bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fibrilação atrial e doença renal crônica - Interações clínicas e terapêuticas
Authors: Pin Alice Gerdullo , Siqueira Caroline Guimarães Dantas de , Mendes Mateus Borges Santos , Moreira Filho Márcio Magela Godoi , Barbosa Lucas Lopes
Published: February 2025

Introdução: As interações clínicas e terapêuticas entre a fibrilação atrial e a doença renal crônica têm se tornado um objeto de estudo relevante no contexto médico, haja vista a grande incidência da coexistência das doenças em um mesmo paciente. Objetivo: O presente estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar as interações clínicas e terapêuticas entre a fibrilação atrial e doença renal crônica, alicerçando a construção do conhecimento com base em revisões de literatura robustas. Materiais e Métodos: Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa de literatura acerca das congruências sobre os aspectos clínicos e terapêuticos entre a fibrilação atrial e a doença renal crônica. Utilizou-se a estratégia PICO para a elaboração da pergunta norteadora. Ademais, realizou-se o cruzamento dos descritores “Fibrilação Atrial”; “Doença Renal Crônica”; “Propedêuticas”, nas bases de dados National Library of Medicine (PubMed MEDLINE), Scientific Eletronic Library Online (SCIELO), Ebscohost, Google Scholar e Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde (BVS). Resultados e Discussão: Os estudos mostraram que existe uma bidirecionalidade nas interações clínicas e terapêuticas entre a fibrilação atrial e a doença renal crônica. Nesse sentido, os mecanismos de remodelação estrutural cardíaca e a inflamação sistêmica despontam como os causadores dessa coexistência e causa-efeito, resultando em manifestações clínicas e na necessidade de novas propedêuticas Conclusão: É necessário considerar o grau de disfunção renal para se estabelecer o tratamento da fibrilação atrial em pacientes com doença renal crônica, com o intuito de evitar o aumento de complicações e do risco cardiovascular.
Kombinasi Pijat Oksitosin dengan Aroma Terapi Lavender terhadap Produksi Asi pada Ibu Post Partum Primipara
Authors: Nataria Desti , Felina Mutia , Lubis Kholila , Nova Desri
Published: February 2025

Cakupan pemberian ASI eksklusif yang terhimpun di Sumatera Selatan mengalami penurunan dari 57,8% pada tahun 2021 menjadi 51,6% pada tahun 2022, sedangkan target pencapaian ASI eksklusif menurut WHO adalah sebesar 70% pada tahun 2030. Rendahnya cakupan pemberian ASI secara Eksklusif salah satunya disebabkan karena kurangnya produksi ASI sehingga menimbulkan kecemasan pada ibu menyusui. Hal ini mendorong ibu untuk memberikan susu formula kepada bayi untuk memenuhi kebutuhan bayinya. Pijat oksitosin dan aroma terapi lavender dapat memberikan efek relaksasi pada sistim syaraf pusat pada hipotalamus yang membantu meningkatkan produksi hormon oksitosin. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui adanya pengaruh kombinasi pijat oksitosin dan aroma lavender terhadap produksi ASI. Desain penelitian ini adalah Pre Experiment pretest dan posttest menggunakan rancangan One group pretest-posttest. Subjek penelitian adalah ibu postpartum primi para yang berjumlah 16 orang yang dipilih dengan menggunakan teknik Accidental Sampling. Pengumpulan data menggunakan lembar observasi kemudian analisis dengan Paired sample T-test. Intervensi yang dilakukan berupa pemberian kombinasi pijat oksitosin dan aroma terapi lavender selama selama 5 hari dimana setiap harinya diberikan selama 10 menit. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa rata-rata volume ASI sebelum diberikan intervensi kombinasi pijat oksitosin dan aroma terapi lavender adalah 7.38 cc dan setelah diberikan intervensi adalah 78 cc. Pada uji Paired sample T-test di dapatkan hasil bahwa p=0,001, dimana p<0,005, hal ini menunjukkan bahwa pemberian kombinasi pijat oksitosin dengan aroma terapi lavender berpengaruh terhadap produksi ASI pada ibu post partum primipara. Pemberian kombinasi pijat oksitosin dan aroma terapi lavender dapat dijadikan sebagai salah satu cara untuk meningkatkan produksi ASI secara alami.
Deteksi Kesehatan Mental dengan Gangguan Menstruasi Remaja Gen Z
Authors: Winengsih Ecih , Lubis Tika , Khofiati Khofiati , Rahmah Nazwa Nisrina
Published: February 2025

