bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inflammatory stimuli induce shedding of heparan sulfate from arterial but not venous porcine endothelial cells leading to differential proinflammatory and procoagulant responses
Authors: Milusev Anastasia , Despont Alain , Shaw Jane , Rieben Robert , Sorvillo Nicoletta
Published: March 2023

Endothelial dysfunction is an early event of vascular injury defined by a proinflammatory and procoagulant endothelial cell (EC) phenotype. Although endothelial glycocalyx disruption is associated with vascular damage, how various inflammatory stimuli affect the glycocalyx and whether arterial and venous cells respond differently is unknown. Using a 3D round-channel microfluidic system we investigated the endothelial glycocalyx, particularly heparan sulfate (HS), on porcine arterial and venous ECs. Heparan sulfate (HS)/glycocalyx expression was observed already under static conditions on venous ECs while it was flow-dependent on arterial cells. Furthermore, analysis of HS/glycocalyx response after stimulation with inflammatory cues revealed that venous, but not arterial ECs, are resistant to HS shedding. This finding was observed also on isolated porcine vessels. Persistence of HS on venous ECs prevented complement deposition and clot formation after stimulation with tumor necrosis factor α or lipopolysaccharide, whereas after xenogeneic activation no glycocalyx-mediated protection was observed. Contrarily, HS shedding on arterial cells, even without an inflammatory insult, was sufficient to induce a proinflammatory and procoagulant phenotype. Our data indicate that the dimorphic response of arterial and venous ECs is partially due to distinct HS/glycocalyx dynamics suggesting that arterial and venous thrombo-inflammatory disorders require targeted therapies.
Label-free multiphoton microscopy enables histopathological assessment of colorectal liver metastases and supports automated classification of neoplastic tissue
Authors: Galli Roberta , Siciliano Tiziana , Aust Daniela , Korn Sandra , Kirsche Katrin , Baretton Gustavo B. , Weitz Jürgen , Koch Edmund , Riediger Carina
Published: March 2023

As the state of resection margins is an important prognostic factor after extirpation of colorectal liver metastases, surgeons aim to obtain negative margins, sometimes elaborated by resections of the positive resection plane after intraoperative frozen sections. However, this is time consuming and results sometimes remain unclear during surgery. Label-free multimodal multiphoton microscopy (MPM) is an optical technique that retrieves morpho-chemical information avoiding all staining and that can potentially be performed in real-time. Here, we investigated colorectal liver metastases and hepatic tissue using a combination of three endogenous nonlinear signals, namely: coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) to visualize lipids, two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) to visualize cellular patterns, and second harmonic generation (SHG) to visualize collagen fibers. We acquired and analyzed over forty thousand MPM images of metastatic and normal liver tissue of 106 patients. The morphological information with biochemical specificity produced by MPM allowed discriminating normal liver from metastatic tissue and discerning the tumor borders on cryosections as well as formalin-fixed bulk tissue. Furthermore, automated tissue type classification with a correct rate close to 95% was possible using a simple approach based on discriminant analysis of texture parameters. Therefore, MPM has the potential to increase the precision of resection margins in hepatic surgery of metastases without prolonging surgical intervention.
Palliative care and healthcare utilization among metastatic breast cancer patients in U.S. Hospitals
Authors: Kim Sun Jung , Patel Isha , Park Chanhyun , Shin Dong Yeong , Chang Jongwha
Published: March 2023

There is a lack of research focused on understanding the different characteristics and healthcare utilization of metastatic breast cancer patients by palliative care use. This study aims to investigate trend of in-patient palliative care and its association with healthcare utilization among hospitalized metastatic breast cancer patients in the US. National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was used to identify nationwide metastatic breast cancer patients (n = 5209, weighted n = 25,961) from 2010 to 2014. We examined the characteristics of the study sample by palliative care and its association with healthcare utilization, measured by discounted hospital charges and length of stay. Multivariable survey regression models were used to identify predictors. Among 26,961 breast cancer patients, 19.0% had palliative care. Percentage of receiving palliative care during the period were gradually increased. Social factors including race, insurance types were also associated with a receipt of palliative care. Survey linear regression results showed that patients with palliative care were associated with 31% lower hospital charges, however, length of stays were not significantly associated. This study found evidence of who was associated with the receipt of palliative care and its relationship with healthcare utilization. This study also emphasizes the importance of receiving palliative care in patients with breast cancer, paving the way for future research into ways to improve palliative care in cancer patients. This study also found social differences and gave evidence of programs that could be used to help vulnerable groups in future health policy decisions.
A validated protocol for eDNA-based monitoring of within-species genetic diversity in a pond-breeding amphibian
Authors: Zanovello Lucia , Girardi Matteo , Marchesini Alexis , Galla Giulio , Casari Stefano , Micheletti Diego , Endrizzi Sonia , Fedrigotti Chiara , Pedrini Paolo , Bertorelle Giorgio , Hauffe Heidi Christine
Published: March 2023

