bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bufalin targeting CAMKK2 inhibits the occurrence and development of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma through Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway
Authors: Zhang Huhu , Dong Xiaolei , Ding Xiaoyan , Liu Guoxiang , Yang Fanghao , Song Qinghang , Sun Hongxiao , Chen Guang , Li Shuang , Li Ya , Wang Mengjun , Guo Tingting , Zhang Zhe , Li Bing , Yang Lina
Published: December 2023

Background

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) accounts for about 15% of primary liver cancer, and the incidence rate has been rising in recent years. Surgical resection is the best treatment for ICC, but the 5-year survival rate is less than 30%. ICC signature genes are crucial for the early diagnosis of ICC, so it is especially important to find its signature genes and therapeutic drug. Here, we studied that bufalin targeting CAMKK2 promotes mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibits the occurrence and metastasis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma through Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway.

Methods

IC50 of bufalin in ICC cells was determined by CCK8 and invasive and migratory abilities were verified by wound healing, cell cloning, transwell and Western blot. IF and IHC verified the expression of CAMKK2 between ICC patients and normal subjects. BLI and pull-down demonstrated the binding ability of bufalin and CAMKK2. Bioinformatics predicted whether CAMKK2 was related to the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. SKL2001, an activator of β-catenin, verified whether bufalin acted through this pathway. In vitro and in vivo experiments verified whether overexpression of CAMKK2 affects the proliferative and migratory effects of ICC. Transmission electron microscopy verified mitochondrial integrity. Associated Ca2+ levels verified the biological effects of ANXA2 on ICC.

Results

It was found that bufalin inhibited the proliferation and migration of ICC, and CAMKK2 was highly expressed in ICC, and its high expression was positively correlated with poor prognosis.CAMKK2 is a direct target of bufalin, and is associated with the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which was dose-dependently decreased after bufalin treatment. In vitro and in vivo experiments verified that CAMKK2 overexpression promoted ICC proliferation and migration, and bufalin reversed this effect. CAMKK2 was associated with Ca2+, and changes in Ca2+ content induced changes in the protein content of ANXA2, which was dose-dependently decreasing in cytoplasmic ANXA2 and dose-dependently increasing in mitochondrial ANXA2 after bufalin treatment. In CAMKK2 overexpressing cells, ANXA2 was knocked down, and we found that reversal of CAMKK2 overexpression-induced enhancement of ICC proliferation and migration after siANXA2.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that bufalin targeting CAMKK2 promotes mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibits the proliferation and migration of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma through Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway. Thus, bufalin, as a drug, may also be used for cancer therapy in ICC in the future.
Derivation and validation of diagnostic models for myocardial fibrosis in duchenne muscular dystrophy: assessed by multi-parameter cardiovascular magnetic resonance
Authors: Zhou Zi-qi , Xu Hua-yan , Fu Hang , Xu Ke , Xu Rong , Cai Xiao-tang , Guo Ying-kun
Published: December 2023

Background

Gadolinium-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is the most widely used approach for diagnosing myocardial fibrosis with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in cardiomyopathy associated with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Given the limitations and safety of gadolinium use, we wanted to develop and evaluate multi-parametric pre-contrast CMR models for the diagnosis of LGE and investigate whether they could be utilised as surrogates for LGE in DMD patients.

Methods

A total of 136 DMD patients were prospectively recruited and separated into LGE − and LGE + groups. In the first subset of patients (derivation cohort), regression models for the diagnosis of LGE were built by logistic regression using pre-contrast sequence parameters. In a validation cohort of other patients, the models’ performances were evaluated.

Results

EF, native T1 and longitudinal strain alone, as well as their combinations form seven models. The model that included EF, native T1 and longitudinal strain had the best diagnostic value, but there was no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy among the other models except EF. In the validation cohort, the diagnosis outcomes of models were moderate consistent with the existence of LGE. The longitudinal strain outperformed the other models in terms of diagnostic value (sensitivity: 83.33%, specificity: 54.55%).

Conclusions

Pre-contrast sequences have a moderate predictive value for LGE. Thus, pre-contrast parameters may be considered only in a specific subset of DMD patients who cannot cooperate for long-time examinations and have contradiction of contrast agent to help predict the presence of LGE.

Trial registration number (TRN)

ChiCTR1800018340

Date of registration

20180107
SQANTI-SIM: a simulator of controlled transcript novelty for lrRNA-seq benchmark
Authors: Mestre-Tomás Jorge , Liu Tianyuan , Pardo-Palacios Francisco , Conesa Ana
Published: December 2023

Long-read RNA sequencing has emerged as a powerful tool for transcript discovery, even in well-annotated organisms. However, assessing the accuracy of different methods in identifying annotated and novel transcripts remains a challenge. Here, we present SQANTI-SIM, a versatile tool that wraps around popular long-read simulators to allow precise management of transcript novelty based on the structural categories defined by SQANTI3. By selectively excluding specific transcripts from the reference dataset, SQANTI-SIM effectively emulates scenarios involving unannotated transcripts. Furthermore, the tool provides customizable features and supports the simulation of additional types of data, representing the first multi-omics simulation tool for the lrRNA-seq field.
The effect of nanoparticle coating on biological, chemical and biophysical parameters influencing radiosensitization in nanoparticle-aided radiation therapy
Authors: Mansouri Elham , Mesbahi Asghar , Hamishehkar Hamed , Montazersaheb Soheila , Hosseini Vahid , Rajabpour Saeed
Published: December 2023

