bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knee adduction moment decomposition: Toward better clinical decision-making
Authors: Baniasad Mina , Martin Robin , Crevoisier Xavier , Pichonnaz Claude , Becce Fabio , Aminian Kamiar
Published: November 2022

Knee adduction moment (KAM) is correlated with the progression of medial knee osteoarthritis (OA). Although a generic gait modification can reduce the KAM in some patients, it may have a reverse effect on other patients. We proposed the “decomposed ground reaction vector” (dGRV) model to 1) distinguish between the components of the KAM and their contribution to the first and second peaks and KAM impulse and 2) examine how medial knee OA, gait speed, and a brace influence these components. Using inverse dynamics as the reference, we calculated the KAM of 12 healthy participants and 12 patients with varus deformity and medial knee OA walking with/without a brace and at three speeds. The dGRV model divided the KAM into four components defined by the ground reaction force (GRF) and associated lever arms described with biomechanical factors related to gait modifications. The dGRV model predicted the KAM profile with a coefficient of multiple correlations of 0.98 ± 0.01. The main cause of increased KAM in the medial knee OA group, the second component (generated by the vertical GRF and mediolateral distance between the knee and ankle joint centers), was decreased by the brace in the healthy group. The first peak increased, and KAM impulse decreased with increasing velocity in both groups, while no significant change was observed in the second peak. The four-component dGRV model successfully estimated the KAM in all tested conditions. It explains why similar gait modifications produce different KAM reductions in subjects. Thus, more personalized gait rehabilitation, targeting elevated components, can be considered.
The emerging roles of GPR158 in the regulation of the endocrine system
Authors: Lin Jinju , Li Qin , Lei Xiaohua , Zhao Huashan
Published: November 2022

G protein-coupled receptor 158 (GPR158) is a member of class C G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and is highly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) while lowly expressed in peripheral tissues. Previous studies have mainly focused on its functions in the CNS, such as regulating emotions, memory, and cognitive functions, whereas studies on its role in the non-nervous system are limited. It has been recently reported that GPR158 is directly involved in adrenal regulation, suggesting its role in peripheral tissues. Moreover, GPR158 is a stable dimer coupled to the regulator of G protein signaling protein 7 (RGS7) that forms the GPR158-RGS7-Gβ5 complex. Given that the RGS7-Gβ5 complex is implicated in endocrine functions, we speculate that GPR158 might be an active component of the endocrine system. Herein, we reviewed the relevant literature on GPR158, including its molecular structure, regulatory molecules, expression, and functions, and highlighted its roles in endocrine regulation. These findings not only enhance our understanding of GPR158 from an endocrine perspective but also provide valuable insights into drug exploration targeting GPR158 and their applicability in endocrine disorders.
Integrating digital pathology with transcriptomic and epigenomic tools for predicting metastatic uterine tumor aggressiveness
Authors: Sonzini Giorgia , Granados-Aparici Sofia , Sanegre Sabina , Diaz-Lagares Angel , Diaz-Martin Juan , de Andrea Carlos , Eritja Núria , Bao-Caamano Aida , Costa-Fraga Nicolás , García-Ros David , Salguero-Aranda Carmen , Davidson Ben , López-López Rafael , Melero Ignacio , Navarro Samuel , Ramon y Cajal Santiago , de Alava Enrique , Matias-Guiu Xavier , Noguera Rosa
Published: November 2022

The incidence of new cancer cases is expected to increase significantly in the future, posing a worldwide problem. In this regard, precision oncology and its diagnostic tools are essential for developing personalized cancer treatments. Digital pathology (DP) is a particularly key strategy to study the interactions of tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME), which play a crucial role in tumor initiation, progression and metastasis. The purpose of this study was to integrate data on the digital patterns of reticulin fiber scaffolding and the immune cell infiltrate, transcriptomic and epigenetic profiles in aggressive uterine adenocarcinoma (uADC), uterine leiomyosarcoma (uLMS) and their respective lung metastases, with the aim of obtaining key TME biomarkers that can help improve metastatic prediction and shed light on potential therapeutic targets. Automatized algorithms were used to analyze reticulin fiber architecture and immune infiltration in colocalized regions of interest (ROIs) of 133 invasive tumor front (ITF), 89 tumor niches and 70 target tissues in a total of six paired samples of uADC and nine of uLMS. Microdissected tissue from the ITF was employed for transcriptomic and epigenetic studies in primary and metastatic tumors. Reticulin fiber scaffolding was characterized by a large and loose reticular fiber network in uADC, while dense bundles were found in uLMS. Notably, more similarities between reticulin fibers were observed in paired uLMS then paired uADCs. Transcriptomic and multiplex immunofluorescence-based immune profiling showed a higher abundance of T and B cells in primary tumor and in metastatic uADC than uLMS. Moreover, the epigenetic signature of paired samples in uADCs showed more differences than paired samples in uLMS. Some epigenetic variation was also found between the ITF of metastatic uADC and uLMS. Altogether, our data suggest a correlation between morphological and molecular changes at the ITF and the degree of aggressiveness. The use of DP tools for characterizing reticulin scaffolding and immune cell infiltration at the ITF in paired samples together with information provided by omics analyses in a large cohort will hopefully help validate novel biomarkers of tumor aggressiveness, develop new drugs and improve patient quality of life in a much more efficient way.
A 3D-printed surgical guide for ischemic scar targeting and ablation
Authors: Candelari Mara , Cappello Ida Anna , Pannone Luigi , Monaco Cinzia , Talevi Giacomo , Bori Edoardo , Ramak Robbert , La Meir Mark , Gharaviri Ali , Chierchia Gian Battista , Innocenti Bernardo , de Asmundis Carlo
Published: November 2022