In light of the dramatic decline in amphibian biodiversity, new cost-efficient tools to rapidly monitor species abundance and population genetic diversity in space and time are urgently needed. It has been amply demonstrated that the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) for single-species detection and characterization of community composition can increase the precision of amphibian monitoring compared to traditional (observational) approaches. However, it has been suggested that the efficiency and accuracy of the eDNA approach could be further improved by more timely sampling; in addition, the quality of genetic diversity data derived from the same DNA has been confirmed in other vertebrate taxa, but not amphibians. Given the availability of previous tissue-based genetic data, here we use the common frog Rana temporaria Linnaeus, 1758 as our target species and an improved eDNA protocol to: (i) investigate differences in species detection between three developmental stages in various freshwater environments; and (ii) study the diversity of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes detected in eDNA (water) samples, by amplifying a specific fragment of the COI gene (331 base pairs, bp) commonly used as a barcode. Our protocol proved to be a reliable tool for monitoring population genetic diversity of this species, and could be a valuable addition to amphibian conservation and wetland management.
Evaluating the use of large language model in identifying top research questions in gastroenterology
Authors: Lahat Adi , Shachar Eyal , Avidan Benjamin , Shatz Zina , Glicksberg Benjamin S. , Klang Eyal
Published: March 2023

The field of gastroenterology (GI) is constantly evolving. It is essential to pinpoint the most pressing and important research questions. To evaluate the potential of chatGPT for identifying research priorities in GI and provide a starting point for further investigation. We queried chatGPT on four key topics in GI: inflammatory bowel disease, microbiome, Artificial Intelligence in GI, and advanced endoscopy in GI. A panel of experienced gastroenterologists separately reviewed and rated the generated research questions on a scale of 1–5, with 5 being the most important and relevant to current research in GI. chatGPT generated relevant and clear research questions. Yet, the questions were not considered original by the panel of gastroenterologists. On average, the questions were rated 3.6 ± 1.4, with inter-rater reliability ranging from 0.80 to 0.98 (p < 0.001). The mean grades for relevance, clarity, specificity, and originality were 4.9 ± 0.1, 4.6 ± 0.4, 3.1 ± 0.2, 1.5 ± 0.4, respectively. Our study suggests that Large Language Models (LLMs) may be a useful tool for identifying research priorities in the field of GI, but more work is needed to improve the novelty of the generated research questions.
Clinical features predictive of vision loss in patients with vitreoretinal lymphoma: a single tertiary center experience
Authors: Kim Mirinae , Suh Hyun , Park Young Gun , Park Young-Hoon
Published: March 2023

To clarify the long-term visual prognosis and prognostic factors for vision loss in patients with vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL). This retrospective longitudinal study included 64 consecutive patients with VRL. We analyzed the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), optical coherence tomography findings, and clinical features at every visit. Significant vision loss was defined as a final BCVA ≥ 0.5 logMAR. Predictors of significant vision loss following treatment were evaluated using univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses. We included 113 eyes of 64 patients (mean age, 64.2 ± 10.9 years), and 49 patients (76.6%) showed bilateral ocular involvement. The mean follow-up duration was 35.4 ± 25.8 months. At diagnosis, 36 (56.3%), 17 (26.6%), and 11 (17.2%) patients had primary, secondary, and concurrent VRL, respectively. All eyes received intraocular methotrexate injections (mean, 17.1 ± 5.5 injections). The mean BCVA improved from 0.44 ± 0.28 at diagnosis to 0.33 ± 0.29 1 month after treatment initiation. Vision improved significantly after treatment (final mean BCVA, 0.24 ± 0.21). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that baseline BCVA and retinal/subretinal infiltration were significantly correlated with vision loss. In this study, a good visual outcome was maintained for > 35 months in patients with VRL. Baseline BCVA and retinal/subretinal infiltration were significant predictors of vision loss after treatment for VRL.
Irreversibility analysis of electromagnetic hybrid nanofluid for Cattaneo–Christov heat flux model using finite element approach
Authors: Qureshi Muhammad Amer
Published: March 2023

To get a better heat transmission capacity of ordinary fluids, new hybrid nanofluids (HNFs) with a considerably greater exponent heat than nanofluids (NFs) are being used. HNFs, which have a greater heat exponent than NFs, are being applied to increase the HT capacities of regular fluids. Two-element nanoparticles mixed in a base fluid make up HNFs. This research investigates the flow and HT features of HNF across a slick surface. As a result, the geometric model is explained by employing symmetry. The technique includes nanoparticles shape factor, Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), porous media, Cattaneo–Christov, and thermal radiative heat flux effects. The governing equations are numerically solved by consuming a method known as the Galerkin finite element method (FEM). In this study, H2O-water was utilized as an ironic, viscous improper fluid, and HNF was investigated. Copper (Co) and Titanium Alloy (Ti6Al4V) nanoparticles are found in this fluid. The HT level of such a fluid (Ti6Al4V-Co/H2O) has steadily increased in comparison to ordinary Co-H2O NFs, which is a significant discovery from this work. The inclusion of nanoparticles aids in the stabilization of a nanofluid flowing and maintains the symmetry of the flow form. The thermal conductivity is highest in the boundary-lamina-shaped layer and lowest in sphere-shaped nanoparticles. A system's entropy increases by three characteristics: their ratio by fractional size, their radiated qualities, and their heat conductivity modifications. The primary applications of this examination are the biological and medical implementations like dental and orthopedic implantable devices, as well as other devices such as screws and plates because they possess a favorable set of characteristics such as good biomaterials, corrosion resistance and wear, and great mechanical characteristics.
Angiotensin II type 2 receptor activation preserves megalin in the kidney and prevents proteinuria in high salt diet fed rats
Authors: Kulkarni Kalyani , Patel Sanket , Ali Riyasat , Hussain Tahir
Published: March 2023

