bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
BNT162b2 coronavirus disease-2019 vaccination accelerated rheumatoid arthritis disease activity in chronic eosinophilic pneumonia: A case report
Authors: Morikawa Moeko Murano , Harada Masanori , Kishimoto Ei , Suzuki Kosuke , Nakagawa Emiko , Hiramatsu Toshiya , Nakai Shogo , Murakami Yurina , Nishimoto Koji , Matsushima Sayomi , Uto Tomohiro , Imokawa Shiro
Published: September 2022

Rationale:

The relationship between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and eosinophilic inflammation is unclear. According to recent studies, it has been suggested that T helper 2 cell responses play a role in the inhibition of RA. It is unclear how the immunological response after coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) vaccination affects T cell immune reactions.

Patient concerns and diagnoses:

Here, we report the case of an 88-year-old woman diagnosed with RA and chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP). She was diagnosed with CEP about 20 years ago, and, through steroid treatment, she improved and had no relapse for 16 years. At the time of diagnosis of CEP, the rheumatoid factor (RF) was increased; however, there were no joint symptoms. After receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, joint and respiratory symptoms gradually worsened. Laboratory examinations showed increased RF, anti-cyclin citrullinated peptide antibody, and peripheral absolute eosinophil count. Musculoskeletal ultrasonography showed synovitis.

Intervention and outcome:

Methylprednisolone pulse therapy improved respiratory and joint symptoms immediately; RA and CEP stabilized with no relapses.

Lessons:

Eosinophilic and rheumatoid reactions following COVID-19 vaccination were an-reported adverse events. Eosinophilic inflammation might be reflected on an anti-inflammatory reaction in initial phase of RA.
Perirenal hematoma and delayed contrast metabolism after cerebral intravascular therapy: A case report
Authors: Li Yang , Zhao Xin , Zhang Ying , Yang Qian , Liu Guoxing , Liu Tao , Zhang Xuekai , Zhou Ming
Published: September 2022

Rationale:

Hematomas after percutaneous angiography often occur in the thigh, retroperitoneal, intraperitoneal, or abdominal wall. Renal hematoma after percutaneous angiography is very rare.

Diagnoses:

Herein, we present a case of perirenal hematoma and delayed contrast metabolism after cerebral angiograph, which may be caused by improper operation.

Interventions:

Conservative treatments which development by multi-disciplinary collaboration.

Outcomes:

After treatment, the clinical symptoms of the patients gradually disappeared and the imaging results became negative.

Conclusion:

Though the patient missed timely diagnosis and treatment, fortunately no catastrophic events occurred. Meanwhile, the potential causes, diagnosis, and therapeutic management were all discussed.
Efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of the sequela of olfactory disorders after infection with COVID-19: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis
Authors: Tang Chao , He Xiaoqin , Fu Wenkang , Du Yaxin , Huang Yuxin , Liu Lu , Lan Wanning , Luo Runjun , Liu Yue
Published: September 2022

Background:

From the end of 2019 to now, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has put enormous strain on the world’s health systems. As a characteristic sign of COVID-19 patient, olfactory dysfunction (OD) poses considerable problems for patients. In China, acupuncture has been widely used to treat OD caused by COVID-19, but there is still a lack of evidence-based medical evaluation. This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of COVID-19 OD.

Methods:

According to the retrieval strategies, randomized controlled trials on the acupuncture for COVID-19 OD were obtained from Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, the Chinese Scientific Journal Database and the Wanfang Database, regardless of publication date, or language. Studies were screened based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the Cochrane risk bias assessment tool was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager (RevMan 5.3) and STATA 14.2 software. Ultimately, the evidentiary grade for the results will be evaluated.

Results:

The results of this meta-analysis will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.

Conclusion:

This study will provide up-to-date summary proof for evaluating the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for COVID-19 OD.
Corneodesmosin as a potential target of oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Di Yong-Bin , Bao Yang , Guo Jie , Liu Wei , Zhang Su-Xin , Zhang Guan-Hua , Li Tian-Ke
Published: September 2022

Objective:

The relationship between oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and Corneodesmosin (CDSN) remains unclear. This study aims to explore the correlation between CDSN and the prognosis and survival time of patients with OSCC.

Methods:

Bioinformatics were used to identify the hub role of CDSN in the OSCC. A total of 200 patients with OSCC were recruited. Clinical and follow-up data were recorded, and the expression level of CDSN was detected. Pearson chi-square test and Spearman correlation coefficient were used to analyze the relationship between prognosis and related parameters in patients with OSCC. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression and Cox proportional risk regression were applied for further analysis, and receiver operating characteristic curve and survival curve of subjects were plotted.

Results:

CDSN was identified as the most significant hub gene of the OSCC by the cytoHubba. By the comparative toxicogenomics database (CTD) analysis, there was strong relationship between the CDSN and mouth neoplasms, head and neck neoplasms, squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck. The OSCC patients with low expression level of CDSN have poor overall survival compared with the high expression level of CDSN (HR = 0.75, 95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 0.57-0.98, P = .036). Spearman correlation coefficient analysis showed that CDSN expression level was significantly correlated with prognosis (ρ = -0.528, P < .001). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that poor prognosis (odds ratio [OR] = 0.096, 95%CI: 0.049-0.189, P < .001) was significantly associated with low expression of CDSN. Cox regression analysis showed that the survival time of OSCC patients was shorter when CDSN expression was low (HR = 0.588, 95%CI: 0.420-0.823, P = .002). Strong predictive value of CDSN for the OSCC survival time was obtained by the biological process (BP)-neural network and support vector machine (SVM).