Background

3D printing technology development in medical fields allows to create 3D models to assist preoperative planning and support surgical procedures. Cardiac ischemic scar is clinically associated with malignant arrhythmias. Catheter ablation is aimed at eliminating the arrhythmogenic tissue until the sinus rhythm is restored. The scope of this work is to describe the workflow for a 3D surgical guide able to define the ischemic scar and target catheter ablation.

Materials and methods

For the patient-specific 3D surgical guide and 3D heart phantom model realization, both CT scan and cardiac MRI images were processed; this was necessary to extract anatomical structures and pathological information, respectively. Medical images were uploaded and processed in 3D Slicer. For the surgical guide modeling, images from CT scan and MRI were loaded in Meshmixer and merged. For the heart phantom realization, only the CT segmentation was loaded in Meshmixer. The surgical guide was printed in MED625FLX with Polyjet technology. The heart phantom was printed in polylactide with FDM technology.

Results

3D-printed surgical model was in agreement with prespecified imputed measurements. The phantom fitting test showed high accuracy of the 3D surgical tool compared with the patient-specific reproduced heart. Anatomical references in the surgical guide ensured good stability. Ablation catheter fitting test showed high suitability of the guide for different ablation tools.

Conclusion

A 3D-printed guide for ventricular tachycardia ablation is feasible and accurate in terms of measurements, stability, and geometrical structure. Concerning clinical use, further clinical investigations are eagerly awaited.
The role of conventional echocardiographic parameters on detecting subclinical anthracycline therapy related cardiac dysfunction—The SATRACD study
Authors: Zhang Wanzhu , Azibani Feriel , Libhaber Elena , Nankabirwa Joaniter , Okello Emmy , Kayima James , Ssinabulya Isaac , Sliwa Karen
Published: November 2022

Background

Subclinical anthracycline therapy related cardiac dysfunction (ATRCD) can be detected with speckle tracking echocardiographic image (STE), which is not widely available in Uganda. We aimed to investigate the role of the two conventional echocardiographic parameters [mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE) and mitral annular peak systolic tissue Doppler velocity (S’)] on diagnosing subclinical ATRCD.

Method and results

207 cancer patients who underwent anthracycline based chemotherapy were recruited at baseline and followed up until 6 months after ending anthracycline therapy. Comprehensive echocardiographic data were collected at each visit. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) by STE was used as the gold standard diagnostic test to define the case of subclinical ATRCD. Data of the 200 patients who had no evidence of clinical ATRCD were analyzed. One hundred and seventy-two (86.0%) were female, with a median age of 42 years and 47 (23.5%) patients were diagnosed with subclinical ATRCD at the end of anthracycline therapy by GLS criteria. The area under the curve (AUC), cutoff point, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of reduction of MAPSE (ΔMAPSE) were 0.6736 (95% CI: 0.5885, 0.7587), ≥ 2 mm, 74.5% (95% CI: 59.7%, 86.1%), 54.9% (95% CI: 46.7%, 63.0%), 33.7% (95% CI: 24.7%, 43.6%), and 87.5% (95% CI: 79.2%, 93.4%). The AUC, cutoff point, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of reduction of S’ (ΔS’) were 0.6018 (95% CI: 0.5084, 0.6953), ≥ 0.5 cm/s, 61.7% (95% CI: 46.4%, 75.5%), 52.7% (95% CI: 44.4%, 60.9%), 29.0% (95% CI: 20.4%, 38.9%), and 76.1% (95% CI: 72.4%, 88.6%). When ΔMAPSE and ΔS’ are used as parallel test, the net sensitivity and specificity is 89.4% and 28.8%, respectively, the net PPV and NPV is 27.8% and 90.0%, respectively.

Conclusion

The ΔMAPSE and ΔS’ showed fairly good accuracy, sensitivity and NPV to detect subclinical ATRCD in Ugandan cancer patients. These conventional echocardiographic parameters may serve as screening tools for detecting subclinical ATRCD in resource limited settings.
Personalised depression forecasting using mobile sensor data and ecological momentary assessment
Authors: Kathan Alexander , Harrer Mathias , Küster Ludwig , Triantafyllopoulos Andreas , He Xiangheng , Milling Manuel , Gerczuk Maurice , Yan Tianhao , Rajamani Srividya Tirunellai , Heber Elena , Grossmann Inga , Ebert David D. , Schuller Björn W.
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Digital health interventions are an effective way to treat depression, but it is still largely unclear how patients’ individual symptoms evolve dynamically during such treatments. Data-driven forecasts of depressive symptoms would allow to greatly improve the personalisation of treatments. In current forecasting approaches, models are often trained on an entire population, resulting in a general model that works overall, but does not translate well to each individual in clinically heterogeneous, real-world populations. Model fairness across patient subgroups is also frequently overlooked. Personalised models tailored to the individual patient may therefore be promising.

