bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Special features of postoperative long-term follow-up patients with retinopathy of prematurity
Authors: Thang Le Hoang , Evgenievich Sidorenko Evgeniy , Ivanovich Sidorenko Evgeniy , Igorevich Krapivkin Alexey , Andreevna Kushchuk Olga , Vladimirovich Miguel Dmitry , Valerievna Ermolaeva Elena , Evgenievna Loskutova Victoria
Published: July 2024

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), leading to a high percentage of visual disability, continues to be one of the most complex and unresolved problems of pediatric ophthalmology. Some patients, despite successful surgical treatment and regression of ROP, lose their vision by the age of 25–35 years from the long-term consequences of ROP. That is why patients after surgical treatment of ROP, including those with peripheral chorioretinal dystrophy, need lifelong clinical follow-up in order to on time diagnose reactive conditions in the long-term postoperative period, leading to a significant loss of visual function.

Methods: This paper presents a special case of a patient with stage 4 ROP and her long-term clinical and functional outcome.

Conclusions: As a result of regular dynamic monitoring of the patient, using modern highly informative research methods, we promptly detected the formation of an exudative component of the macular area, which made it possible to prevent retinal detachment and loss of vision.

Strengths of this study: This study presented a clinical case of a patient with ROP and long-term patient follow-up. This shows the importance of long-term monitoring of patients after treatment and the importance of combining treatment methods.
MST: Topology-Aware Message Aggregation for Exascale Graph Processing of Traversal-Centric Algorithms
Authors: Gan Xinbiao , Li Tiejun , Xiong Feng , Yang Bo , Chen Xinhai , Gong Chunye , Li Shijie , Lu Kai , Li Qiao , Zhang Yiming
Published: July 2024

This article presents MST, a communication-efficient message library for fast graph traversal on exascale clusters. The key idea is to follow the multi-level network topology to perform topology-aware message aggregation, where small messages are gathered and scattered at each level of domain. To facilitate message aggregation, we equip MST with flexible buffer management including active buffer switching and dynamic buffer expansion. We implement MST on the newest-generation Tianhe supercomputer and evaluated its performance using various traversal-centric algorithms on both synthetic trillion-scale graphs and real-world big graphs. The results show that MST-based graph traversal is orders of magnitude faster than that based on Active Messages Library (AML). For the Graph500-BFS benchmark, MST-based Tianhe (with 77.2 K nodes) outperforms the Fugaku supercomputer (with 148.5 K nodes) by 18.53%, while Fugaku is ranked No. 1 in the latest Graph500-BFS ranking (June 2023). MST also greatly improves graph processing performance on other commercial large-scale computing systems at the National Supercomputing Center in Changsha (NSCC) and WuzhenLight.
Molecular Gas and the Star-Formation Process on Cloud Scales in Nearby Galaxies
Authors: Schinnerer E. , Leroy A.K.
Published: July 2024

Observations that resolve nearby galaxies into individual regions across multiple phases of the gas–star formation–feedback “matter cycle” have provided a sharp new view of molecular clouds, star-formation efficiencies, timescales for region evolution, and stellar feedback. We synthesize these results, covering aspects relevant to the interpretation of observables, and conclude the following:

▪
The observed cloud-scale molecular gas surface density, line width, and internal pressure all reflect the large-scale galactic environment while also appearing mostly consistent with properties of a turbulent medium strongly affected by self-gravity.

▪
Cloud-scale data allow for statistical inference of both evolutionary and physical timescales. These suggest a period of cloud collapse on the order of the free-fall or turbulent crossing time (∼10–30 Myr) followed by forming massive stars and subsequent rapid (≲5 Myr) gas clearing after the onset of star formation. The star-formation efficiency per free-fall time is well determined over thousands of individual regions at εff ≈ 0.5−0.3
+0.7%.

▪
The role of stellar feedback is now measured using multiple observational approaches. The net yield is constrained by the requirement to support the vertical weight of the galaxy disk. Meanwhile, the short gas-clearing timescales suggest a large role for presupernova feedback in cloud disruption. This leaves the supernovae free to exert a large influence on the larger galaxy, including stirring turbulence, launching galactic-scale winds, and carving superbubbles.
Generalized Confidence Interval for the Difference Between Percentiles of Birnbaum–Saunders Distributions and Its Application to PM2.5 in Thailand
Authors: Thangjai Warisa , Niwitpong Sa-Aat , Niwitpong Suparat
Published: July 2024

The Birnbaum–Saunders distribution is of particular interest for statistical inference. This distribution represents the failure time distribution in engineering. In addition, the Birnbaum–Saunders distribution is commonly used in different areas of science and engineering. Percentiles are a frequently employed statistical concept. Percentiles help ascertain the position of an observation concerning the percentage of data points below it. These percentiles serve as indicators of both the central tendency and the dispersion of data. While comparing two data distributions, the mean is typically the most dependable parameter for describing the population. However, in situations where the distribution exhibits significant skewness, percentiles may sometimes offer a more reliable representation. Herein, the confidence intervals for the difference between percentiles of Birnbaum–Saunders distributions were constructed by the generalized confidence interval (GCI) approach, the bootstrap approach, the Bayesian approach, and the highest posterior density (HPD) approach. A Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to evaluate the performance of the confidence intervals. The performance was considered via coverage probability and average width. The findings suggest that utilizing the GCI approach is advisable for estimating confidence intervals for the disparity between two percentiles. Ultimately, the outcomes of the simulation investigation, coupled with an application in the field of environmental sciences, were outlined.
Decoding Multilingual Topic Dynamics and Trend Identification through ARIMA Time Series Analysis on Social Networks: A Novel Data Translation Framework Enhanced by LDA/HDP Models
Authors: Jaballi Samawel , Hazar Manar Joundy , Zrigui Salah , Mahjoubi Azer , Nicolas Henri , Zrigui Mounir
Published: July 2024