Conclusion:

CDSN was significantly correlated with OSCC, and the shorter the survival time of patients with OSCC was, the worse the prognosis was.
Prognostic factors for overall survival after surgical resection in patients with thymic epithelial tumors: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Li Jiaduo , Liu Yaling , Zhang Xiaohe , Zheng Xuguang , Qi Guoyan
Published: September 2022

Background:

Thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) originate in the thymic epithelial cell, including thymoma and thymic carcinoma. Surgical resection is the first choice for most patients. However, some studies have shown that the factors affecting the prognosis of these patients are not consistent. To evaluate prognostic factors in patients with surgically resected thymic epithelial tumors, we performed a meta-analysis.

Methods:

We searched the Chinese biomedical literature database, Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library and other electronic databases. Studies including postoperative overall survival (OS) and predictors of TETs were included. We made a comprehensive analysis the hazard ratios (HRs) through a single proportional combination. HRs were combined using single proportion combinations.

Results:

The meta-analysis included 11,695 patients from 26 studies. The pooled OS was 84% at 5 years and 73% at 10 years after TETs operation. The age as continuous-year (HR 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–1.04), incomplete resection (HR 4.41, 95% CI 3.32–5.85), WHO histologic classification (B2/B3 vs A/AB/B1 HR 2.76, 95% CI 1.25–6.21), Masaoka Stage (stage III/IV vs I/II HR 2.74, 95% CI 2.12–3.55,) were the poor prognostic factors.

Conclusions:

For patients with TETs after surgical resection, advanced age, incomplete resection, WHO classification B2/B3, and higher Masaoka stage are risk factors for poor prognosis.
A meta-analysis of intravenous thrombolysis versus bridging therapy for ischemic stroke
Authors: Wang Raoqiong , Li Shuangyang , Hao Linyao , Wang Zhichuan , Ge Zhengxin , Yang Sijin
Published: September 2022

Background:

The purpose of this study was to perform a pooled analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) versus bridging therapy of intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy (IVMT), comparing the efficacy and safety of the two in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Methods:

All eligible RCT articles from database establishment to December 8, 2021 were searched in databases such as PubMed, Ovid, Embase, Web of science, Cochrane Library, etc. Efficacy outcomes were assessed by modified RANKIN scal (mRS) score, complete recanalization or reperfusion (TICI), National Institute of Health Stroke Scal (NIHSS) score, 90-day mortality, 24 to 36 h incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH).

Results:

Our study included 6 RCT involving 1717 patients. The proportion of the primary efficacy outcome (mRS score 0‐2 at 90 days) was significantly different between IVT and IVMT (OR 0.51; 95% CI 0.35‐0.76). For the secondary efficacy outcome, the study found a significant difference in the proportion of TICI (pooled OR was 0.055, 95% CI 0.07‐0.33). There was a significant difference in the 24 h NIHSS score between the IVT group and the IVMT group (pooled MD was 3.25, 95% CI 0.80‐5.70). There were no significant differences in the NIHSS score at 90 days, the death rate at 90 days, and the sICH at 24 to 36 hours between the two groups.

Conclusions:

This study confirms that IVMT is more effective and safe than IVT alone in patients with AIS. However, more and higher-quality randomized clinical trials comparing IVMT to IV alone are warranted for validation.
Effectiveness of a physical activity intervention on the overweight and obesity of Chilean schoolchildren
Authors: Godoy-Cumillaf Andrés , Fuentes-Merino Paola , Giakoni-Ramírez Frano , Duclos-Bastías Daniel , Merellano-Navarro Eugenio
Published: September 2022

Introduction:

Physical fitness is considered a measure that integrates most of the functions of the human organism that are involved in physical activity. Motor competence is important due to its observed implications in the physical, mental and social development of children and adolescents. These assessments require the existence of updated reference values that allow the categorization of individuals and groups according to levels of physical fitness and motor competence. This paper describes the study protocol to Effectiveness of a Physical Activity Intervention on the Overweight and Obesity of Chilean Schoolchildren, and in this way determine, through the calculation of a representative sample, reference values for physical fitness and motor competence in children aged 4 to 6 years in the region of La Araucanía, Chile.

Methods:

children in pre-basic education in transition grades I and II (4 and 5 years old), and those in the first year of basic education (6 years old) will be invited to participate. The sample will be probabilistic. The measures of a randomized controlled trial (registered in ClinicalTrial.gov NCT04194580) will be used.