Methods

We investigate different personalisation strategies using transfer learning, subgroup models, as well as subject-dependent standardisation on a newly-collected, longitudinal dataset of depression patients undergoing treatment with a digital intervention (N=65 patients recruited). Both passive mobile sensor data as well as ecological momentary assessments were available for modelling. We evaluated the models’ ability to predict symptoms of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-2; PHQ-2) at the end of each day, and to forecast symptoms of the next day.

Results

In our experiments, we achieve a best mean-absolute-error (MAE) of 0.801 (25% improvement) for predicting PHQ-2 values at the end of the day with subject-dependent standardisation compared to a non-personalised baseline (MAE=1.062). For one day ahead-forecasting, we can improve the baseline of 1.539 by 12% to a MAE of 1.349 using a transfer learning approach with shared common layers. In addition, personalisation leads to fairer models at group-level.

Discussion

Our results suggest that personalisation using subject-dependent standardisation and transfer learning can improve predictions and forecasts, respectively, of depressive symptoms in participants of a digital depression intervention. We discuss technical and clinical limitations of this approach, avenues for future investigations, and how personalised machine learning architectures may be implemented to improve existing digital interventions for depression.
School ethnic-racial socialization and critical action among Black youth
Authors: Kubi Gabrielle , Byrd Christy M. , Diemer Matthew A.
Published: November 2022

We explore the interaction of different types of school ethnic-racial socialization, youth’s perceptions of the messages that schools and their agents broadcast about race and ethnicity, as it shapes Black youth’s critical action, the individual and collective action that youth engage in to combat oppression and racism. In particular, the co-occurrence of critical consciousness socialization (emphasizes racial inequity; CCS), cultural socialization (celebrates youth’s culture/s; CS), and color evasive socialization (de-emphasizes and thus delegitimizes the importance of race; CES) are explored. The adaptive culture and Mustaffa’s conceptualization of Black lifemaking, an aspect of freedom dreaming in which Black people define and care for themselves in ways (such as critical action) that counter dominant, anti-Black ideologies, serve as the overarching theoretical frameworks. As both the adaptive culture paradigm and critical action necessitate a target of resistance, we hypothesize that CES, in providing Black youth something to resist against, may actually serve as a positive moderator between CCS and/or CS and their critical action. We investigate these questions among a sample of Black adolescents (n = 285, M = 15.09 years, and SD = 1.38 years). Benjamini–Hochberg corrected hierarchical moderations with age as a covariate and socialization type and interaction between types as predictors revealed that the interaction between CCS and CES significantly predicted critically conscious action [β = 0.25, SE = 0.08, t(193) = 2.54, and p < 0.05] and political anti-racist action [β = 0.21, SE = 0.09, t(193) = 2.38, and p < 0.05]. Critically conscious action was more frequent among Black youth who perceived greater CES. The relationship between CCS and political anti-racist action was stronger among those who perceived greater CES. These findings may provide comfort to those worried about CES’ impact. Black youth simultaneously socialized with CCS seem to develop a critical consciousness that allows them to trouble CES and to be critically active despite it. Engaging in varied, frequent critical action allows Black youth to continue the life-making which improves the Black American experience and drives their freedom dreaming.
Treatment patterns and unmet needs in adults with classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia: A modified Delphi consensus study
Authors: Auchus Richard J. , Courtillot Carine , Dobs Adrian , El-Maouche Diala , Falhammar Henrik , Lacroix Andre , Farrar Mallory , O’Donoghue Conor , Anatchkova Milena , Cutts Katelyn , Taylor Natalie , Yonan Chuck , Lamotte Mark , Touraine Philippe
Published: November 2022

Background

Classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive condition characterized by cortisol deficiency and excess androgen production. The current standard of care is glucocorticoid (GC) therapy, and sometimes mineralocorticoids, to replace endogenous cortisol deficiency; however, supraphysiologic GC doses are usually needed to reduce excess androgen production. Monitoring/titrating GC treatment remains a major challenge, and there is no agreement on assessment of treatment adequacy. This study surveyed expert opinions on current treatment practices and unmet needs in adults with classic CAH.

Methods

A modified two-round Delphi process with adult endocrinologists was conducted via online questionnaire. Survey questions were organized into three categories: practice characteristics/CAH experience, GC management, and unmet needs/complications. Anonymized aggregate data from Round 1 were provided as feedback for Round 2. Responses from both rounds were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Consensus was defined a priori as: full consensus (100%, n=9/9); near consensus (78% to <100%, n=7/9 or 8/9); no consensus (<78%, n<7/9).