Proteinuria is a risk factor for and consequence of kidney injury. Angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) is an emerging reno-protective target and is anti-proteinuric under pathological conditions, including high salt-fed obese animals. However, the mechanisms remain unknown, particularly whether the anti-proteinuric activity of AT2R is independent of its anti-hypertensive and anti-inflammatory effects. In the present study, obese Zucker rats were fed high sodium (4%) diet (HSD) for 48 h, a time in which blood pressure does not change. HSD caused proteinuria without affecting glomerular slit diaphragm proteins (nephrin and podocin), glomerular filtration rate, inflammatory and fibrotic markers (TNFα, IL-6, and TGF-β), ruling out glomerular injury, inflammation and fibrosis but indicating tubular mechanisms of proteinuria. At cellular and molecular levels, we observed a glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β-mediated megalin phosphorylation, and its subsequent endocytosis and lysosomal degradation in HSD-fed rat kidneys. Megalin is a major proximal tubular endocytic protein transporter. The AT2R agonist C21 (0.3 mg/kg/day, i.p.) administration prevented proteinuria and rescued megalin surface expression potentially by activating Akt-mediated phosphorylation and inactivation of GSK-3β in HSD-fed rat kidneys. Overall, AT2R has a direct anti-proteinuric activity, potentially via megalin regulation, and is suggested as a novel target to limit kidney injury.
Association between the early mobilization of mechanically ventilated patients and independence in activities of daily living at hospital discharge
Authors: Watanabe Shinichi , Hirasawa Jun , Naito Yuji , Mizutani Motoki , Uemura Akihiro , Nishimura Shogo , Morita Yasunari , Iida Yuki
Published: March 2023

Physical dysfunction after discharge from the intensive care unit (ICU) is recognized as a common complication among ICU patients. Early mobilization (EM), defined as the ability to sit on the edge of the bed within 5 days, may help improve physical dysfunction. However, the barriers to, and achievement of, EM and their impact on physical dysfunction have not been fully investigated. This study aimed to investigate the achievement of EM and barriers to it and their impact on patient outcomes in mechanically ventilated ICU patients. We conducted this multicenter retrospective cohort study by collecting data from six ICUs in Japan. Consecutive patients who were admitted to the ICU between April 2019 and March 2020, were aged ≥ 18 years, and received mechanical ventilation for > 48 h were eligible. The primary outcome was the rate of independent activities of daily living (ADL), defined as a score ≥ 70 on the Barthel index at hospital discharge. Daily changes in barriers of mobilization, including consciousness, respiratory, circulatory, medical staff factors, and device factors (catheter, drain, and dialysis), along with the clinical outcomes were investigated. The association among barriers, mobilization, and Barthel index ≥ 70 was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression analysis. During the study period, 206 patients were enrolled. EM was achieved in 116 patients (68%) on the fifth ICU day. The primary outcome revealed that achieving EM was associated with a Barthel index ≥ 70 at hospital discharge [adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 3.44; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.70–6.96]. Device factors (AOR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.13–0.75, respectively) were significantly associated with EM achievement. EM was associated with independent ADL at hospital discharge. Time to first mobilization and barriers to achieving mobilization can be important parameters for achieving ADL independence at discharge. Further research is required to determine the most common barriers so that they can be identified and removed.
Moderation effects of loneliness between fatalism and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Miranda Ayala Rafael , Torrelles-Nadal Cristina , Magro Lazo Giancarlo , Filella Guiu Gemma
Published: March 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has put more than just our physical health at risk. Due to containment measures, people have become increasingly isolated and have drastically reduced their daily social interactions. Many studies have already shown the negative effects of these measures, including fatalism. However, research linking fatalism during COVID-19 to well-being indicators is still limited. The goal of this study is to examine the relationship between COVID-19-related fatalism and well-being indicators, as well as the role of loneliness in moderating this relationship. Data was collected from 1,036 adults in Peru through an online survey that included the Quality-of-Life Index, the Fatalism Facing COVID-19 Scale, the Loneliness Scale, and the Mood Assessment Scale. Three models were tested using linear regression and ordinary least squares with bias-corrected bootstrapping. The results indicate that fatalism has a negative impact on quality of life and a positive effect on negative affect, and loneliness moderates both relationships, supporting the conclusion that fatalism exacerbates the effect of well-being indicators and negative affect.
Rapid oxidative fragmentation of polypropylene with pH control in seawater for preparation of realistic reference microplastics
Authors: Nakatani Hisayuki , Ohshima Yuina , Uchiyama Taishi , Motokucho Suguru , Dao Anh Thi Ngoc , Kim Hee-Jin , Yagi Mitsuharu , Kyozuka Yusaku
Published: March 2023