Nanoparticle-based composites have the potential to meet requirements for radiosensitization in both therapeutic and diagnostic applications. The radiosensitizing properties of nanoparticles could be reliant on the nature of their coating layer. Any gains in reduced toxicity and aggregation or improved delivery to tumor cells for coated nanoparticles must be weighed against the loss of dose enhancement. The radiosensitization potential of coated NPs is confirmed by numerous studies but in most of them, the coating layer is mostly applied to reduce toxicity of the NPs and for stability and biocompatibility aims. While the direct effects of the coating layer in radiosensitization—were ignored and not considered. This review provides an overview of double-edged impact of nanoparticle coating on the radiosensitization potential of nanostructures and discusses the challenges in choosing appropriate coating material in the aim of achieving improved radioenhancement. Coating layer could affect the radiosensitization processes and thereby the biological outcomes of nanoparticle-based radiation therapy. The physicochemical properties of the coating layer can be altered by the type of the coating material and its thickness. Under low-energy photon irradiation, the coating layer could act as a shield for nanoparticles capable of absorb produced low-energy electrons which are important levers for local and nanoscopic dose enhancement. Also, it seems that the coating layer could mostly affect the chemical process of ROS production rather than the physicochemical process. Based on the reviewed literature, for the irradiated coated nanoparticles, the cell survival and viability of cancer cells are decreased more than normal cells. Also, cell cycle arrest, inhibition of cell proliferation, DNA damage, cell death and apoptosis were shown to be affected by coated metallic nanoparticles under irradiation.
Robust JPEG steganography based on the robustness classifier
Authors: Zhang Jimin , Zhao Xianfeng , He Xiaolei
Published: December 2023

Because the JPEG recompression in social networks changes the DCT coefficients of uploaded images, applying image steganography in popular image-sharing social networks requires robustness. Currently, most robust steganography algorithms rely on the resistance of embedding to the general JPEG recompression process. The operations in a specific compression channel are usually ignored, which reduces the robustness performance. Besides, to acquire the robust cover image, the state-of-the-art robust steganography needs to upload the cover image to social networks several times, which may be insecure regarding behavior security. In this paper, a robust steganography method based on the softmax outputs of a trained classifier and protocol message embedding is proposed. In the proposed method, a deep learning-based robustness classifier is trained to model the specific process of the JPEG recompression channel. The prediction result of the classifier is used to select the robust DCT blocks to form the embedding domain. The selection information is embedded as the protocol messages into the middle-frequency coefficients of DCT blocks. To further improve the recovery possibility of the protocol message, a robustness enhancement method is proposed. It decreases the predicted non-robust possibility of the robustness classifier by modifying low-frequency coefficients of DCT blocks. The experimental results show that the proposed method has better robustness performance compared with state-of-the-art robust steganography and does not have the disadvantage regarding behavior security. The method is universal and can be implemented in different JPEG compression channels after fine-tuning the classifier. Moreover, it has better security performance compared with the state-of-the-art method when embedding large-sized secret messages.
‘Terminal anorexia’: a lived experience perspective on the proposed criteria
Authors: Asaria Alykhan
Published: December 2023

In an article (Asaria in J Eat Disord 11:107, 2023) recently published by the Journal of Eating Disorders, I expressed my lived experience views on the concept of ‘terminal anorexia nervosa’ (AN), and why I believe that this is a harmful new term. The article was not a response to the original paper in which Gaudiani et al. (J Eat Disord 10:23, 2022) proposed criteria for the label. However, as a result of feedback that my article did not appreciate their criteria, I have written this follow-up paper to build on and reinforce what I previously wrote. This article outlines problems with each criterion in turn, again from my lived experience perspective. It then addresses dangerous ambiguities around how the criteria can be applied safely, and their confusing purpose in the real world. Finally, I discuss the impact of labelling AN sufferers with terms that may suggest their wholehearted allegiance to the illness, in both life and death (or ‘till death do us part’).
Internet use time and subjective well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak: serial mediation of problematic internet use and self-esteem
Authors: Lin Min-Pei , Tseng Hsin-Yi , Lee Yueh-Ting , Tang Wen-Ching , Cheng Li-Hsuan , Wu Jo Yung-Wei , You Jianing
Published: December 2023