Results

The same nine panelists participated in both survey rounds; five (56%) were based in North America and four (44%) in Europe. Most panelists (78%) used hydrocortisone in the majority of patients, but two (22%) preferred prednisone/prednisolone. Panelists agreed (89%) that adequate control is best evaluated using a balance of clinical presentation and androgen/precursor laboratory values; no consensus was reached on optimal timing of collecting samples for androgen testing or laboratory values indicating good control. Despite lack of consensus on many aspects of CAH management, panelists agreed on the importance of many disease- and GC-related complications, and that there is a large unmet need for new treatments. With currently available treatments, panelists reported that 46% of classic CAH patients did not have optimized androgen levels, regardless of GC dose.

Conclusions

The limited areas of consensus obtained in this study reflect the variability in treatment practices for adults with classic CAH, even among clinicians with expertise in treating this population. However, all panelists agreed on the need for new treatments for classic CAH and the importance of many disease- and GC-related complications, which are difficult to manage with currently available treatments.
Multi-target regulation of intestinal microbiota by berberine to improve type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: He Qiongyao , Dong Hui , Guo Yujin , Gong Minmin , Xia Qingsong , Lu Fuer , Wang Dingkun
Published: November 2022

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its complications are major public health problems that seriously affect the quality of human life. The modification of intestinal microbiota has been widely recognized for the management of diabetes. The relationship between T2DM, intestinal microbiota, and active ingredient berberine (BBR) in intestinal microbiota was reviewed in this paper. First of all, the richness and functional changes of intestinal microbiota disrupt the intestinal environment through the destruction of the intestinal barrier and fermentation/degradation of pathogenic/protective metabolites, targeting the liver, pancreas, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), etc., to affect intestinal health, blood glucose, and lipids, insulin resistance and inflammation. Then, we focus on BBR, which protects the composition of intestinal microbiota, the changes of intestinal metabolites, and immune regulation disorder of the intestinal environment as the therapeutic mechanism as well as its current clinical trials. Further research can analyze the mechanism network of BBR to exert its therapeutic effect according to its multi-target compound action, to provide a theoretical basis for the use of different phytochemical components alone or in combination to prevent and treat T2DM or other metabolic diseases by regulating intestinal microbiota.
Estimating farmers’ willingness to pay for photovoltaic industry to improve agricultural green resources and environment
Authors: Li Jinyang , Khan Arshad Ahmad , Khan Sufyan Ullah , Ali Muhammad Abu Sufyan , Luo Jianchao
Published: November 2022

Based on the consideration of the level of the regional radiation effect of the photovoltaic industry, four main regions were selected as case sites in Pingluo County, Ningxia Province, for this research. The study used the double-bound dichotomous CVM model and C-optimal design to revise the bidding value of the payment scheme that reduced the WTP range error. Five independent sub-sample questionnaires, including seven bidding value payment schemes, along with four internal range tests and six external range tests, were designed. The results showed that the comparison of the WTP for the improvement of agricultural resources and the environment among different independent sub-samples in the same region passed the external quantitative scope test, indicating that the questionnaire design, survey implementation, and WTP estimation results of the double-bound dichotomous CVM in this study were reliable. Saturation degree, diminishing marginal utility, and substitution effect are the main influencing factors of low marginal WTP added value and embedding effect. When the quantity range changes, the utility of respondents tends to saturate and marginal utility rapidly decreases. Influenced by the aforementioned factors, the sum of the independent estimates of the respondents on the WTP for the improvement of agricultural green resources and environment of the photovoltaic industry in the four research areas is 3.04 times the average value of the overall estimates of the four areas. In order to obtain and maintain the local photovoltaic industry for agricultural production resources and environmental improvement, the average WTP of each respondent was 99.80 yuan per year.
Relationship between crude oil price and production levels—An empirical study of OPEC and non-OPEC states
Authors: Yang Tzu-Yi , Chen Ssu-Han , Yang Yu-Tai , Chang Hao-Hsin
Published: November 2022

This work explores the relationship between the price of crude oil and its production through an empirical study on the regions of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (non-OPEC). The crude oil price has recently been fluctuating greatly that it cannot be predicted; this fluctuation causes changes in the prices of raw materials for everyday life, thus affecting the economy worldwide. To better understand the factors that affect the crude oil price, this study gathered monthly oil production by OPEC and non-OPEC members, which are divided into the regions of Europe, America, and Asia according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (2015). Data on the West Texas Intermediate (WTI), Brent, and Dubai oil prices in the period from January 1995 to November 2015 were also gathered and subjected to unbalanced panel random effect regression to investigate the relationship between crude oil price and oil production and to determine whether the oil production by these countries have a significant effect on the fluctuation of crude oil price. This study explored the relationship between production and price, specifically that of crude oil. Hence, it investigated whether and how the changes in monthly crude oil production by OPEC and non-OPEC members in Europe, America, and Asia have affected the changes in three major crude oil prices, namely, WTI, Brent, and Dubai, in the following terms.
Including phylogenetic conservatism of shortgrass prairie restoration species does not improve species germinability prediction
Authors: Chen Yanni , Schwilk Dylan W. , Cox Robert D. , Johnson Matthew G.
Published: November 2022

Premise

We investigated whether phylogenetic conservatism can improve the performance of seed germinability prediction models. Previous studies in tallgrass prairie and alpine meadow revealed that seed morphological traits demonstrate phylogenetic conservatism. We hypothesized that phylogenetic conservatism in seed traits could help predict the seed germinability, under the assumption that seed traits contain phylogenetic signals.

