bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stroke profile and care during the COVID-19 pandemic: What changed and what did not? A prospective cohort from Joinville, Brazil
Authors: dos Reis Felipe Ibiapina , de Magalhães Pedro Silva Correa , Diegoli Henrique , Longo Alexandre Luiz , Moro Carla Heloisa Cabral , Safanelli Juliana Antunes , Nagel Vivian , Lange Marcos Christiano , Zétola Viviane Flumignan
Published: February 2023

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has wrought negative consequences concerning quality of care for stroke patients since its onset. Prospective population-based data about stroke care in the pandemic are limited. This study aims to investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on stroke profile and care in Joinville, Brazil.

Methods

A prospective population-based cohort enrolled the first-ever cerebrovascular events in Joinville, Brazil, and a comparative analyzes was conducted between the first 12 months following COVID-19 restrictions (starting March 2020) and the 12 months just before. Patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke had their profiles, incidences, subtypes, severity, access to reperfusion therapy, in-hospital stay, complementary investigation, and mortality compared.

Results

The profiles of TIA/stroke patients in both periods were similar, with no differences in gender, age, severity, or comorbidities. There was a reduction in incidence of TIA (32.8%; p = 0.003). In both periods, intravenous thrombolysis (IV) and mechanical thrombectomy (MT) rates and intervals from door to IV/MT were similar. Patients with cardioembolic stroke and atrial fibrillation had their in-hospital stay abbreviated. The etiologic investigation was similar before and during the pandemic, but there were increases in cranial tomographies (p = 0.02), transthoracic echocardiograms (p = 0.001), chest X-rays (p < 0.001) and transcranial Doppler ultrasounds (p < 0.001). The number of cranial magnetic resonance imaging decreased in the pandemic. In-hospital mortality did not change.

Discussion

The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with a reduction in TIA, without any influence on stroke profile, the quality of stroke care, in-hospital investigation or mortality. Our findings show an effective response by the local stroke care system and offer convincing evidence that interdisciplinary efforts are the ideal approach to avoiding the COVID-19 pandemic's negative effects, even with scarce resources.
Prevalence and risk factors for abnormal tandem gait in patients with essential tremor syndrome: A cross-sectional study in Southwest China
Authors: Huang Hongyan , He Xianghua , Shen Qiuyan , Zhang Dan , Bao Yi , Xu Fang , Luo Anling , Liu Ling , Yang Xinglong , Xu Yanming
Published: February 2023

Objectives

Patients with essential tremor (ET) syndrome have more prevalent and more serious gait and balance impairments than healthy controls. In this cross-sectional study, we explored whether balance impairments are associated with falls as well as more pronounced non-motor symptoms in patients with ET syndrome.

Methods

We assessed the tandem gait (TG) test, as well as falls or near-falls that occurred over the previous year. Non-motor symptoms—including cognitive deficits, psychological and sleep disorders—were evaluated. In univariate analyses, statistical significance was corrected for multiple comparisons using the Benjamini–Hochberg method. Multiple logistic regression was utilized to evaluate the risk factors of poor TG performance in patients with ET syndrome.

Results

A total of 358 patients with ET syndrome were divided into the abnormal TG (a-TG) and normal TG (n-TG) groups based on their performances in the TG test. We revealed that 47.2% of patients with ET syndrome had a-TG. The patients with a-TG were older, were more likely female, and were more likely present with cranial tremors and falls or near-falls (all adjusted P < 0.01). The patients with a-TG had significantly lower Mini-Mental Status Examination scores, as well as significantly higher Hamilton Depression/Anxiety Rating Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores. Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that female sex (OR 1.913, 95% CI: 1.180–3.103), age (OR 1.050, 95% CI: 1.032–1.068), cranial tremor scores (OR 1.299, 95% CI: 1.095–1.542), a history of falls or near-falls (OR 2.952, 95% CI: 1.558–5.594), and the presence of depressive symptoms (OR 1.679, 95% CI: 1.034–2.726) were associated with the occurrence of a-TG in patients with ET syndrome.

Conclusion

TG abnormalities may be a predictor of fall risk in patients with ET syndrome and are associated with non-motor symptoms, especially depression.
Failure of motor function—A Developmental Embodiment Research perspective on the systemic effects of stress
Authors: Krüger Melanie , Lux Vanessa
Published: February 2023

Humans are capable to skillfully perform a huge variety of complex movements seemingly effortless and to flexibly adjust movement execution to ever-changing environmental conditions, often without apparent differences in the movement outcome. This impressive ability has sparked scientific interest in the mechanisms underlying movement execution for decades. In this perspective article, we argue that investigating the processes and mechanisms leading to failure of motor functions is a fruitful approach to advance the field of human motor neuroscience and beyond. The study of failure of motor function in specific populations (patient groups, skilled experts) has already provided tremendous insight in the systemic characteristics and multi-level functional dependencies of movement execution. However, particularly the transient failure of function in everyday motor actions remains a blind spot. Coming from the perspective of Developmental Embodiment Research, we argue that the integration of a developmental embodiment and lifespan perspective with existing systemic and multi-level methodological approaches of failure of function analyses provides an integrative, interdisciplinary framework, which will allow us to overcome this shortcoming. We further suggest that stress-induced failure of motor function situations might represent a promising starting point for this endeavor. Identifying the involved cross-level functional dependencies of acute and chronic stress on transient and persistent motor functioning would further advance our knowledge on the mechanisms underlying movement execution, and would allow to identify targets for intervention and prevention across the whole spectrum of motor function and failure.
Generating dynamic carbon-dioxide traces from respiration-belt recordings: Feasibility using neural networks and application in functional magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Agrawal Vismay , Zhong Xiaole Z. , Chen J. Jean
Published: February 2023

