0–20 cm soil depth, while apple showed strong competitiveness with soybean and alfalfa at 20–40 cm soil depth. The LER of IAS was higher than that of IAA, and in a comprehensive analysis, IAS was more suitable for local promotion than IAA.
Conclusions These results showed that IAS has less interspecific competition than IAA and that the system is more productive and more suitable for local extension.
Subtotal colectomy is a safe and effective single stage surgery for acute left colonic malignant obstruction with acceptable functional outcome
Authors: Ganapathi Senthil Kumar , Kakkilaya Harish , Rudramurthy Sathiyamoorthy , Subbiah Rajapandian , Subramanium Aravinth , Palanivelu Praveenraj , Chinnusamy Palanivelu
Published: February 2023

Purpose:Primary resection and anastomosis for malignant acute obstruction of left colon offers a single stage surgical option without a stoma. Our aim was to determine the outcome of subtotal colectomy in acutely obstructed left colonic cancer.Methods:A retrospective review of all patients who underwent subtotal colectomy for acutely obstructed left colon cancer over a 10-year period was performed. All procedures were performed by specialist colorectal surgeons. The primary objective is to analyse the anastomotic leak rate and the functional outcome measured in terms of frequency of bowel movements.Results:A total of 72 patients underwent sub-total colectomy among which one patient had primary peritoneal carcinomatosis causing obstruction of the sigmoid colon. Male predominance was noted (61.1%). The tumours predominantly involved the distal transverse colon (23/71) and proximal sigmoid colon (22/71), followed by descending colon (16/71) and splenic flexure (11/71). All the patients had locally advanced T3 & T4 tumours leading to colonic obstruction. Eight patients had synchronous adenomatous polyps among which 3 of them had high grade dysplasia. Seven patients had synchronous non-obstructing malignant colonic lesions. The average post-operative stay in hospital was 6.5 days. Only one patient had an anastomotic leak (1.4%). The average frequency of bowel movements per day was 2.83 at 6 months after surgery. There was no mortality during the six month follow up.Conclusion:Sub-total colectomy is a safe, effective and well tolerated single stage procedure with acceptable functional outcome with added benefits of removing synchronous polyps and cancers.
Racial/ethnic and Socioeconomic Differences in Breast Cancer Surgery Performed and Delayed Surgical Treatment: Mediating impact on Mortality
Authors: Fwelo Pierre , Nwosu Kenechukwu , Adekunle Toluwani , Kunle Afolayan , Ahaiwe Onyekachi , Ojaruega Akpevwe , Nagesh Vignesh , Bangolo Ayrton
Published: February 2023

Objective
Although Socioeconomic status (SES), race/ethnicity, and surgical type/delays are associated with breast cancer mortality outcomes, studies on these associations have been contrasting. This study examined the racial/ethnic and SES differences in surgical treatment types and delays. Also, we quantified the extent to which these differences explained the racial/ethnic disparities in breast cancer mortality.
Methods
We studied 290,066 women 40 + years old diagnosed with breast cancer between 2010 and 2017 identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. We performed logistic regression models to examine the association of SES and race/ethnicity with surgical treatment type and delays. We performed mediation analysis models to quantify the extent to which mortality differences were mediated by treatment, sociodemographic, and clinicopathologic factors.
Results
Non-Hispanic (NH) Black [Odds ratio (OR) = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.13–1.19] and Hispanic women [OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.24–1.31] were significantly more likely to undergo mastectomy compared to NH White women. Similarly, NH Black and Hispanic women had higher odds of delayed surgical treatment than NH Whites. Patients in the highest SES quintile, compared to those in lowest the lowest, were less likely to experience breast cancer-specific mortality (BCSM). Variations in treatment, SES, and clinicopathological factors significantly explained 70% of the excess BCSM among NH Blacks compared to their NH White counterparts.
Conclusions
Bridging the gap of access to adequate healthcare services for all to diminish the disproportionate burden of breast cancer would require a multifactorial approach that addresses several biological and social factors that cause these differences.
Informed interpretation of metagenomic data by StrainPhlAn enables strain retention analyses of the upper airway microbiome
Authors: Mostacci Nadja , Wüthrich Tsering Monika , Siegwald Léa , Kieser Silas , Steinberg Ruth , Sakwinska Olga , Latzin Philipp , Korten Insa , Hilty Markus
Published: February 2023