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak is a threat to adolescents’ mental health and livelihoods, and lowers their subjective well-being (SWB). Expanding on previous literatures, this study examined whether internet use time was related to SWB and whether this relationship was mediated by problematic internet use (PIU) and self-esteem during the COVID-19 outbreak. In Taiwan, the COVID-19 epidemic broke out in February, 2020. During March 2 to 27, this study recruited a total of 1,060 adolescents from junior high schools by both stratified and cluster sampling, and administered a comprehensive investigation. The results displayed that SWB was significantly and negatively predicted by internet use time. PIU fully mediated the relationship. Moreover, PIU predicted a decrease of self-esteem, which played a full mediation role between PIU and SWB. The results provide evidence in explaining how increased internet use time is associated with a greater level of PIU, which relates to lower self-esteem, correlating with lower SWB in adolescents. This study can provide reference to mental health organizations and educational agencies to design appropriate SWB promotion programs for the junior high school population in terms of epidemic prevention.
Levocetrizine attenuates cyclophosphamide-induced lung injury through inhibition of TNF-α, IL-1β, TGF-β and MMP-9
Authors: El-Kashef Dalia H. , Rahim Mona Abdel
Published: December 2023

Cyclophosphamide (CP) is an antineoplastic drug commonly used worldwide. Despite its spread, it causes fatal organ toxicity. Lung toxicity is a serious side effect of CP. Actually, in the past three years the world has been facing an un-predicted crisis following COVID-19 pandemic and the associated high-mortality rates attributed to respiratory distress. Accordingly; this study aimed to probe the potential prophylactic role of levocetrizine against CP-induced lung injury. Animals were allocated into three sets; control; CP and CP/Levo. CP was intraperitoneally injected in rats 150 mg/kg once on day 7. Levocetrizine was given orally for 14 days starting 7 days before CP injection. On the last day, all rats were sacrificed and lung tissues were kept for analysis. CP significantly elevated lung/body weight index, inflammatory cell counts, LDH, total protein, TNF-α, IL-1β, TGF-β and histamine levels in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Moreover, it markedly increased expression of MMP-9 and contents of MDA, hydroxyproline, collagen and NOx besides decreasing GSH level and SOD activity in lung tissues. These biochemical results were further confirmed by histopathological examination. In contrast, treatment with levocetrizine significantly attenuated CP-induced pathological alterations. These findings propose that levocetrizine can attenuate CP-induced lung injury via exerting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects.
Improved Indian Ocean dipole seasonal prediction in the new generation of CMA prediction system
Authors: Liu Bo , Yang Kai , Liu Xiangwen , Huang Gang , Ng Benjamin
Published: December 2023

Seasonal prediction of the Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) is important, considering its impact on the climate of surrounding regions. Here we compare the prediction of the IOD in two generations of prediction system developed by the China Meteorology Administration (CMA), i.e., the second-generation climate model prediction system (CPSv2) and CPSv3. The results show that CPSv3 has better ability to predict the variability and spatial pattern of the IOD than CPSv2, especially when the lead time is long. CPSv3 maintains a certain level of credibility when predicting IOD events with 6-month lead time. The improved data assimilation in CPSv3 has reduced the predictability error of eastern Indian Ocean sea surface temperature (SST) and contributed to improvements in IOD prediction. Enhanced simulation of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)–IOD relationship promotes better prediction skill of ENSO-related IOD events in CPSv3. Our results suggest that upgrading data assimilation and the simulation of the ENSO–IOD relationship are critical for improving the prediction of the IOD in coupled climate models.
SLIC-Occ: functional segmentation of occupancy images improves precision of EC50 images
Authors: Ibrahimy Alaaddin , Hoye Jocelyn , Wu Hao , de Laat Bart , Kim Su Jin , Wilson David L. , Morris Evan D.
Published: December 2023

Background

Drug occupancy studies with positron emission tomography imaging are used routinely in early phase drug development trials. Recently, our group introduced the Lassen Plot Filter, an extended version of the standard Lassen plot to estimate voxel-level occupancy images. Occupancy images can be used to create an EC50 image by applying an Emax model at each voxel. Our goal was to apply functional clustering of occupancy images via a clustering algorithm and produce a more precise EC50 image while maintaining accuracy.

Method

A digital brain phantom was used to create 10 occupancy images (corresponding to 10 different plasma concentrations of drug) that correspond to a ground truth EC50 image containing two bilateral local “hot spots” of high EC50 (region-1: 25; region-2: 50; background: 6–10 ng/mL). Maximum occupancy was specified as 0.85. An established noise model was applied to the simulated occupancy images and the images were smoothed. Simple Linear Iterative Clustering, an existing k-means clustering algorithm, was modified to segment a series of occupancy images into K clusters (which we call “SLIC-Occ”). EC50 images were estimated by nonlinear estimation at each cluster (post SLIC-Occ) and voxel (no clustering). Coefficient of variation images were estimated at each cluster and voxel, respectively. The same process was also applied to human occupancy data produced for a previously published study.