In this study, the authors present a novel methodology adept at decoding multilingual topic dynamics and identifying communication trends during crises. We focus on dialogues within Tunisian social networks during the coronavirus pandemic and other notable themes like sports and politics. We start by aggregating a varied multilingual corpus of comments relevant to these subjects. This dataset undergoes rigorous refinement during data preprocessing. We then introduce our No‐English‐to‐English Machine Translation approach to handle linguistic differences. Empirical tests of this method show high accuracy and F1 scores, highlighting its suitability for linguistically coherent tasks. Delving deeper, advanced modeling techniques, specifically LDA and HDP models, are employed to extract pertinent topics from the translated content. This leads to applying ARIMA time series analysis to decode evolving topic trends. Applying our method to a multilingual Tunisian dataset, we effectively identify key topics mirroring public sentiment. Such insights prove vital for organizations and governments striving to understand public perspectives during crises. Compared to standard approaches, our model outperforms, as confirmed by metrics like coherence score, U‐mass, and topic coherence. Additionally, an in‐depth assessment of the identified topics reveals notable thematic shifts in discussions, with the proposed trends’ identification indicating impressive accuracy, backed by RMSE‐based analysis.
Asparagine Dependency Is a Targetable Metabolic Vulnerability in TP53-Altered Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Yoo Young A. , Quan Songhua , Yang William , Guo Qianyu , Rodríguez Yara , Chalmers Zachary R. , Dufficy Mary F. , Lackie Barbara , Sagar Vinay , Unno Kenji , Truica Mihai I. , Chandel Navdeep S. , Abdulkadir Sarki A.
Published: July 2024

TP53 tumor suppressor is frequently altered in lethal, castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, to date there are no effective treatments that specifically target TP53 alterations. Using transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, we have shown here that TP53-altered prostate cancer exhibits an increased dependency on asparagine (Asn) and overexpresses Asn synthetase (ASNS), the enzyme catalyzing the synthesis of Asn. Mechanistically, the loss or mutation of TP53 transcriptionally activated ASNS expression, directly and via mTORC1-mediated ATF4 induction, driving de novo Asn biosynthesis to support CRPC growth. TP53-altered CRPC cells were sensitive to Asn restriction by knockdown of ASNS or L-asparaginase treatment to deplete the intracellular and extracellular sources of Asn, respectively, and cell viability was rescued by Asn addition. Notably, pharmacological inhibition of intracellular Asn biosynthesis using a glutaminase inhibitor and depletion of extracellular Asn with L-asparaginase significantly reduced Asn production and effectively impaired CRPC growth. This study highlights the significance of ASNS-mediated metabolic adaptation as a synthetic vulnerability in CRPC with TP53 alterations, providing a rationale for targeting Asn production to treat these lethal prostate cancers.

Significance: TP53-mutated castration-resistant prostate cancer is dependent on asparagine biosynthesis due to upregulation of ASNS and can be therapeutically targeted by approaches that deplete intracellular and extracellular asparagine.
Enhancing Neutrophil Cytotoxicity of a Panel of Clinical EGFR Antibodies by Fc Engineering to IgA3.0
Authors: Chan Chilam , Jansen J.H. Marco , Hendriks Ilona S.T. , van der Peet Ida C. , Verdonschot Meggy E.L. , Passchier Elsemieke M. , Tsioumpekou Maria , Nederend Maaike , Klomp Sharon A. , Valerius Thomas , Peipp Matthias , Leusen Jeanette H.W. , Olofsen Patricia A.
Published: July 2024

EGFR plays an essential role in cellular signaling pathways that regulate cell growth, proliferation, and survival and is often dysregulated in cancer. Several monoclonal IgG antibodies have been clinically tested over the years, which exert their function via blocking the ligand binding domain (thereby inhibiting downstream signaling) and inducing Fc-related effector functions, such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP). However, these IgG antibodies do not optimally recruit neutrophils, which are the most abundant white blood cell population in humans. Therefore, we reformatted six therapeutic EGFR antibodies (cetuximab, panitumumab, nimotuzumab, necitumumab, zalutumumab, and matuzumab) into the IgA3.0 format, which is an IgA2 isotype adapted for clinical application. Reformatting these antibodies preserved Fab-mediated functions such as EGFR binding, growth inhibition, and ligand blockade. In addition, whole leukocyte ADCC was significantly increased when using this panel of IgA3.0 antibodies compared with their respective IgG counterparts, with no major differences between IgA3.0 antibodies. In vivo, IgA3.0 matuzumab outperformed the other antibodies, resulting in the strongest suppression of tumor outgrowth in a long intraperitoneal model. We showed that neutrophils are important for the suppression of tumor outgrowth. IgA3.0 matuzumab exhibited reduced receptor internalization compared with the other antibodies, possibly accounting for its superior in vivo Fc-mediated tumor cell killing efficacy. In conclusion, reformatting EGFR antibodies into an IgA3.0 format increased Fc-mediated killing while retaining Fab-mediated functions and could therefore be a good alternative for the currently available antibody therapies.
Supplementary Table S3 from The Effect of Exposure to Neighborhood Violence on Glucocorticoid Receptor Signaling in Lung Tumors
Authors: Heath Hannah , Yoo Jin Y. , Akter Sabrina , Jain Atharva , Sharma Vani , McGee Hannah , Soliman Aiman , Mahmoud Abeer M. , Matthews Alicia K. , Winn Robert A. , Madak-Erdogan Zeynep , Kim Sage J.
Published: July 2024