Background: Shotgun metagenomic sequencing has the potential to provide bacterial strain-level resolution which is of key importance to tackle a host of clinical questions. While bioinformatics tools that achieve strain-level resolution are available, thorough benchmarking is needed to validate their use for less investigated and low biomass microbiomes like those from the upper respiratory tract.
Methods: We analyzed a previously published dataset of longitudinally collected nasopharyngeal samples from Bangladeshi infants (Microbiota & Health study) and a novel dataset of oropharyngeal samples from Swiss children with cystic fibrosis. Data from bacterial cultures were used for benchmarking the parameters of StrainPhlAn 3, a bioinformatic tool designed for strain-level resolution. In addition, StrainPhlAn 3 results were compared to metagenomic assemblies and whole-genome sequencing data of S. aureus strains. Finally, strain retention analyses were performed.
Results: After optimizing the analytical parameters, we compared our results to culture gold standard methods and achieved sensitivity values of 87% (S. pneumoniae), 80% (M. catarrhalis), 75% (H. influenzae) and 57% (S. aureus) for 420 nasopharyngeal and 75% (H. influenzae) and 46% (S. aureus) for 260 oropharyngeal samples. Comparing the phylogenetic tree of the core genome of 50 S. aureus isolates with a corresponding marker gene tree generated by StrainPhlAn 3 revealed a striking similarity in tree topology for all but three samples indicating adequate strain resolution. Quantitative analyses of longitudinally collected samples revealed clear signatures of strain retention for the four analyzed species.
Conclusions: Comparison of StrainPhlAn 3 results to data from bacterial cultures revealed that strain-level tracking of the respiratory microbiome is feasible despite high content of host DNA when parameters are carefully optimized to fit low biomass microbiomes. This allowed to perform strain retention analyses applied to relevant pathobionts which will help to better understand the longitudinal dynamics of the upper respiratory microbiome during health and disease.
Histological confinement of transglutaminase-mediated nit sheath crosslinking is essential for proper oviposition and egg coating in the human head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis
Authors: Kim Ju Hyeon , Lee Do Eun , Park SangYoun , Clark John M. , Lee Si Hyeock
Published: February 2023

Background
Head louse females secrete liquid gel, which is mainly composed of the louse nit sheath protein 1 (LNSP1) and LNSP2, when they lay eggs. The gel is crosslinked by transglutaminase (TG) to form the nit sheath, which covers most part of egg except the top operculum area where breathing holes are located. Knowledge on the selective mechanism of nit sheath solidification to avoid uncontrolled crosslinking could lead to design a novel way of louse control, but no information is available yet.
Methods
To elucidate the crosslinking mechanisms of nit sheath gel inside the reproductive system of head louse females, in situ hybridization in conjunction with microscopic observation of the oviposition process was conducted.
Results
Histochemical analysis revealed that LNSP1 and LNSP2 are expressed over the entire area of accessory gland and uterus, whereas TG expression site is confined to a highly localized area around the opening of posterior oviduct. Detailed microscopic observations of oviposition process uncovered that a mature egg is positioned in the uterus after ovulation. Once aligned inside the uterus, the mature egg is redirected so that its operculum side tightly held by the ventral end of uterus being positioned toward the head again and its pointed bottom end being positioned toward the dorsal end of uterus, which functions as a reservoir for the nit sheath gel.
Conclusions
Physical separation of the TG-mediated crosslinking site from the ventral end of uterus is necessary to avoid uncontrolled crosslinking inside the uterus and to ensure selective crosslinking over only the lower part of egg without any unwanted crosslinking over the operculum during oviposition.
Darijabert: a Step Forward in Nlp for the Written Moroccan Dialect
Authors: Gaanoun Kamel , Naira Abdou Mohamed , Allak Anass , Benelallam Imade
Published: February 2023