Results

Variability in EC50 estimates was reduced by more than 80% in the phantom data after application of SLIC-Occ to occupancy images with only minimal loss of accuracy. A similar, but more modest improvement was achieved in variability when SLIC-Occ was applied to human occupancy images.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that functional segmentation of occupancy images via SLIC-Occ could produce more precise EC50 images and improve our ability to identify local “hot spots” of high effective affinity of a drug for its target(s).
Targeting NR1D1 in organ injury: challenges and prospects
Authors: Zhang-sun Zi-Yin , Xu Xue-Zeng , Escames Germaine , Lei Wang-Rui , Zhao Lin , Zhou Ya-Zhe , Tian Ye , Ren Ya-Nan , Acuña-Castroviejo Darío , Yang Yang
Published: December 2023

Nuclear receptor subfamily 1, group D, member 1 (NR1D1, also known as REV-ERBα) belongs to the nuclear receptor (NR) family, and is a heme-binding component of the circadian clock that consolidates circadian oscillators. In addition to repressing the transcription of multiple clock genes associated with circadian rhythms, NR1D1 has a wide range of downstream target genes that are intimately involved in many physiopathological processes, including autophagy, immunity, inflammation, metabolism and aging in multiple organs. This review focuses on the pivotal role of NR1D1 as a key transcription factor in the gene regulatory network, with particular emphasis on the milestones of the latest discoveries of NR1D1 ligands. NR1D1 is considered as a promising drug target for treating diverse diseases and may contribute to research on innovative biomarkers and therapeutic targets for organ injury-related diseases. Further research on NR1D1 ligands in prospective human trials may pave the way for their clinical application in many organ injury-related disorders.
The Malaysian Society of Toxicology: from establishment to evolution, a promising future!
Authors: Kamaludin Nurul Farahana , Kamarulzaman Firdaus , Abdullah Rozaini , Chan Kok Meng , Inayat-Hussain Salmaan Hussain
Published: December 2023

The Malaysian Society of Toxicology (MySOT), founded in 2010, emerged as a response to the growing need for a collective and interdisciplinary effort to study the effects of substances on human health, and the environment. By fostering collaboration between toxicologists, researchers, regulators, industry experts, and various relevant subject matter experts, MySOT has played a vital role in generating knowledge and promoting safety to safeguard both human and environmental well-being. Within the 13 years since its establishment, MySOT has made substantial progress in the advancement of toxicology in Malaysia. Over the years, MySOT has supported many initiatives, including organizing conferences, seminars, and workshops in which experts from various fields present their research, discuss emerging trends, and propose strategies to reduce toxic substance exposure risk. The society has also been actively involved in the broader landscape of toxicology research and policy influence in Malaysia. MySOT shoulders the responsibility of conveying accurate information and educating the public about health risks associated with toxic substances. Therefore, the society aims to collaborate with governmental organizations, professional bodies, and international toxicology organizations to share ideas, resources, and expertise. MySOT seeks to gather toxicological experts in the region and significantly contribute to a safer and healthier community, therefore supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), by being actively involved with all of its stakeholders, both local and international.
Economic costs of alcohol consumption in Thailand, 2021
Authors: Luangsinsiri Chaisiri , Youngkong Sitaporn , Chaikledkaew Usa , Pattanaprateep Oraluck , Thavorncharoensap Montarat
Published: December 2023

Background

Alcohol is one of the leading risk factors contributing to avoidable economic loss worldwide. Estimates from the economic cost of alcohol consumption studies play an important role in prioritizing healthcare resource use, supporting policy decisions, and justifying budgets for alcohol policy. This study aimed to estimate the economic burden associated with alcohol consumption in Thailand in 2021.

Methods

Prevalence-based cost of illness methodology was employed. The following costs were included in the analysis: healthcare costs; cost of law enforcement; cost of property damage due to road traffic accidents; cost of premature mortality; and cost of absenteeism from out-patient hospital visits and hospitalization. Human capital approach was adopted. All costs were presented in Thai baht, 2021.

Results

Alcohol consumption incurred a total estimated economic cost of 165,450.5 million baht, equivalent to 1.02% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 2500 baht per capita. Cost of premature mortality was estimated at 157,918.7 million baht and accounted for the largest proportion of the total cost (95.45%). Healthcare cost was found to be the second highest share representing 4370.1 million baht (2.7% of the total cost). The number of premature death attributable to alcohol consumption in 2021 was estimated at 22,804.

Conclusions

Alcohol continues to impose a substantial economic burden in Thailand. Enforcement of existing well-formulated alcohol control policies is urgently required to mitigate the economic impact of alcohol consumption in the country.
A bimanual comparison of variation in sweat pores with sex and age: a brief dermatoglyphic survey of population in Delhi-NCR
Authors: Sharda Sakshi , Mondal Prakash Ranjan
Published: December 2023

Background

Personal identification using partial fingerprints poses a major challenge in forensic investigations. In light of such restrictions, sweat pore characteristics have shown to be a possible alternative. However, limited research has been done on these due to their minute size. The present study was undertaken with the objective of studying the differences in pore frequency, pore shapes (circular and non-circular), and pore positions (middle and periphery) with respect to sex, bimanual, and age in the population of Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region). As there is no universal approach for defining the evaluation area of pore analysis, we used fingerprint patterns to demarcate a 9mm2 area of analysis. The rolled-inked fingerprints of 200 individuals (100 males and 100 females) belonging to 18-60 years of age were examined using microscopy.