Permasalahan yang terjadi saat ini adalah terkait dengan kesehatan mental remaja dan gangguan siklus menstruasi. Terdapat 90% remaja Gen Z mengalami permasalahan kesehatan mental (gangguan kecemasan, stres, depresi dll) yang berdampak pada gangguan siklus menstruasi (dismenore, menorrhagia, metorrargia dll). Tujuan dari penelitian ini untuk mengidentifikasi hubungan kesehatan mental dengan gangguan siklus menstruasi Remaja Gen Z di SMAN 1 Rancaekek. Studi ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif analitik dengan pendekatan cross sectional terhadap 69 remaja putri yang dipilih proporsionat random sampling. Identifikasi terhadap kesehatan mental remaja menggunakan instrument SRQ-29. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tidak terdapah hubungan antara kesehatan mental dengan gangguan menstruasi yang dialami remaja putri dengan nilai p=0,017. maka terdapat hubungan antara mental health remaja Gen Z dengan kejadian gangguan menstruasi Kesimpulan Kesehatan mental yang tidak stabil atau terganggu dapat mempengaruhi kesehatan fisik seperti gangguan menstruasi.
Health-demand ventilation control strategy in northern Chinese homes: how much ventilation do we need to protect occupants’ health
Authors: Wang Zhigang , Hou Jing , Fu Jinming , Tian Zhe , Feng Shuyuan , Kosonen Risto , Sun Yuexia
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Indoor air quality in dwellings has particular importance regarding occupants’ health. Ventilation is an important means to improve indoor air quality and guarantee occupants’ health.

Methods

We utilized CO2 produced by occupants to measure air exchange rate (i.e., the volumetric out-to-indoor airflow rate divided by building volume, h−1) in Chinese homes, which were then linked to health outcomes like asthma and sick building syndrome symptom. Finally, we proposed a “health-demand” ventilation control strategy according to the relationship between air exchange rate and health outcomes.

Results and Discussion

Each 0.1 h−1 increase in air exchange rate at night was associated with adjusted odds ratios of 0.97 (Confidence Interval (CI): 0.94–1.00) for rhinitis among children and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.91–0.98) for mucosal sick building symptom among adults. Finally, we proposed a “health-demand” ventilation control strategy according to the relationship between air exchange rate and health outcomes. Air exchange rate of 2.5 h−1 and 6.5 h−1 was suggested to deal with sick building syndrome symptoms among adults and rhinitis symptoms among children, respectively.
Trajectory of gut microbiota before and after pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass surgery
Authors: Yin Xi , Xiao Minhua , Sun Jing , Feng Jinqing , Xia Shuliang , Li Fengxiang , Liu Xihong , Li Jia
Published: February 2025

Background

Varied congenital heart disease (CHD) may induce gut microbiota dysbiosis due to intestinal hypoperfusion or/and hypoxemia. Microbiota dysbiosis has been found in preoperative infants and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) exacerbated it further. However, the trajectory of gut microbiota from pre- to early post-CPB and one-year later remains unexplored. We examined this trajectory in the two most common CHDs, i.e., left-to-right shunt (ventricular septal defect, VSD) vs. right-to-left shunt (tetralogy of Fallot, TOF).

Methods

We enrolled 13 infants with VSD and 11 with TOF, and collected fecal samples at pre- and early post-CPB. 10 and 12 age- and gender-matched healthy control infants were enrolled respectively. We also enrolled 13 and 9 gender- and CHD diagnosis- and operation-matched one-year post-CPB patients, and 8 age- and gender-matched healthy control children. 16S rRNA sequencing of fecal samples were performed.

Results

Compared to the control groups, both VSD and TOF pre-CPB groups had significantly increased Enterobacteriaceae and Shigella, and decreased Bifidobacterium (Ps ≤ 0.049). No significant change in microbial community diversity was observed between pre- and early post-CPB periods (Ps≥0.227). Compared with early post-CPB, one-year post-CPB groups had significantly increased short-chain fatty acids-producing microbes (Ps ≤ 0.025), and their microbial communities were close to that of the control group (Ps≥0.102). There was no significant difference in microbial communities between VSD and TOF groups in any of 3 periods (Ps≥0.055).

Conclusion

In children with VSD or TOF, gut microbiota dysbiosis existed preoperatively and were not significantly altered by CPB. One-year post-CPB, microbiota significantly improved towards normal. Similar microbial communities were found between children with VSD and TOF throughout the perioperative and long-term postoperative periods.
The association between cardiovascular diseases and their subcategories with the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a large cross-sectional study based on a Chinese hospital population cohort
Authors: Li Tianye , Chen Lefu , Xu Hao , Zheng Yanhong , Yang Heying , Zhao Hongjun , Chen Chengshui
Published: February 2025

Background

Current evidence suggests that cardiovascular disease (CVD) plays a role in the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the relationship between CVD and the severity of COPD remains inadequately understood. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the association between CVD and the severity of COPD.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study involving 7,152 individuals with COPD., Logistic regression, subgroup and sensitivity analyses were employed to evaluate the association between CVD, its subcategories, and the severity of COPD.