Pathway analysis results of cluster 6 genes from Figure 4A.
Supplementary Data from The Effect of Exposure to Neighborhood Violence on Glucocorticoid Receptor Signaling in Lung Tumors
Authors: Heath Hannah , Yoo Jin Y. , Akter Sabrina , Jain Atharva , Sharma Vani , McGee Hannah , Soliman Aiman , Mahmoud Abeer M. , Matthews Alicia K. , Winn Robert A. , Madak-Erdogan Zeynep , Kim Sage J.
Published: July 2024

Supplementary Figure Legends
Long‐Term POTS Outcomes Survey: Diagnosis, Therapy, and Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Boris Jeffrey R. , Shadiack Edward C. , McCormick Elizabeth M. , MacMullen Laura , George‐Sankoh Ibrahim , Falk Marni J.
Published: July 2024

Background

Limited data exist on long‐term outcomes in individuals with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). We designed an electronic questionnaire assessing various aspects of outcomes among patients diagnosed and treated in a single‐center pediatric POTS clinical program.

Methods and Results

The LT‐POTS (Long Term POTS Outcomes Survey) included questions about quality of life, symptoms, therapies, education, employment, and social impact of disease. Patients age≤18 years at POTS diagnosis who were managed in the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia POTS Program were included. A total of 227 patients with POTS responded with sufficient data for interpretation. The mean age of respondents was 21.8±3.5 years. The median age of symptom onset was 13 (interquartile range 11–14) years, with mean 9.6±3.4 years symptom duration. Multiple cardiovascular, neurologic, and gastrointestinal symptoms were reported. Symptom prevalence and severity were worse for female patients, with 99% of patients reporting ongoing symptoms. Quality of life showed moderate function and limitation, with more severe limitations in energy/fatigue and general health. Nearly three quarters of patients had diagnostic delays, and over half were told that their symptoms were “in their head.” Multiple medications were used and were felt to be effective, whereas fewer nonpharmacologic interventions demonstrated efficacy. Nearly 90% of patients required continued nonpharmacologic therapy to control symptoms.

Conclusions

POTS is a chronic disorder leading to significant disability with a range of multisystem problems. Although symptoms can be modifiable, it rarely spontaneously resolves. Improved understanding of POTS presentation and therapeutic approaches may inform provider education, improve diagnostic success, and help patients self‐advocate for appropriate medical management approaches.
Caridina ngankeeae sp. nov., a new species of freshwater shrimp (Decapoda: Caridea: Atyidae) from Hong Kong
Authors: CHOW LAI HIM , CHAN JEFFERY C.F. , TSANG LING MING
Published: July 2024

A new species of freshwater atyid shrimp, Caridina ngankeeae sp. nov., is described from Hong Kong, southern China. The dorsally armed rostrum, the large number of spiniform setae on the uropodal diaeresis, the relatively long stylocerite and the distally deeply excavated pereiopod 1 carpus indicate a close relationship with the C. serrata Stimpson, 1860 species group and allied species primarily distributed in southern China and northern to central Vietnam. The new species can be distinguished from congeners by characteristics of the rostrum, pereiopods, and male first and second pleopods.
A new genus for the small shore crab previously known as Brachynotus spinosus (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) (Crustacea: Brachyura: Varunidae), with two new species from southern Australia and Samoa
Authors: DAVIE PETER J.F. , NG NGAN KEE
Published: July 2024

The Australian southern temperate shore crab known as “Brachynotus spinosus” is found to be an endemic new species. The true B. spinosus (H. Milne Edwards, 1852), described from the Solomon Islands, is considered to be known only from its type locality in tropical Melanesia. A record identified as this species from Samoa in western Polynesia in 1891, is also here described as a new species. The temperate and two tropical sister-species are closely similar morphologically, and are placed into a new genus, Parvonotus. Parvonotus gen. nov. is separated from species of Brachynotus De Haan, 1833, and Hemigrapsus Dana, 1852, based on carapace and male pleon characters. Parvonotus spinosus comb. nov., P. samoensis sp. nov. and P. meridionalis sp. nov. can be separated on differences in carapace shape, leg proportions, and in the case of the latter two species, male pleon shape.
Developmental change of brain volume in Rett syndrome in Taiwan
Authors: Jan Tz-Yun , Wong Lee-Chin , Hsu Chia-Jui , Huang Chien-Feng Judith , Peng Steven Shinn-Forng , Tseng Wen-Yih Isaac , Lee Wang-Tso
Published: July 2024

Objective

Rett syndrome (RTT) is characterized by neurological regression. This pioneering study investigated the effect of age on brain volume reduction by analyzing magnetic resonance imaging findings in participants with RTT, ranging from toddlers to adults.