Various tiny plastic particles were retrieved from the sea and studied using scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) analysis to prepare realistic reference microplastics (MP). Most of the MP exhibited a diameter of < 20 × 10−6 m and 0.1–0.2 molar ratios of oxygen to carbon atoms (O/C), indicating that they primarily comprised polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). It took a long time to reproduce such O/C ratios in standard laboratory weathering methods. For example, degrading of 30 × 30 × 0.060 mm PP film required 75 days for the 0.1 ratio, even with an advanced oxidation process (AOP) using a sulfate radical anion (SO4·−) initiator in distilled water at 65 °C. However, seawater drastically improved the PP degradation performance of AOP under a weak acid condition to achieve the 0.1 ratio of PP film in only 15 days. The combination of seawater and the SO4·− initiator accelerated the degradation process and showed that the MP’s size could be controlled according to the degradation time.
Identification of an immunogenic cell death-related gene signature predicts survival and sensitivity to immunotherapy in clear cell renal carcinoma
Authors: Zhou Shuoming , Lu Yanwen , Chen Yuxin , Gan Weidong
Published: March 2023

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is the trigger of adaptive immune responses. However, the role of ICD-related genes in clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) remains unclear. We aimed to identify biomarkers associated with ICD and develop an ICD-related predictive model that predicts the immune microenvironment, prognosis, and response to immunotherapy in ccRCC. Our study included 739 patients (603 in the training set and 136 in the validation set) with clinicopathologic information and transcriptome sequencing data. Consensus clustering, principal component analysis (PCA), weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), univariate COX analysis, multivariate COX analysis, and the Lasso-Cox algorithm were applied to shrink predictors and construct a predictive signature of overall survival (OS). We used CIBERSORT, ESTIMATE, and TIMER in the R package IOBR to evaluate the tumor microenvironment and immune infiltration pattern of each sample. Finally, the single cell sequencing results of immune cells in ccRCC were used to verify the results of immune infiltration analysis, and the performance of the prognostic model was evaluated by calibration curves and c-index. This study revealed that inability of the initial immune response and primary immunodeficiency were significantly enriched in the ICD subgroup with poor prognosis. We found that the ten candidate ICD genes (CALR, ENTPD1, FOXP3, HSP90AA1, IFNB1, IFNG, IL6, LY96, PIK3CA, and TLR4) could affect the prognosis of ccRCC (p < 0.05). The prediction model (PRE) we constructed can not only predict the long-term survival probability but also evaluate the landscape of immune infiltration in ccRCC. Our study demonstrated that low infiltration of dendritic cells in ccRCC implies a poor prognosis, whereas the degree of CTL infiltration is less important. An individualized prediction model was created to predict the 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year survival and responsiveness of ccRCC patients to immunotherapy, which may serve as a potent tool for clinicians to make better treatment decisions and thus improve the overall survival (OS) of ccRCC patients in the future.
The relationship between physical exercise and smoking behavior among Chinese residents aged 16 years and older
Authors: Tie Yu , Tian Wen , Chen Yiru , Wang Ruiting , Shi Peng , Feng Xiaosu
Published: March 2023

To explore the relationship between physical exercise and smoking behavior among Chinese residents aged 16 years and older. Analysis based on 29,466 validated cases in the 2018 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS 2018). The chi-square test and Mann–Whitney U test were used for comparative analysis between groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between physical exercise and smoking behavior. Gender and birth cohort differences in the relationship between physical exercise and smoking behavior were explored based on stratified regression analysis using gender and birth cohort as stratified variables, respectively. Robustness testing based on multiple linear regression analysis using a replacement data approach. There were 8735 cases of smokers among the respondents. After controlling for relevant confounders, there was a significant negative association between physical exercise and smoking behavior among residents [OR 0.718, 95% CI (0.673, 0.765), P < 0.01]. Physical exercise was more significantly associated with smoking behavior among male residents [OR 0.694, 95% CI (0.649, 0.743), P < 0.01], while it was not significantly associated with smoking behavior among female residents [OR 0.901, 95% CI (0.743, 1.093), P > 0.05]. Physical exercise was more significantly associated with smoking behavior in the pre-1948 (OR 0.748), 1959–1968 (OR 0.748), 1969–1978 (OR 0.812), 1989–1998 (OR 0.576) and post-1999 (OR 0.411) birth cohorts, and the association decreased over time and with social change. The results of the robustness test showed that frequency of exercise was significantly and negatively associated with smoking behavior among residents [OR 0.961, 95% CI (0.951, 0.970), P < 0.01]. Physical exercise is negatively associated with smoking behavior among Chinese residents aged 16 years and older, especially among male residents. There is a cohort effect between physical exercise and smoking behavior of the population, that is, the relationship between the two decreases with social change.
Computational study of blood flow inside MCA aneurysm with/without endovascular coiling
Authors: Sadeh Asal , Kazemi Admin , Bahramkhoo Moharam , Barzegar Gerdroodbary M.
Published: March 2023