Results

Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that CVD and hypertension remained independently associated with COPD severity (P < 0.001). Patients with CVD had a 1.701 times higher risk of developing severe or very severe COPD compared to those without CVD, while patients with hypertension had a 1.686 times higher risk of developing severe or very severe COPD compared to those without hypertension (P < 0.05). Subgroup analyses showed that the association between CVD and COPD severity remained stable among men, patients ≤ 70 years of age, patients > 70 years of age, BMI < 24 or ≥24 kg/m2, and never smokers, whereas coronary artery disease was significantly associated with COPD severity only among patients ≤ 70 years of age and never smokers (P < 0.05). In addition, hypertension was also stably associated with COPD severity among men, patients ≤ 70 years of age, patients > 70 years of age, BMI < 24 or ≥24 kg/m2, and never smokers. Sensitivity analyses reconfirmed the robustness of the associations of CVD and hypertension with COPD severity among patients who excluded bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, lung cancer, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary heart disease, and diabetes (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The strong association between CVD and its subcategories (mainly hypertension) and the severity of COPD suggests that the potential risk of exacerbation of CVD should also be addressed in the clinical management of patients with COPD. However, limitations of the cross-sectional design may limit the extrapolation of the results, and more large prospective clinical cohort studies are needed in the future to further validate the association.
Impact of targeted interventions on success of high-risk engineering students: a focus on historically underrepresented students in STEM
Authors: Atindama Emmanuel , Ramsdell Michael , Wick David P. , Mondal Sumona , Athavale Prashant
Published: February 2025

Introduction

The study examines the impact of targeted educational interventions on the academic success and retention of engineering students identified as high-risk, with a focus on two student groups historically underrepresented in STEM: underrepresented minority (URM) and female students. These interventions included an alternative curriculum pathway, a co-calculus support course, and spatial visualization training. Building on our previous work, we evaluated the outcomes of interventions designed to improve retention and graduation rates among the most academically underprepared students from these groups, who were consequently categorized as high-risk.

Methodology

We analyzed data from 10 student cohorts, covering 5 years before and 5 years after the interventions were implemented. We utilized a two-population proportion test to compare the groups' retention rates, graduation rates, and success in early STEM courses during pre- and post-intervention periods. Additionally, we constructed logistic regression models to identify key factors influencing on-time graduation.

Results

Our results show that the interventions significantly increased both the 4- and 6-year graduation rates for high-risk URM students by nearly 20 percentage points. Although high-risk female students improved retention and graduation rates, these changes were not found to be statistically significant. However, their performance in early foundation STEM courses, particularly Physics I and Calculus I, significantly improved post-intervention.

Discussion

Logistic regression models indicated a shift in the significance of the graduation rate predictors post-intervention, demonstrating the efficacy of these tailored strategies. The reduced importance of Physics I grades in predicting on-time graduation during the intervention years suggests a benefit of the alternative curriculum pathway, which decoupled this course from Calculus I for high-risk students. Additionally, the intervention mitigated the previously significant predictor of being non-URM for on-time graduation, indicating a leveling effect for URM students. These findings highlight the potential of customized interventions to enhance the academic outcomes and retention of high-risk students in STEM disciplines.
Comparative analysis of simulation tools for developing, testing, and benchmarking advanced control algorithms in building energy management systems
Authors: Hajialigol Parisa , Moazami Amin , Aghaei Mohammadreza
Published: February 2025

Buildings are an important part of the energy consumption of cities. With recent developments in integrated energy systems in buildings, the need for a smart energy management system (EMS) has significantly increased. In this regard, AI-EMS can help to enhance operational efficiency, occupant comfort, and environmental sustainability in urban areas. However, a comprehensive framework categorizing the tools and algorithms used in buildings and urban EMS is still lacking, which limits the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of these technologies. This paper addresses this gap by analyzing and comparing some of the most widely used AI tools, algorithms, and simulation environments for optimizing building energy systems, offering insights into the applications, strengths, and limitations of each tool. We provide a structured overview of AI control methods and available EMS tools, as well as a comparative analysis of their capabilities for energy management in both individual buildings and district-level systems. We aim to help researchers, policymakers, building designers, and engineers to better understand the available simulation tools for making informed decisions when selecting and using them.
Comprehensive analysis of the multifaceted role of ITGAV in digestive system cancer progression and immune infiltration
Authors: Shi Xinyue , Zang Jingyu , Gu Qi , Zhang Mengmeng , Sun Handi , Yang Lijun , Cheng Jiahui , Wang Ruonan , Mao Han , Xu Aitong , Wang Xin , Xiao Yu , Cai Jialing , Han Fang , Yang Depeng , Li Yu , Nie Huan
Published: February 2025

Background

Digestive system cancers are among the most common malignancies, exhibiting consistently high incidence and mortality rates, yet effective detection and treatment targets remain limited. Integrin αv (ITGAV, CD51) is a significant member of the integrin family, widely recognized for its role in mediating interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix, as well as intracellular signaling. In recent years, ITGAV has been found to have significantly elevated expression in multiple tumors, such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, and osteosarcoma, and was considered to be a key component in various stages of tumor progression. However, no systematic digestive system cancer analysis has been conducted to explore its function in prognosis, diagnosis, and immunology.