Methods

Functional evaluation and neuroimaging were performed. All scans were acquired using a Siemens Tim Trio 3 T scanner with a 32-channel head coil.

Results

The total intracranial volume and cerebral white matter volume significantly increased with age in the control group compared with that in the RTT group (p < 0.05). Cortical gray matter volume reduction in the RTT group continued to increase in bilateral parietal lobes and left occipital lobes (p < 0.05). The differences in cortical gray matter volume between typically developing brain and RTT-affected brain may tend to continuously increase until adulthood in both temporal lobes although not significant after correction for multiple comparison.

Conclusions

A significant reduction in brain volume was observed in the RTT group. Cortical gray matter volume in the RTT group continued to reduce in bilateral parietal lobes and left occipital lobes. These results provide a baseline for future studies on the effect of RTT treatment and related neuroscience research.
Genome-wide identification and molecular evolution of Dof transcription factors in Cyperus esculentus
Authors: Fu Chun , Liao ZiHui , Jiang Na , Yang YaoJun
Published: July 2024

Dof transcription factor family in Cyperus esculentus genome was identified and analyzed using bioinformatics. The analysis results revealed that C.esculentus genome contains 29 Dof genes (CesDof), all of which are located in the nucleus according to subcellular localization prediction. CesDof proteinrs have a range of 124 to 512 amino acids, with most being basic proteins. Their secondary structure was mainly irregular curl. The promoter sequence of CesDof genes contains cis-acting elements that respond to light, drought, hormones, low temperature, and circadian rhythm. Codon preference analysis showed that CesDof genes' codon preference ends in T/A. Collinearity analysis revealed that C.esculentus had three pairs of collinear CesDof genes. Additionally, there were 15 pairs of collinear genes between C.esculentus and Arabidopsis thaliana. The genetic relationship between C.esculentus and Rhynchospora pubera was found to be the closest. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that 29 CesDof genes of C.esculentus can be classified into 4 subgroups. Additionally, 144 miRNAs were predicted to target these CesDof genes. Furthermore, protein interaction analysis indicated that 15 Dof proteins in C.esculentus had interactions. The qRT-PCR verification results of drought stress and salt stress treatment experiments showed that most CesDof genes were involved in drought stress and salt stress responses, and the gene expression trends under drought stress and salt stress conditions were consistent. These results lay a theoretical foundation for further studying the molecular functions of Dof gene family in C.esculentus and its molecular mechanisms in regulating the life activities of C.esculentus.
Systematic characterization of immunoglobulin loci and deep sequencing of the expressed repertoire in the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)
Authors: Györkei Ádám , Johansen Finn-Eirik , Qiao Shuo-Wang
Published: July 2024

Background

The Atlantic cod is a prolific species in the Atlantic, despite its inconsistent specific antibody response. It presents a peculiar case within vertebrate immunology due to its distinct immune system, characterized by the absence of MHCII antigen presentation pathway, required for T cell-dependent antibody responses. Thorough characterisation of immunoglobulin loci and analysis of the antibody repertoire is necessary to further our understanding of the Atlantic cod’s immune response on a molecular level.

Results

A comprehensive search of the cod genome (gadmor3.0) identified the complete set of IgH genes organized into three sequential translocons on chromosome 2, while IgL genes were located on chromosomes 2 and 5. The Atlantic cod displayed a moderate germline V gene diversity, comprising four V gene families for both IgH and IgL, each with distinct chromosomal locations and organizational structures. 5’RACE sequencing revealed a diverse range of heavy chain CDR3 sequences and relatively limited CDR3 diversity in light chains. The analysis highlighted a differential impact of V-gene germline CDR3 length on receptor CDR3 length between heavy and light chains, underlining different recombination processes.

Conclusions

This study reveals that the Atlantic cod, despite its inconsistent antibody response, maintains a level of immunoglobulin diversity comparable to other fish species. The findings suggest that the extensive recent duplications of kappa light chain genes do not result in increased repertoire diversity. This research provides a comprehensive view of the Atlantic cod's immunoglobulin gene organization and repertoire, necessary for future studies of antibody responses at the molecular level.
A comparison of the TempO-Seq and Affymetrix microarray platform using RTqPCR validation
Authors: Wehr Matthias M. , Reamon-Buettner Stella Marie , Ritter Detlef , Knebel Jan , Niehof Monika , Escher Sylvia E.
Published: July 2024

Next-generation risk assessment relies on mechanistic data from new approach methods, including transcriptome data. Various technologies, such as high-throughput targeted sequencing methods and microarray technologies based on hybridization with complementary probes, are used to determine differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The integration of data from different technologies requires a good understanding of the differences arising from the use of various technologies.

