bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HLA-mismatched micro-transplantation as post-remission treatment compared to autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or consolidation with single agent cytarabine for favorable or intermediate risk acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Tao Shandong , Song Lixiao , Zhou Dan , Ding Banghe , Deng Yuan , Chen Yue , He Zhengmei , Wang Chunling , Yu Liang
Published: May 2022

There was some heterogenity in low or intermediate risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) stratified by European LeukemiaNet (ELN), the optimal post-remission treatment for an individual favorable and intermediate risk genetics AML patient has not yet been established. HLA-mismatched stem cell micro-transplantation (MST), a novel apporoach of transplantation, which may improve outcomes and avoid graft versus host disease (GVHD) in first complete remission (CR1) AML patients. We retrospectively analyzed the efficacy, safety and survival of the 63 patients with favorable or intermediate risk AML received MST, autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) or cytarabine single agent (CSA) as post-remission treatment from January 2014 to August 2021. Neutrophil recovery time was shorter in the MST group than CSA group. There was no significant difference in three groups of infection and bleeding. The 2-year cumulative incidences of relapse were 27.27%, 29.41% and 41.67% in the MST, ASCT and CSA groups, respectively. During the period of follow-up, there were 21 patients (33.3%) died to relapse, including 6(9.52%), 5(7.94%) and 10 (15.84%) deaths in MST, ASCT and CSA groups, respectively. The estimated overall survival (OS) and relapse free survival (RFS) at 2 years were 62.2% vs 50.0% (P = 0.101) and 57.1% vs 50.0% (P = 0.136) in MST and CSA group (P = 0.101) for patients over 60 years. The estimated OS at 2 years was 100.0%, 66.2%, and 69.1% in MST, ASCT and CSA group ( MST vs CSA, P = 0.044), meanwhile, the estimated RFS at 2 years was 100.0%, 65.4%, and 59.8% ( MST vs CSA, P = 0.050) in patients ≤ 60 years. We concluded that MST, ASCT and CSA were all acceptable options for favorable and intermediate risk AML patients as post-remission treatment. Moreover, MST could not only improve the prognosis of the elderly but also prolong the OS and RFS of low or intermediate-risk patients ≤ 60 years.
Asthma hospital admission and readmission spikes, advancing accurate classification to advance understanding of causes
Authors: batra mehak , Erbas Bircan , Vicendese Don
Published: May 2022

Background: Days of high asthma admissions (HAADs) or readmissions (HARDs) create substantial acute burdens on hospital systems. An important component of asthma care is understanding potential causes of these admission spikes with potential of mitigation of risk. Crucial to this research is accurately distinguishing these events from background seasonal changes and time trends. To date, classification methods have been based on ad hoc and un-tested definitions which may hamper understanding of causes due to HAADs and HARDs misclassification. The aim of this article is to introduce an easily applied robust statistical approach, demonstrated to have high classification accuracy in other settings. It is referred to as the Seasonal Hybrid Extreme Studentized Deviate (S-H-ESD) method.Methods: We demonstrate S-H-ESD on a time series between 1996 to 2009 of all daily paediatric asthma hospital admissions from the Victorian Admitted Episodes Data set (VAED).Results: The S-H-ESD method clearly identified HAADs and HARDs without applying ad-hoc classification definitions, while appropriately accounting for seasonality and time trend. Furthermore, this was able to be done with statistical testing to provide evidence in support of their identification. Conclusion: The S-H-ESD is useful and statistically appropriate for the accurate classification of HAADs and HARDS. This method removes the need for ad-hoc approaches and presents as a means of systemizing the accurate classification and detection of high asthma admission days. This will strengthen synthesis and efficacy of research in order to understand causes of high asthma hospital admission and readmission.
Transcriptome profiling analyzes the characteristics of hairy root and reveals the role of AhGLK1 in response to drought stress and post-drought recovery in peanut
Authors: Liu Xing , Su Liangchen , Li Limei , Zhang Zhi , Liang Qingjian , li ling , Li Xiaoyun
Published: May 2022

Background: HR (hairy root) has emerged as a valuable tool for the rapid characterization of plant gene function and enzyme activity in vivo. AhGLK1 (Arachis hypogaea L. golden2-like 1) is found to play a role in post-drought recovery. However, it is unclear whether HR has properties that are distinct from those of PR (primary root) and which gene networks are regulated by AhGLK1 in response to drought stress and recovery in peanut. Results: We found that cells of the cortex were larger in HR than in PR and a total of 9293 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in HR compared to PR. 183 out of these DEGs related to chlorophyll and photosynthesis were up-regulated in HR. In addition, AhGLK1-OX hairy roots exhibited green, and had a higher relative water content than 35S::eGFP during drought stress. RNA-seq analysis showed that 124 DEGs were involved both in drought and post-drought recovery process, significantly enriched in taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, cutin, suberine and wax biosynthesis and galactose metabolism pathway. GO terms enrichment analysis revealed that 46.77%, 36.61% and 20.62% of DEGs were mapped to biological process (BP), molecular functions (MF) and cellular components (CC), respectively. Furthermore, 56 DEGs involved in drought stress and/or recovery were uniquely expressed in AhGLK1-OX hairy root, which were significantly enriched in photosynthesis-antenna proteins, porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism and monoterpenoid biosynthesis pathway. GO analysis showed that 46.82%, 21.82% and 31.36% of DEGs were involved in BP, MF and CC, respectively. Fortunately, 532 and 288 DEGs were found in 35S::eGFP and AhGLK1-OX hairy roots under drought stress and recovery compared to control.Conclusions: Our data reveals that HR has some characteristics of leaves, indicating that HR is suitable for studying genes that are mainly expressed in leaves. RNA-seq results are consistent with previous studies that chlorophyll synthesis and photosynthesis are critical for AhGLK1 improving post-drought recovery growth in peanut. These findings provide in-depth insights that will be of great utility for the exploration of candidate gene functions for drought tolerance and/or recovery ability in peanut.
Human-Prosthesis Cooperation: Combining Adaptive Prosthesis Control with Visual Feedback Guided Gait
Authors: Fylstra Bretta L. , Lee I-Chieh , Li Minhan , Lewek Michael , Huang He
Published: May 2022