Methods

Transcriptome sequencing and clinical data of samples were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression Project (GTEx), Human Protein Atlas (HPA), cBioPortal, TIMER and TISIDB databases. Bioinformatics methods were employed to investigate the potential oncogenicity of ITGAV, focusing specifically on the analysis of its prognosis, diagnostic value, and immune infiltration level of ITGAV in digestive system cancers. In addition, GO, KEGG, and PPI network analysis revealed the biological functions and related signaling pathways related to ITGAV. Finally, the role of ITGAV in regulating cancer progression was experimentally verified using hepatocellular carcinoma and pancreatic cancer as examples.

Results

We found that ITGAV was highly expressed in multiple digestive system cancers. In addition, high expression of ITGAV was closely associated with poor prognosis and showed potential for early diagnosis. Enrichment of pathways related to extracellular matrix organizing processes and tumor migratory movements was identified. In vitro, results showed that the knockdown of ITGAV significantly inhibited the migratory movement ability of hepatocellular carcinoma and pancreatic cancer cells, while its overexpression significantly promoted the migration of the above cells. Finally, immunoassays showed a significant correlation between ITGAV expression and the infiltration level of various immune cells, further clarifying the critical role of ITGAV in the tumor immune microenvironment.

Conclusion

Our results elucidated the importance of ITGAV in the prognostic assessment, early diagnosis, and targeted immunotherapy of digestive system cancers, and revealed its multifaceted role in regulating cancer progression.
Time-restricted feeding alleviates arthritis symptoms augmented by high-fat diet
Authors: Búr Zsófia , Vendl Bernadett , Sűdy Ágnes R. , Lumniczky Zalán , Szántó Csongor G. , Mócsai Attila , Káldi Krisztina , Ella Krisztina
Published: February 2025

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects approximately 1% of the global population. Its hallmark symptoms include severe pain and joint stiffness, which significantly diminish life quality. RA’s development is influenced by multiple factors including unhealthy lifestyle habits. Calorie-rich diets, particularly those high in fat and resulting in obesity, are associated with RA and exacerbate its symptoms. Consequently, dietary modifications are recommended as a complementary treatment. However, adherence is often low due to the restrictive changes required in nutrient composition or caloric intake. Our previous findings indicate that time-restricted feeding (TRF) benefits leukocyte rhythm and mitigates autoimmune responses. In this study we explored the impact of TRF on the severity of K/BxN serum-transfer arthritis (STA) in mice subjected to high-fat diet. Three feeding schedules were implemented: a control (Ctrl) with constant access to standard chow, a high-fat diet group (HF) with ad libitum food access, and a high-fat TRF group (HF-TRF) with a 10-hour feeding window during the active phase. After four weeks of conditioning, STA was induced. Although macroscopic markers of inflammation did not differ between the Ctrl and HF groups, histological analysis revealed increased inflammation in HF mice, including expanded edema, pannus formation, bone erosion, elevated synovial neutrophil infiltration and serum leptin levels. Importantly, all these inflammatory markers were significantly reduced in the HF-TRF group, along with synovial IL-1β and monocyte/macrophage counts. Our results indicate that TRF can diminish the impact of a high-fat diet on STA severity, potentially serving as a preventive method and a sustainable therapeutic support for RA management.
Integrative analysis of m7G methylation-associated genes prognostic signature with immunotherapy and identification of LARP1 as a key oncogene in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Xu Juan , You Zihao , Zhu Zhongping , Liu Min , Zhang Zheng , Xu Panpan , Dong Juanjuan , Huang Yuting , Wang Chao , Qin Haotian
Published: February 2025

Background

N7-methylguanosine (m7G) methylation is an RNA modification associated with cancer progression, but its specific role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unclear.

Methods

This study analyzed the differential expression of m7G-related genes (m7GRGs) in HNSCC using the TCGA-HNSCC dataset, identifying key pathways associated with the cell cycle, DNA replication, and focal adhesion. A LASSO-Cox regression model was constructed based on four m7GRGs (EIF3D, EIF1, LARP1, and METTL1) and validated with GEO datasets and clinical samples. Further validation of gene upregulation in HNSCC tissues was conducted using RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry, while the role of LARP1 in HNSCC cells was assessed via knockout experiments.

Results

The constructed model demonstrated strong predictive performance, with the risk score significantly correlating with prognosis, immune infiltration, and drug sensitivity. An external dataset and clinical specimens further confirmed the model’s predictive accuracy for immunotherapy response. Additionally, two regulatory axes—LINC00707/hsa-miR-30b-5p/LARP1 and SNHG16/hsa-miR-30b-5p/LARP1—were identified. LARP1 knockout experiments revealed that suppressing LARP1 markedly inhibited HNSCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.