To better understand the differences between the TempO-Seq platform and Affymetrix chip technology, whole-genome data for the volatile compound dimethylamine were compared. Selected DEGs were also confirmed using RTqPCR validation. Although the overlap of DEGs between TempO-Seq and Affymetrix was no higher than 37%, a comparison of the gene regulation in terms of log2fold changes revealed a very high concordance. RTqPCR confirmed the majority of DEGs from either platform in the examined dataset. Only a few conflicts were found (11%), while 22% were not confirmed, and 3% were not detected.

Despite the observed differences between the two platforms, both can be validated using RTqPCR. Here we highlight some of the differences between the two platforms and discuss their applications in toxicology.
Diagnosing and managing prescription opioid use disorder in patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain in Australian general practice settings: a qualitative study using the theory of Planned Behaviour
Authors: Wilson HHK , Roxas B. Harris , Lintzeris N. , Harris MF
Published: July 2024

Background

Chronic pain is a debilitating and common health issue. General Practitioners (GPs) often prescribe opioids to treat chronic pain, despite limited evidence of benefit and increasing evidence of harms, including prescription Opioid Use Disorder (pOUD). Australian GPs are worried about the harms of long-term opioids, but few are involved in the treatment of pOUD. There is little research on GPs’ experiences diagnosing and managing pOUD in their chronic pain patients.

Methods

This qualitative research used semi-structured interviews and a case study to investigate GPs’ experiences through the lens of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). TPB describes three factors, an individual’s perceived beliefs/attitudes, perceived social norms and perceived behavioural controls. Participants were interviewed via an online video conferencing platform. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.

Results

Twenty-four GPs took part. Participants were aware of the complex presentations for chronic pain patients and concerned about long-term opioid use. Their approach was holistic, but they had limited understanding of pOUD diagnosis and suggested that pOUD had only one treatment: Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT). Participants felt uncomfortable prescribing opioids and were fearful of difficult, conflictual conversations with patients about the possibility of pOUD. This led to avoidance and negative attitudes towards diagnosing pOUD. There were few positive social norms, few colleagues diagnosed or managed pOUD. Participants reported that their colleagues only offered positive support as this would allow them to avoid managing pOUD themselves, while patients and other staff were often unsupportive. Negative behavioural controls were common with low levels of knowledge, skill, professional supports, inadequate time and remuneration described by many participants. They felt OAT was not core general practice and required specialist management. This dichotomous approach was reflected in their views that the health system only supported treatment for chronic pain or pOUD, not both conditions.

Conclusions

Negative beliefs, negative social norms and negative behavioural controls decreased individual behavioural intention for this group of GPs. Diagnosing and managing pOUD in chronic pain patients prescribed opioids was perceived as difficult and unsupported. Interventions to change behaviour must address negative perceptions in order to lead to more positive intentions to engage in the management of pOUD.
Integrating lipid metabolite analysis with MRI-based transformer and radiomics for early and late stage prediction of oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Li Wen , Li Yang , Gao Shiyu , Huang Nengwen , Kojima Ikuho , Kusama Taro , Ou Yanjing , Iikubo Masahiro , Niu Xuegang
Published: July 2024

Background

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) presents significant diagnostic challenges in its early and late stages. This study aims to utilize preoperative MRI and biochemical indicators of OSCC patients to predict the stage of tumors.

Methods

This study involved 198 patients from two medical centers. A detailed analysis of contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (ceT1W) and T2-weighted (T2W) MRI were conducted, integrating these with biochemical indicators for a comprehensive evaluation. Initially, 42 clinical biochemical indicators were selected for consideration. Through univariate analysis and multivariate analysis, only those indicators with p-values less than 0.05 were retained for model development. To extract imaging features, machine learning algorithms in conjunction with Vision Transformer (ViT) techniques were utilized. These features were integrated with biochemical indicators for predictive modeling. The performance of model was evaluated using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results

After rigorously screening biochemical indicators, four key markers were selected for the model: cholesterol, triglyceride, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and chloride. The model, developed using radiomics and deep learning for feature extraction from ceT1W and T2W images, showed a lower Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.85 in the validation cohort when using these imaging modalities alone. However, integrating these biochemical indicators improved the model’s performance, increasing the validation cohort AUC to 0.87.

Conclusion

In this study, the performance of the model significantly improved following multimodal fusion, outperforming the single-modality approach.

Clinical relevance statement

This integration of radiomics, ViT models, and lipid metabolite analysis, presents a promising non-invasive technique for predicting the staging of OSCC.
KLK7 expression in human tumors: a tissue microarray study on 13,447 tumors
Authors: Kind Simon , Castillo Carolina Palacios , Schlichter Ria , Gorbokon Natalia , Lennartz Maximilian , Hornsteiner Lisa S. , Dwertmann Rico Sebastian , Reiswich Viktor , Viehweger Florian , Kluth Martina , Hube-Magg Claudia , Bernreuther Christian , Büscheck Franziska , Clauditz Till S. , Fraune Christoph , Hinsch Andrea , Krech Till , Lebok Patrick , Steurer Stefan , Burandt Eike , Minner Sarah , Marx Andreas H. , Simon Ronald , Wilczak Waldemar , Sauter Guido , Menz Anne , Jacobsen Frank
Published: July 2024

Background

Kallikrein-related peptidase 7 (KLK7) is a chymotrypsin-like serine protease which is essential for the desquamation of corneocytes and thus plays a pivotal role in maintaining skin homeostasis. In cancer, KLK7 overexpression was suggested to represent a route for metastasis through cleavage of cell junction and extracellular matrix proteins of cancer cells.