Background: Personalizing prosthesis control is often structured as human-in-the-loop optimization. However, gait performance is influenced by both human control and intelligent prosthesis control. Hence, we need to consider both human and prosthesis control to achieve desired gait patterns. We developed a novel paradigm that engages human gait control via visual feedback (FB) of stance time to cooperate with automatic prosthesis tuning. Three questions were studied: 1.) does user control of gait timing (via visual FB) help the prosthesis tuning algorithm to converge faster? 2.) in turn, does the prosthesis control influence the user’s ability to reach and maintain the feedback goal? and 3.) does the prosthesis control parameters tuned with extended stance time on prosthesis side allow the user to maintain this potentially beneficial behavior even after feedback is removed (short- and long-term retention)?Methods: A reinforcement learning algorithm was used to achieve prosthesis control to meet normative knee kinematics in walking. A visual FB system was used to cue human control of stance time to facilitate the prosthesis tuning goal. Seven individuals without amputation (ND) and four individuals with transfemoral amputation (TFA) walked with a powered knee prosthesis on a treadmill. Participants completed prosthesis autotuning with three visual feedback conditions: no FB, self-selected stance time FB (SS FB), and increased stance time FB (Inc FB). The retention of FB effects was studied by comparing the gait performance across three different prosthesis controls, tuned with different visual FB.Results: 1) Human control of gait timing reduced the tuning duration in individuals without amputation, but not for individuals with TFA. 2) The change of prosthesis control did not influence users’ ability to reach and maintain the visual FB goal. 3) All participants increased their prosthesis-side stance time with the feedback and maintain it right after feedback was removed. However, in the post-test, the tuned prosthesis control parameters with visual FB only supported a few participants with longer stance time and better stance time symmetry. Conclusions: The study gained insights on human-prosthesis cooperation, which may guide the future successful adoption of this paradigm in prosthesis control personalization or human-in-the-loop optimization for improved gait performance.
CRX-527 induced differentiation of HSCs protecting the intestinal epithelium from radiation damage.
Authors: Liu Dongshu , Dong Suhe , Liu Cong , Du Jicong , Wang Sinian , Yu Huijie , Li Wei , Chen Zhongmin , Peng Renjun , Jiang Qisheng , Zou Mengying , Li Fengsheng , Zhang Rong
Published: May 2022

Background: Recently, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been extensively studied in radiation damage. However, the inherent defects of high toxicity and low efficacy of most TLR ligands limit their further clinical transformation. CRX-527, as a TLR4 ligand, has rarely been reported to protect against radiation. Methods: In vivo, C57BL/6 mice and TLR4 knockout mice were used to observe the radiation protection of CRX-527 on the hematopoietic system and intestinal system of mice. The proportion and number changes of LSK, MPP, MDSC and macrophages were detected by flow cytometry. The changes of intestinal protein expression were observed by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and Western blot. In vitro, RAW264.7-MODE-K and THP-1-HIEC co-culture systems were performed to observe the proliferation of cells under different irradiation doses in clone formation experiments, as well as the expression of proteins in the co-culture system under the same irradiation doses. Results: CRX-527 improved the survival rate of total body irradiation (TBI) to 100% in wild-type mice but not in TLR4-/- mice. After TBI, hematopoietic system damage was significantly alleviated, and the recovery period was accelerated in CRX-527-treated mice. Moreover, the stimulation of CRX-527 significantly increased the proportion and number of LSK cells and promoted their differentiation into macrophages, activating immune defense. Furthermore, we proposed an immune defense role for hematopoietic differentiation in the protection against intestinal radiation damage, and confirmed that macrophages invaded the intestines through peripheral blood to protect them from radiation damage. Meanwhile, CRX-527 maintained intestinal function and homeostasis, promoted the regeneration of intestinal stem cells, and protected intestinal injury from lethal dose irradiation. Furthermore, CRX-527 protects the hematopoietic and intestinal systems from irradiation through the activation of TLR4-related pathways.Conclusion: CRX-527 induced differentiation of HSCs to maintain the haematopoiesis. The activated macrophage protected the intestinal epithelium from radiation damage through TLR4-related pathways. We demonstrated that CRX-527 was safe and effective in protecting radiation damage in vivo and in vitro.
Genetic polymorphism in BIN1 rather than APOE is associated with poor recognition memory among men without dementia
Authors: Mehta Kanika , Mohebbi Mohammadreza , Pasco Julie , Williams Lana , Walder Ken , Ng Boon , Gupta Veer
Published: May 2022