Conclusion

The m7GRG-based prognostic model developed in this study holds strong clinical potential for predicting prognosis and therapeutic responses in HNSCC. The identification of LARP1 and its related regulatory pathways offers new avenues for targeted therapy in HNSCC.
Novel mRNA vaccines induce potent immunogenicity and afford protection against tuberculosis
Authors: De Voss Christopher J. , Korompis Marcellus , Li Shuailin , Ateere Alberta , McShane Helen , Stylianou Elena
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), a disease with a severe global burden. The intractability of Mtb has prevented the identification of clear correlates of protection against TB and hindered the development of novel TB vaccines that are urgently required. Lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-formulated mRNA is a highly promising vaccine platform that has yet to be thoroughly applied to TB.

Methods

We selected five Mtb antigens (PPE15, ESAT6, EspC, EsxI, MetE) and evaluated their potential as LNP-formulated mRNA vaccines, both when each antigen was delivered individually, and when all five antigens were combined in a mix regimen (m-Mix).

Results

Each mRNA construct demonstrated unique cellular and humoral immunogenicity, and both m-Mix, as well as the single antigen EsxI, conferred significant protection in a murine Mtb challenge model. Whilst the potent immune responses of each mRNA were maintained when applied as a boost to BCG, there was no additional increase to the efficacy of BCG. Combination of m-Mix with a recombinant, replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus (ChAdOx1), in a heterologous prime-boost delivery (C-m-Mix), appeared to result in increased protection upon murine Mtb infection, than either regimen alone.

Discussion

This work warrants further investigation of LNP-formulated mRNA vaccines for TB, whilst indicating the potential of m-Mix and C-m-Mix to progress to further stages of vaccine development.
Marine object detection in forward-looking sonar images via semantic-spatial feature enhancement
Authors: Wang Zhen , Guo Jianxin , Zhang Shanwen , Xu Nan
Published: February 2025

Forward-looking sonar object detection plays a vital role in marine applications such as underwater navigation, surveillance, and exploration, serving as an essential underwater acoustic detection method. However, the challenges posed by seabed reverberation noise, complex marine environments, and varying object scales significantly hinder accurate detection of diverse object categories. To overcome these challenges, we propose a novel semantic-spatial feature enhanced detection model, namely YOLO-SONAR, tailored for marine object detection in forwardlooking sonar imagery. Specifically, we introduce the competitive coordinate attention mechanism (CCAM) and the spatial group enhance attention mechanism (SGEAM), both integrated into the backbone network to effectively capture semantic and spatial features within sonar images, while feature fusion is employed to suppress complex marine background noise. To address the detection of small-scale marine objects, we develop a context feature extraction module (CFEM), which enhances feature representation for tiny object regions by integrating multi-scale contextual information. Furthermore, we adopt the Wise-IoUv3 loss function to mitigate the issue of class imbalance within marine sonar datasets and stabilize the model training process. Experimental evaluations conducted on real-world forward-looking sonar datasets, MDFLS and WHFLS, demonstrate that the proposed detection model outperforms other state-of-the-art methods, achieving an average precision (mAP) of 81.96% on MDFLS and 82.30% on WHFLS, which are improvements of 7.65% and 12.89%, respectively, over the best-performing existing methods. These findings highlight the potential of our approach to significantly advance marine object detection technologies, facilitating more efficient underwater exploration and monitoring.
Epigenetic regulation of TDP-43: potential implications for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Mengistu D. Y. , Terribili M. , Pellacani C. , Ciapponi L. , Marzullo M.
Published: February 2025

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive degeneration of motor neurons. One of the key pathogenic factors implicated in ALS is TDP-43 (TAR DNA-binding protein 43), an RNA-binding protein encoded by the TARDBP gene. Under normal physiological conditions, TDP-43 predominantly resides in the nucleus, where it plays a critical role in regulating gene expression, alternative splicing, RNA transport, and stability. In ALS, TDP-43 undergoes pathological mislocalization from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, disrupting its normal function and contributing to disease progression. The nuclear loss of TDP-43 leads to widespread dysregulation of RNA metabolism. Moreover, mislocalized TDP-43 aggregates in the cytoplasm, acquires toxic properties that sequester essential RNA molecules and proteins. Importantly, deviations in TDP-43 levels, whether excessive or reduced, can lead to cellular dysfunction, and contribute to disease progression, highlighting the delicate balance required for neuronal health. Emerging evidence suggests that epigenetic mechanisms may play a crucial role in regulating TARDBP expression and, consequently, TDP-43 cellular levels. Epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs are increasingly recognized as modulators of gene expression and cellular function in neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS. Dysregulation of these processes could contribute to aberrant TARDBP expression, amplifying TDP-43-associated pathologies. This review explores and summarizes the recent findings on how specific epigenetic modifications influence TDP-43 expression and discusses their possible implications for disease progression.
Assessing cognitive flexibility in mice using a custom-built touchscreen chamber
Authors: Pais Rui C. , Goldani Ali , Hutchison Jayden , Mazrouei Amirhossein , Khavaninzadeh Mostafa , Molina Leonardo A. , Sutherland Robert J. , Mohajerani Majid H.
Published: February 2025