The performance of existing transformer-based language models in providing state-of-the-art results on many downstream tasks is well established. However, these models tend to be limited to high-resource languages or are multilingual in nature. The availability of models dedicated to Arabic dialects is limited, and even those that exist primarily support dialects written in Arabic script. This study presents the first BERT models for Moroccan Arabic dialect, also known as Darija, called DarijaBERT, DarijaBERT-arabizi, and DarijaBERT-mix. These models are trained on the largest Arabic monodialectal corpus, supporting both Arabic and Latin character representations of the Moroccan dialect. The models' performance is evaluated and compared to existing multidialectal and multilingual models on four distinct downstream tasks, demonstrating state-of-the-art results. The data collection methodology and pre-training process are described, and the Moroccan Topic Classification Dataset (MTCD) is introduced as the first dataset for topic classification in the Moroccan Arabic dialect. The pre-trained models and MTCD dataset are available to the scientific community.
The impact of disease time, cervical alignment and range of motion on cervical vertebral HU value in surgery patients with cervical spondylosis
Authors: wang zhiqiang , Zhong Zaowei , Feng Haoyu , Mei Jun , Feng Xiaoning , Wang Beiyang , Sun Lin
Published: February 2023

Study Design: This study was a retrospective review.
Objective: Bone mineral density (BMD) at the surgical site is associated with complications of surgical internal fixation, it is very important to study the cervical BMD of patients with cervical spondylosis who need surgery and the related factors that affect cervical BMD. It is still unclear whether the age-related influence of disease time, cervical alignment, and ROM on cervical vertebral Hounsfield unit (HU) value.
Methods： This retrospective study was conducted on patients who underwent cervical surgery at one institution between January 2014 and December 2021. For age, sex, body mass index (BMI), disease type, comorbidities, neck pain, disease time, C2-7 cobb angle (CA), cervical range of motion and the C2-C7 vertebral HU value were recorded. The association between cervical HU value and each parameter of interest was assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to examine the relative influence of the multiple factors on cervical vertebral HU value.
Results： Among patients younger than 50 years old, the HU value of the cervical vertebral in females was higher than that in males, but after the age of 50 years old, the female was lower than that in males and decreased significantly after 60 years old. In addition, cervical HU value was significantly correlated with the disease time, flexion CA and ROM. Our age-related subgroup of multivariate linear regression analyses that disease time and flexion CA negative affected C6-7 HU value in more than 60 years old males and in more than 50 years old females.
Conclusions： Disease time and flexion CA were negative affecting the C6-7 HU values in more than 60 years old males and in more than 50 years old females. more attention should be paid to bone quality in cervical spondylosis patients with longer disease time and larger convex of flexion CA.
On Robot Grasp Learning Using Equivariant Models
Authors: Zhu Xupeng , Wang Dian , Su Guanang , Biza Ondrej , Walters Robin , Platt Robert
Published: February 2023

Real-world grasp detection is challenging due to the stochasticity in grasp dynamics and the noise in hardware. The desideratum is to adapt real world through end-to-end learning in the real world. However, in this case, end-to-end learning relies on a large amount of expensive robot data samples. In this paper, we investigate the planar grasp function is $\SE(2)$-equivariant and encodes such induced bias using an equivariant convolutional neural network. This induced bias significantly improves sample efficiency of grasp learning and enables end-to-end training from scratch on a physical robot with only $600$ grasp attempts. We term our method Sample Efficient Grasp learning as SEG. On robot grasp learning experiments show after only 1.5 hours, SEG could learn a good grasp function on either depth modality for opaque or RGB modality for transparent object grasping.
Acoustic Prison for Single Live Cell 3D Multi-imaging Enabled by Light-sheet Microscopy
Authors: Richard Cynthia , Vargas-Ordaz Erick J. , Cadarso Victor J. , Neild Adrian
Published: February 2023