Although several genetic polymorphisms have been linked with the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, less is known about their impact on cognitive performance among cognitively healthy individuals. Our aim was to investigate the association of the genetic variant, rs744373 in the bridging integrator-1 gene (BIN1), the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease after the APOE ε4 allele, with different cognitive domains among non-demented older men. Cognitive function was measured using the CogState Brief Battery (CBB), which assessed cognitive performance across four domains: psychomotor function, visual attention, recognition memory/learning and working memory. Linear regression analysis revealed that individuals with the BIN1 risk allele performed poorly on the recognition memory task as compared to those without the risk allele. However, this was in contrast with the individuals who harboured the APOE ε4 risk allele as they displayed better performance on the recognition task in comparison to those without the ε4 risk allele. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that demonstrates genetic variation in BIN1 to be a better predictor of recognition memory than APOE, which remains the biggest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.
Real-time Motion Management for Robotic Treatment Couch in Proton Therapy System
Authors: Wei Jianghua , Song Yuntao , Ding Kaizhong , Chen Yonghua , Guo Zhoushun , Yuan Hui
Published: May 2022

Background: In proton therapy, robotic couch was used for patient positioning to achieve high precision in cancer treatment. However, no studies have focused on the real-time motion management system (MMS) for the robotic couch. This study was to develop the MMS and verify its feasibility. Methods: A real-time MMS was set up with a robotic couch, an NDI Vega optical tracking system, a Special Measurement Tool (SMT) and the developed software. A Leica laser tracker was adopted to verify the accuracy of the tests in this study. The stability and accuracy of the SMT in NDI Vega system were verified to guarantee the reliability of the results. The coordinate transformation was used to unify the measurement. 83 points inside the treatment volume were applied to verify the accuracy of the MMS, with the comparison of results measured by the laser tracker. The synchronism of the SMT in the MMS and Patient Positioning System (PPS) based on the reciprocating motion along axis z was tested to obtain the maximum time delay. Trajectory tracking was performed with different payloads on the couch top. Results: The Means and Standard Deviation (SD) of the stability of the SMT in NDI tracking system on the axis x, y, z, and Rx, Ry, Rz were 0.005 ± 0.004 mm, 0.013 ± 0.005 mm, 0.014 ± 0.005 mm, 0.010 ± 0.003º, 0.013 ± 0.005º, 0.008 ± 0.007º, respectively. For the MMS, the means ± SD along axis x, y, z were 0.24 ± 0.09 mm (0.12 ± 0.03 mm With Laser Tracker (WLT)), 0.31 ± 0.12 mm (0.10 ± 0.03 mm WLT), 0.18 ± 0.06 mm (0.14 ± 0.05 mm WLT), respectively. The max time delay was about 110 ms, with a 60 s of motion tracking. Trajectories tracking showed the real-time graphical traces of the SMT in NDI Vega and Room Coordinate system, and the combined curves by using the coordinate transformation. Conclusions: A real-time MMS was developed and verified with the accuracy of submillimeter in this study. The results demonstrated the feasibility of potential applications based on real-time motion capturing and monitoring.
The Short versus Long antibiotic course for pleural Infection Management (SLIM) randomised controlled open label trial
Authors: Hassan Maged , Gad-Allah Mohamed , El-Shaarawy Basma , El-Shazly Asmaa M , Daneshvar Cyrus , Sadaka Ahmed
Published: May 2022

Background and objective: The optimal length of antibiotic treatment for pleural infection in adults is not known but a minimum of four weeks is typically recommended. This clinical trial aimed to assess whether shorter antibiotic courses lead to more treatment failures than standard longer courses. Methods: In an open-label randomised controlled trial adult patients with pleural infection who were medically treated and stabilised within 14 days of admission were randomised to either a short antibiotic course (total course 14-21 days) or a long antibiotic course (total course 28-42 days). Patients were excluded if their baseline RAPID score was >4 (high-risk category). The primary outcome was the incidence of treatment failure by 6 weeks post admission. Secondary outcomes were total length of antibiotic treatment, proportion of patients who resumed normal activity levels within 6 weeks post admission, time from discharge to resuming normal activity levels and the incidence of antibiotic-related adverse reactions.Results: Between November 2020 and October 2021 50 patients (35 (70%) males, mean age 46+13.7 years), were recruited to the trial and randomly assigned to the short course group (n=25) or the long course group (n=25) with outcome data available for 24 patients in each study group. Treatment failure occurred in 4 (16.7%) patients in the short course group and 3 (12.5%) patients in the long course group. In the intention-to-treat analysis the odds ratio for treatment failure in the long course group was 0.714 (95% CI 0.142-3.600, p=0.683). The median duration of antibiotic treatment in the short course group was 20.5 [18-22.5] days compared to 34.5 [32-38] days in the long course group (p <0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in the other outcomes.Conclusion: In medically treated adult patients with pleural infection who are stabilised within 14 days of admission and who are not at high risk of mortality a long course of antimicrobial therapy is potentially not superior to a shorter course in terms of risk of treatment failure. These findings need confirmation in a larger multi-centre trial. Trial protocol registration: NCT04615286 (Clinicaltrials.gov), registration date 4th November 2020.
Evolutionary insights on the potential oncogenic impact of long non-coding RNA NNT-AS1 in different types of carcinomas; integrating pathway(s) and clinical outcomes association
Authors: El-Sheikh Nada , Abulsoud Ahmed , Wasfey Eman F. , Hamdy Nadia M.
Published: May 2022