Methods

We measured seed germination percentage and seed morphological traits (seed mass, seed height, and seed surface area) on 34 native species from shortgrass prairie in North America. We supplemented these data with similar data from the literature on 11 more species. We calculated the robustness of the phylogenetic signal of each trait to the number of species sampled. We also compressed the phylogenetic distance matrix to a two-dimensional space, and applied the Akaike information criterion to evaluate the effects of phylogeny on seed germinability prediction models.

Key results

We found weak but significant phylogenetic signals in seed mass and seed height in the full data set. These phylogenetic signals were not able to improve seed germinability prediction model performance among shortgrass prairie species. Our robustness tests of phylogenetic signals using random sub-sampling showed that the detection rate of phylogenetic signals in seed mass was increased along with the expansion of species pool, and nearly 100% at 40 species. However, the detection rate of phylogenetic signals in seed height was constantly low, around 20%.

Conclusion

When the phylogenetic signals are weak, the phylogenetic position does not improve germinability prediction model performance. Therefore, phylogenetic signals detected during a single species pool calculation may not accurately reflect the phylogenetic conservatism of the trait in a plant community. We suggest testing for robustness of phylogenetic signals using random sub-sampling tests.
Temporal transcriptome of tomato elucidates the signaling pathways of induced systemic resistance and systemic acquired resistance activated by Chaetomium globosum
Authors: Singh Jagmohan , Aggarwal Rashmi , Bashyal Bishnu Maya , Darshan K. , Meena Bharat Raj , Yadav Jagdish , Saharan M. S. , Hussain Zakir
Published: November 2022

C. globosum is an endophytic fungus, which is recorded effective against several fungal and bacterial diseases in plants. The exclusively induce defense as mechanism of biocontrol for C. globosum against phyto-pathogens is reported. Our pervious study states the effectiveness of induced defense by C. globosum (Cg), in tomato against Alternaria solani. In this study the temporal transcriptome analysis of tomato plants after treatment with C. globosum was performed for time points at 0 hpCi, 12 hpCi, 24 hpCi and 96 phCi. The temporal expression analysis of genes belonging to defense signaling pathways indicates the maximum expression of genes at 12 h post Cg inoculation. The sequential progression in JA signaling pathway is marked by upregulation of downstream genes (Solyc10g011660, Solyc01g005440) of JA signaling at 24 hpCi and continued to express at same level upto 96 hpCi. However, the NPR1 (Solyc07g040690), the key regulator of SA signaling is activated at 12 h and repressed in later stages. The sequential expression of phenylpropanoid pathway genes (Solyc09g007920, Solyc12g011330, Solyc05g047530) marks the activation of pathway with course of time after Cg treatment that results in lignin formation. The plant defense signaling progresses in sequential manner with time course after Cg treatment. The results revealed the involvement of signaling pathways of ISR and SAR in systemic resistance induced by Cg in tomato, but with temporal variation.
Immune mechanism of low bone mineral density caused by ankylosing spondylitis based on bioinformatics and machine learning
Authors: Zhang Ding , Liu Jia , Gao Bing , Zong Yuan , Guan Xiaoqing , Zhang Fengyi , Shen Zhubin , Lv Shijie , Guo Li , Yin Fei
Published: November 2022

Background and Objective: This study aims to find the key immune genes and mechanisms of low bone mineral density (LBMD) in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients.

Methods: AS and LBMD datasets were downloaded from the GEO database, and differential expression gene analysis was performed to obtain DEGs. Immune-related genes (IRGs) were obtained from ImmPort. Overlapping DEGs and IRGs got I-DEGs. Pearson coefficients were used to calculate DEGs and IRGs correlations in the AS and LBMD datasets. Louvain community discovery was used to cluster the co-expression network to get gene modules. The module most related to the immune module was defined as the key module. Metascape was used for enrichment analysis of key modules. Further, I-DEGs with the same trend in AS and LBMD were considered key I-DEGs. Multiple machine learning methods were used to construct diagnostic models based on key I-DEGs. IID database was used to find the context of I-DEGs, especially in the skeletal system. Gene–biological process and gene-pathway networks were constructed based on key I-DEGs. In addition, immune infiltration was analyzed on the AS dataset using the CIBERSORT algorithm.

Results: A total of 19 genes were identified I-DEGs, of which IFNAR1, PIK3CG, PTGER2, TNF, and CCL3 were considered the key I-DEGs. These key I-DEGs had a good relationship with the hub genes of key modules. Multiple machine learning showed that key I-DEGs, as a signature, had an excellent diagnostic performance in both AS and LBMD, and the SVM model had the highest AUC value. Key I-DEGs were closely linked through bridge genes, especially in the skeletal system. Pathway analysis showed that PIK3CG, IFNAR1, CCL3, and TNF participated in NETs formation through pathways such as the MAPK signaling pathway. Immune infiltration analysis showed neutrophils had the most significant differences between case and control groups and a good correlation with key I-DEG.