Automated touchscreen systems have become increasingly prevalent in rodent model screening. This technology has significantly enhanced cognitive and behavioral assessments in mice and has bridged the translational gap between basic research using rodent models and human clinical research. Our study introduces a custom-built touchscreen operant conditioning chamber powered by a Raspberry Pi and a commercially available computer tablet, which effectively addresses the significant cost barriers traditionally associated with this technology. In order to test our prototype, we decided to train C57BL/6 mice on a visual discrimination serial-reversal task, and both C57BL/6 and AppNL−G−Fstrain - an Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) mouse model - on a new location discrimination serial-reversal task. The results demonstrated a clear progression toward asymptotic performance, particularly in the location discrimination task, which also revealed potential genotype-specific deficits, with AppNL−G−F mice displaying an increase in the average number of errors in the first reversal as well as in perseverative errors, compared to wild-type mice. These results validate the practical utility of our touchscreen apparatus and underline its potential to provide insights into the behavioral and cognitive markers of neurobiological disorders.
Effect of dietary glycemic index on insulin resistance in adults without diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Yu Yu-Ting , Fu Yu-Hsiang , Chen Yi-Hsien , Fang Yu-Wei , Tsai Ming-Hsien
Published: February 2025

Low glycemic index (LoGI) diets are associated with decreased insulin resistance and are an effective strategy for patients with diabetes mellitus to control postprandial glucose levels. However, whether these effects on insulin resistance and glucose levels are also observable in those without diabetes mellitus is poorly understood. The present study examined the influence of LoGI diets compared with that of high glycemic index (HiGI) diets on insulin resistance in adults without diabetes mellitus. This meta-analysis included six randomized controlled trials involving 192 participants with a mean age of 52.5 years. A homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) score was calculated for each trial, and differences in HOMA-IR before and after each dietary intervention were calculated independently. The primary outcome was variations in insulin resistance, which was assessed by proxy as the difference between HOMA-IR scores at the beginning and end of the trials. The results suggested that LoGI diets decrease HOMA-IR scores to a greater extent than HiGI diets (estimate: 0.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01–0.61; p < 0.001) in individuals without diabetes mellitus. This association remained significant (estimate: 0.16; 95% CI, 0.01–0.31) after excluding one study with a short follow-up time (7 days). In conclusion, LoGI diets lower HOMA-IR scores to a greater extent than HiGI diets in adults without diabetes mellitus.

Systematic review registration

(https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/).
Radiotherapy as a primary treatment modality for a young man with a primary urethral plasmacytoma: case report and literature review
Authors: Lim Soo How , Poh Tian Er , Wee Hong Chin , Awang Basry Nur Shazwaniza Binti , Tajul Arifin Mohd Syazwan Bin , Yong Kar Ying
Published: February 2025

Primary urethral plasmacytoma is an extremely rare form of solitary plasmacytoma, with only 10 cases reported in the literature. It involves localized clonal proliferation of plasma cells without systemic disease. This report presents a 29-year-old man with acute urinary retention and a urethral mass, confirmed as solitary plasmacytoma. The patient was treated with 45 Gy of local radiotherapy, resulting in complete tumor resolution without recurrence or progression at a 2-year follow-up. Given its rarity, treatment strategies for primary urethral plasmacytoma are not well-defined. Radiotherapy is preferred over surgery in young patients due to the radiosensitivity of plasma cell tumors and its ability to preserve sexual and urinary function. A review of previous cases treated with radiotherapy alone, using doses of 40–50 Gy, showed favorable outcomes with no recurrences reported over follow-up periods ranging from 6 months to 12 years. Only one patient experienced minor long-term complications. This report highlights the effectiveness of radiotherapy as a primary modality for managing primary urethral plasmacytoma, offering excellent local control while preserving organ function. Individualized treatment plans should consider patient age, fertility concerns, and tumor characteristics. Further research is necessary to optimize treatment protocols and long-term surveillance strategies due to the potential risk of recurrence or progression to multiple myeloma.
Mining and analysis of dizziness adverse event signals in postoperative analgesia patients based on the FDA adverse event reporting system database
Authors: Zhou Fengqi , He Haiou , Zhang Zhen , Gao Jing
Published: February 2025

Objective

This study aimed to explore the association between drugs used in postoperative anesthesia patients and postoperative dizziness using the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database, along with other risk factors for dizziness.

Methods

Using the FAERS database, we retrospectively analyzed dizziness cases reported between 2004 and the third quarter of 2023. We analyzed the relationship between drugs during postoperative anesthesia and the risk of postoperative dizziness, and conducted subgroup analysis according to age, sex and other factors. Signal detection was further performed using the reported odds ratio (ROR) method to identify medications significantly associated with an increased risk of postoperative dizziness.

Results

A total of 166,292 dizziness case reports were obtained, with 128 cases specifically related to postoperative analgesia. The number of dizziness reports has been increasing yearly, with a higher concentration of cases among individuals aged 18–85 years, predominantly in female patients. The analysis identified that amitriptyline, clonazepam, and ketamine were significantly associated with an increased risk of dizziness, with RORs of 34.91, 17.39, and 7.37, respectively. Subgroup analyses revealed variations in the relative risk of dizziness based on sex and age groups. Ketamine may be associated with higher risk of dizziness in the adult male subgroup.