Background Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are becoming more prevalent in the cancer field arena, with functional roles in both oncogenic and oncosuppressive pathways. Despite their widespread aberrant expression in a range of human malignancies, the biological activities of the ncRNAs majority are unknown. All showed the involvement of the lncRNA nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase antisense RNA 1 (NNT-AS1). Since NNT-AS1 influences cellular proliferation, invasion, migration, apoptosis, and metastasis, this lncRNA appears to be linked to deregulating the normal cellular processes driving malignancy. This was observed in many cancer types such as breast cancer (BC), gastric cancer (GC), colorectal cancer (CRC), epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Conclusions The current narrative non-systematic review will discuss “the significance of lncRNAs in cancer”, as well as “lncRNAs future potential application(s) as diagnostic or predictive biomarkers”, therefore, comprising an opportunity as treatment target(s). The review will have a special emphasis on lncRNA NNT-AS1.
Comparison of dynamic elasticity between two types of new material plastic table tennis ball: taking DHS D40+ and Nittaku 40+ as an Example
Authors: Wang Zerong , Tian Jiajie , Zeng Yuxuan , Xiao Yi
Published: May 2022

Background: Nittaku 40+ and DHS D40+ are two different brands of new plastic balls, both of which are designated as official match balls and widely used in international events. Due to the change of material and diameter from traditional celluloid table tennis ball to new plastic ball, the hardness and elasticity of the new plastic ball also change accordingly. The purpose of this study is to analyze the difference of the dynamic elasticity between the two brands of new plastic ball, taking Nittaku 40+ ball and DHS D40+ ball as an example.Method: Self-made experiment was designed to generate different levels of initial speed of table tennis ball to test the dynamic elasticity characteristics of DHS D40+ and Nittaku 40+. A high-speed camera was used to collect the trajectory of ball falling and rebound after hitting the table during the experiment, and the Kinovea software was used to process the falling and rebound trajectory and calculate the average speed of falling and rebound process, then accordingly calculate the rebound speed decrement rate. Results: Results showed that the rebound speed and decrement rate of DHS D40+ and Nittaku 40+ both increased with the increase of falling speed, respectively. When falling at slow and medium speeds, there was no significant difference of dynamic elasticity between DHS D40+ and Nittaku 40+. When falling at high speed, there was a significant difference of dynamic elasticity between DHS D40+ and Nittaku 40+.Conclusion: Compared with the DHS D40+, the Nittaku 40+ has bigger hardness and brittleness, and the sphere structure is more uniform, featuring better dynamic elasticity stability and rebound height.
Functional outcomes differ between direct lateral and posterior surgical approaches in total hip arthroplasty during higher demanding activities of daily living
Authors: Tadross Daniel TSF , Chapman Graham J , Redmond Anthony C , Macdonald David , Stone Martin , Lunn David E
Published: May 2022

Background: This study investigated the effect of posterior and direct lateral (modified Hardinge) approach total hip arthroplasty on post-operative hip function compared to healthy, control participants. This study aimed to use a combination of motion analysis, strength measurements and imaging to investigate the effect of surgical approach on post-operative hip function in posterior approach and direct lateral approach cases.Methods: Twenty-eight total hip arthroplasty patients (15 direct lateral approach; 13 posterior approach) and 11 control participants underwent motion capture analysis at two walking speeds (normal and fast walking) and whilst standing from a seated position; hip joint strength and patient reported outcomes were also obtained. Muscle cross-sectional area was measured in a sub-set (N=5) using a novel magnetic resonance imaging sequence incorporating encoding for metal artefact correction.Results: The posterior approach group tended not to achieve full hip extension post-surgically, whereas the direct lateral approach patients tended to extend the hip during the fast walk, similar to control participants. The posterior approach group were weaker in all muscle groups excluding hip abductors, compared to the direct lateral approach patients and control group. In both surgical groups the muscle cross sectional area was reduced in all muscles disrupted during surgery, compared to the contralateral limb. Both surgical groups’ perceived hip function and physical health to be superior compared to the control group.Conclusions: Our findings suggest during sit to stand and fast walking the posterior approach group were functionally poorer and demonstrated weaker hip strength compared to the direct lateral approach group. Furthermore, surgical muscle disruption in our subset of patients is still apparent up to five years post-surgery, as reflected by reduced muscle cross sectional area.
Dissociable Cellular and Genetic Mechanisms of Cortical Thinning at Different Life Stages
Authors: Modabbernia Amirhossein , Vidal-Pineiro Didac , Agartz Ingrid , Andreassen Ole , Ayesa-Arriola Rosa , Bertolino Alessandro , Boomsma D , Bourque Josiane , Breier Alan , Brodaty Henry , Brouwer Rachel , Buitelaar Jan , Canales-Rodriguez Erick , Caseras Xavier , Conrod Patricia , Crespo-Facorro Benedicto , Crivello Fabrice , Crone Eveline , De Zubicaray Greig , Dickie Erin , Dima Danai , Espeseth Thomas , Frenzel Stefan , Fisher Simon , Franke Barbara , Glahn David , Grabe Hans , Grotegerd Dominik , Gruber Oliver , Guerrero-Pedraza Amalia , Gur Raquel , Gur Ruben , Hartman Catharina , Hoekstra Pieter , Pol Hilleke Hulshoff , Jahanshad Neda , Jernigan Terry , Jiang Jiyang , Kalnin Andrew , Kochan Nicole , Mazoyer Bernard , McDonald Brenna , McMahon Katie , Nyberg Lars , Oosterlaan Jaap , Pomarol-Clotet E , Radua Joaquim , Roffman Joshua , Sachdev Perminder , Satterthwaite Theodore , Salvador Raymond , Sarró Salvador , Saykin Andrew , Schumann Gunter , Smoller Jordan , Sommer Iris , Tamnes Christian , Thomopoulos Sophia , Trollor Julian , Ent Dennis van 't , Voineskos Aristotle , Wang Yang , Weber Bernd , Wen Wei , Westlye Lars T. , Whalley Heather , wierenga Lara , Williams Steven , Wittfeld Katharina , Wright Margaret , Thompson Paul , Paus Tomas , Frangou Sophia
Published: May 2022