Conclusion: The key I-DEGs, TNF, CCL3, PIK3CG, PTGER2, and IFNAR1, can be utilized as biomarkers to determine the risk of LBMD in AS patients. They may affect neutrophil infiltration and NETs formation to influence the bone remodeling process in AS.
Abnormal expression of TSG-6 disturbs extracellular matrix homeostasis in chondrocytes from endemic osteoarthritis
Authors: Ning Yujie , Zhang Pan , Zhang Feiyu , Chen Sijie , Liu Yanli , Chen Feihong , Wu Yifan , Li Shujin , Wang Chaowei , Gong Yi , Hu Minhan , Huang Ruitian , Zhao Hongmou , Guo Xiong , Wang Xi , Yang Lei
Published: November 2022

Background and aims: Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is a unique endemic osteochondropathy with unclear pathogenesis in China. T-2 toxin exposure has been identified as a significant risk factor of KBD. However, the mechanism of articular cartilage damage induced by T-2 toxin is a conundrum. We explored the role of the extracellular matrix-related gene TSG-6 in the articular chondrocyte damage process under the exposure of HT-2 toxin.

Methods: TSG-6 was identified as a candidate gene by mining our previous gene expression profiling of KBD and verified by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Then, TSG-6 was silenced by RNA interference technology and overexpressed induction by TNF-α. Gradient concentrations of HT-2 toxin were added to intervene with C28/I2 chondrocytes. MTT was used to observe the proliferation and cell viability of chondrocytes, and qRT-PCR was utilized to detect the expression changes of MMP1, MMP3, MMP13, COL2A1, and proteoglycan before and after treatments for verification.

Results: TSG-6 was upregulated in KBD chondrocytes at the mRNA level and upregulated in the superficial, middle, and deep zones of KBD cartilage. After TSG-6 silencing, the expression of MMP1, MMP3, MMP13, and proteoglycan was significantly decreased while COL2A1 expression was significantly increased, which was reversed after the overexpression of TSG-6 induced by TNF-α (p < 0.05). The survival rate of chondrocytes was correspondingly reduced with an increase in the HT-2 toxin concentration. Compared with the blank control group, the expression of MMPs was increased in the intervention group of HT-2 toxin, while the expression of proteoglycan and COL2A1 decreased (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The upregulation of the TSG-6 gene may play a role in promoting the damage and degradation of the extracellular matrix in KBD chondrocytes under the exposure of HT-2 toxin.
A deep belief network-based clinical decision system for patients with osteosarcoma
Authors: Li Wenle , Dong Youzheng , Liu Wencai , Tang Zhiri , Sun Chenyu , Lowe Scott , Chen Shuya , Bentley Rachel , Zhou Qin , Xu Chan , Li Wanying , Wang Bing , Wang Haosheng , Dong Shengtao , Hu Zhaohui , Liu Qiang , Cai Xintian , Feng Xiaowei , Zhao Wei , Yin Chengliang
Published: November 2022

Osteosarcoma was the most frequent type of malignant primary bone tumor with a poor survival rate mainly occurring in children and adolescents. For precision treatment, an accurate individualized prognosis for Osteosarcoma patients is highly desired. In recent years, many machine learning-based approaches have been used to predict distant metastasis and overall survival based on available individual information. In this study, we compared the performance of the deep belief networks (DBN) algorithm with six other machine learning algorithms, including Random Forest, XGBoost, Decision Tree, Gradient Boosting Machine, Logistic Regression, and Naive Bayes Classifier, to predict lung metastasis for Osteosarcoma patients. Therefore the DBN-based lung metastasis prediction model was integrated as a parameter into the Cox proportional hazards model to predict the overall survival of Osteosarcoma patients. The accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score of the DBN algorithm were 0.917/0.888, 0.896/0.643, 0.956/0.900, and 0.925/0.750 in the training/validation sets, respectively, which were better than the other six machine-learning algorithms. For the performance of the DBN survival Cox model, the areas under the curve (AUCs) for the 1-, 3- and 5-year survival in the training set were 0.851, 0.806 and 0.793, respectively, indicating good discrimination, and the calibration curves showed good agreement between the prediction and actual observations. The DBN survival Cox model also demonstrated promising performance in the validation set. In addition, a nomogram integrating the DBN output was designed as a tool to aid clinical decision-making.
Influence of nutrients and metabolites on the differentiation of plasma cells and implications for autoimmunity
Authors: Föh Bandik , Buhre Jana Sophia , Sina Christian , Ehlers Marc
Published: November 2022