Introduction

In the context of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), carbon dioxide (CO2) is a well-known vasodilator that has been widely used to monitor and interrogate vascular physiology. Moreover, spontaneous fluctuations in end-tidal carbon dioxide (PETCO2) reflects changes in arterial CO2 and has been demonstrated as the largest physiological noise source for denoising the low-frequency range of the resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) signal. However, the majority of rs-fMRI studies do not involve CO2 recordings, and most often only heart rate and respiration are recorded. While the intrinsic link between these latter metrics and CO2 led to suggested possible analytical models, they have not been widely applied.

Methods

In this proof-of-concept study, we propose a deep-learning (DL) approach to reconstruct CO2 and PETCO2 data from respiration waveforms in the resting state.

Results

We demonstrate that the one-to-one mapping between respiration and CO2 recordings can be well predicted using fully convolutional networks (FCNs), achieving a Pearson correlation coefficient (r) of 0.946 ± 0.056 with the ground truth CO2. Moreover, dynamic PETCO2 can be successfully derived from the predicted CO2, achieving r of 0.512 ± 0.269 with the ground truth. Importantly, the FCN-based methods outperform previously proposed analytical methods. In addition, we provide guidelines for quality assurance of respiration recordings for the purposes of CO2 prediction.

Discussion

Our results demonstrate that dynamic CO2 can be obtained from respiration-volume using neural networks, complementing the still few reports in DL of physiological fMRI signals, and paving the way for further research in DL based bio-signal processing.
Imaging mitochondria through bone in live mice using two-photon fluorescence microscopy with adaptive optics
Authors: Zheng Tianyi , Liversage Adrian R. , Tehrani Kayvan F. , Call Jarrod A. , Kner Peter A. , Mortensen Luke J.
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Mitochondria are extremely important organelles in the regulation of bone marrow and brain activity. However, live imaging of these subcellular features with high resolution in scattering tissues like brain or bone has proven challenging.

Methods

In this study, we developed a two-photon fluorescence microscope with adaptive optics (TPFM-AO) for high-resolution imaging, which uses a home-built Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWFS) to correct system aberrations and a sensorless approach for correcting low order tissue aberrations.

Results

Using AO increases the fluorescence intensity of the point spread function (PSF) and achieves fast imaging of subcellular organelles with 400 nm resolution through 85 μm of highly scattering tissue. We achieved ~1.55×, ~3.58×, and ~1.77× intensity increases using AO, and a reduction of the PSF width by ~0.83×, ~0.74×, and ~0.9× at the depths of 0, 50 μm and 85 μm in living mouse bone marrow respectively, allowing us to characterize mitochondrial health and the survival of functioning cells with a field of view of 67.5× 67.5 μm. We also investigate the role of initial signal and background levels in sample correction quality by varying the laser power and camera exposure time and develop an intensity-based criteria for sample correction.

Discussion

This study demonstrates a promising tool for imaging of mitochondria and other organelles in optically distorting biological environments, which could facilitate the study of a variety of diseases connected to mitochondrial morphology and activity in a range of biological tissues.
From attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder to sporadic Alzheimer’s disease—Wnt/mTOR pathways hypothesis
Authors: Grünblatt Edna , Homolak Jan , Babic Perhoc Ana , Davor Virag , Knezovic Ana , Osmanovic Barilar Jelena , Riederer Peter , Walitza Susanne , Tackenberg Christian , Salkovic-Petrisic Melita
Published: February 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder with the majority of patients classified as sporadic AD (sAD), in which etiopathogenesis remains unresolved. Though sAD is argued to be a polygenic disorder, apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4, was found three decades ago to pose the strongest genetic risk for sAD. Currently, the only clinically approved disease-modifying drugs for AD are aducanumab (Aduhelm) and lecanemab (Leqembi). All other AD treatment options are purely symptomatic with modest benefits. Similarly, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is one of the most common neurodevelopmental mental disorders in children and adolescents, acknowledged to persist in adulthood in over 60% of the patients. Moreover, for ADHD whose etiopathogenesis is not completely understood, a large proportion of patients respond well to treatment (first-line psychostimulants, e.g., methylphenidate/MPH), however, no disease-modifying therapy exists. Interestingly, cognitive impairments, executive, and memory deficits seem to be common in ADHD, but also in early stages of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia, including sAD. Therefore, one of many hypotheses is that ADHD and sAD might have similar origins or that they intercalate with one another, as shown recently that ADHD may be considered a risk factor for sAD. Intriguingly, several overlaps have been shown between the two disorders, e.g., inflammatory activation, oxidative stress, glucose and insulin pathways, wingless-INT/mammalian target of rapamycin (Wnt/mTOR) signaling, and altered lipid metabolism. Indeed, Wnt/mTOR activities were found to be modified by MPH in several ADHD studies. Wnt/mTOR was also found to play a role in sAD and in animal models of the disorder. Moreover, MPH treatment in the MCI phase was shown to be successful for apathy including some improvement in cognition, according to a recent meta-analysis. In several AD animal models, ADHD-like behavioral phenotypes have been observed indicating a possible interconnection between ADHD and AD. In this concept paper, we will discuss the various evidence in human and animal models supporting the hypothesis in which ADHD might increase the risk for sAD, with common involvement of the Wnt/mTOR-pathway leading to lifespan alteration at the neuronal levels.
SCTN: Event-based object tracking with energy-efficient deep convolutional spiking neural networks
Authors: Ji Mingcheng , Wang Ziling , Yan Rui , Liu Qingjie , Xu Shu , Tang Huajin
Published: February 2023