Conclusion:

the lack of reference values for physical condition and motor competence for children between 6 and 4 years of age in the Araucanía region highlights the need to establish values, which will contribute to improving the health of children of the age group to be worked on.
A Description of Persons With Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias Receiving Home Health Care
Authors: Osakwe Zainab Toteh , Obioha Chinedu U. , Muller Kirsten , Saint Fleur-Calixte Rose
Published: September 2022

The end-of-life period of individuals with Alzheimer disease and related dementias receiving home health care (HHC) is understudied. We sought to describe characteristics of HHC patients with Alzheimer disease and related dementias at risk of death within a year, based on clinician assessment. We conducted a secondary data analysis of a 5% random sample of the Outcome and Assessment Information Set data set for the year 2017. We used Outcome and Assessment Information Set-C item M1034 to identify HHC patients with overall status of progressive condition leading to death within a year. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to examine the association between sociodemographic, functional, clinical, and caregiving factors and likelihood of decline leading to death within a year, as identified by HHC clinicians. Clinician perception of decline leading to death within a year was higher for Whites (vs Blacks or Hispanics) (odds ratio [OR], 0.74 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.69-0.80], and OR, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.57-0.69], respectively). Factors associated with increased odds of decline leading to death within a year included daily pain (OR, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.06-1.17]), anxiety daily or more often (OR, 1.58 [95% CI, 1.49-1.67]), shortness of breath (OR, 1.45 [95% CI, 1.34-1.57]), use of oxygen (OR, 1.60 [95% CI, 1.52-1.69]), disruptive behavior (OR, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.20-1.31]), and feeding difficulty (OR, 2.25 [95% CI, 2.09-2.43]). High symptom burden exists among HHC patients with Alzheimer disease and related dementias identified to have a status of decline leading to death within a year.
Magnet® Supporting Our Purpose
Authors: Pappas Sharon , Erickson Jeanette Ives
Published: September 2022

The authors, Magnet® Commissioners, provide a reflection on their personal journeys in leading healthcare organizations where the role of nurses is valued by both the organization and those we serve. The authors believe that nurses, through the application of evidence-based leadership principles, are the cornerstone of passion and commitment to excellence in healthcare.
Evidence-based interventions to treat chronic low back pain: treatment selection for a personalized medicine approach
Authors: Mauck Matthew C. , Aylward Aileen F. , Barton Chloe E. , Birckhead Brandon , Carey Timothy , Dalton Diane M. , Fields Aaron J. , Fritz Julie , Hassett Afton L. , Hoffmeyer Anna , Jones Sara B. , McLean Samuel A. , Mehling Wolf E. , O'Neill Conor W. , Schneider Michael J. , Williams David A. , Zheng Patricia , Wasan Ajay D.
Published: September 2022

Introduction:

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is highly prevalent in the United States and globally, resulting in functional impairment and lowered quality of life. While many treatments are available for cLBP, clinicians have little information about which specific treatment(s) will work best for individual patients or subgroups of patients. The Back Pain Research Consortium, part of the National Institutes of Health Helping to End Addiction Long-termSM (HEAL) Initiative, will conduct a collaborative clinical trial, which seeks to develop a personalized medicine algorithm to optimize patient and provider treatment selection for patients with cLBP.

Objective:

The primary objective of this article is to provide an update on evidence-based cLBP interventions and describe the process of reviewing and selecting interventions for inclusion in the clinical trial.

Methods:

A working group of cLBP experts reviewed and selected interventions for inclusion in the clinical trial. The primary evaluation measures were strength of evidence and magnitude of treatment effect. When available in the literature, duration of effect, onset time, carryover effect, multimodal efficacy, responder subgroups, and evidence for the mechanism of treatment effect or biomarkers were considered.

Conclusion:

The working group selected 4 leading, evidence-based treatments for cLBP to be tested in the clinical trial and for use in routine clinical treatment. These treatments include (1) duloxetine, (2) acceptance and commitment therapy, (3) a classification-based exercise and manual therapy intervention, and (4) a self-management approach. These interventions each had a moderate to high level of evidence to support a therapeutic effect and were from different therapeutic classes.
A Brief Clinical Study: The Use of a Custom Guide for Scapula Free Flap Harvest and Mandibular Reconstruction
Authors: Chundoo Shima , Naredla Prady , Thomas Suraj
Published: September 2022

Head and neck cancer can leave patients with significant defects requiring major reconstruction. The scapula free flap remains a relatively underused flap choice. This article examines the novel use of a custom guide for a scapula free flap in mandibular reconstruction following resection. A case file was created involving a consultant surgeon, KLS advisor, and technical team based in Belgium. A computed tomography scan of the mandible was sent electronically to render a 3-dimensional model. Custom cutting guides for resection and scapula graft harvest were fabricated. A custom plate for fixation was also developed. The scapula free flap was successfully placed using custom guides. In this case, the use of a custom guide enabled easier harvest, manipulation, and handling of the scapula free flap into the defect. The use of new technology and computer-generated guides represents a considerable shift forward into improving precision in complex surgical procedures and reducing intraoperative time. The use of a custom guide can provide an easier means to handle and manipulate one of the largest free flaps in surgery, the scapula free flap.
Extended Maxillary Osteotomy Guide: A Design That Allows Manipulation of the Osteotomy Direction on the Posterior and Inner Walls of the Maxilla
Authors: Wang Yuan-Yuan , Lin Yang-Yang , Qiao Tao , Duan Jing-Hao , Yang Yun-Qi , Hou Min
Published: September 2022

Purpose:

Design an extended osteotomy guide (EOG) for Le Fort I osteotomy to improve the safety of surgery.

Materials and Methods:

The digital Le Fort I osteotomy guide was designed in MIMICS 23.0. Twenty-eight patients were randomized into 2 groups. Patients in the experimental group used EOG, and patients in the control group used a traditional osteotomy guide (TOG). Virtual designs and actual postoperative outcomes were compared by cone-beam computed tomography. The safety of the operation was confirmed by the accuracy of the osteotomy direction and depth on the inner and posterior walls of the maxilla.