Mechanisms underpinning neurotypical age-related variations in cortical thickness in the human brain remain insufficiently specified. Here we used cell-specific marker genes, followed by gene ontology and enrichment analyses, to quantify the association between gene-expression levels and inter-regional age-related variations in neurotypical cortical thinning using multicohort neuroimaging data from 14,248 individuals ages 4-89 years. We found that early-life (<20 years), mid-life (20-60 years), and late-life (>60 years) were associated with distinct patterns of association between inter-regional profiles of cortical thickness and expression profiles of markers genes for CA1 and S1 pyramidal cells, astrocytes, and microglia. Gene ontology and enrichment analyses indicated each of the three life-stages was associated with different biological processes and cellular components; these related to synaptic modeling in early life, neurotransmission in mid-life, and neurodegeneration in late-life. These findings provide mechanistic insights on age-related cortical thinning during typical development and ageing.
Genetic structure and north-south decrease of genetic diversity in the Patagonian maqui berry (Aristotelia chilensis [Molina] Stuntz) determined by SSR marker analysis
Authors: Cona Matías , Chávez Alexandra , León-Lobos Pedro , Marín Juan Carlos , Hinrichsen Patricio
Published: May 2022

Maqui (Aristotelia chilensis [Molina] Stuntz) is a small endemic Patagonian tree that is currently being domesticated actively because of its edible berries, which have extremely high polyphenol content and anti-oxidant capability. Maqui can be easily propagated and is an efficient colonizer of deforested habitats to the point of often becoming an invasive species. However, little is known about its population structure and evolutionary history, limiting the design of conservation and domestication strategies. Genetic diversity of 14 populations (183 samples) from throughout the geographic distribution of the species in Chile was assessed with 13 polymorphic microsatellite markers. Samples were assigned to clusters based on Bayesian genetic and spatial structure analyses and the results were used to reconstruct patterns of phylogeographic and demographic history. We found that maqui populations are well-structured, with a dramatic reduction of genetic diversity from north to south, most notably in areas that were covered by ice during the quaternary glaciation. Three main genetic groups were revealed by Structure analysis. In conclusion, a clear pattern of genetic diversity reduction from its northern limit in central Chile to the Patagonian region was revealed, suggesting that an active recolonization process took place during the last few millennia following the last glacial period. These results will help to define the identification of accessions from different regions and contribute to support conservation and domestication initiatives.
Sarcopenia does not affect treatment outcomes in patients with rectal cancer undergoing laparoscopic surgery
Authors: Song Ji Hyeong , Oh Rak Kyun , Lee Jeong Eun , Lee Kyung Ha , Kim Ji Yeon , Kim Jin Soo
Published: May 2022

Purpose: Previous studies have reported that sarcopenia negatively impacts rectal cancer treatment. However, most published studies have analyzed only patients undergoing open surgery, and the association between sarcopenia and clinical outcomes in patients with rectal cancer undergoing laparoscopic surgery remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sarcopenia on the clinical and oncological outcomes of laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery.Methods: Three hundred and one patients undergoing laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery were enrolled between December 2009 and May 2016. Body composition was assessed using computed tomography by measuring the muscle and fat areas at the third lumbar (L3) vertebra. The L3 skeletal muscle area was used to calculate the skeletal muscle index and evaluate sarcopenia.Results: Sarcopenia was identified in 72/301 (23.9%) patients. Patients with sarcopenia had decreased skeletal muscle area (P < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences in visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, and body mass index. The time to tolerable soft diet and length of hospital stay were shorter in sarcopenia patients. The time to first flatus, postoperative complications, and overall and disease-free survival rates were not significantly different between those with and without sarcopenia. High American Society of Anesthesiologist classification (≥3; P = 0.014) and abdominoperineal resection (P = 0.003) were identified as risk factors for postoperative complications.Conclusion: Sarcopenia does not negatively affect the functional recovery, postoperative complications, or survival after laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery. Further studies are necessary to validate that laparoscopic surgery could eliminate the negative impact of sarcopenia in patients with rectal cancer.
ZNF185 prevents stress fiber formation through the inhibition of RhoA in endothelial cells
Authors: Suzuki Soichiro , Ando Fumiaki , Kitagawa Sae , Hara Yu , Fujiki Tamami , Mandai Shintaro , Susa Koichiro , Mori Takayasu , Sohara Eisei , Rai Tatemitsu , Uchida Shinichi
Published: May 2022