Methods

To comprehensively determine KLK7 protein expression in normal and neoplastic tissues, a tissue microarray containing 13,447 samples from 147 different tumor types and subtypes as well as 608 samples of 76 different normal tissue types was analyzed by immunohistochemistry.

Results

KLK7 positivity was found in 64 of 147 tumor categories, including 17 tumor categories with at least one strongly positive case. The highest rate of KLK7 positivity was found in squamous cell carcinomas from various sites of origin (positive in 18.1%-63.8%), ovarian and endometrium cancers (4.8%-56.2%), salivary gland tumors (4.8%-13.7%), bilio-pancreatic adenocarcinomas (20.0%-40.4%), and adenocarcinomas of the upper gastrointestinal tract (3.3%-12.5%). KLK7 positivity was linked to nodal metastasis (p = 0.0005), blood vessel infiltration (p = 0.0037), and lymph vessel infiltration (p < 0.0001) in colorectal adenocarcinoma, nodal metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma (p = 0.0382), advanced pathological tumor stage in papillary thyroid cancer (p = 0.0132), and low grade of malignancy in a cohort of 719 squamous cell carcinomas from 11 different sites of origin (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

These data provide a comprehensive overview on KLK7 expression in normal and neoplastic human tissues. The prognostic relevance of KLK7 expression and the possible role of KLK7 as a drug target need to be further investigated.
Barriers and facilitators to healthy eating in disadvantaged adults living in the UK: a scoping review
Authors: Briazu Raluca A. , Masood Fatima , Hunt Louise , Pettinger Clare , Wagstaff Carol , McCloy Rachel
Published: July 2024

In the UK people living in disadvantaged communities are less likely than those with higher socio-economic status to have a healthy diet. To address this inequality, it is crucial scientists, practitioners and policy makers understand the factors that hinder and assist healthy food choice in these individuals. In this scoping review, we aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to healthy eating among disadvantaged individuals living in the UK. Additionally, we used the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to synthesise results and provide a guide for the development of theory-informed behaviour change interventions. Five databases were searched, (CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science) for articles assessing healthy dietary intake of disadvantaged adults living in the UK. A total of 50 papers (34 quantitative; 16 qualitative) were included in this review. Across all studies we identified 78 barriers and 49 facilitators found to either impede and/or encourage healthy eating. Both barriers and facilitators were more commonly classified under the Environmental, Context and Resources TDF domain, with 74% of studies assessing at least one factor pertaining to this domain. Results thus indicate that context related factors such as high cost and accessibility of healthy food, rather than personal factors, such as lack of efficiency in healthy lifestyle drive unhealthy eating in disadvantaged individuals in the UK. We discuss how such factors are largely overlooked in current interventions and propose that more effort should be directed towards implementing interventions that specifically target infrastructures rather than individuals.
Predicting dyslipidemia incidence: unleashing machine learning algorithms on Lifestyle Promotion Project data
Authors: Naderian Senobar , Nikniaz Zeinab , Farhangi Mahdieh Abbasalizad , Nikniaz Leila , Sama-Soltani Taha , Rostami Parisa
Published: July 2024

Background

Dyslipidemia, characterized by variations in plasma lipid profiles, poses a global health threat linked to millions of deaths annually.

Objectives

This study focuses on predicting dyslipidemia incidence using machine learning methods, addressing the crucial need for early identification and intervention.

Methods

The dataset, derived from the Lifestyle Promotion Project (LPP) in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran, undergoes a comprehensive preprocessing, merging, and null handling process. Target selection involves five distinct dyslipidemia-related variables. Normalization techniques and three feature selection algorithms are applied to enhance predictive modeling.

Result

The study results underscore the potential of different machine learning algorithms, specifically multi-layer perceptron neural network (MLP), in reaching higher performance metrics such as accuracy, F1 score, sensitivity and specificity, among other machine learning methods. Among other algorithms, Random Forest also showed remarkable accuracies and outperformed K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) in metrics like precision, recall, and F1 score. The study’s emphasis on feature selection detected meaningful patterns among five target variables related to dyslipidemia, indicating fundamental shared unities among dyslipidemia-related factors. Features such as waist circumference, serum vitamin D, blood pressure, sex, age, diabetes, and physical activity related to dyslipidemia.

Conclusion

These results cooperatively highlight the complex nature of dyslipidemia and its connections with numerous factors, strengthening the importance of applying machine learning methods to understand and predict its incidence precisely.
Associations amongst dynamic knee stiffness during gait, quadriceps stiffness, and the incidence of knee osteoarthritis over 24 months: a cohort study with a mediation analysis
Authors: Li Zongpan , Leung Kam-Lun , Huang Chen , Huang Xiuping , Su Shan , Chung Raymond CK , Ding Changhai , Fu Siu-Ngor
Published: July 2024