Event cameras are asynchronous and neuromorphically inspired visual sensors, which have shown great potential in object tracking because they can easily detect moving objects. Since event cameras output discrete events, they are inherently suitable to coordinate with Spiking Neural Network (SNN), which has a unique event-driven computation characteristic and energy-efficient computing. In this paper, we tackle the problem of event-based object tracking by a novel architecture with a discriminatively trained SNN, called the Spiking Convolutional Tracking Network (SCTN). Taking a segment of events as input, SCTN not only better exploits implicit associations among events rather than event-wise processing, but also fully utilizes precise temporal information and maintains the sparse representation in segments instead of frames. To make SCTN more suitable for object tracking, we propose a new loss function that introduces an exponential Intersection over Union (IoU) in the voltage domain. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first tracking network directly trained with SNN. Besides, we present a new event-based tracking dataset, dubbed DVSOT21. In contrast to other competing trackers, experimental results on DVSOT21 demonstrate that our method achieves competitive performance with very low energy consumption compared to ANN based trackers with very low energy consumption compared to ANN based trackers. With lower energy consumption, tracking on neuromorphic hardware will reveal its advantage.
Drosophila melanogaster as a versatile model organism to study genetic epilepsies: An overview
Authors: Fischer Florian P. , Karge Robin A. , Weber Yvonne G. , Koch Henner , Wolking Stefan , Voigt Aaron
Published: February 2023

Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent neurological disorders, affecting more than 45 million people worldwide. Recent advances in genetic techniques, such as next-generation sequencing, have driven genetic discovery and increased our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms behind many epilepsy syndromes. These insights prompt the development of personalized therapies tailored to the genetic characteristics of an individual patient. However, the surging number of novel genetic variants renders the interpretation of pathogenetic consequences and of potential therapeutic implications ever more challenging. Model organisms can help explore these aspects in vivo. In the last decades, rodent models have significantly contributed to our understanding of genetic epilepsies but their establishment is laborious, expensive, and time-consuming. Additional model organisms to investigate disease variants on a large scale would be desirable. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has been used as a model organism in epilepsy research since the discovery of “bang-sensitive” mutants more than half a century ago. These flies respond to mechanical stimulation, such as a brief vortex, with stereotypic seizures and paralysis. Furthermore, the identification of seizure-suppressor mutations allows to pinpoint novel therapeutic targets. Gene editing techniques, such as CRISPR/Cas9, are a convenient way to generate flies carrying disease-associated variants. These flies can be screened for phenotypic and behavioral abnormalities, shifting of seizure thresholds, and response to anti-seizure medications and other substances. Moreover, modification of neuronal activity and seizure induction can be achieved using optogenetic tools. In combination with calcium and fluorescent imaging, functional alterations caused by mutations in epilepsy genes can be traced. Here, we review Drosophila as a versatile model organism to study genetic epilepsies, especially as 81% of human epilepsy genes have an orthologous gene in Drosophila. Furthermore, we discuss newly established analysis techniques that might be used to further unravel the pathophysiological aspects of genetic epilepsies.
Hybrid meat products and co-creation: What do consumers say, feel and think?
Authors: Ryder Chris , Jaworska Sylvia , Grasso Simona
Published: February 2023

Introduction

What consumers say about food and what kind of words they use to do so offers direct insights into their perceptions, preferences, reasoning, and emotions.

Methods

This study explores evaluations of hybrid meat products of 2,405 consumers from England, Denmark, and Spain. As part of a large survey, consumers were prompted to note down four words that come to mind when they read a description of a hybrid meat product, and then again after they were involved in a hypothetical co-creation task of a hybrid meat product. 18,697 words and phrases of language material was processed using computational corpus-based analysis and manual classification into semantic categories including: Evaluation, Sensory, Production, Emotion, Diets, Quality, Ethics, and Other.