Signaling through cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) promotes endothelial barrier function to prevent plasma leakage induced by inflammatory mediators. The discovery of novel PKA substrates in endothelial cells has increased our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in vessel maturation. In this study, we evaluated a cAMP inducer, forskolin, and a phospho-PKA substrate antibody to identify ZNF185 as a PKA substrate. ZNF185 interacted with PKA and a deletion mutant of ZNF185, which lacks the PKA-interacting domain, was not phosphorylated by PKA. In addition to PKA, ZNF185 colocalized with F-actin in endothelial cells. Both phospho-ZNF185 and F-actin accumulated in the plasma membrane region in response to forskolin to stabilize the cortical actin structure. By contrast, ZNF185 knockdown disrupted actin filaments and promoted stress fiber formation without inflammatory mediators. Constitutive activation of RhoA was induced by ZNF185 knockdown, which resulted in forskolin-resistant endothelial barrier dysfunction. ZNF185 was essential for cAMP/PKA/RhoA signaling for the suppression of endothelial hyperpermeability. Thrombin protease was used as a positive control to assemble stress fibers via RhoA activation. Unexpectedly, ZNF185 was cleaved by thrombin, resulting in an N-terminal actin-targeting domain and a C-terminal PKA-interacting domain. Irreversible dysfunction of ZNF185 protein potentially causes RhoA-dependent stress fiber formation by thrombin.
Learner Performance-based Behavior Optimization Algorithm: A Functional Case Study
Authors: Shahad  , Rashid Tarik A.
Published: May 2022

A novel algorithm called learner performance-based behavior algorithm(LPB) was proposed for single and multi-objective by Chnoor M. Rahmanand Tarik A. Rashid in 2021. LPB proved its ability to deal with complex optimizationproblems compared to the dragonfly algorithm (DA), genetic algorithm(GA), and particle swarm optimization (PSO). This paper presents and explainsthe implementation of the LPB algorithm, and it applies it as a model in a casestudy to maximize a fitness function. As a result, the LPB algorithm is successfullyimproved the initial population and achieved the optimal solution.
UNVACCINATED PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC AUTOIMMUNE RHEUMATIC DISEASES HAVE HETEROGENEOUS AND UNRELATED RISKS OF COVID INFECTION AND POOR OUTCOME
Authors: De Lorenzis Enrico , Parente Paolo , Natalello Gerlando , Soldati Salvatore , Bosello Silvia Laura , Barbara Andrea , Sorge Chiara , Axelrod Svetlana , Verardi Lucrezia , Cerasuolo Pier Giacomo , Peluso Giusy , Gemma Antonella , Davoli Marina , Biliotti Donatella , Bruzzese Vincenzo , Goletti Mauro , Martino Mirko , D’Agostino Maria Antonietta
Published: May 2022

Background: The impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 disease (COVID-19) pandemic on people with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs) is not fully established. It is unclear whether SARDs are an independent risk factor for infection and poor outcomes. Methods: Incidence and 30-day outcomes of COVID-19 infection were retrospectively evaluated in 40,490 SARD patients in the Lazio Italian Region and compared to the general population as incidence rate ratio adjusted for demographics and comorbidities (adjIRR). SARD diagnosis and comorbidities were derived from medical administrative records using the Chronic Related Group classification system. Data on COVID-19 infection were derived from a dedicated regional digital network. Results: The COVID-19 infection risk was increased in patients with Psoriatic Arthritis (adjIRR=1.21, 95% CI 1.10-1.33) and Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (adjIRR=1.26, 95% CI 1.03-1.54). The hospitalization risk was higher in patients with Axial Spondylarthritis (adjIRR=2.16, 95% CI 1.45-3.22), and Systemic Vasculitis (adjIRR=1.81, 95% CI 1.07-3.06) while intensive care unit admission risk was higher in Systemic Erythematosus Lupus (adjIRR=3.67, 95% CI 1.52-8.83) and primary Sjögren Syndrome (adjIRR=4.13, 95% CI 1.71-9.96) patients. Increased mortality was reported in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (adjIRR=1.50, 95% CI 1.04-2.17), Systemic Erythematosus Lupus (adjIRR=2.67, 95% CI 1.10-6.44), primary Sjögren Syndrome (adjIRR=2.51, 95% CI 1.12-5.62), and Scleroderma (adjIRR=4.60, 95% CI 2.06-10.29). Conclusions: Each SARDs presents a peculiar pattern in terms of increased risk of COVID-19 incidence, hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, and death, that is not linked to the immunosuppressive behaviour of the disease.
Tracing relapse clone reveals complex recurrence patterns of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Jia Mingzhu , Li Wei-Jing , Wang Chan-Jan , Gao Chao , Liu Wei , Zhang Rui-Dong , Cui Lei , Li Zhi-Gang
Published: May 2022