Background

Decreased strength and increased stiffness of the quadriceps have been associated with a higher risk of developing knee osteoarthritis (OA) in elders. Dynamic joint stiffness (DJS) represents collective resistance from active and passive knee structures for dynamic knee motions. Elevated sagittal knee DJS has been associated with worsening of cartilage loss in knee OA patients. Altered quadriceps properties may affect DJS, which could be a mediator for associations between quadriceps properties and knee OA. Hence, this study aimed to examine whether DJS and quadriceps properties would be associated with the development of clinical knee OA over 24 months, and to explore the mediation role of DJS in associations between quadriceps properties and knee OA.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort study with 162 healthy community-dwelling elders. Gait analysis was conducted to compute DJS during the loading response phase. Quadriceps strength and stiffness were evaluated using a Cybex dynamometer and shear-wave ultrasound elastography, respectively. Knee OA was defined based on clinical criteria 24 months later. Logistic regression with generalized estimating equations was used to examine the association between quadriceps properties and DJS and incident knee OA. Mediation analysis was performed to explore the mediation role of DJS in associations between quadriceps properties and the incidence of knee OA.

Results

A total of 125 participants (65.6 ± 4.0 years, 58.4% females) completed the 24-month follow-up, with 36 out of 250 knees identified as clinical knee OA. Higher DJS (OR = 1.86, 95%CI: 1.33–2.62), lower quadriceps strength (1.85, 1.05–3.23), and greater quadriceps stiffness (1.56, 1.10–2.21) were significantly associated with a higher risk of clinical knee OA. Mediation analysis showed that the DJS was not a significant mediator for the associations between quadriceps properties and knee OA.

Conclusions

Higher sagittal knee dynamic joint stiffness, lower quadriceps strength, and greater quadriceps stiffness are potential risk factors for developing clinical knee OA in asymptomatic elders. Associations between quadriceps properties and knee OA may not be mediated by dynamic joint stiffness. Interventions for reducing increased passive properties of the quadriceps and knee joint stiffness may be beneficial for maintaining healthy knees in the aging population.
Biomarkers In Prediction of Acute Mesenteric Ischaemia: a prospective multicentre study (BIPAMI study): a study protocol
Authors: Tamme Kadri , Acosta Stefan , Biloslavo Alan , Björck Martin , Casian Dumitru , Damaskos Dimitrios , Forbes Alastair , Kase Karri , Kisand Kalle , Lakbar Ines , Mihnovitš Vladislav , Murruste Marko , Mändul Merli , Nuzzo Alexandre , Padar Martin , Starkopf Joel , Visconti Diego , Reintam Blaser Annika
Published: July 2024

Background

Acute mesenteric ischaemia (AMI) is a life-threatening disease where early diagnosis is critical to avoid morbidity and mortality from extensive irreversible bowel necrosis. Appropriate prediction of presence of bowel necrosis is currently not available but would help to choose the optimal method of treatment.

The study aims to identify combinations of biomarkers that can reliably identify AMI and distinguish between potentially reversible and irreversible bowel ischaemia.

Methods

This is a prospective multicentre study. Adult patients with clinical suspicion of AMI (n = 250) will be included. Blood will be sampled on admission, at and after interventions, or during the first 48 h of suspicion of AMI if no intervention undertaken. Samples will be collected and the following serum or plasma biomarkers measured at Tartu University Hospital laboratory: intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP), alpha-glutathione S-transferase (Alpha- GST), interleukin 6 (IL-6), procalcitonin (PCT), ischaemia-modified albumin (IMA), D-lactate, D-dimer, signal peptide-CUB-EGF domain-containing protein 1 (SCUBE-1) and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP). Additionally, more common laboratory markers will be measured in routine clinical practice at study sites.

Diagnosis of AMI will be confirmed by computed tomography angiography, surgery, endoscopy or autopsy.

Student’s t or Wilcoxon rank tests will be used for comparisons between transmural vs. suspected (but not confirmed) AMI (comparison A), confirmed AMI of any stage vs suspected AMI (comparison B) and non-transmural AMI vs transmural AMI (comparison C). Optimal cut-off values for each comparison will be identified based on the AUROC analysis and likelihood ratios calculated. Positive likelihood ratio > 10 (> 5) and negative likelihood ratio < 0.1 (< 0.2) indicate high (moderate) diagnostic accuracy, respectively. All biomarkers with at least moderate accuracy will be entered as binary covariates (using the best cutoffs) into the multivariable stepwise regression analysis to identify the best combination of biomarkers for all comparisons separately. The best models for each comparison will be used to construct a practical score to distinguish between no AMI, non-transmural AMI and transmural AMI.

Discussion

As a result of this study, we aim to propose a score including set of biomarkers that can be used for diagnosis and decision-making in patients with suspected AMI.

Trial registration

NCT06212921 (Registration Date 19–01-2024).
Nurses’ perceptions of the performance of nurse managers and senior hospital management during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Huerta-González Sara , Caro-Alonso Pedro Ángel , Rodríguez-Martín Beatriz , Castillo-Sarmiento Carlos A. , Pedrera-Zamorano Juan Diego , Chimpén-López Carlos , Rico-Martín Sergio , López-Espuela Fidel
Published: July 2024

Background

The first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on health systems and health professionals, due to the high number of cases and a lack of preparation. The aim of this study was to understand how nurses working in hospital units and in intensive care perceived the performance of nurse managers and senior hospital management during the first two waves of the pandemic.