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that specific medications used by patients with postoperative analgesia are associated with an increased risk of postoperative dizziness. Future studies should further validate this finding and explore other potential risk factors.
Novel human single-domain antibodies exert potent anti-tumor activity by targeting EGF-like repeat epitope of EpCAM
Authors: Zhou Xiaofeng , Liu Zhifang , Zhang Weixiong , Dai Lin , Chen Tao , Lin Zexiong , Pan Hong , Qi Qi , Wei Henry
Published: February 2025

Introduction

EpCAM (Epithelial cell adhesion molecule) is a key cancer stem cell marker involved in cancer progression, making it an important target for both diagnosis and therapy. Despite efforts using anti-EpCAM monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), their anti-tumor effects have been limited. Single-domain antibodies (sdAbs), in contrast, offer advantages such as efficient tumor penetration and reduced immunogenicity. This study aims to screen and explore novel sdAbs targeting EpCAM for cancer therapy.

Methods

A critical EGF-like repeat epitope on the EpCAM extracellular domain was selected for screening a human sdAb library via phage display. The selected sdAbs were purified and their anti-cancer activity was validated through specific binding with the EpCAM peptide. The effects of these sdAbs on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were tested in vitro, and their anti-tumor activity was assessed in a xenograft model.

Results

Five fully human anti-EpCAM sdAbs were isolated, all of which specifically bound to the EpCAM peptide and showed selective binding to various cancer cell lines, but not to 293T and 3T3 cells. Functional assays demonstrated that these sdAbs significantly inhibited cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and induced apoptosis. Notably, two sdAbs (aEP3D4 and aEP4G2) exhibited potent anti-tumor effects in vivo, significantly reducing tumor volume and weight in a mouse xenograft model.

Discussion

This study provides compelling evidence that targeting EpCAM with sdAbs is a promising approach for cancer treatment. The identified anti-EpCAM sdAbs exhibit substantial anti-tumor activity both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting they are strong candidates for future therapeutic applications in cancer therapy.
Saliva-derived components can enhance the performance of toluidine blue in photodynamic therapy
Authors: Macri Nicolas , Dias Luana Mendonça , Pavarina Ana Claudia , Siqueira Walter L. , Sperandio Felipe Fornias
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of head and neck cancer worldwide. Currently, the most common treatment for OSCC includes a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. However, despite the advances made in therapeutic strategies, the prognosis for patients diagnosed with OSCC remains poor, especially at later stages, which emphasizes the need for a novel treatment approach. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been employed as stand-alone or adjuvant therapy for OSCC.

Methods

This study investigated the potential of using salivary proteins such as histatin-5 (Hst5) or derived peptides (RR14, DR9/RR14) to perform histatin-mediated PDT. The current literature has shown that histatins have the capacity to increase cellular membrane permeability, which indicates a potential synergistic effect when combined with a photosensitive agent. Toluidine Blue O (TBO) was used as the photosensitizer (PS) singularly combined with salivary peptides RR14, DR9/RR14, and Hst5 protein, and experiments were conducted to assess its biocompatibility and photodynamic effects on human gingival fibroblasts (FGH) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC-25) cell lines.

Results

The results showed that TBO concentrations below 4 μg/mL were non-cytotoxic to FGH cells, whereas concentrations up to 8 μg/mL were non-cytotoxic to SCC-25 cells. Also, the presence of histatins did not modify the absorption spectrum or photobleaching of TBO, enabling consistent production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) over time and rendering it as a stable and suitable PS for PDT. Further experiments also showed that when TBO was combined with Hst5, the ROS production increased by 186% compared to TBO alone.

Conclusion

Results suggest that the use of histatin-enhanced PS offer a promising alternative to conventional PDT, potentially improving its outcomes.
Exploring the application of metal-based photothermal agents in photothermal therapy combined with immune checkpoint therapy
Authors: Xie Bin , Xiao ZhiRong , Ling JiaBao , Peng Yichao , Chen Tianfeng
Published: February 2025

Photothermal therapy (PTT), a popular local treatment that uses heat to ablate tumors, has limited efficacy in addressing metastatic and deeply located tumors when used alone. Integrating PTT with immunotherapy not only yields a synergistic effect but also promotes cancer regression and confers the benefit of immune memory, which can surmount the challenges faced by PTT when used in isolation. Metal-based nanomaterials, renowned for their superior photothermal conversion efficiency and distinctive photochemical properties, have been extensively researched and applied in the field of PTT. This review summarizes the latest developments in combination therapies, with a specific focus on the combination of PTT and immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) for cancer treatment, including a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in noble metal-based and 2D transition metal chalcogenides (TMDCs)-based photothermal agents, and their anticancer effect when combining PTT with immune checkpoint blockades (anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-L1) therapy. The goal of this review is to present an overview of the application, current challenges and future prospects of metal-based photothermal agents in PTT combined with ICT for cancer treatment.
Alteration of mitochondrial function in arthropods during arboviruses infection: a review of the literature
Authors: Santana-Román María E. , Ramírez-Carreto Santos , Maycotte Paola , Pando-Robles Victoria
Published: February 2025