Results

Consumers consider many dimensions when it comes to the evaluation of hybrid meat products including ethical conduct and sustainability. For all three languages, the number of positive words increased and the number of negative words decreased significantly (p < 0.001) following the co-creation task, suggesting that consumers see such products very positively once they are more familiar with them and know more about the ingredients. Subcategories that received most words include: taste, ingredients, healthiness, naturalness, innovation, and environment, implying that these areas are of most importance when it comes to the evaluation of hybrid meat products. The concept of nutrition (especially words pointing to positive aspects such as “rich in vitamins”, “nutritious”) also rose significantly in use after co-creation.

Discussion

The study reveals consumers’ vocabulary of hybrid meat products across the three countries and offers important insights for food producers to help them create innovative products that better align with consumers’ perceptions and expectations.
Prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with COPD through different musculature measurements: An updated meta-analysis and meta-regression
Authors: He Jie , Li Hezhi , Yao Jun , Wang Yan
Published: February 2023

Aim

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients vary widely in terms of the prevalence of sarcopenia, which is partially attributed to differences in diagnostic criteria and disease severity. There are several different musculature measurements that are used to quantify sarcopenia. This study included published literature for meta-analysis to assess the sarcopenia prevalence in COPD patients and correlate the disease with the clinical characteristics of such patients.

Methods

A comprehensive review of the English and Chinese literature on sarcopenia prevalence in COPD patients was conducted using electronic databases such as China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, and Wanfang. Two researchers analyzed the studies for Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The software Stata 11.0 was employed for the analysis of the acquired data. The standard mean differences method was utilized for the estimation and quantification of the effect size. Furthermore, a fixed- or random-effects model was employed for conducting a combined analysis.

Results

In total, 56 studies were included as per the specific inclusion criteria. The resulting data of the assessed COPD patients in this research indicated a 27% prevalence of sarcopenia. Further analysis of subgroups was executed per disease severity, ethnicity, diagnostic criteria, gender, and age. Per these findings, increased disease severity elevated the prevalence of sarcopenia. The Latin American and Caucasian populations indicated an increased prevalence of sarcopenia. In addition, the prevalence of sarcopenia was related to diagnostic criteria and definition. Male COPD patients had a higher prevalence of sarcopenia than female COPD patients. COPD patients with an average age greater than 65 had a slightly higher prevalence of sarcopenia. COPD patients with comorbid sarcopenia had poorer pulmonary function, activity tolerance, and clinical symptoms than patients with COPD alone.

Conclusion

Sarcopenia prevalence is high (27%) in COPD patients. In addition, these patients had worse pulmonary function and activity tolerance compared to patients without sarcopenia.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=367422, identifier CRD42022367422.
Development of a hepatocellular carcinoma imaging database and structured imaging reports based on PACS, HIS, and repository
Authors: Shi Yushu , Tao Yufeng , Li Jing , Li Zhi , Zhang Rui , Chen Feng
Published: February 2023

Purpose

To establish a hepatocellular carcinoma imaging database and structured imaging reports based on PACS, HIS, and repository.

Methods

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board. The steps of establishing the database are as follows: 1) According to the standards required for the intelligent diagnosis of HCC, it was attempted to design the corresponding functional modules after analyzing the requirements; 2) Based on client/server (C/S) mode, 3-tier architecture model was adopted. A user interface (UI) could receive data entered by users and show handled data. Business logic layer (BLL) could process the business logic of the data, and data access layer (DAL) could save the data in the database. The storage and management of HCC imaging data could be realized by the SQLSERVER database management software, and Delphi and VC++ programming languages were used.

Results

The test results showed that the proposed database could swiftly obtain the pathological, clinical, and imaging data of HCC from the picture archiving and communication system (PACS) and hospital information system (HIS), and perform data storage and visualization of structured imaging reports. According to the HCC imaging data, liver imaging reporting and data system (LI-RADS) assessment, standardized staging, and intelligent imaging analysis were carried out on the high-risk population to establish a one-stop imaging evaluation platform for HCC, strongly supporting clinicians in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Conclusions

The establishment of a HCC imaging database can not only provide a huge amount of imaging data for the basic and clinical research on HCC, but also facilitate the scientific management and quantitative assessment of HCC. Besides, a HCC imaging database is advantageous for personalized treatment and follow-up of HCC patients.
Development of a nomogram to predict the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis on antivirals
Authors: Shi Ke , Li Ping , Zhang Qun , Zhang Yi , Bi Yufei , Zeng Xuanwei , Wang Xianbo
Published: February 2023

Objective

Patients with compensated hepatitis B-related cirrhosis receiving antivirals are at the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting the incidence of HCC in patients with hepatitis-B related cirrhosis.

Design

A total of 632 patients with compensated hepatitis-B related cirrhosis treated with entecavir or tenofovir between August 2010 and July 2018 were enrolled. Cox regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for HCC and a nomogram was developed using these factors. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analyses were used to evaluate the nomogram performance. The results were validated in an external cohort (n = 324).