Results

The obtained data for all prints was analysed and compared with respect to the different variables. The results showed statistically significant bimanual variations for both sexes. In females, all studied pore characteristics except the number of pores at the middle position were significantly higher in the right hand as compared to the left hand. In males, only the number of pores at the peripheral position was significantly higher in the right hand as compared to the left hand. However, no significant differences were observed in pore characteristics between the two sexes and among the different age groups. Moreover, several pore characteristics showed a significant correlation with age in males as compared to females where no significant correlations were observed.

Conclusions

Significant bimanual variations highlighted the potential application of pore characteristics for forensic practice; wherein a fingerprint examiner might determine the probable hand used for the commission of the crime, thereby strengthening the evidentiary value of partial fingerprints. These findings also suggest that the sex and age of an individual cannot be determined by pore characteristics.
Seroprevalence of Campylobacter jejuni infection in common subtypes of Guillain–Barre syndrome in Kashmiri population
Authors: Mir Feroze , Dar Waseem , Yaqoob Arjimand , Wani Maqbool , Asmi Ravouf , Wani Mushtaq
Published: December 2023

Background

Guillain–Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a common differential diagnosis of acute-onset flaccid quadriparesis with or without bulbar involvement. Various illnesses precede GBS, respiratory illness being the most common. Campylobacter jejuni is the single most common organism found associated with GBS. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni positivity in different subtypes of GBS.

Methods

Sixty patients of GBS were tested for serological evidence of Campylobacter jejuni and compared with 60 age and sex matched controls.

Results

Mean age of cases was 39.58 (± 14.76 years) and that of controls was 35 (± 12.31 years). Preceding illness was present in 38% cases. Respiratory tract illness was present in 9 (15%) cases, while as GI illness was present in 8 (13%) cases. AIDP was the most common variant accounting for 65% of cases, followed by AMAN (18.3%). Among cases, 24 (40%) tested positive for Campylobacter jejuni antibody whereas only 12 (20%) tested positive for antibody among controls. The difference was statistically significant between cases and controls (p value = 0.003). There was no statistically significant difference in antibody positivity and preceding illness among different variants of GBS (p value = 1.0).

Conclusion

Campylobacter jejuni infection is a frequent preceding illness in GBS patients, although it may be asymptomatic. There is however no relation between different subtypes of GBS and C. jejuni infection.
Unmasking the mitochondrial mystery: febrile illness exposing a rare cause of refractory epilepsy with unique imaging features: a case report
Authors: Roshan Nikhita Suzanne , Colaco K. Vimala Christina , Raeesa Fathima , Ahmed Safwan
Published: December 2023

Background

Mitochondrial DNA polymerase, which is encoded by the POLG (polymerase gamma) gene, is responsible for the replication of the mitochondrial genome. Around 300 pathogenic variants have been identified in this gene and the clinical impact of POLG mutations is highly variable in both severity and phenotype. Our case had a clinical presentation distinct from the known mitochondrial syndromes associated with POLG gene, in the form of refractory focal seizures against a background of progressive ataxia, late symptom onset and rapid progression. In addition, our patient had signal changes in the pons with a unique radiological feature not previously described in this disease.

Case presentation

We describe a 46-year-old lady with adult onset refractory focal seizures against a background of progressive cognitive impairment and ataxia preceded by a febrile illness. MRI brain showed T2/FLAIR hyperintensities involving right frontal and parietal cortex, bilateral thalamus, pons and cerebellum. Clinical exome and mitochondrial genome sequencing identified homozygous missense variation in exon 13 of the POLG gene. Among these above radiological features, a novel radiological finding in a case of POLG mutation was the transverse pontine signal change, which has not been described till date to our knowledge. She was being treated and given increasing doses and combinations of anti-seizure medications, but succumbed to the illness after two months.

Conclusions

This case highlights a unique radiological finding in the form of transverse T2/FLAIR signal change in pons, in a case of genetically proven case of POLG mutation along with other common radiological features. The triad of clinical features, which were characterised by progressive ataxia, cognitive impairment and refractory focal seizures occurring in combination, were unusual in a middle aged lady with POLG mutation.
Recent advances in metal organic frameworks for the catalytic degradation of organic pollutants
Authors: Wei Jinhui , Yuan Min , Wang Songtao , Wang Xuehu , An Nan , Lv Guangping , Wu Lina
Published: December 2023

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) with their large surface area and numerous active sites have attracted significant research attention. Recently, the application of MOFs for the catalytic degradation of organic pollutants has provided effective solutions to address diverse environmental problems. In this review, the latest progress in MOF-based removal and degradation of organic pollutants is summarized according to the different roles of MOFs in the removal reaction systems, such as physical adsorbents, enzyme-immobilization carriers, nanozymes, catalysts for photocatalysis, photo-Fenton and sulfate radical based advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs). Finally, the opportunities and challenges of developing advanced MOFs for the removal of organic pollutants are discussed and anticipated.