The simulation of blood hemodynamics inside the MCA aneurysm is done to investigate the potential region for rupture and hemorrhage. The main focus of this work is to disclose the impacts of endovascular coiling on blood hemodynamics and the risk of aneurysm rupture. Navier–stokes equations are solved for the computational study of blood flow while it is assumed that flow remains laminar, unsteady, and non-Newtonian. Influences of blood hematocrits and coiling porosity are also examined in this work. Obtained results show that impacts of blood hematocrit on the maximum OSI are limited in the MCA case.
Ray tracing optimization: a new method for intraocular lens power calculation in regular and irregular corneas
Authors: Pérez-Merino Pablo , Aramberri Jaime , Quintero Andrés Vásquez , Rozema Jos J.
Published: March 2023

To develop a novel algorithm based on ray tracing, simulated visual performance and through-focus optimization for an accurate intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation. Custom-developed algorithms for ray tracing optimization (RTO) were used to combine the natural corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs) with multiple sphero-cylindrical corrections in 210 higher order statistical eye models for developing keratoconus. The magnitude of defocus and astigmatism producing the maximum Visual Strehl was considered as the optimal sphero-cylindrical target for IOL power calculation. Corneal astigmatism and the RMS HOAs ranged from − 0.64 ± 0.35D and 0.10 ± 0.04 μm (0-months) to − 3.15 ± 1.38D and 0.82 ± 0.47 μm (120-months). Defocus and astigmatism target was close to neutral for eyes with low amount of HOAs (0 and 12-months), where 91.66% of eyes agreed within ± 0.50D in IOL power calculation (RTO vs. SRK/T). However, corneas with higher amounts of HOAs presented greater visual improvement with an optimized target. In these eyes (24- to 120-months), only 18.05% of eyes agreed within ± 0.50D (RTO vs. SRK/T). The power difference exceeded 3D in 42.2% while the cylinder required adjustments larger than 3D in 18.4% of the cases. Certain amounts of lower and HOAs may interact favourably to improve visual performance, shifting therefore the refractive target for IOL power calculation.
SCAPS simulation of novel inorganic ZrS2/CuO heterojunction solar cells
Authors: Abdelfatah Mahmoud , El Sayed Adel M. , Ismail Walid , Ulrich Stephan , Sittinger Volker , El-Shaer Abdelhamid
Published: March 2023

ZrS2 is transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) which is believed one of the most talented applicants to fabricate photovoltaics. Therefore, we present here for the first-time numerical simulation of novel inorganic ZrS2/CuO heterojunction solar cells employing SCAPS-1D. The influence of the thickness, carrier concentration, and bandgap for both the window and absorber layers on the solar cell fundamental parameters was explored intensely. Our results reveal that the solar cell devices performance is mainly affected by many parameters such as the depletion width (Wd), built-in voltage (Vbi), collection length of charge carrier, the minority carrier lifetime, photogenerated current, and recombination rate. The η of 23.8% was achieved as the highest value for our simulated devices with the Voc value of 0.96 V, the Jsc value of 34.2 mA/cm2, and the FF value of 72.2%. Such efficiency was obtained when the CuO band gap, thickness, and carrier concentration were 1.35 eV, 5.5 µm, and above 1018 cm−3, respectively, and for the ZrS2 were 1.4 eV, 1 µm, and less than 1020 cm−3, respectively. Our simulated results indicate that the inorganic ZrS2/CuO heterojunction solar cells are promising to fabricate low-cost, large-scale, and high-efficiency photovoltaic devices.
Collagen constitutes about 12% in females and 17% in males of the total protein in mice
Authors: Tarnutzer Katharina , Siva Sankar Devanarayanan , Dengjel Joern , Ewald Collin Y.
Published: March 2023

Collagen has been postulated to be the most abundant protein in our body, making up one-third of the total protein content in mammals. However, a direct assessment of the total collagen levels of an entire mammal to confirm this estimate is missing. Here we measured hydroxyproline levels as a proxy for collagen content together with total protein levels of entire mice or of individual tissues. Collagen content normalized to the total protein is approximately 0.1% in the brain and liver, 1% in the heart and kidney, 4% in the muscle and lung, 6% in the colon, 20–40% in the skin, 25–35% in bones, and 40–50% in tendons of wild-type (CD1 and CB57BL/6) mice, consistent with previous reports. To our surprise, we find that collagen is approximately 12% in females and 17% in males of the total protein content of entire wild-type (CD1 and CB57BL/6) mice. Although collagen type I is the most abundant collagen, the most abundant proteins are albumin, hemoglobulin, histones, actin, serpina, and then collagen type I. Analyzing amino acid compositions of mice revealed glycine as the most abundant amino acid. Thus, we provide reference points for collagen, matrisome, protein, and amino acid composition of healthy wild-type mice.
Association between handgrip strength and heart failure in adults aged 45 years and older from NHANES 2011–2014
Authors: Li Run-Min , Dai Guo-Hua , Guan Hui , Gao Wu-Lin , Ren Li-Li , Wang Xing-Meng , Qu Hui-Wen
Published: March 2023