Purpose: The recurrence is a significant impediment to the cure of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We studied the correlation between the changes in the immunoglobulin (Ig)/T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement patterns and clinical characteristics in the relapsed ALL in children. To determine where the relapsed clone originated, we traced the rearrangements levels dynamically from the initial diagnosis to the relapse. Methods: We used multiplex polymerase reaction (PCR) to detect the Ig/TCR gene rearrangements at diagnosis and relapse. The real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RQ-PCR) was used to monitor quantitative levels. To further investigate the origin of relapsed clones, specific primers were designed based on the new rearrangements at relapse to detect the levels at diagnosis and during the treatment.Results: We found that patients with TCRD gene rearrangements were more likely to lose at relapse (P<0.05). Children with BCP-ALL immunophenotype, WBC<50×109/L and a better prednisone reaction on day eight (PR-8) are inclined to develop new rearrangements at relapse. In addition, children older than six years and relapse within 18 months had higher-level subclones at diagnosis (P<0.05). Finally, relapses with unchanged rearrangements (n=40) were caused by the drug resistance from original clones, with partial loss of rearrangements (n=20) were caused by clonal selection, with new rearrangements (n=25) originated from the initial subclone (9/11) and were the result of clonal selection, and a small proportion (2/11) of the possibility of clonal evolution.Conclusion: Most recurrent pediatric ALL originating from the subclones was caused by the clonal selection.
The DNA glycosylase NEIL2 plays a vital role in combating SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Hazra Tapas , Tapryal Nisha , Chakraborty Anirban , Rayavara Kempaiah , Wakamiya Maki , Islam Azharul , Pan Lang , Hsu Jason , Tat Vivian , Maruyama Junki , Hosoki Koa , Sayed Ibrahim , Alcantara Joshua , Castillo Vanessa , Tindle Courtney , Sarker Altaf , Cardenas Victor , Sharma Gulshan , Alexander Laura Crotty , Sur Sanjiv , Ghosh Gourisankar , Paessler Slobodan , Sahoo Debashis , Ghosh Pradipta , Das Soumita , Boldogh Istvan , Tseng Chien-Te
Published: May 2022

Compromised DNA repair capacity of individuals could play a critical role in the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced COVID-19. We therefore analyzed the expression of DNA repair genes in publicly available transcriptomic datasets of COVID-19 patients and found that the level of NEIL2, an oxidized base specific mammalian DNA glycosylase, is particularly low in the lungs of COVID-19 patients displaying severe symptoms. Downregulation of pulmonary NEIL2 in CoV-2-permissive animals and postmortem COVID-19 patients validated these results. To investigate the potential roles of NEIL2 in CoV-2 pathogenesis, we infected Neil2-null (Neil2−/−) mice with a mouse-adapted CoV-2 strain and found that Neil2−/− mice suffered more severe viral infection concomitant with increased expression of proinflammatory genes, which resulted in an enhanced mortality rate of 80%, up from 20% for the age matched Neil2+/+ cohorts. We also found that infected animals accumulated a significant amount of damage in their lung DNA. Surprisingly, recombinant NEIL2 delivered into permissive A549-ACE2 cells significantly decreased viral replication. Toward better understanding the mechanistic basis of how NEIL2 plays such a protective role against CoV-2 infection, we determined that NEIL2 specifically binds to the 5’-UTR of SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA and blocks protein synthesis. Together, our data suggest that NEIL2 plays a previously unidentified role in regulating CoV-2-induced pathogenesis, via inhibiting viral replication and preventing exacerbated proinflammatory responses, and also via its well-established role of repairing host genome damage.
In vivo antiplasmodial potential of Thaumatococcus danielli extracts (Benth.) against Plasmodium berghei
Authors: Olasope Mayowa Anifat , Ojuromi Oladele Teslim , Ajibaye Olusola , Ibidapo Comfort Adejoke
Published: May 2022

Elimination of malaria infection with available antimalarial drugs is threatened by resistance developed by Plasmodium species and requires alternative drugs. Thaumatococcus danielli leaves are traditionally used in some local communities in Nigeria to treat malaria. However, no scientific study has proven this claim. This study evaluated the antiplasmodial activity of T. danielli extracts in Swiss albino mice. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of the choice plant and acute toxicity of its extracts were performed followed by a suppressive test of plant extracts against Plasmodium berghei (NK-65 strain). Parasitaemia, temperature, weight, packed cell volume, and mean survival time of the mice were monitored during the test. Data analysis was executed with a one-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s posthoc test in Windows SPSS version 26.0. Ethyl acetate extract at 800mg/kg body weight had the highest suppressive effect of 67.37% in a dose-dependent pattern (p < 0.001). The extract also prevented the decrease in red blood cells, body temperature and caused an appreciable increase in weight (p > 0.05), making it an ideal antiplasmodial extract. Non-toxic extracts of the test plant had considerable antimalarial efficacy caused by detected phytochemicals associated with antimalarial activity. The bioassay of isolated and characterized active compound(s) of the test plant is necessary for the development of new antimalarial(s) from T. danielli leaves.
Optimization and Production of Holocellulosic Enzyme Cocktail from Fungi Aspergillus Nidulans under Solid-State Fermentation for the Production of Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate).
Authors: Naitam Mayur G. , Kaushik Rajeev , Tomar Govind Singh
Published: May 2022