Results

In the multivariate analysis, age per 10 years, neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio > 1.6, and platelet count < 86×109/L were independent predictors of HCC occurrence. A nomogram was developed to predict HCC risk using these three factors (ranging from 0 to 20). The nomogram showed better performance (AUC: 0.83) than that of the established models (all P < 0.05). The 3-year cumulative HCC incidences in the low- (scores < 4), medium- (4–10), and high-risk (> 10) subgroups were 0.7%, 4.3%, and 17.7%, respectively, in the derivation cohort, and 1.2%, 3.9%, and 17.8%, respectively, in the validation cohort.

Conclusion

The nomogram showed good discrimination and calibration in estimating HCC risk in patients with hepatitis-B related cirrhosis on antivirals. High-risk patients with a score > 10 points require close surveillance.
The multiple combination of Paclitaxel, Ramucirumab and Elacridar reverses the paclitaxel-mediated resistance in gastric cancer cell lines
Authors: Schirizzi Annalisa , Contino Marialessandra , Carrieri Livianna , Riganti Chiara , De Leonardis Giampiero , Scavo Maria Principia , Perrone Maria Grazia , Miciaccia Morena , Kopecka Joanna , Refolo Maria Grazia , Lotesoriere Claudio , Depalo Nicoletta , Rizzi Federica , Giannelli Gianluigi , Messa Caterina , D’Alessandro Rosalba
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Paclitaxel (PTX) interferes with microtubule architecture by binding to β-tubulin, thereby blocking progression at the G2/M phase and inducing apoptosis. This study aimed to investigate molecular processes underlying PTX-mediated resistance in gastric cancer (GC) cells.

Methods

PTX-mediated resistance involves many processes, and in this work some of the factors involved in the resistance mechanism were identified by comparing two GC lines with PTX induced resistance to their sensitive counterparts.

Results

Thus, the key feature of PTX-resistant cells was the overexpression of pro-angiogenic factors such as VEGFA, VEGFC, and Ang2, known to support tumor cell growth. A second relevant change detected in PTX-resistant lines was the elevated level of TUBβIII, a tubulin isoform that opposes microtubule stabilization. A third identified factor contributing to PTX-resistance was P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a transporter responsible for chemotherapy efflux from the cells, highly expressed in PTX-resistant lines.

Discussion

These findings were in line with a greater sensitivity of resistant cells to treatment with both Ramucirumab and Elacridar. Ramucirumab significantly reduced the expression of angiogenic molecules and TUBβIII, while Elacridar restored the access of chemotherapy, recovering its anti-mitotic and pro-apoptotic effects. Finally, this study highlighted the role played by exosomes in spreading factors responsible for resistance in the tumor microenvironment.
Quantitative analysis of artificial intelligence on liver cancer: A bibliometric analysis
Authors: Xiong Ming , Xu Yaona , Zhao Yang , He Si , Zhu Qihan , Wu Yi , Hu Xiaofei , Liu Li
Published: February 2023

Objective

To provide the current research progress, hotspots, and emerging trends for AI in liver cancer, we have compiled a relative comprehensive and quantitative report on the research of liver disease using artificial intelligence by employing bibliometrics in this study.

Methods

In this study, the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database was used to perform systematic searches using keywords and a manual screening strategy, VOSviewer was used to analyze the degree of cooperation between countries/regions and institutions, as well as the co-occurrence of cooperation between authors and cited authors. Citespace was applied to generate a dual map to analyze the relationship of citing journals and citied journals and conduct a strong citation bursts ranking analysis of references. Online SRplot was used for in-depth keyword analysis and Microsoft Excel 2019 was used to collect the targeted variables from retrieved articles.

Results

1724 papers were collected in this study, including 1547 original articles and 177 reviews. The study of AI in liver cancer mostly began from 2003 and has developed rapidly from 2017. China has the largest number of publications, and the United States has the highest H-index and total citation counts. The top three most productive institutions are the League of European Research Universities, Sun Yat Sen University, and Zhejiang University. Jasjit S. Suri and Frontiers in Oncology are the most published author and journal, respectively. Keyword analysis showed that in addition to the research on liver cancer, research on liver cirrhosis, fatty liver disease, and liver fibrosis were also common. Computed tomography was the most used diagnostic tool, followed by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. The diagnosis and differential diagnosis of liver cancer are currently the most widely adopted research goals, and comprehensive analyses of multi-type data and postoperative analysis of patients with advanced liver cancer are rare. The use of convolutional neural networks is the main technical method used in studies of AI on liver cancer.

Conclusion

AI has undergone rapid development and has a wide application in the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases, especially in China. Imaging is an indispensable tool in this filed. Mmulti-type data fusion analysis and development of multimodal treatment plans for liver cancer could become the major trend of future research in AI in liver cancer.
Socioeconomic inequality in overweight/obesity among US children: NHANES 2001 to 2018
Authors: Traore Stanislav Seydou , Bo Yacong , Kou Guangning , Lyu Quanjun
Published: February 2023

Background

Previous research has found that the prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity varies depending on household income, ethnicity, and sex. The goal of our research is to examine changes over time in socioeconomic inequality and the prevalence of overweight/obesity among American children under five by sex and ethnicity.