Having a system capable of obtaining high resolution, quantitative, subcellular information of indi- vidual live cells through imaging, while minimizing cell damage, is of great important in many fields of research. In recent years, optofluidic light-sheet fluorescent microscopy (LSFM) has emerged as a powerful tool providing a low photo-toxic imaging method utilising the fluidic environment offered by microfluidics. Here, the benefits of LSFM were integrated with an acoustic single cell prison for precise single cell handling and 3D multi-imaging in a semi-automated manner. The compact, monolithic, acousto-optofluidic platform employed standing surface acoustic waves (SSAWs) to sequentially trap an individual cell on either side of an imaging region, which gathered planar, cross-sectional images of the cell. Through post-image processing, 3D volumetric images of the cell were reconstructed and the results between the first and second rounds of imaging were directly comparable. Furthermore, the acoustic prison advantageously positions the cells in the upper region of the channel, enabling the ability to accurately compare temporal changes in cell morphology; a capability that can lead to advancements in therapeutics and drug delivery to access responses of cells to stimuli over time.
A A212T Substitution in Hemagglutinin Impacts on the Rescue of Influenza A(H1N1)/B Chimeric Live-Attenuated Vaccine Candidate
Authors: ZHAO Menglin , SUN Weiyang , LI Dongxu , LIU Xiawei , SUN Yue , ZHU Menghan , WANG Tiecheng , XIA Xianzhu , GAO Yuwei
Published: February 2023

The influenza virus, a viral respiratory pathogen, causes major morbidity and mortality worldwide. In this study, we compared and analyzed the effectiveness of the rescued two chimeric H1N1 vaccine strains rA/B-California/04/2009 and rA/B-California/07/2009, respectively, which expressed the hemagglutinin of A/California/07/2009 or A/California/04/2009 based on an influenza B virus master donor. The rA/B-California/07/2009 strain was rescued successfully. However, the rA/B-California/04/2009, which expressed the HA of A/California/07/2009 could hardly be generated. In substitution for alanine at residue 212 in the chimeric HA protein of rA/B-California/04/2009 virus, threonine was identified as a deleterious change. The free Gibbs energy change of mutating residue 212 reflected that threonine in site 212 caused a reduction in the stability of rA/B-California HAs. Additionally, with the analysis of binding free energy data and RMSD values of receptor analogs and two chimeric HAs, substitution 212T also conferred decreased receptor-binding avidity. These results suggested that the substitution A212T may enhance the stability and binding affinity of the chimeric H1N1 vaccine strains. This finding may help to design a live-attenuated influenza vaccine with more efficacy.
Posterior ankle arthroscopic microfracture with platelet-rich plasma injection for the treatment of osteochondral lesions of the talus
Authors: Chen Cheng , Mei Guohua , Su Yan , Xue Jianfeng , Zou Jian , Gu Wenqi , Song Guoxun , Shi Zhongmin
Published: February 2023