Growing evidence indicates that handgrip strength (HGS) is a conspicuous marker for assessing some diseases affecting middle-aged and elderly individuals. However, research regarding HGS and heart failure (HF) is sparse and controversial. Hence, we aimed to investigate the association between HGS and HF among adults aged 45 years and older in the United States. In this cross-sectional study, we included 4524 adults older than 45 years who were part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A generalized additive model was used to estimate the association between HGS and HF. Age, gender, race, income, education, body mass index, smoking status, drinking status, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, vigorous physical activity, total energy intake, total protein intake, total sugars intake, and total fat intake covariates were adjusted using multiple regression models. And further subgroup analysis was conducted. We documented 189 cases of HF, including 106 men and 83 women. HGS was negatively associated with HF after adjusting for all the covariates (odds ratio = 0.97, 95% confidence interval = 0.96–0.99; P < 0.001). Compared with the lowest quintile, the highest quintile was associated with an 82% lower incidence of HF (odds ratio = 0.18, 95% confidence interval = 0.08–0.43; P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that the results remained stable. In US adults older than 45, HGS was negatively associated with HF after adjusting for covariates. This finding had the potential to draw attention to the physiological and pathological effects of decreased muscle function on HF and may influence further prospective studies with intervention trials.
PIK3CA and PIK3R1 tumor mutational landscape in a pan-cancer patient cohort and its association with pathway activation and treatment efficacy
Authors: Tharin Zoé , Richard Corentin , Derangère Valentin , Ilie Alis , Arnould Laurent , Ghiringhelli François , Boidot Romain , Ladoire Sylvain
Published: March 2023

There is little data concerning the implications of PIK3CA mutations outside of the known hotspots described in ER+/HER2− metastatic breast cancer (mBC). Similarly, PIK3R1 mutations could also lead to activation of PI3K pathway, but are poorly described. We determined the incidence and type of all somatic PIK3CA and PIK3R1 mutations by whole exome sequencing (WES) in a pan-cancer cohort of 1200 patients. Activation of the PI3K pathway was studied using phospho-AKT immunohistochemistry. Associations between PIK3CA/PIK3R1 mutations and response to chemotherapy were studied in mBC cases. We found 141 patients (11.8%) with a PIK3CA and/or PIK3R1 mutation across 20 different cancer types. The main cancer subtype was mBC (45.4%). Eighty-four mutations (62.2%) occurred in the three described hotspots; 51 mutations occurred outside of these hotspots. In total, 78.4% were considered activating or probably activating. Among PIK3R1 mutations, 20% were loss of function mutations, leading to a constitutional activation of the pathway. Phospho-AKT quantification in tumor samples was in favor of activation of the PI3K pathway in the majority of mutated tumors, regardless of mutation type. In ER+/HER2− mBC, first line chemotherapy efficacy was similar for PIK3CA-mutated and PIK3CA-WT tumors, whereas in triple negative mBC, chemotherapy appeared to be more effective in PIK3CA-WT tumors. In this large, real-life pan-cancer patient cohort, our results indicate that PIK3CA/PIK3R1 mutations are widely spread, and plead in favour of evaluating the efficacy of PI3K inhibitors outside of ER+/HER2− mBC and outside of hotspot mutations.
A study on Shine-Muscat grape detection at maturity based on deep learning
Authors: Wei Xinjie , Xie Fuxiang , Wang Kai , Song Jian , Bai Yang
Published: March 2023

The efficient detection of grapes is a crucial technology for fruit-picking robots. To better identify grapes from branch shading that is similar to the fruit color and improve the detection accuracy of green grapes due to cluster adhesion, this study proposes a Shine-Muscat Grape Detection Model (S-MGDM) based on improved YOLOv3 for the ripening stage. DenseNet is fused in the backbone feature extraction network to extract richer underlying grape information; depth-separable convolution, CBAM, and SPPNet are added in the multi-scale detection module to increase the perceptual field of grape targets and reduce the model computation; meanwhile, PANet is combined with FPN to promote inter-network information flow and iteratively extract grape features. In addition, the CIOU regression loss function is used and the prior frame size is modified by the k-means algorithm to improve the accuracy of detection. The improved detection model achieves an AP value of 96.73% and an F1 value of 91% on the test set, which are 3.87% and 3% higher than the original network model, respectively; the average detection speed under GPU reaches 26.95 frames/s, which is 6.49 frames/s higher than the original model. The comparison results with several mainstream detection algorithms such as SSD and YOLO series show that the method has excellent detection accuracy and good real-time performance, which is an important reference value for the problem of accurate identification of Shine-Muscat grapes at maturity.
Elucidating the NB-UVB mechanism by comparing transcriptome alteration on the edge and center of psoriatic plaques
Authors: Boonpethkaew Suphagan , Meephansan Jitlada , Charoensuksira Sasin , Jumlongpim Onjira , Tangtanatakul Pattarin , Wongpiyabovorn Jongkonnee , Komine Mayumi , Morita Akimichi
Published: March 2023