Graphical Abstract
Insight into the emerging and common experimental in-vivo models of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Dhapola Rishika , Kumari Sneha , Sharma Prajjwal , HariKrishnaReddy Dibbanti
Published: December 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a multifactorial, rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disorder. As the exact cause of the disease is still unclear, the drug development is very challenging. This review encompasses the commonly used AD models involving various chemicals, heavy metals and endogenous substances induced models and the transgenic models. It also provides insight into the reliable emerging models of AD that may overcome the shortcomings associated with available models. Chemicals like streptozotocin, scopolamine, colchicine and okadaic acid render the animal susceptible to neuroinflammation and oxidative stress induced neurodegeneration along with amyloid-β deposition and tau hyperphosphorylation. Similarly, endogenous substances like acrolein and amyloid-β 1–42 are efficient in inducing the major pathologies of AD. Heavy metals like aluminum and fluoride and mixture of these have been reported to induce neurotoxicity therefore are used as animal models for AD. Transgenic models developed as a result of knock-in or knock-out of certain genes associated with AD including PDAPP, APP23, Tg2576, APP/PS1, 3 × Tg and 5 × FAD have also been incorporated in this study. Further, emerging and advanced pathomimetic models of AD are provided particular interest here which will add on to the current knowledge of animal models and may aid in the drug development process and deepen our understanding related to AD pathogenesis. These newly discovered models include oAβ25-35 model, transgenic model expressing 82-kDa ChAT, oDGal mouse and APP knock-in rat. This study may aid in the selection of suitable model for development of novel potent therapeutics and for exploring detailed pathogenic mechanism of AD.

Graphical abstract
Development and validation of an instrument for assessing scientific literacy from junior to senior high school
Authors: Zhang Lina , Liu Xiufeng , Feng Hua
Published: December 2023

Assessing students' scientific literacy is necessary for science education policy, accountability and curriculum design and implementation, and there is a need for a valid, reliable and easy to use measurement instrument by local education authorities. Based on the definition and assessment framework of scientific literacy of PISA, a scientific literacy assessment instrument for junior high school and senior high school students was developed. The Rasch model was used to establish evidence for the validity and reliability of measures of the instrument. The results showed that the instrument measures met the validity and reliability expectations. Student scientific achievement levels were defined into four levels of Excellent, Advanced, Proficient and Basic using the Bookmarking method. The instrument can be used to assess student scientific literacy change from junior high school through high school to inform science education policy, accountability as well as curriculum design and implementation at local education levels.
Worldwide sperm quality variations between 2000 and 2020: a scoping review
Authors: Alqurna Noor Mohammad , Al-Alami Zina Mahdi
Published: December 2023

There is a scarcity of research on male infertility and semen quality worldwide, notably in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This lack includes temporal comparisons of seminal parameters over decades. The aim of this scoping review is to summarize the articles, published between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2020, which discuss and describe human semen quality and/or sperm quality in different countries, and/or their alternating patterns through time. The search was done on PubMed, using the following keywords: (((semen[Title/Abstract]) OR (SFA[Title/Abstract])) OR (sperm[Title/Abstract])) AND (country name[Title/Abstract]) with 195 world countries put in the “country name” field one by one along with other filters. The abstracts that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were read thoroughly and summarized. In conclusion, although some semen parameters appear to be stable, semen quality has deteriorated over time. Therefore, various countries must conduct research to characterize their semen quality and its altering patterns throughout time to reach a thorough conclusion.
Degenerative brain changes associated with tramadol use: an optical coherence tomography study
Authors: Khalil Mohamed A. , Khalil Noha M. , Esmael Amanne F. , El-Makawi Shirin M. , Saleh Alia A. , Ayoub Doaa R.
Published: December 2023

Background

Tramadol—a synthetic opioid originally used as an analgesic—has been widely misused as an addictive drug in the middle east in the last twenty years. Brain changes associated with long-term tramadol use are understudied. This study aimed to detect the possible effects of tramadol use for at least one year on the brain. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a noninvasive measure can assess changes in retinal thickness which reflects degenerative changes in the brain.

Methods

Twenty-five patients fulfilling the tramadol use disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) criteria were compared to 25 matched control subjects free of substance use disorders. Other psychiatric and medical conditions that may affect OCT were excluded from both groups. Patients were assessed using Addiction Severity Index; meanwhile, both groups were evaluated using OCT.

Results

Patients with tramadol use showed a lower thickness of most OCT parameters than healthy non-tramadol controls. The retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness was not associated with tramadol dose, duration of use, or the age of first use. There were differences between the right and left eyes in RNFL and Ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness.

Conclusions

Long-term tramadol use is associated with decreased thickness of RNFL that can be a potential marker and an early sign for degeneration detected by noninvasive techniques like OCT.
Cerebral metastasis of Hepatoblastoma: a case report and literature review
Authors: Houssaini Meryem Sqalli , Akammar Amal , Mourabiti Abdelaali Yahya , Bouardi Nizar El , Haloua Meriem , Alami Badreedine , Lamrani Moulay Youssef Alaoui , Maaroufi Mustapha , Boubbou Meryem
Published: December 2023

Background

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most frequent malignant liver tumor in infants and young children. While it is rare, the brain seems to be the most habitual site of non-pulmonary metastasis.

Case presentation

In this report, we present the case of a 13-month-old girl followed for metastatic hepatoblastoma in the lung. She was brought to the emergency department with tonic–clonic seizure, and a brain CT scan revealed a single intra-parenchymal metastasis.