Aspergillus nidulans was used in the present study to advance a low cost and efficient enzyme hydrolysis system for the generation of reducing sugars from the lignocellulosic biomass. The fungus was grown on the wheat straw with Reese mineral medium as a wetting agent for the production of the holocellulosic enzyme complex. The enzyme extract from A. nidulans showed maximum specific activity, CMCase 68.58 (± 0.55), FPase 12.0 (± 0.06), xylanase 27.17 (± 0.83) and β-glucosidase 1.89 (± 0.037) employing solid-state fermentation (SSF) at 30°C, pH 6.0 after 216 hr. Initial pH, incubation temperature and time were found to affect final enzyme activity significantly. Enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated paddy straw resulted in the release of reducing sugars (8.484 to 30.91 mg ml− 1), which were further used to produce poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) using halophilic bacterial isolates. 26.80% and 20.47% PHB of the cell dry weight was accumulated by the bacterium Burkholderia gladioli and Bacillus cereus, respectively. This indicates that the holocellulosic enzyme cocktail has a potential role in the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials and PHA production from cheaper feedstocks like an agricultural waste.
The Importance of Noise Attenuation Levels in Neonatal Incubators
Authors: Fernández-Zacarías Francisco , Puyana‐Romero Virginia , Hernández-Molina Ricardo
Published: May 2022

Background: It is known that high noise levels can be harmful to the preterm infant, causing physiological and psychological disorders. It is also known that premature babies spend a lot of time in an incubator. In this sense, many studies show that incubator noise levels can range from 45 dB to 70 dB. However, these differences in noise levels depend, fundamentally, on the methodology used, which a very varied. The aim of this study is to know the levels of noise from fan in the incubator itself and how much it is able to isolate the noises coming from the outside. Methods: It were characterized the acoustic behavior of several models of incubators. For this purpose it was measured the incubators noise level within an anechoic chamber. It was also used a 4224 pink noise generating source to determine the isolation levels of the incubators and one microphones inside the incubator and another one outside connect to a SVAN958 noise analyzer. Results: The incubators produced continuous equivalent noise levels of between 53.5 dB and 58 dB. The analysis of isolation showed that the level varied from one incubator to another, between 5.2 dB and 10.4 dB. In addition, the isolation level in one-third octave bands varied from one incubator model to another. Conclusions: Preterm infants in an incubator are exposed to noise levels very far from the international recommendations, even if the incubators are meeting the noise criteria set out in the IEC60601-2-19: 2009 standard of 60 dBA under normal use conditions.
Validity and Reliability of Arabic Translation of Social Media Infidelity-Related Behaviors Inventory (SMIRB)
Authors: Nagar zeinab mohamed El , Aufa: Ola Mohamad , Mohamed Mohamed Youssef
Published: May 2022

BackgroundThere are rising interests in social media research in Arabic countries.Aim of the work:To estimate the reliability, construct validity and factor analysis of the Social Media Infidelity-Related Behaviors Inventory (SMIRB) which constitutes 14 questions form the 7 main items, after translating it to Arabic. Participants and MethodsThe English version of SMIRB was translated into Arabic and verified by 47 bilingual experts. The Arabic version was conducted in electronic format to 269 (females & males, age from 18–60 years old) Egyptian participants who were members at Egyptians social media sites and chat-rooms and were selected randomly. Participants were reassessed 4 weeks after the initial administration of the scale. The Statistical analysis was performed to test-retest reliability, item internal consistency (IIC), interclass correlation (ICC), factor analysis and construct validity.ResultsCronbach’s a coefficient to assess (IIC) was found to be 0.90 and satisfactory for the 14 items constitute SMIRB. It’s14 items met the IIC requirement of correlation ≥ with high ICC (0.965, 95% C.I. (0.954–0.974), p < 0.001. The results indicated good repeatability of the SMIRB and construct validity. Factor analysis revealed good construct validity with one-factor solution strong factors emerged with the same construct, accounting for 51.63% of the variance. Each item loaded highly (≥ 0.45) on the corresponding factor.ConclusionThe Arabic translation of SMIRB is an acceptable, reliable, and valid translated measure to assess the infidelity related behaviors due to social media use. We expect that it will be used widely in Egypt and Arab countries.
Reduced expression of SFRP1 is associated with poor prognosis and promotes cell proliferation in breast cancer – An integrated bioinformatics approach
Authors: Suganya Kanagaraj , Sudha Balraj , Poornima Arumugam , Kumar Nachimuthu Senthil , Sumathi Sundaravadivelu
Published: May 2022

Breast carcinoma is the most frequent form of malignancy in women globally. Exploration of the breast cancer genome tiled the way for the validation of novel cancer biomarkers and to explore various mechanisms involved in the progression of carcinogenesis. The purpose of the research is to find an identification of potential gene linked to breast cancer (BC) progression and prognosis. Three datasets (GSE71053, GSE61724, GSE36295) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. An integrated analysis of several gene expression profile datasets was used to find differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in BC and normal breast tissue samples. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was used to verify hub genes associated to the pathogenesis and prognosis of BC. The functional enrichment and pathway analysis was performed by FunRich, and cBioPortal. The expression pattern was assessed using COSMIC, GEPIA2 and BC-GenExMiner. The results, revealed that among the hub genes, Secreted Frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) was a negative regulator of the Wnt pathway in breast cancer. Loss of SFRP1 may result in abnormal cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion, may trigger cancer cells, leading to progression of the disease, poor prognosis, and therapy resistance. Lastly, the Kaplan–Meier plotter online database demonstrated that expression levels of the SFRP1 gene were related to lower survival. The findings of this research would provide some directive significance for further investigating the diagnostic and prognostic biomarker to facilitate the molecular targeting therapy of breast cancer; SFRP1 expression may be effective as a novel prognostic biomarker in early breast cancer.