Methods

The phenomenological approach proposed by Giorgi was used to investigate perceptions of the performance of nurse managers and senior hospital management during the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. Fourteen clinical nurses who worked on the front line in inpatient units or intensive care units of the Health Services of Extremadura and Madrid in the first (March–April 2020) and second (October–November 2020) waves of the COVID-19 pandemic participated in this study. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews, following a script of themes, in a theoretical sample of nurses who were worked during the pandemic.

Results

Two main themes emerged from the analysis of the data: (1) perceptions about the performance of nurse managers and senior hospital managers during the first and second waves of the pandemic (health system failure; belief that senior hospital management professionals could have managed the pandemic better; recognizing the efforts of middle management (nursing supervisors); insufficient institutional support) and (2) strategies employed by nurses to compensate for the weaknesses in pandemic management.

Conclusions

The clinical nurses perceived that the nurse managers demonstrated better management of the pandemic than the hospital’s senior management, which they attribute to their proximity, empathy, accessibility, and ability to mediate between them and the senior management. The nurses also believe that the senior management of the hospitals was to blame for organisational failures and the poor management of the pandemic.
Treatment non-adherence among methadone maintenance patients and associated factors: a multicenter, cross-sectional study in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Huong Thi Thanh , Dinh Dai Xuan
Published: July 2024

Objective

This multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of treatment non-adherence and its associated factors among methadone maintenance patients in Vietnam.

Methods

This secondary data analysis was conducted using the data from a previous study. Six hundred patients were interviewed face-to-face to collect data on their demographic characteristics and social support. Information about the treatment characteristics and patients’ non-adherence was gathered from medical records and books monitoring their treatment process. Treatment non-adherence was defined as missing at least one methadone dose in the last three months.

Results

The overall prevalence of non-adherence was 45.7%. The average social support score of patients who completely adhered to treatment was significantly higher than that of those who did not (p < 0.001). In the multivariate logistic regression model, for each one-unit increase in social support (one score), treatment time (a year), and patient’s monthly income (one million Vietnam dongs), the odds of non-adherence decreased by 28% (aOR = 0.72, 95%CI 0.59–0.88, p = 0.002), 15% (aOR = 0.85, 95%CI 0.80–0.91, p < 0.001) and 9% (aOR = 0.91, 95%CI 0.85–0.97, p = 0.004), respectively. Patients living in Son La (a mountainous province) were 1.72 times (95%CI 1.09–2.71) more likely to be non-adherent as compared to those in other areas (p = 0.020). As per univariate analyses, other associated factors could be age, education level, family monthly income, occupation, and opioid relapse (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

A high non-adherence rate was found among Vietnamese methadone maintenance patients. Interventions involving social support, occupation, income, and education are needed to improve their treatment adherence.
Bridging the gap to meet complex needs: an intersectoral action well supported by appropriate policies and governance
Authors: Hudon Catherine
Published: July 2024

Many people face problems about physical, mental, and social dimensions of health, and may have complex needs. They often experience a mismatch between their needs and the ability of the healthcare system to meet them, resulting in under- or overutilization of the healthcare system. On one hand, improving access to community-based primary healthcare for hard-to-reach populations should bring all healthcare and social services to one point of contact, near the community. On the other hand, better addressing the unmet needs of people who overuse healthcare services calls for integrated care among providers across all settings and sectors. In either case, intersectoral action between healthcare and social professionals and resources remains central to bringing care closer to the people and the community, enhancing equitable access, and improving health status. However, efforts to implement integrated care are unevenly weighted toward clinical and professional strategies (micro level), which could jeopardize our ability to implement and sustain integrated care. The development of appropriate policies and governance mechanisms (macro level) is essential to break down silos, promote a coherent intersectoral action, and improve health equity.
Repurposing lipid-lowering drugs on asthma and lung function: evidence from a genetic association analysis
Authors: Zhang Yue , Jiang Zichao , Chen Lingli , Lei Ting , Zheng Xiangrong
Published: July 2024

Objective

To explore the correlation between asthma risk and genetic variants affecting the expression or function of lipid-lowering drug targets.

Methods

We conducted Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses using variants in several genes associated with lipid-lowering medication targets: HMGCR (statin target), PCSK9 (alirocumab target), NPC1L1 (ezetimibe target), APOB (mipomersen target), ANGPTL3 (evinacumab target), PPARA (fenofibrate target), and APOC3 (volanesorsen target), as well as LDLR and LPL. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between lipid-lowering drugs and asthma through MR. Finally, we assessed the efficacy and stability of the MR analysis using the MR Egger and inverse variance weighted (IVW) methods.

Results

The elevated triglyceride (TG) levels associated with the APOC3, and LPL targets were found to increase asthma risk. Conversely, higher LDL-C levels driven by LDLR were found to decrease asthma risk. Additionally, LDL-C levels (driven by APOB, NPC1L1 and HMGCR targets) and TG levels (driven by the LPL target) were associated with improved lung function (FEV1/FVC). LDL-C levels driven by PCSK9 were associated with decreased lung function (FEV1/FVC).

Conclusion

In conclusion, our findings suggest a likely causal relationship between asthma and lipid-lowering drugs. Moreover, there is compelling evidence indicating that lipid-lowering therapies could play a crucial role in the future management of asthma.