Narrow band-ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) is an effective treatment for psoriasis. We aim to generate a potential mechanism of NB-UVB through comparing the transcriptomic profile before and after NB-UVB treatment between the peripheral edge of lesional skin (PE skin) and the center of lesional skin (CE skin) on the basis of molecular mechanisms of these two areas display different downstream functions. More than one-fourth of the NB-UVB-altered genes were found to be plaque-specific. Some of them were psoriasis signature genes that were downregulated by NB-UVB in, both, PE and CE skin (core alteration), such as IL36G, DEFB4A/B, S100A15, KRT16, and KRT6A. After NB-UVB treatment, the activity score of upstream cytokines, such as interferons, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17, and IL-22 in pathogenesis decreased. In addition, NB-UVB could restore normal keratinization by upregulating LORICRIN and KRT2, particularly in the CE skin. Finally, we illustrated that NB-UVB is capable of suppressing molecules from the initiation to maintenance phase of plaque formation, thereby normalizing psoriatic plaques. This finding supports the usefulness of NB-UVB treatment in clinical practice and may help in the development of new treatment approaches in which NB-UVB treatment is included for patients with psoriasis or other inflammatory skin diseases.
The influence of Cenozoic Eurasia-Arabia convergence on the Southeast Arabian Foreland Basin: new geochronological and geochemical constraints from syn-kinematic carbonate mineralization
Authors: Arboit Francesco , Drost Kerstin , Decarlis Alessandro , Chew David , Hennhoefer Dominik , Ceriani Andrea
Published: March 2023

The Cenozoic succession of the Jabal Hafeet anticline yields the most complete surface expression of the deformation that affected the Southeast Arabian Foreland Basin (SEAFB). The carbonate rocks of the Eocene Rus Formation comprise the core of the Jabal Hafeet anticline and host a network of fractures and carbonate veins associated with dynamic fracture opening and sealing events. These fracture networks developed during the propagation of compressional stresses from the Makran and Zagros fold-and-thrust belts into their foreland basin system (the SEAFB) and are associated with Arabia-Eurasia convergence. Syn-kinematic calcite veins associated with the Cenozoic folding events in the SEAFB were dated by U–Pb LA-ICP-MS carbonate geochronology and characterized further by Raman fluid-inclusion geochemistry. The U–Pb data show that Cenozoic compression linked to the propagation of the Makran fold-and-thrust belt into the SEAFB took place from c. 20 Ma (early Miocene) to c. 2 Ma (mid Pleistocene). Raman fluid-inclusion data reveal the presence of complex hydrocarbons within the parent carbonate-bearing fluids, reflecting a fluid transport pathway between the upper Cenozoic rocks and deeper hydrocarbon-bearing Mesozoic sequences. Combined isotopic and geochemical datasets show that the deformational history of the SEAFB is likely related to the reactivation of inherited deep-seated structures in the upper Cenozoic stratigraphic sequence due to the far-field stress propagation from the Makran belt into the Arabian peninsula, rather than the propagation of a thin-skinned deformation architecture.
Assessing the effectiveness of perimeter lockdowns as a response to epidemics at the urban scale
Authors: de Miguel Arribas Alfonso , Aleta Alberto , Moreno Yamir
Published: March 2023

From September 2020 to May 2021 Madrid region (Spain) followed a rather unique non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) by establishing a strategy of perimeter lockdowns (PLs) that banned travels to and from areas satisfying certain epidemiological risk criteria. PLs were pursued to avoid harsher restrictions, but some studies have found that the particular implementation by Madrid authorities was rather ineffective. Based on Madrid’s case, we devise a general, minimal framework to investigate the PLs effectiveness by using a data-driven metapopulation epidemiological model of a city, and explore under which circumstances the PLs could be a good NPI. The model is informed with real mobility data from Madrid to contextualize its results, but it can be generalized elsewhere. The lowest lockdown activation threshold $$\Theta $$
Θ
considered (14-day cumulative incidence rate of 20 cases per every $$10^5$$

10
5

inhabitants) shows a prevalence reduction $$>20\%$$

>
20
%

with respect to the scenario $$\Theta =10^3$$

Θ
=

10
3

, more akin to the case of Madrid, and assuming no further mitigation. Only the combination of $$\Theta =20$$

Θ
=
20

and mobility reduction $$>90\%$$

>
90
%

can avoid PLs for more than $$>20\%$$

>
20
%

of the system. The combination of low $$\Theta $$
Θ
and strong local transmissibility reduction is key to minimize the impact, but the latter is harder to achieve given that we assume a situation with highly mitigated transmission, resembling the one observed during the second wave of COVID-19 in Madrid. Thus, we conclude that a generalized lockdown is hard to avoid under any realistic setting if only this strategy is applied.
Nanopore Sequencing Discloses Compositional Quality of Commercial Probiotic Feed Supplements
Authors: Kruasuwan Worarat , Jenjaroenpun Piroon , Arigul Tantip , Chokesajjawatee Nipa , Leekitcharoenphon Pimlapas , Foongladda Suporn , Wongsurawat Thidathip
Published: March 2023

The market for the application of probiotics as a livestock health improvement supplement has increased in recent years. However, most of the available products are quality-controlled using low-resolution techniques and un-curated databases, resulting in misidentification and incorrect product labels. In this work, we deployed two workflows and compared results obtained by full-length 16S rRNA genes (16S) and metagenomic (Meta) data to investigate their reliability for the microbial composition of both liquid and solid forms of animal probiotic products using Oxford Nanopore long-read-only (without short-read). Our result revealed that 16S amplicon data permits to detect the bacterial microbiota even with the low abundance in the samples. Moreover, the 16S approach has the potential to provide species-level resolution for prokaryotes but not for assessing yeast communities. Whereas, Meta data has more power to recover of high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes that enables detailed exploration of both bacterial and yeast populations, as well as antimicrobial resistance genes, and functional genes in the population. Our findings clearly demonstrate that implementing these workflows with long-read-only monitoring could be applied to assessing the quality and safety of probiotic products for animals and evaluating the quality of probiotic products on the market. This would benefit the sustained growth of the livestock probiotic industry.
Non-sentinel node metastasis prediction during surgery in breast cancer patients with one to three positive sentinel node(s) following neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Authors: Chun Jung Whan , Kim Jisun , Chung Il Yong , Ko Beom Seok , Kim Hee Jeong , Lee Jong Won , Son Byung Ho , Ahn Sei-Hyun , Lee Sae Byul
Published: March 2023