Methods

This cross-sectional analysis used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) collected from 2001–02 to 2017–18. Overweight/obesity in children under five [Body Mass Index (BMI)-for-age z-score >2 standard deviations] was defined according to the World Health Organization (WHO) growth reference standard. The slope inequality index (SII) and the concentration index (CIX) were used to measure the socioeconomic inequality in overweight/obesity.

Results

Between 2001–02 and 2011–12, childhood overweight/obesity in the United States decreased from 7.3% to 6.3%, and had increased to 8.1% by 2017–18. However, this pattern varied widely by ethnicity and sex. For both the 2015–16 and 2017–18 surveys, overweight/obesity was more concentrated in the poorest household quintile for overall Caucasian children ((SII = −11.83, IC 95% = −23.17, −0.49 and CIX = −7.368, IC 95% = −13.92, −0.82) and (SII = −11.52, IC 95% = −22.13, −0.91 and CIX = −7.24, IC 95% = −13.27, −1.21), respectively) and for males of other ethnicities [(SII = −13.93, IC 95% = −26.95, −0.92) and CIX = −8.55, IC 95% = −0.86, −16.25] and (SII = −21.19, IC 95% = −40.65, −1.74) and CIX = −13.11, IC 95% = −1.42, −24.80), respectively). In the last three surveys, overweight/obesity was also more concentrated in the poorest household quintile for the overall children of other ethnicities. With the exception of African American females in the 2013–14 survey, for whom overweight/obesity was significantly concentrated in a quintile of the richest households (SII = 12.60, 95% CI = 0.24, 24.97 and CIX = 7.86, 95% CI = 15.59, 0.12); overweight/obesity was found to be concentrated in the richest household quintile for overall African American children, but not significantly so.

Conclusions

Our findings give an update and reinforce the notion that overweight/obesity in children under the age of five has increased and that related wealth inequalities are a public health problem in the United States.
Effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on motor function and language ability in cerebral palsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Sun Ying-Ying , Wang Lei , Peng Jin-lin , Huang Yi-jie , Qiao Fu-qiang , Wang Pu
Published: February 2023

Objective

This review was conducted to assess the quality of the evidence of effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in treating motor and language ability of cerebral palsy (CP).

Method

Medline, Cochrane library, Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, and CNKI databases were searched up to July 2021 by two independent reviewers. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that were published in English and Chinese and met the following criteria were included. The population comprised patients who met the diagnostic criteria for CP. Intervention included the following: comparison about rTMS and sham rTMS or comparison about rTMS combine with other physical therapy and other physical therapy. Outcomes included motor function, as follows: gross motor function measure (GMFM), Gesell Development Diagnosis Scale, fine motor function measure (FMFM), Peabody developmental motor scale, and Modified Ashworth scale. For language ability, sign-significant relation (S-S) was included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale.

Results

Finally, 29 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results of evaluation using the Cochrane Collaborative Network Bias Risk Assessment Scale showed that 19 studies specifically explained randomization, among which two studies described allocation concealment, four studies blinded participants and persons and had low risk of bias, and six studies explained that the assessment of outcome measures was blinded. Significant improvements in motor function were observed. The GMFM of total score was determined by using the random-effect model [I2 = 88%; MD = −1.03; 95% CI (−1.35, −0.71); P < 0.0001] and FMFM was determined by using the fixed-effect model [P = 0.40 and I2 = 3%; SMDs = −0.48, 95% CI (−0.65, −0.30); P < 0.01]. For language ability, the language improvement rate was determined using a fixed-effect model [P = 0.88 and I2 = 0%; MD = 0.37, 95% CI (0.23, 0.57); P < 0.01]. According to the PEDro scale, 10 studies had low-quality, four studies had excellent quality, and the other studies had good quality. Using the GRADEpro GDT online tool, we included a total of 31 outcome indicators, as follows: 22 for low quality, seven for moderate quality, and two for very low quality.

Conclusion

The rTMS could improve the motor function and language ability of patients with CP. However, rTMS prescriptions varied, and the studies had low sample sizes. Studies using rigorous and standard research designs about prescriptions and large samples are needed to collect sufficient evidence about the effectiveness of using rTMS to treat patients with CP.
The rapid inhibition of B-cell activation markers by belimumab was associated with disease control in systemic lupus erythematosus patients
Authors: Wang Jing , Ju Bomiao , Zhu Li , Li Hanchao , Luo Jing , Zhang Jing , Hu Nan , Mo Lingfei , Wang Yanhua , Pan Ying , Huang Jing , Lv Xiaohong , Pu Dan , Hao Zhiming , He Lan , Li Yuanyuan
Published: February 2023

Objective: To examine the kinetics of B cell subsets and activation markers in the early stage of belimumab treatment and their correction with treatment response.

Methods: We enrolled 27 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients receiving 6 months belimumab treatment. Flow cytometry was used to test their B cell subsets and activation markers (including CD40, CD80, CD95, CD21low, CD22, p-SYK and p-AKT).