Conclusions

In children with a history of hepatoblastoma, the development of neurologic symptoms should prompt cerebral imaging, to exclude the presence of cerebral metastases.
The integration of artificial intelligence with contrast-enhanced mammogram in the work up of suspicious breast lesions: what do you expect?
Authors: Mansour Sahar , Azzam Heba , El-Assaly Hany
Published: December 2023

Background

The enhancement overlaps at contrast-enhanced mammogram (CEM) between benign and malignant breast abnormalities presents a high probability of false-positive lesions and subjects females’ candidate for screening and diagnostic mammograms to unnecessary biopsy and anxiety. The current work aimed to evaluate the ability of mammograms scanned by artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the specificity of CEM and support the probability of malignancy in suspicious and malignant looking breast lesions.

Methods

The study included 1524 breast lesions. The AI algorithm applied to the initial mammograms and generated location information for lesions. AI scoring suggested the probability of malignancy ranged from 100% (definite cancers) and < 10% (definite non-cancer) and correlated with recombinant contrast enhanced images.

Results

The malignant proved abnormalities were 1165 (76.5%), and the benign ones were 359 (26.5%). BI-RADS 4 category was assigned in 704 lesions (46.2%) divided into 400 malignant (400/704, 56.8%) and 304 benign (304/704, 43.2%). BI-RADS 5 category presented by 820 lesions (53.8%), 765 of them were malignant (765/820, 93.3%) and 55 were benign (55/820, 6.7%). The sensitivity of digital mammogram whether supported by AI (93.9%) or contrast media (94.4%) was significantly increased to 97.2% (p < 0.001) when supported by both methods. Improvement of the negative predictive value (from 80.6% and 79.6% to 89.8%, p < 0.05) and the accuracy (from 91.1 and 88.8 to 94.0%, p < 0.01) was detected.

Conclusions

Contrast-enhanced mammogram helps in specification of different breast lesions in view of patterns of contrast uptake and morphology descriptors, yet with some overlap. The use of artificial intelligence applied on digital mammogram reduced the interpretational variability and limited attempts of re-biopsies of suspicious looking breast lesions assessed by contrast-enhanced mammograms.
Phytochemical profiling, antioxidant and antimicrobial investigations on Viburnum simonsii Hook. f. & Thoms, an unexplored ethnomedicinal plant of Meghalaya, India
Authors: Sangma Samson Rosly , Phukan Mayur Mausoom , Chongloi Vahshi , Verma Dakeshwar Kumar , Bora Plaban , Kumari Sony , Pankaj Pranay Punj
Published: December 2023

Background

Viburnum simonsii Hook. f. & Thoms is one of the 17 Viburnum species reported from India. Viburnum species such as Viburnum opulus and Viburnum grandiflorum have been used since time immemorial to treat various ailments and their therapeutic claims have been scientifically validated. However, the species under investigation despite having a long traditional usage history for the treatment of various illnesses in Meghalaya, India has grossly remained unexplored to date. No scientific report validating its therapeutic claim has been reported thus far. Therefore, the present study was mainly focused on investigating the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of V. simonsii and its phytochemical profile.

Result

Preliminary phytocompound assessment revealed the presence of alkaloids, phenolics, steroids, glycoside and terpenoids. The fruit extract displayed good antioxidant activity with phenolic and flavonoid content of 250.20 ± 8.12 mgGAE/g and 40.65 ± 1.31 mgQE/g respectively, and IC50 value of 131.35 ± 1.71 µg/ml. In antimicrobial assay, inhibitory activity was observed against gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus) with 17.80 ± 0.80 mm and 15.78 ± 2.62 mm zone of inhibition respectively. However, no activity was observed against gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica) as well as fungus (Candida albicans). The absorption bands in the FTIR spectra of the sample corresponded to the presence of primary and secondary alcohols, alkanes, amines, aliphatic ethers, etc. Further, the GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of phytocompounds such as neophytadiene, β-sitosterol, α-amyrin, lupeol, etc., which have bioactivity especially anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

Conclusions

The findings of the present study demonstrated that V. simonsii possessed appreciable antioxidant and antimicrobial activity and may be a potential target for pharmaceutical research.
Effectiveness of trichloroacetic acid and trichloroacetic acid with gel foam for closure in patients with central perforation of tympanic membrane—a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Namasivaya Navin R. B. , Gowthame K. , Dhanasekaran Balaji , Prabakaran S. , Rajasekaran S. , Sarath Kumar B. , Ramya Shree C. , Karthika S. R.
Published: December 2023

Background

The tympanic membrane (TM) forms the partition between the external auditory canal and the middle ear. Perforations occur as a result of acute otitis media or traumatic causes which undergoes healing spontaneously over 3 to 4 weeks. Non-surgical methods are successful in the closure of small to medium-sized perforations. Chemicals used for the cauterization of the margins of perforation are trichloroacetic acid and silver nitrate. This study was performed in a total of 90 patients. External auditory canal, tympanic membrane, site and size of perforation, and middle ear mucosa status were assessed followed by pure tone audiometry. One group constituting 45 subjects underwent TCA cauterization under sterile precautions. Another group of 45 subjects underwent the same procedure with TCA cautery and gel foam application for perforation closure. The procedure was repeated once a week for about 6 weeks. The effectiveness of these two procedures was compared between the two groups after a waiting period of 2 weeks.