Results:

All positioning deviations of both osteotomy guides were <0.3 mm (P>0.05). The osteotomy depths on the inner and posterior walls with the EOG and TOG deviated by 0.789±1.179 and 1.811±1.345 mm (P=0.004) and 0.648±0.999 and 1.262±0.942 mm (P=0.030), respectively. The angles of deviation of the osteotomy direction on the inner and posterior walls by the EOG and TOG were 2.025±2.434 and 5.069±2.391 degrees (P<0.001) and 2.772±2.979 and 8.653±4.690 degrees (P<0.001), respectively.

Conclusions:

The EOG was more accurate than TOG for manipulating osteotomy direction and depth on the inner and posterior maxillary walls. Thus, EOG could ensure higher surgical safety than TOG.
Maxillary Total Elongation Surgery using 3D Virtual Surgery, CAD/CAM and 3D Printing Technology: Surgical Convenience and Accuracy
Authors: Ha Sung-Ho , Maeng Ji Youn , Baek Seung-Hak , Choi Jin-Young
Published: September 2022

After Le Fort I osteotomy was first performed by von Langernbeck in 1859, there has been many improvements since. Research on and development of Le Fort I osteotomy procedure has shown downward movement of the maxilla to exhibit lowest stability and accuracy. However, maxillary downgraft movement is necessary in orthognathic patients with insufficient vertical length of the maxilla, but fixation of the maxilla after elongation is often very inaccurate. In this study, the authors utilized 3D virtual surgery, CAD/CAM-assisted 3D printing technology to overcome such limitations of maxillary total elongation. In addition, accuracy at 7 different landmarks from superimposition of virtual simulation data and postoperative Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data were measured. Although posterior maxilla exhibited bigger range of errors, an error of <1 mm was measured at all 7 landmarks. Operation time was greatly shortened with cutting guides and customized plates. Although this study is a single-case study, this study shows increased accuracy and efficacy from application of 3D virtual surgery, CAD/CAM, and 3D printing technology.
Development and Validation of a Symptom-based Scoring System for Bowel Dysfunction After Ileoanal Pouch Reconstruction
Authors: Cavallaro Paul , Bordeianou Liliana ,   on behalf of the PROPS Scientific Committee
Published: September 2022

Objective:

To utilize items identified as priorities by the Patient-Reported Outcomes after Pouch Surgery Delphi consensus study to create a validated tool for quantifying pouch function.

Background:

The Patient-Reported Outcomes After Pouch Surgery Delphi consensus study identified 7 symptoms and 7 consequences as key domains for evaluating and analyzing ileoanal pouch function.

Methods:

Pouch patients were recruited at inflammatory bowel disease centers and via patient advocacy websites. They were administered a questionnaire-based survey eliciting responses regarding the frequency of a variety of bowel symptoms. Associations between items and quality of life were computed in a score generation cohort of 298 patients by logistic regression modeling. Individual score values were designated to items to create an additive score titled the “Ileoanal Pouch Syndrome Severity Score.” Validity was tested in a subsequent cohort of 386 patients using receiver operating characteristic area under the curve. In addition, test–rest validity, convergent validity, and clinical validity were evaluated.

Results:

After the determination of item weights, the range of possible scores was 0 to 145. Score ranges were then determined as cutoff values for “ileoanal pouch syndrome.” The score was then validated on the second patient cohort, with a receiver operating characteristic area under the curve of 0.83. Importantly, worsening severity of Ileoanal Pouch Syndrome score significantly correlated with higher rates of poor quality of life. Lastly, the questionnaire was rigorously validated to show test–retest validity, convergent validity compared with other bowel function scores, and clinical validity.

Conclusions:

This study developed a patient-centered, clinically useful scoring system that can quantify the range and severity of symptoms experienced by ileoanal pouch patients and their correlation with quality of life.
Total Pancreatectomy With Islet Autotransplantation as an Alternative to High-risk Pancreatojejunostomy After Pancreaticoduodenectomy
Authors: Balzano Gianpaolo , Zerbi Alessandro , Aleotti Francesca , Capretti Giovanni , Melzi Raffella , Pecorelli Nicolò , Mercalli Alessia , Nano Rita , Magistretti Paola , Gavazzi Francesca , De Cobelli Francesco , Poretti Dario , Scavini Marina , Molinari Chiara , Partelli Stefano , Crippa Stefano , Maffi Paola , Falconi Massimo , Piemonti Lorenzo
Published: September 2022

Objective:

To compare pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and total pancreatectomy (TP) with islet autotransplantation (IAT) in patients at high risk of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF).

Background:

Criteria to predict the risk of POPF occurrence after PD are available. However, even when a high risk of POPF is predicted, TP is not currently accepted as an alternative to PD, because of its severe consequences on glycaemic control. Combining IAT with TP may mitigate such consequences.

Methods:

Randomized, open-label, controlled, bicentric trial (NCT01346098). Candidates for PD at high-risk pancreatic anastomosis (ie, soft pancreas and duct diameter ≤3 mm) were randomly assigned (1:1) to undergo either PD or TP-IAT. The primary endpoint was the incidence of complications within 90 days after surgery.