Results: During belimumab treatment, SLEDAI-2K declined, the proportions of CD19+ B cells and naïve B cells decreased, whereas the switched memory B cells and non-switched B cells increased. The larger variations of the B cell subsets and the activation markers were in the first 1 month than the other later time frames. The ratio of p-SYK/p-AKT on non-switched B cell at 1 month was associated with the SLEDAI-2K decline rate in the 6 months of belimumab treatment.

Conclusion: B cell hyperactivity was rapidly inhibited in the early stage of belimumab treatment, and the ratio of p-SYK/p-AKT may predict SLEDAI-2K decline.

Clinical Trial Registration:https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04893161?term=NCT04893161&draw=2&rank=1; identifier: NCT04893161.
Efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of etanercept biosimilars versus reference biologics in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A meta-analysis
Authors: Hu Rui , Yuan Tao , Wang Hui , Zhao Jianglin , Shi Liya , Li Quankai , Zhu Chunmei , Su Na , Zhang Shengzhao
Published: February 2023

Background: Although with the application of etanercept biosimilars in the field of rheumatoid arthritis, the evidences of their efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity are still limited. We conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of etanercept biosimilars for treating active rheumatoid arthritis compared to reference biologics (Enbrel®).

Methods: PubMed, Embase, Central, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for randomized controlled trials of etanercept biosimilars treated in adult patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis from their earliest records to 15 August 2022. The outcomes included ACR20, ACR50, and ACR70 response rate at different time points from FAS or PPS, adverse events, and proportion of patients developed anti-drug antibodies. The risk of bias of each included study was assessed using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias in Randomised Trials tool, and the certainty of evidence was rated according to the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation.

Results: Six RCTs with 2432 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Etanercept biosimilars showed more benefits in ACR50 at 24 weeks from PPS [5 RCTs, OR = 1.22 (1.01, 1.47), p = 0.04, I2 = 49%, high certainty], ACR50 at 1 year from PPS [3 RCTs, OR = 1.43 (1.10, 1.86), p < 0.01, I2 = 0%, high certainty] or FAS [2 RCTs, OR = 1.36 (1.04, 1.78), p = 0.03, I2 = 0%, high certainty], and ACR70 at 1 year from PPS [3 RCTs, OR = 1.32 (1.01, 1.71), p = 0.04, I2 = 0%, high certainty]. In terms of other outcomes about efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity, the results showed that there was no significant difference between etanercept biosimilars and reference biologics, and the certainty of evidences ranged from low to moderate.

Conclusion: Etanercept biosimilars showed more benefits in ACR50 response rate at 1 year than reference biologics (Enbrel®), other outcomes for clinical efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of etanercept biosimilars were comparable with originator in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO, identifier CRD42022358709
Comprehensive analysis illustrating the role of PANoptosis-related genes in lung cancer based on bioinformatic algorithms and experiments
Authors: Wei Shiyou , Chen Zhigang , Ling Xinyu , Zhang Wentian , Jiang Lei
Published: February 2023

Background: Recently, PANoptosis has aroused the interest of researchers for its role in cancers. However, the studies that investigated PANoptosis in lung cancer are still few.

Methods: The public data were mainly collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus database. R software was utilized for the analysis of public data. Quantitative real-time (qRT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to measure the RNA level of FADD. The cell proliferation ability was evaluated using the CCK8, colony formation, and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) assays. Western blot was used to detect the protein level of specific molecules. Flow cytometry analysis and TUNEL staining were used to evaluate cell apoptosis.

Results: In our study, we collected the PANoptosis-related genes from previous studies. Through series analysis, we identified the FADD, an adaptor of PANoptosis and apoptosis, for further analysis. Results showed that FADD is one of the prominent risk factors in lung cancer, mainly localized in nucleoplasm and cytosol. We next performed immune infiltration analysis and biological enrichment to illustrate the underlying cause of FADD in lung cancer. Subsequently, we discovered that the patients with a high level of FADD might respond worse to immunotherapy but better to AICAR, bortezomib, docetaxel, and gemcitabine. In vitro experiments indicated that inhibiting FADD could reduce significantly the ability of cancerous lung cells to proliferate. Meanwhile, we found that the knockdown of FADD promotes the apoptosis and pyroptosis. Ultimately, a prognosis signature was identified based on the FADD-regulated genes, which showed satisfactory prediction efficiency on patients with lung cancer.

Conclusion: Our result can provide a novel direction for future studies focused on the role of PANoptosis in lung cancer.
Protective effect of compatible herbs in Jin-Gu-Lian formula against Alangium chinense-induced neurotoxicity via oxidative stress, neurotransmitter metabolisms, and pharmacokinetics
Authors: Lian Dongyin , Chen Tengfei , Yan Lihua , Hou Hongping , Gao Shuangrong , Hu Qin , Zhang Guangping , Li Han , Song Ling , Gao Yunhang , Pu Yunxi , Chen Ying , Peng Bo
Published: February 2023

Background:A. chinense frequently used in Miao medicine to treat rheumatic diseases. However, as a famous toxic herb, Alangium chinense and its representative components exhibit ineluctable neurotoxicity, thus creating significant challenges for clinical application. The combined application with compatible herbs in Jin-Gu-Lian formula attenuates such neurotoxicity according to the compatible principle of traditional Chinese medicines.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the detoxification of the compatible herbs in Jin-Gu-Lian formula on A. chinense-induced neurotoxicity and investigate its mechanism.