Results

The mean age of the study population is 41.84 ± 16.71. Of the 90 study participants, 54.4% (N = 49) were less than 40 years of age, gender, cause, and laterality of perforation were not associated with the outcome whereas the size of the perforation was significantly associated with the closure of TM perforation with chi-square value of 7.028 and P value of 0.008 (< 0.05). Overall, TM closure was achieved in 3.56 applications in TCA with gel foam patching whereas in 6.02 applications with TCA alone.

Conclusion

TCA cauterization with or without gel foam patching can be performed as a first-line treatment in adults with small to medium-sized perforations.
KL-6 in adult polymyositis and dermatomyositis patients and its correlation with interstitial lung disease
Authors: Khalil Mayada , Fouda Ali Ibrahim , Amin Nashwa Ahmed , Ali Ahmed Saied Mohammed , Shams Ghada Mohammed , Sheiha Soheir Hussein
Published: December 2023

Background

Pulmonary involvement is still regarded as a common cause of morbidity in Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis. Interstitial lung disease can result in potentially fatal consequences such as ventilatory failure, secondary pulmonary arterial hypertension, or cor pulmonale. Early diagnosis of interstitial lung disease is hence a top priority in Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis patients. Krebs von den Lungen-6 is a transmembrane mucoprotein that has recently been identified as a promising marker for interstitial lung disease diagnosis and progression. As a result, it is regarded as a powerful predictor of interstitial lung disease severity. Thirty polymyositis/dermatomyocitis patients were enrolled in this study. Thirty age and sex matched healthy individuals were selected as control group. Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Disease Area Severity index(CDASI) was used for evaluation of skin severity, KL6 was measured using Elisa kit, High-resolution computed tomography, pulmonary function tests were made.

Results

Sixteen female and 14 male patients had a mean age of 41.64–8.02 and amedian of the disease duration of 4 years. Fifteen patients (50%) had normal readings on High-resolution computed tomography of the chest HRCT chest, while the other half had significant HRCT chest findings. KL-6 concentrations were seen to be higher in Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis patients mainly those with ILD (mean ± SD 38.66 ± 22.98), compared to the control group (Mean ± S 589.04 ± 409) and in patients without ILD (Mean ± SD 86.70 ± 8.99), (p < 0.001). KL-6 serum concentrations were shown to have a significant connection with the HRCT score (r = 0.803, P < 0.001). Forced vital capacity (FVC%) (r =  − 0.910, P < 0.001), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1%) (r =  − 0.767, P < 0.001), and FEV1/FVC% (r =  − 0.228, P = 0.112) were all inversely related to KL-6 concentrations.

Conclusion

Individuals with PM and DM with concomitant ILD have increased KL-6 serum concentrations in comparison to myositis individuals without ILD, denoting its potential role in diagnosis and follow up of PM/DM with ILD. Further studies are needed to discuss the role of KL6 in large sample of the patient's population, and its correlation with other organ affection rather than ILD. Also to clarify the potentiality of adding the KL6 biomarker to the guidelines of treat to target for Rheumatic diseases with lung affection and to see the effect of treatment on KL6 serum level.
Galectin-3 and its correlation with carotid ultrasound in rheumatoid arthritis patients
Authors: Amer Arwa S. , Soliman Amal Fathy , Fahem Mohamed “ Mohamed Hosny” , AL-Tabbakh A L-Shaimaa Mahmoud , Hussein Samah Abdelbaset
Published: December 2023

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease resulting in disability as well as joint damage. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for improving outcomes. RA patients have a twofold elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) development compared to the general population. Carotid ultrasound is a noninvasive imaging modality that can detect early signs of atherosclerosis and plaque buildup in the carotid arteries, which are strongly associated with CVD risk. Galectin-3 (Gal-3), a protein involved in inflammation and fibrosis, is suggested as one of the potential RA markers. Despite the growing interest in galectin-3 as a biomarker for CVD, few studies have investigated its role in RA patients. To our knowledge, only two studies have examined the correlation between galectin-3 and CVD in RA patients, and they have yielded conflicting results. This study aimed to determine the serum level of Gal-3 as well as its correlation with carotid ultrasound assessment for cardiovascular involvement in RA patients.

Results

RA cases demonstrated substantially elevated Gal-3 levels than controls (P < 0.001), and a 3.38 pg/mL cut-off value was proven to be an excellent predictor of RA diagnosis (AUC, 0.98). Gal-3 levels were proven to be positively associated with DAS-28, Larsen score, and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) (P-value 0.006, 0.026, < 0.001, respectively). A positive association was also detected between right (RT) and left (LT) CIMT and disease duration (P-values of 0.040 and 0.042, respectively).

Conclusions

Gal-3 is a biomarker for RA that is not only associated with activity and severity of the disease but it is also related to the chronicity of the disease and is a predictor of cardiovascular comorbidity.