Results:

Between 2010 and 2019, 61 patients were assigned to PD (n=31) or TP-IAT (n=30). In the intention-to-treat analysis, morbidity rate was 90·3% after PD and 60% after TP-IAT (P=0.008). According to complications’ severity, PD was associated with an increased risk of grade ≥2 [odds ratio (OR)=7.64 (95% CI: 1.35–43.3), P=0.022], while the OR for grade ≥3 complications was 2.82 (95% CI: 0.86–9.24, P=0.086). After TP-IAT, the postoperative stay was shorter [median: 10.5 vs 16.0 days; P<0.001). No differences were observed in disease-free survival, site of recurrence, disease-specific survival, and overall survival. TP-IAT was associated with a higher risk of diabetes [hazard ratio=9.1 (95% CI: 3.76–21.9), P<0.0001], but most patients maintained good metabolic control and showed sustained C-peptide production over time.

Conclusions:

TP-IAT may become the standard treatment in candidates for PD, when a high risk of POPF is predicted.
Increasing household diet diversity and food security in rural Rwanda using small-scale nutrition-sensitive agriculture: A community-level proof of concept study
Authors: Sly Brittney C. , Weir Tiffany L. , Melby Christopher L. , Cunningham-Sabo Leslie , Leisz Stephen J. , Stull Valerie J.
Published: September 2022

Objectives

In Rwanda, rates of malnutrition remain high in rural areas where residents consume a primarily starch-based, low variety diet. Nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions using kitchen gardens have been effective in addressing low diet diversity in similar populations. This study’s objective was to develop a kitchen garden and nutrition education intervention aimed at sustainably increasing diet diversity and food security at the household-level.

Design

A mixed methods community-level study, with a sixteen-week nutrition-sensitive agricultural intervention including nutrition education was conducted. Household diet diversity scores and household hunger scores were calculated at baseline, post-intervention and one-year follow-up.

Setting

The intervention was conducted in a rural Rwandan community in the Northern Province.

Participants

Stratified purposeful sampling techniques were used to select women participants representing forty-two households.

Results

Household diet diversity scores increased over time from pre-intervention to six months post-intervention and one-year post-intervention. The magnitude of the change was similar in all stratified groups (2.3x at 6 months and 2.9x at 1 year). Households whose main source of income was working for other farmers, reported a significantly lower diet diversity score than those households receiving income from sources [t(40) = -2.108, p=0.041]. Among those households not consuming protein and vitamin-A rich food groups at baseline, all reported consuming foods from these food groups post-intervention. There were no significant changes in household hunger scores.

Conclusions

Collaborative community-based nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions using kitchen gardens, can increase household diet diversity, which may encourage sustained change in dietary patterns for nutritional adequacy in low-income rural Rwandan populations.
Predicting nutrient profiles in food after processing
Authors: Naravane Tarini , Tagkopoulos Ilias
Published: September 2022

The future of personalized health relies on knowledge of dietary composition. The current analytical methods are impractical to scale up, and the computational methods are inadequate. We propose machine learning models to predict the nutritional profiles of cooked foods given the raw food composition and cooking method, for a variety of plant and animal-based foods. Our models (trained on USDA’s SR dataset) were on average 31% better than baselines, based on RMSE metric, and particularly good for leafy green vegetables and various cuts of beef. We also identified and remedied a bias in the data caused by representation of composition per 100grams. The scaling methods are based on a process-invariant nutrient, and the scaled data improves prediction performance. Finally, we advocate for an integrated approach of data analysis and modeling when generating future composition data to make the task more efficient, less costly and apply for development of reliable models.
Minimizing the elastic energy of growing leaves by conformal mapping
Authors: Dai Anna , Amar Martine Ben
Published: September 2022

During morphogenesis, the shape of living species results from growth, stress relaxation and remodeling. When the growth does not generate any stress, the body shape only reflects the growth density. In two dimensions, we show that stress free configurations are simply determined by the time evolution of a conformal mapping which concerns not only the boundary but also the displacement field during an arbitrary period of time inside the sample. Fresh planar leaves are good examples for our study: they have no elastic stress, almost no weight, and their shape can be easily represented by holomorphic functions. The growth factor, isotropic or anisotropic, is related to the metrics between the initial and current conformal maps. By adjusting the mathematical shape function, main characteristics such as tips (convex or concave or sharp-pointed), undulating borders and veins, can be mathematically recovered, which are in good agreement with observations. It is worth mentioning that this flexible method allows to study complex morphologies of growing leaves such as the fenestration process in Monstera deliciosa, and can also shed light on many other 2D biological patterns.
Pathway elucidation of pharmaceutical cucurbitacin IIa in Hemsleya chinensis and high-level production of precursor cucurbitadienol in engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Nicotiana benthamiana
Authors: Chen Geng , Guo Zhao-kuan , Zhao Yan , Shu Yan-yu , Qiu Lei , Duan Shao-feng , Lin Yuan , He Si-mei , Li Xiao-bo , Feng Xiao-Lin , Xiang Gui-sheng , Shi Yang , Yang Sheng-Chao , Zhang Guang-hui , Hao Bing
Published: September 2022