Methods: Neurobehavioral and pathohistological analysis were used to determine the neurotoxicity in rats administered with A. chinense extract (AC), extract of compatible herbs in Jin-Gu-Lian formula (CH) and combination of AC with CH for 14 days. The mechanism underlying the reduction of toxicity by combination with CH was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, spectrophotometric assays, liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry and real-time reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Results: Compatible herbs attenuated the AC-induced neurotoxicity as evidenced by increased locomotor activity, enhanced grip strength, the decreased frequency of AC-induced morphological damage in neurons, as well as a reduction of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and neurofilament light chain (NEFL) levels. The combination of AC and CH ameliorated AC-induced oxidative damage by modulating the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC). AC treatment significantly reduced the levels of monoamine and acetylcholine neurotransmitters in the brains of rats, including acetylcholine (Ach), dopamine (DA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA), norepinephrine (NE), and serotonin (5-HT). Combined AC and CH treatment regulated the abnormal concentrations and metabolisms of neurotransmitters. Pharmacokinetic studies showed that the co-administration of AC and CH significantly decreased plasma exposure levels of two main components of AC, as evidenced by the reduction of maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) compared to AC. In addition, the AC-induced downregulation in mRNA expression of cytochrome P450 enzymes was significantly reduced in response to combined AC and CH treatment.

Conclusion: Compatible herbs in Jin-Gu-Lian formula alleviated the neurotoxicity induced by A. chinense by ameliorating oxidative damage, preventing abnormality of neurotransmitters and modulating pharmacokinetics.
Effect of offset distances for rod-airfoil interaction noise
Authors: Jiang Shujie , Li Lanqing , Guo Xiaokun , Zhao Weiming , Zhang Rongping , Wang Chao
Published: February 2023

The noise generated by the interaction between the wake of rods and airfoils is a universal phenomenon in the engineering field. The noise generation mechanism is mainly caused by the violent changes of the pulsating pressure on the airfoil surface, impacted by different vortex scales in the wake of rods. During this process, the energy is radiated outward by sound waves. To capture wakes and the sound generated by the interaction of rod-airfoil with relatively small computing resources is a challenge. In this paper, the sound pressure generated by the rod-airfoil interaction is calculated by solving the Reynolds average N-S equation and non-linear acoustic equations. This numerical method is verified by a rod-airfoil interaction benchmark. This paper focuses on the influence of offset distances between rods and airfoils. The results show that the peak of far-field sound decreases from 89 dB to 80.6 dB as the offset distance from the airfoil to the center of the cylinder increases (the maximum deviation is three times the cylinder diameter). The frequency of peak sound pressure also shifts.
Temporal hampering of thyroid hormone synthesis just before hatching impeded the filial imprinting in domestic chicks
Authors: Serizawa Shouta , Aoki Naoya , Mori Chihiro , Fujita Toshiyuki , Yamaguchi Shinji , Matsushima Toshiya , Homma Koichi J.
Published: February 2023

Thyroid hormones play a critical role in the initiation of the sensitive period of filial imprinting. The amount of thyroid hormones in the brains of chicks increases intrinsically during the late embryonic stages and peaks immediately before hatching. After hatching, a rapid imprinting-dependent inflow of circulating thyroid hormones into the brain occurs via vascular endothelial cells during imprinting training. In our previous study, inhibition of hormonal inflow impeded imprinting, indicating that the learning-dependent inflow of thyroid hormones after hatching is critical for the acquisition of imprinting. However, it remained unclear whether the intrinsic thyroid hormone level just before hatching affects imprinting. Here, we examined the effect of temporal thyroid hormone decrease on embryonic day 20 on approach behavior during imprinting training and preference for the imprinting object. To this end, methimazole (MMI; a thyroid hormone biosynthesis inhibitor) was administered to the embryos once a day on days 18–20. Serum thyroxine (T4) was measured to evaluate the effect of MMI. In the MMI-administered embryos, the T4 concentration was transiently reduced on embryonic day 20 but recovered to the control level on post-hatch day 0. At the beginning of imprinting training on post-hatch day 1, control chicks approached the imprinting object only when the object was moving. In the late phase of training, control chicks subsequently approached towards the static imprinting object. On the other hand, in the MMI-administered chicks, the approach behavior decreased during the repeated trials in the training, and the behavioral responses to the imprinting object were significantly lower than those of control chicks. This indicates that their persistent responses to the imprinting object were impeded by a temporal thyroid hormone decrease just before hatching. Consequently, the preference scores of MMI-administered chicks were significantly lower than those of control chicks. Furthermore, the preference score on the test was significantly correlated with the behavioral responses to the static imprinting object in the training. These results indicate that the intrinsic thyroid hormone level immediately before hatching is crucial for the learning process of imprinting.