The modulation of inflammatory (auto)immune reactions by nutrients and gut bacterial metabolites is of great interest for potential preventive and therapeutic strategies. B cell-derived plasma cells are major players in inflammatory (auto)immune responses and can exhibit pro- or anti-inflammatory effects through (auto)antibody-dependent and -independent functions. Emerging evidence indicates a key role of nutrients and microbial metabolites in regulating the differentiation of plasma cells as well as their differentiation to pro- or anti-inflammatory phenotypes. These effects might be mediated indirectly by influencing other immune cells or directly through B cell-intrinsic mechanisms. Here, we provide an overview of nutrients and metabolites that influence B cell-intrinsic signaling pathways regulating B cell activation, plasma cell differentiation, and effector functions. Furthermore, we outline important inflammatory plasma cell phenotypes whose differentiation could be targeted by nutrients and microbial metabolites. Finally, we discuss possible implications for inflammatory (auto)immune conditions.
The oral microbiota and cardiometabolic health: A comprehensive review and emerging insights
Authors: Li Yiwen , Zhu Mengmeng , Liu Yanfei , Luo Binyu , Cui Jing , Huang Luqi , Chen Keji , Liu Yue
Published: November 2022

There is mounting evidence demonstrating that oral dysbiosis causes periodontal disease and promotes the development of cardiovascular disease. The advancement of omics techniques has driven the optimization of oral microbiota species analysis and has provided a deeper understanding of oral pathogenic bacteria. A bi-directional relationship exists between the oral microbiota and the host, and oral-gut microbiota transfer is known to alter the composition of the gut microbiota and may cause local metabolic disorders. Furthermore, cardiovascular health can also be highly affected by oral microbiota functions and metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and some lipid metabolites. Studies have found that trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) may have adverse effects on cardiovascular health, whereas SCFAs, NO, and H2S have cardioprotective effects. SCFAs and H2S exert varying oral and cardiovascular effects, however reports on this specific topic remain controversial. Previous evidences are accustomed to summarizing the functions of oral microbiota in the context of periodontitis. The direct relationship between oral microbiota and cardiovascular diseases is insufficient. By systematically summarizing the methods associated with oral microbiota transplantation (OMT), this review facilitates an investigation into the causal links between oral microbiota and cardiovascular disease. The concomitant development of omics, bioinformatics, bacterial culture techniques, and microbiota transplantation techniques is required to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between oral microbiota and cardiovascular disease occurrence.
Regulation of differentiation and generation of osteoclasts in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Niu Qing , Gao Jinfang , Wang Lei , Liu Jiaxi , Zhang Liyun
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which affects nearly 1% of the world’s population, is a debilitating autoimmune disease. Bone erosion caused by periarticular osteopenia and synovial pannus formation is the most destructive pathological changes of RA, also leads to joint deformity and loss of function,and ultimately affects the quality of life of patients. Osteoclasts (OCs) are the only known bone resorption cells and their abnormal differentiation and production play an important role in the occurrence and development of RA bone destruction; this remains the main culprit behind RA.

Method

Based on the latest published literature and research progress at home and abroad, this paper reviews the abnormal regulation mechanism of OC generation and differentiation in RA and the possible targeted therapy.

Result

OC-mediated bone destruction is achieved through the regulation of a variety of cytokines and cell-to-cell interactions, including gene transcription, epigenetics and environmental factors. At present, most methods for the treatment of RA are based on the regulation of inflammation, the inhibition of bone injury and joint deformities remains unexplored.

Discussion

This article will review the mechanism of abnormal differentiation of OC in RA, and summarise the current treatment oftargeting cytokines in the process of OC generation and differentiation to reduce bone destruction in patients with RA, which isexpected to become a valuable treatment choice to inhibit bone destruction in RA.
The effect of the intratumoral microbiome on tumor occurrence, progression, prognosis and treatment
Authors: Gao Feng , Yu Bo , Rao Benchen , Sun Ying , Yu Jia , Wang Daming , Cui Guangying , Ren Zhigang
Published: November 2022

In the past few decades, great progress has been achieved in the understanding of microbiome-cancer interactions. However, most of the studies have focused on the gut microbiome, ignoring how other microbiomes interact with tumors. Emerging evidence suggests that in many types of cancers, such as lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer, the intratumoral microbiome plays a significant role. In addition, accumulating evidence suggests that intratumoral microbes have multiple effects on the biological behavior of tumors, for example, regulating tumor initiation and progression and altering the tumor response to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. However, to fully understand the role of the intratumoral microbiome in cancer, further investigation of the effects and mechanisms is still needed. This review discusses the role of intratumoral bacteria in tumorigenesis and tumor progression, recurrence and metastasis, as well as their effect on cancer prognosis and treatment outcome, and summarizes the relevant mechanisms.
Seaweed afforestation at large-scales exclusively for carbon sequestration: Critical assessment of risks, viability and the state of knowledge
Authors: Ross Finnley , Tarbuck Patrick , Macreadie Peter I.
Published: November 2022