Cucurbitacin IIa is a triterpene isolated exclusively from Hemsleya plants, which is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that function as the main ingredient of Hemslecin capsules and Supplemental Tablets in China. In this study, the biosynthetic pathway of cucurbitacin IIa was elucidated by characterization of squalene epoxidases (HcSE1, HcSE2), cucurbitenol synthases (HcOSC6) and acyltransferases (HcAT1) in Hemsleya chinensis. Meanwhile, cycloartenol synthases (HcOSC1), isomultiflorenol synthases (HcOSC5) and β-amyrin synthase (HcOSC2-4) involved in sterol and triterpenes biosynthesis were functionally illustrated. The high-level production of yeast the key cucurbitacin precursor, cucurbitadienol, was constructed to produce 296.37 mg/L cucurbitadienol and 722.99 mg/L total triterpenoid which is the highest yield cucurbitadienol from known engineered microbes. Moreover, production of cucurbitenol in transient expression of tobacco was employed to achieve 94.8 mg/g dry weight (dw) cucurbitenol from leaves. In this study, the key genes involved in cucurbitacin IIa biosynthesis were identified to facilitate its medical applications via biosynthetic strategy. Meanwhile, the high-level production of cucurbitadienol chassis yeast and tobacco transient expression offered a robust and sSupplemental Table substrate for pharmaceutical cucurbitacin production and screening platform for candidate genes involved in cucurbitacin biosynthesis.
Membrane Protein Modification Modulates Big and Small Extracellular Vesicle Biodistribution and Tumorigenic Potential in Breast Cancersin vivo
Authors: Magoling Bryan John Abel , Wu Anthony Yan-Tang , Chen Yen-Ju , Wong Wendy Wan-Ting , Chuo Steven Ting-Yu , Huang Hsi-Chien , Sung Yun-Chieh , Hsieh Hsin Tzu , Huang Poya , Lee Kang-Zhang , Huang Kuan-Wei , Chen Ruey-Hwa , Chen Yunching , Lai Charles Pin-Kuang
Published: September 2022

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released by cells to mediate intercellular communication under pathological and physiological conditions. While small EVs (sEVs; <100–200 nm, exosomes) are intensely investigated, the properties and functions of medium and large EVs (big EVs [bEVs]; >200 nm, microvesicles) are less well explored. Here, we identify bEVs and sEVs as distinct EV populations, and determine that bEVs are released in a greater bEV:sEV ratio in the aggressive human triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype. PalmGRET, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based EV reporter, reveals dose- dependent EV biodistribution at non-lethal and physiological EV dosages, as compared to lipophilic fluorescent dyes. Remarkably, the bEVs and sEVs exhibit unique biodistribution profiles, et individually promotein vivotumor growth in a syngeneic immunocompetent TNBC breast tumor murine model. The bEVs and sEVs share mass spectrometry (MS)- identified tumor progression-associated EV surface membrane proteins (tpEVSurfMEMs), which include SLC29A1, CD9 and CD44. tpEVSurfMEM depletion attenuates EV lung organotropism, alters biodistribution, and reduces protumorigenic potential. This study identifies distinctin vivoproperty and function of bEVs and sEVs in breast cancer, which suggest the significant role of bEVs in diseases, diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
Smartphone ownership and use among pregnant women with HIV in South Africa
Authors: Noholoza Sandisiwe , Phillips Tamsin K. , Madwayi Sindiswa , Mrubata Megan , Camlin Carol S. , Myer Landon , Clouse Kate
Published: September 2022

Background

Mobile health (mHealth) initiatives are increasingly common in low-resource settings, but the appropriateness of smartphone interventions is uncertain. To inform future mHealth interventions, we describe smartphone ownership, preferences and usage patterns among women living with HIV (WLHIV) in Gugulethu, South Africa.

Methods

We screened pregnant WLHIV from December 2019 - February 2021 for the CareConekta trial. We describe sociodemographic characteristics and mobile phone ownership of all women screened (n=639), and smartphone use patterns among those enrolled in the trial (n=193).

Results

91% owned a mobile phone; 87% of those owned smartphones. Among those with smartphones, 92% used Android operating system version 5.0 or above, 98% of phones had GPS and 96% charged their phones <twice/day.

Among 193 women enrolled, 99% owned the smartphone themselves; 14% shared their smartphone with someone but 96% of these possessed the phone most of the day. Median duration of smartphone ownership and current phone number was 12 [IQR:5-24] and 25 [IQR: 12-60] months, respectively. Participants reported a median of two [IQR: 1-2] phone numbers in the preceding two years.

Receiving (100%) and making (99%) phone calls were the most common smartphone uses; least used were GPS (55%) and email (47%). WhatsApp (94%) was the favourite app reported.

Conclusion

Smartphone ownership is very common in this low-resource, peri-urban setting. Phone sharing was uncommon, nearly all used the Android system and phones retained sufficient battery life. These results are encouraging to the development of mHealth interventions. Existing messaging platforms – particularly WhatsApp – are exceedingly popular and could be leveraged for interventions.
Polygenic Risk for Substance-Related Traits Predicts Substance Use Onset and Progression: Sex and Population Group Differences
Authors: Kranzler Henry R. , Feinn Richard , Xu Heng , Ho Brendan L. , Saini Divya , Nicastro Olivia R. , Jacoby Anya , Toikumo Sylvanus , Gelernter Joel , Hartwell Emily E. , Kember Rachel L.
Published: September 2022

Background

Charting the clinical course of substance use disorders (SUDs) to identify etiologic contributors to milestone onset and progression could inform intervention efforts.