Our aim was to develop a tool to accurately predict the possibility of non-sentinel lymph node metastasis (NSLNM) during surgery so that a surgeon might decide the extent of further axillary lymph node dissection intraoperatively for patients with 1–3 positive sentinel lymph node(s) (SLN) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After retrospective analysis of Asan Medical Center (AMC) database, we included 558 patients’ records who were treated between 2005 and 2019. 13 factors were assessed for their utility to predict NSLNM with chi-square and logistic regression with a bootstrapped, backward elimination method. Based on the result of the univariate analysis for statistical significance, number of positive SLN(s), number of frozen nodes, Progesterone Receptor (PR) positivity, clinical N stage were selected for the multivariate analysis and were utilized to generate a nomogram for prediction of residual nodal disease. The resulting nomogram was tested for validation by using a patient group of more recent, different time window at AMC. We designed a nomogram to be predictive of the NSLNM which consisted of 4 components: number of SLN(s), number of frozen nodes, PR positivity, and clinical N stage before neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) value of this formula was 0.709 (95% CI, 0.658–0.761) for development set and 0.715 (95% CI, 0.634–0.796) for validation set, respectively. This newly created AMC nomogram may provide a useful information to a surgeon for intraoperative guidance to decide the extent of further axillary surgery.
Development and validation of new predictive equations for resting energy expenditure in physically active boys
Authors: Łuszczki Edyta , Jagielski Paweł , Bartosiewicz Anna , Dereń Katarzyna , Matłosz Piotr , Kuchciak Maciej , Oleksy Łukasz , Stolarczyk Artur , Mazur Artur
Published: March 2023

Measurement or estimation of resting energy expenditure (REE) should be the first step in determining energy demand in physically active boys. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate new equations for resting energy expenditure in male children and adolescents practicing soccer. The cross-sectional studywas carried out among 184 boys in the derivation group and 148 boys in the validation group (mean age 13.20 ± 2.16 years and 13.24 ± 1.75 years, respectively). The calorimeter and device for assessing body composition by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) were used. Model of multiple regression showed that REE can be predicted in this population with Eq. (1) (with height and weight data) or Eq. (2) (with age, height, and fat free mass data). Predictive Eq. (1) had an average error of 51 ± 199 kcal and predictive Eq. (2) − 39 ± 193 kcal. Cohen's d coefficient was 0.2, which confirms the small difference. The bias was 4.7% and 3.9%, respectively. The accuracy was 61.2% in the population for predictive Eq. (1) and 66.2% for predictive Eq. (2). Therefore, the new equations developed and validated in this study are recommended for the estimation of REE in physically active boys, when the use of IC is not feasible or available.
Occurrence and patterns of fin whale songs reveal alternative migration strategies in Svalbard Islands, Norway
Authors: Papale E. , Pelagatti M. , Pedrazzi G. , Buscaino G.
Published: March 2023

The Arctic marine environment is highly affected by global warming with notable changes in habitat conditions, which have great consequences on migrating species. For example, the timing of their migration can be altered leading to changes in their occurrence in suitable areas, which are critical for their survival. In this study, seven years of acoustic data were analysed in Svalbard Islands from 2014 to 2020, revealing that the occurrence of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) happened all year-round. The sea surface temperature recorded reveals conditions which could be favorable for these species to persist until the Polar Night. The occurrence of songs indicated that certain individuals did not undertake the migratory journey through the southern breeding grounds, possibly using the area for mating purposes. The analyses of the Inter-Note-Interval (INI) demonstrated that over the years songs with different patterns were found. This suggests that either the fin whales are able to switch their INI patterns or that populations with different INIs are visiting during the Winter. Therefore, this study unveils the undertaking of an alternative strategy to migration movements, and the possible potential origin of the fin whales overwintering in Svalbard.
Air volume flow rate optimization of the guide vanes in an axial flow fan based on DOE and CFD
Authors: Chen Fanbao , Zhu Guanzhang , Xi Danyang , Miao Bin
Published: March 2023

The unreasonable design of guide vanes in the axial fan could have negative effects. In order to enhance the performance, the relationship between the air volume flow rate of the selected axial fan and geometric parameters of guide vanes is firstly analysed by DOE and CFD, and optimal parameters are found by the Gaussian Process method. Results show that the number and total chord of guide vanes have a nonlinear effect on the air volume flow, and the total chord of vanes is the main factor in affecting calculation results. For the particular configuration studied here, the optimal design of guide vanes shows that lessening the chord of vanes by 38 mm and increasing the number of the vanes to 18 could produce more airflow under the same rotation speed.