There have been discussions of scaling up offshore seaweed cultivation and sinking it exclusively for carbon sequestration (‘ocean afforestation’) and thereby help mitigate climate change, but is this concept feasible? Here we investigate the feasibility of ocean afforestation across five perspectives: 1) Ecological feasibility; 2) Technical feasibility; 3) Economic feasibility; 4) Co-benefits and risks; and 5) Governance and social considerations. Optimising ecological factors such as species selection and use of currents, alongside the use of low-cost biodegradable rafts in theory could see this concept scaled globally. An area of 400,000km2 or 16.4 billion biodegradable rafts would be needed for 1 gigatonne of CO2 fixation given roughly 16 rafts of 25m2 each would be needed per tonne of CO2 fixation. However, CO2 fixation (calculated from net primary productivity) and carbon sequestration (carbon permanently removed from the atmosphere) are fundamentally different processes, yet this distinction is often overlooked. Quantifying carbon sequestration from ocean afforestation remains elusive given several outstanding oceanic biogeochemical considerations. For example, the displacement of phytoplankton communities and their associated carbon sequestration via nutrient reallocation is a critical knowledge gap in understanding the climate change mitigation potential of ocean afforestation. Ocean afforestation also carries complex risks to marine ecosystems, for example, the impact on benthic communities of seaweed deposition. Additionally, governance and social challenges exist such as the legality of operation in relation to ocean treaties. The concept of ocean afforestation is still in its infancy, and while there are large research gaps, further investment into research should be given before the concept can be adequately compared against the suite of potential ocean-based climate change mitigation strategies.
Decline in on-demand fishing gear costs with learning
Authors: Alkire Carolyn
Published: November 2022

Gear entanglement and vessel collisions are the major known causes of injuries to the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) and other marine animals. Whale entanglements often occur in endlines (the fixed vertical lines between fishing traps and surface buoys) and removal of these lines in “on-demand” or “ropeless” fishing gear has been presented as a potential solution. These fishing systems use acoustic and timed releases to locate and retrieve a submerged trap, endline, and buoy (or lift bag or spool) to the surface. On-demand fishing gear commercially in use costs up to $8,000 for a deck unit and up to $4,000 per acoustic release. Developers expect on-demand fishing component costs to drop as production ramps up. The correlation between production cost or labor hours per unit and cumulative production have been described as ‘experience curves’ or ‘learning curves.’ The learning model is the most common approach to projecting production costs in electronics and other high-tech industries, with the log-linear model based on the Wright learning curve the most frequently used modelling approach. Wright’s equation is used to calculate on-demand fishing gear costs for northeastern U.S. commercial fishing vessels operating in federal lobster management areas. These vessels represent approximately 70% of entanglement risk, estimated by the National Marine Fisheries Service. The use of on-demand gear would therefore initially be most effective in reducing the risk of whale entanglement (and mortality) in commercial fishing areas in these waters. It is estimated that the cost of on-demand gear for the 1,494 vessels operating in federal waters would total $58.1 million, with an average of $38,899 per vessel if releases were used on all endlines. If vessels fishing 5 or more traps per trawl use a release on 1 endlines per trawl, the total cost is estimated at $38.2 million, with an average of $25,552 per vessel. The initial cost of on-demand fishing gear may be an obstacle to widespread adoption. Funding and loan programs are available and there is precedent for government and community assistance to workers in industries affected by resource management regulations.
Eyebrow tattoo-associated sarcoidosis: A case report
Authors: Nie Shu , Li Ke , Gao Chuang , Yin Na , Chen Zile , Wu Zhouwei
Published: November 2022

Cutaneous sarcoidosis can manifest after doing a permanent makeup (PMU), such as tattooed eyebrows. A 41-year-old Chinese woman, with a tattoo in the eyebrows, developed yellow–brown plaques in her eyebrows for several months. A dermatopathological examination revealed non-caseating granulomas consistent with cutaneous sarcoidosis. For months, topical corticosteroids were applied, which showed little effect. Furthermore, a physical evaluation of the patient revealed no apparent involvement of other body organs except bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy with few diffuse reticulonodular opacities. On the basis of fully informed consent, the patient agreed to a 6-month initial follow-up to avoid unnecessary PMU.
Development and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against the extracellular domain of African swine fever virus structural protein, CD2v
Authors: Liu Siyuan , Ding Peiyang , Du Yongkun , Ren Dongna , Chen Yilan , Li Minghui , Sun Xueke , Wang Siqiao , Chang Zejie , Li Ruiqi , Zhang Gaiping
Published: November 2022

African swine fever virus (ASFV), a DNA double-stranded virus with high infectivity and mortality, causing a devastating blow to the pig industry and the world economy. The CD2v protein is an essential immunoprotective protein of ASFV. In this study, we expressed the extracellular region of the CD2v protein in the 293F expression system to achieve proper glycosylation. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were prepared by immunizing mice with the recombinant CD2v protein. Eventually, four mAbs that target the extracellular region of the ASFV CD2v protein were obtained. All four mAbs responded well to the ASFV HLJ/18 strain and recognized the same linear epitope, 154SILE157. The specific shortest amino acid sequence of this epitope has been accurately identified for the first time. Meaningfully, the 154SILE157 epitope was highly conformed in the ASFV Chinese epidemic strain and Georgia2008/1 strains according to the analysis of the conservation and have a fair protective effect. These findings contribute to further understanding of the protein function of CD2v and provide potential support for the development of diagnostic tools and vaccines for ASFV.