Methods

We calculated polygenic risk scores (PRS) in 5,692 European-ancestry individuals (EUR) (56.2% male) and 4,918 African-ancestry (AFR) individuals (54.9% male) using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of alcohol use disorder (AUD), opioid use disorder (OUD), and smoking trajectory (SMK). Using Cox regression, we examined the association of polygenic risk with age of first substance use, regular use, reported problems, and dependence diagnosis and with progression from regular use to onset of problems and dependence.

Results

EUR and males reported earlier onset and shorter progression times than AFR and females, respectively. Among EUR, higher AUD PRS predicted earlier onset and more rapid progression to alcohol-related milestones (p’s<0.0001) and although a stronger moderator of problem onset among females (p=0.0165), it was more predictive of the progression to problems among males (p=0.0054). OUD and SMK PRS in EUR also predicted earlier onset of the respective milestones (p’s=0.0002). Among AFR, where power is lower, AUD PRS predicted age of regular alcohol use (p=0.039) and dependence (p=0.001) and progression from regular use to diagnosis (p=0.045), while SMK PRS predicted earlier age of initiation (p=0.036).

Conclusions

Genetic risk for SUDs predicts milestones and symptom progression in EUR and, to a lesser extent, among AFR. Larger, diverse discovery GWAS and target samples are needed to enhance the power of PRS to personalize interventions for individuals at genetic risk of serious substance-related outcomes.

Disclosure

Dr. Kranzler is a member of advisory boards for Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Sophrosyne Pharmaceuticals, and Enthion Pharmaceuticals; a consultant to Sobrera Pharmaceuticals; the recipient of research funding and medication supplies for an investigator-initiated study from Alkermes; and a member of the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology’s Alcohol Clinical Trials Initiative, which was supported in the last three years by Alkermes, Dicerna, Ethypharm, Lundbeck, Mitsubishi, and Otsuka. Drs. Gelernter and Kranzler hold U.S. Patent 10,900,082: Genotype-guided Dosing of Opioid Receptor Agonists, 26 Jan. 2021. The other authors have no disclosures to make.
Parental pericentromeric methylation status drives methylome remodelling and heterosis in epigenetic hybrids
Authors: Kakoulidou I , Piecyk RS , Meyer RC , Kuhlmann M , Gutjahr C , Altmann T , Johannes F
Published: September 2022

Heterosis is the superior phenotypic performance of F1 hybrids relative to their parents. Although this phenomenon is extensively exploited commercially, its molecular causes remain elusive. A central challenge is to understand how specific features of parental (epi)genomes contribute to the widespread functional remodelling that occurs in hybrids. Using Arabidopsis, we show that differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in parental pericentromeres act as major re-organizers of hybrid methylomes and transcriptomes, even in the absence of genetic variation. We demonstrate that these parental DMRs facilitate methylation changes in the hybrids not only in cis, but also in trans at thousands of target regions throughout the genome. Many of these trans-induced changes facilitate the expression of nearby genes, and are significantly associated with phenotypic heterosis. Our study establishes the epigenetic status of parental pericentromeres as an important predictor of heterosis and elucidates its pleiotropic potential in the functional remodelling of hybrid genomes.
Early season soil microbiome best predicts wheat grain quality
Authors: Asad Numan Ibne , Wang Xiao-Bo , Dozois Jessica , Azarbad Hamed , Constant Philippe , Yergeau Etienne
Published: September 2022

Previous studies have shown that it is possible to accurately predict wheat grain quality and yields using microbial indicators. However, it is uncertain what the best timing for sampling is. For optimal usefulness of this modeling approach, microbial indicators from samples taken early in the season should have the best predictive power. Here, we sampled a field every two weeks across a single growing season and measured a wide array of microbial parameters (amplicon sequencing, abundance of N-cycle related functional genes, and microbial carbon usage) to find the moment when the microbial predictive power for wheat grain baking quality is highest. We found that the highest predictive power for wheat grain quality was for microbial data derived from samples taken early in the season (May–June) which coincides roughly with the seedling and tillering growth stages, that are important for wheat N nutrition. Our models based on LASSO regression also highlighted a set of microbial parameters highly coherent with our previous surveys, including alpha- and beta-diversity indices and N-cycle genes. Taken together, our results suggest that measuring microbial parameters early in the wheat growing season could help farmers better predict wheat grain quality.
AssemblyTron: Flexible automation of DNA assembly with Opentrons OT-2 lab robots
Authors: Bryant John A. , Kellinger Mason , Longmire Cameron , Miller Ryan , Wright R. Clay
Published: September 2022