Arthropods serve as vectors for numerous arboviruses responsible for diseases worldwide. Despite their medical, veterinary, and economic significance, the interaction between arboviruses and arthropods remains poorly understood. Mitochondria in arthropods play a crucial role by supplying energy for cell survival and viral replication. Some arboviruses can replicate within arthropod vectors without harming the host. Successful transmission depends on efficient viral replication in the vector’s tissues, ultimately reaching the salivary glands for transmission to a vertebrate host, including humans, via blood-feeding. This review summarizes current knowledge of mitochondrial function in arthropods during arbovirus infection, highlighting gaps compared to studies in mammals and other pathogens relevant to arthropods. It emphasizes mitochondrial processes in insects that require further investigation to uncover the mechanisms underlying arthropod-borne transmission.
Ultra-lightweight tomatoes disease recognition method based on efficient attention mechanism in complex environment
Authors: Sun Wenbin , Xu Zhilong , Xu Kang , Ru Lin , Yang Ranbing , Wang Rong , Xing Jiejie
Published: February 2025

A variety of diseased leaves and background noise types are present in images of diseased tomatoes captured in real-world environments. However, existing tomato leaf disease recognition models are limited to recognizing only a single leaf, rendering them unsuitable for practical applications in real-world scenarios. Additionally, these models consume significant hardware resources, making their implementation challenging for agricultural production and promotion. To address these issues, this study proposes a framework that integrates tomato leaf detection with leaf disease recognition. This framework includes a leaf detection model designed for diverse and complex environments, along with an ultra-lightweight model for recognizing tomato leaf diseases. To minimize hardware resource consumption, we developed five inverted residual modules coupled with an efficient attention mechanism, resulting in an ultra-lightweight recognition model that effectively balances model complexity and accuracy. The proposed network was trained on a dataset collected from real environments, and 14 contrasting experiments were conducted under varying noise conditions. The results indicate that the accuracy of the ultra-lightweight tomato disease recognition model, which utilizes the efficient attention mechanism, is 97.84%, with only 0.418 million parameters. Compared to traditional image recognition models, the model presented in this study not only achieves enhanced recognition accuracy across 14 noisy environments but also significantly reduces the number of required model parameters, thereby overcoming the limitation of existing models that can only recognize single disease images.
Prevalence of depression among primary caregivers of patients with cancer in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis study
Authors: Wassie Yilkal Abebaw , Workneh Belayneh Shetie , Mekonen Enyew Getaneh , Ali Mohammed Seid , Techane Masresha Asmare , Wassie Mulugeta , Kassie Alemneh Tadesse , Ahmed Medina Abdela , Simie Tsega Sintayehu , Aemro Agazhe , Zegeye Alebachew Ferede , Tekeba Berhan , Tarik Tamir Tadesse , Nakie Girum , Fentahu Setegn , Melkam Mamaru , Kibralew Getasew , Tadesse Gebresilassie , Gonete Almaz Tefera
Published: February 2025

Background

Cancer is one of the main causes of the most extremely stressful events that can elicit emotional reactions such as depression. Cancer patient caregivers are the most involved members of the oncology team and play an important role in patient’s disease management and palliation which may adversely affect their health in the longer run, but many times the caregiver has been overlooked and ignored team. A corresponding systematic review on this topic has not yet been undertaken, even though there have been several studies about depression among primary caregivers of patients with cancer in Africa.

Methods

To find studies, we searched databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, African Journal Online, and Google Scholar. A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet was used to extract the data, which were then transferred to STATA version 14 for analysis. The statistical heterogeneity was evaluated by using Cochran’s Q and I2 statistics. To identify publication bias, Egger regression tests and funnel plot analysis were used. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were carried out.

Results

The current systematic review and meta-analysis comprised all 1983 research respondents from 10 studies. The overall pooled prevalence of depression among primary caregivers of patients with cancer was 47.21% with a 95% CI (31.76, 62.65: I2 = 98.4%). According to subgroup analysis, the pooled prevalence of depression was higher in the studies that used the back depression inventory screening tool (63.95%) (95% CI: 58.76, 69.13). Additionally, we observed a high pooled prevalence of depression in existing studies conducted in Kenya (62.7%) (95% CI: 56.45, 68.95). Finally, a greater prevalence of depression was found among primary caregivers of children with cancer (64.61%) (95% CI: 58.19, 71.03).

Conclusion and recommendations

The current systematic review and meta-analysis showed that depression was prevalent among primary caregivers of patients with cancer in Africa. The study also highlighted variability in prevalence based on country, method of depression assessment, and population subgroups. Therefore, public health interventions targeting the mental health of caregivers should be promoted. Priority should be given to those who care for children.