Objective
To investigate the efficacy of posterior ankle arthroscopic microfracture with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection for the treatment of posterior osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT).
Methods
A retrospective case series study was conducted on clinical data of 13 patients with posterior OLT admitted to Shanghai Sixth People′s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University from September 2019 to October 2020. There were 10 males and 3 females, aged 10–65 years [(38.2 ± 15.9) years]. According to Hepple′s classification, four patients were with type II, three with type IV, and six with type V. According to Elias′ grid scheme, nine patients were in zone 7 and four patients in zone 9. The disease duration was 13–51 months [(26.2 ± 11.4) months]. All patients underwent posterior ankle arthroscopic microfracture with PRP injection. The operation time was recorded. The visual analogue scale (VAS), American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, and ankle range of motion (ROM) were compared before operation and at 3 months and 1 year after operation. The magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) score was used to evaluate the repair of cartilage injury at 1 year after operation. Complications were recorded.
Results
All patients were followed up for 12–25 months [(15.7 ± 3.7) months]. The operation time ranged from 50 to 90 minutes [(63.8 ± 13.3) minutes]. The VAS improved from 3.0(3.0, 4.0)points before operation to 1.0(0, 2.0)points at 3 months after operation and 1.0(0,1.5)points at 1 year after operation; the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score was improved from (66.1 ± 11.8)points before operation to (84.8 ± 9.5)points at 3 months after operation and (92.9 ± 8.6)points at 1 year after operation; the ankle ROM was improved from (48.5 ± 7.5)° before operation to (61.9 ± 10.3)° at 3 months after operation and (65.4 ± 11.8)° at 1 year after operation (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in VAS at 3 months and 1 year after operation (P > 0.05). There were significant differences in AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score and ankle ROM at 3 months and 1 year after operation (all P < 0.05). According to AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score, the results were excellent in 11 patients, good in one, and fair in one, with the excellent and good rate of 92%. The MOCART score was 40–85 points [(70.4 ± 14.2) points] at 1 year after operation. There was no postoperative necrosis, infection or neurovascular injury. Two patients had slight transient pain during rehabilitation training and were improved after non-surgical treatment.
Conclusion
For posterior OLT, posterior ankle arthroscopic microfracture with PRP injection can effectively alleviate pain, improve ankle function and repair cartilage damage, with satisfactory short-term efficacy.
Posterior ankle arthroscopic microfracture with platelet-rich plasma injection for the treatment of osteochondral lesions of the talus
Authors: Chen Cheng , Mei Guohua , Su Yan , Xue Jianfeng , Zou Jian , Gu Wenqi , Song Guoxun , Shi Zhongmin
Published: February 2023

Objective
To investigate the efficacy of posterior ankle arthroscopic microfracture with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection for the treatment of posterior osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT).
Methods
A retrospective case series study was conducted on clinical data of 13 patients with posterior OLT admitted to Shanghai Sixth People′s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University from September 2019 to October 2020. There were 10 males and 3 females, aged 10-65 years [(38.2±15.9) years]. According to Hepple′s classification, four patients were with type II, three with type IV, and six with type V. According to Elias′ grid scheme, nine patients were in zone 7 and four patients in zone 9. The disease duration was 13-51 months [(26.2±11.4) months]. All patients underwent posterior ankle arthroscopic microfracture with PRP injection. The operation time was recorded. The visual analogue scale (VAS), American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, and ankle range of motion (ROM) were compared before operation and at 3 months and 1 year after operation. The magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) score was used to evaluate the repair of cartilage injury at 1 year after operation. Complications were recorded.
Results
All patients were followed up for 12-25 months [(15.7±3.7) months]. The operation time ranged from 50 to 90 minutes [(63.8±13.3) minutes]. The VAS improved from 3.0(3.0, 4.0)points before operation to 1.0(0, 2.0)points at 3 months after operation and 1.0(0,1.5)points at 1 year after operation; the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score was improved from (66.1±11.8)points before operation to (84.8±9.5)points at 3 months after operation and (92.9±8.6)points at 1 year after operation; the ankle ROM was improved from (48.5±7.5)° before operation to (61.9±10.3)° at 3 months after operation and (65.4±11.8)° at 1 year after operation (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in VAS at 3 months and 1 year after operation (P>0.05). There were significant differences in AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score and ankle ROM at 3 months and 1 year after operation (all P<0.05). According to AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score, the results were excellent in 11 patients, good in one, and fair in one, with the excellent and good rate of 92%. The MOCART score was 40-85 points [(70.4±14.2) points] at 1 year after operation. There was no postoperative necrosis, infection or neurovascular injury. Two patients had slight transient pain during rehabilitation training and were improved after non-surgical treatment.
Conclusion
For posterior OLT, posterior ankle arthroscopic microfracture with PRP injection can effectively alleviate pain, improve ankle function and repair cartilage damage, with satisfactory short-term efficacy.