As one of the newest fields of engineering, synthetic biology relies upon a trial-and-error Design-Build-Test-Learn approach to simultaneously learn how function is encoded in biology and attempt to engineer it. Many software and hardware platforms have been developed to automate, optimize, and algorithmically perform each step of the Design-Build-Test-Learn cycle. However, there are many fewer options for automating the Build step. Build typically involves DNA assembly, which remains manual, low throughput, and unreliable in most cases, limiting our ability to advance the science and engineering of biology. Here, we present AssemblyTron: an open-source python package to integrate j5 DNA assembly design software outputs with build implementation in Opentrons liquid handling robotics with minimal human intervention. We demonstrate the versatility of AssemblyTron through several scarless, multipart DNA assemblies beginning from fragment amplification. We show that AssemblyTron can perform PCRs across a range of fragment lengths and annealing temperatures by using an optimal annealing temperature gradient calculation algorithm. We then demonstrate that AssemblyTron can perform Golden Gate and homology-dependent in vivo assemblies with comparable fidelity to manual assemblies by simultaneously building four four-fragment assemblies of chromoprotein reporter expression plasmids. Finally, we used AssemblyTron to perform site-directed mutagenesis reactions via homology-dependent in vivo assembly also achieving comparable fidelity to manual assemblies as assessed by sequencing. AssemblyTron can reduce the time, training, costs, and wastes associated with synthetic biology, which along with open-source and affordable automation, will further foster the accessibility of synthetic biology and accelerate biological research and engineering.
A DATA-DRIVEN EXAMINATION OF APATHY AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN DEMENTIA WITH INDEPENDENT REPLICATION
Authors: Da Silva Miguel Vasconcelos , Melendez-Torres G.J. , Ismail Zahinoor , Testad Ingelin , Ballard Clive , Creese Byron ,   the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: September 2022

Introduction

Apathy is one of the most common neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Research that helps define the apathy phenotype is urgently needed, particularly for clinical and biomarker studies.

Methods

We used latent class analysis (LCA) with two independent cohorts to understand how apathy and depression symptoms co-occur statistically. We further explored the relationship between latent class membership, demographics and the presence of other NPS.

Results

The LCA identified a 4-class solution (No Symptoms, Apathy, Depression, and Combined Apathy/Depression), reproducible over both cohorts, providing robust support for an apathy syndrome distinct from depression and confirming that an apathy/depression syndrome exists.

Discussion

Using a data-driven method, we show distinct and statistically meaningful co-occurrence of apathy and depressive symptoms. There was evidence that these classes have different clinical associations which may help inform diagnostic categories for research studies and clinical practice.
Enhanced olfactory memory detection in trap-design Y-mazes allows the study of imperceptible memory traces in Drosophila
Authors: Mohandasan Radhika , Thakare Manikrao , Sunke Suhas , Iqbal Fathima Mukthar , Sridharan Madhav , Das Gaurav
Published: September 2022

The neural basis of behavior is identified by systematically manipulating the activity of specific neurons and screening for loss or gain of phenotype. Therefore, robust, high-scoring behavioral assays are necessary for determining the neural circuits of novel behaviors. We report a simple Y-maze design for Drosophila olfactory learning and memory assay. Memory scores in our Y-mazes are considerably better and longer-lasting than scores obtained with commonly used T-mazes. Our results suggest that trapping flies to an odor choice in a Y-maze could improve scores. We postulated that the improved scores could reveal previously undetectable memory traces, enabling the study of underlying neural mechanisms. Indeed, we identified unreported protein synthesis-dependent long-term memories (LTMs), reinforced by ingestion of (1) an aversive compound and (2) a sweet but nonnutritious sugar, both 24 h after training. We also used Y-mazes to probe how using a greater reward may change memory dynamics. Our findings predict that a greater sugar reward may extend existing memory traces or reinforce additional novel ones.
Structures of dicobalt and dinickel 4,4′-biphenyldicarboxylate dihydroxide, M
2(O2CC6H4C6H4CO2)(OH)2, M = Co and Ni, and diammonium 4,4′-biphenyldicarboxylate from powder diffraction data
Authors: Vegetabile Joshua D. , Kaduk James A.
Published: September 2022

The triclinic structures of poly[(μ4-4,4′-biphenyldicarboxylato)di-μ-hydroxido-dicobalt], [Co2(C14H8O4)(OH)2]
n
, and poly[(μ4-4,4′-biphenyldicarboxylato)di-μ-hydroxido-dinickel], [Ni2(C14H8O4)(OH)2]
n
, were established using laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data. These structures, as well as that of poly[(μ4-4,4′-biphenyldicarboxylato)di-μ-hydroxido-dimanganese], [Mn2(C14H8O4)(OH)2]
n
, were optimized using density functional techniques. The structure of diammonium 4,4′-biphenyldicarboxylate, 2NH4
+·C14H8O4
2−, was also solved using laboratory powder data. The Mn and Co compounds are isostructural: the octahedral MO6 groups share edges to form chains running parallel to the c-axis. These chains share corners (OH groups) to link into layers lying parallel to the bc plane. The hydroxyl groups do not participate in hydrogen bonds. The structure of (NH4)2BPDC consists of alternating layers of BPDC and ammonium ions lying parallel to the ab plane. Each hydrogen atom of the ammonium ions in (NH4)2BPDC participates in a strong N—H...O hydrogen bond.
Crystal structure of bis{4-[(4-methylbenzyl)oxy]-N′-(4-methylbenzylidene)benzohydrazidato}nickel(II)
Authors: Banna Md. Hasan Al , Howlader Md. Belayet Hossain , Miyatake Ryuta , Sheikh Md. Chanmiya , Zangrando Ennio
Published: September 2022

In the title complex, [Ni(C23H21N2O2)2], the central NiII atom is located on an inversion centre and exhibits a slightly distorted square-planar N2O2 coordination environment. A trans-configuration of the N,O chelating ligands results from the imposed site symmetry of the central NiII atom. In the crystal, individual molecules stack along the a axis through weak π–π stacking interactions between the phenyl rings.