bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maternal obesity and the impact of associated early-life inflammation on long-term health of offspring
Authors: Denizli Merve , Capitano Maegan L. , Kua Kok Lim
Published: September 2022

The prevalence of obesity is increasingly common in the United States, with ~25% of women of reproductive age being overweight or obese. Metaflammation, a chronic low grade inflammatory state caused by altered metabolism, is often present in pregnancies complicated by obesity. As a result, the fetuses of mothers who are obese are exposed to an in-utero environment that has altered nutrients and cytokines. Notably, both human and preclinical studies have shown that children born to mothers with obesity have higher risks of developing chronic illnesses affecting various organ systems. In this review, the authors sought to present the role of cytokines and inflammation during healthy pregnancy and determine how maternal obesity changes the inflammatory landscape of the mother, leading to fetal reprogramming. Next, the negative long-term impact on offspring’s health in numerous disease contexts, including offspring’s risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders (autism, attention deficit and hyperactive disorder), metabolic diseases (obesity, type 2 diabetes), atopy, and malignancies will be discussed along with the potential of altered immune/inflammatory status in offspring as a contributor of these diseases. Finally, the authors will list critical knowledge gaps in the field of developmental programming of health and diseases in the context of offspring of mothers with obesity, particularly the understudied role of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.
Biofilm formation is not an independent risk factor for mortality in patients with Acinetobacter baumannii bacteremia
Authors: Chiang Tsung-Ta , Huang Tzu-Wen , Sun Jun-Ren , Kuo Shu-Chen , Cheng Aristine , Liu Chang-Pan , Liu Yuag-Meng , Yang Ya-Sung , Chen Te-Li , Lee Yi-Tzu , Wang Yung-Chih
Published: September 2022

In the past decades, due to the high prevalence of the antibiotic-resistant isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii, it has emerged as one of the most troublesome pathogens threatening the global healthcare system. Furthermore, this pathogen has the ability to form biofilms, which is another effective mechanism by which it survives in the presence of antibiotics. However, the clinical impact of biofilm-forming A. baumannii isolates on patients with bacteremia is largely unknown. This retrospective study was conducted at five medical centers in Taiwan over a 9-year period. A total of 252 and 459 patients with bacteremia caused by biofilm- and non-biofilm-forming isolates of A. baumannii, respectively, were enrolled. The clinical demographics, antimicrobial susceptibility, biofilm-forming ability, and patient clinical outcomes were analyzed. The biofilm-forming ability of the isolates was assessed using a microtiter plate assay. Multivariate analysis revealed the higher APACHE II score, shock status, lack of appropriate antimicrobial therapy, and carbapenem resistance of the infected strain were independent risk factors of 28-day mortality in the patients with A. baumannii bacteremia. However, there was no significant difference between the 28-day survival and non-survival groups, in terms of the biofilm forming ability. Compared to the patients infected with non-biofilm-forming isolates, those infected with biofilm-forming isolates had a lower in-hospital mortality rate. Patients with either congestive heart failure, underlying hematological malignancy, or chemotherapy recipients were more likely to become infected with the biofilm-forming isolates. Multivariate analysis showed congestive heart failure was an independent risk factor of infection with biofilm-forming isolates, while those with arterial lines tended to be infected with non-biofilm-forming isolates. There were no significant differences in the sources of infection between the biofilm-forming and non-biofilm-forming isolate groups. Carbapenem susceptibility was also similar between these groups. In conclusion, the patients infected with the biofilm-forming isolates of the A. baumannii exhibited different clinical features than those infected with non-biofilm-forming isolates. The biofilm-forming ability of A. baumannii may also influence the antibiotic susceptibility of its isolates. However, it was not an independent risk factor for a 28-day mortality in the patients with bacteremia.
Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage after non-emergency percutaneous coronary intervention: Incidence, risk factors, and association with cardiovascular outcomes
Authors: Lim Mervyn Jun Rui , Zheng Yilong , Soh Rodney Yu-Hang , Foo Qi Xuan Joel , Djohan Andie Hartanto , Nga Diong Weng Vincent , Ho Jamie Sin-Ying , Yeo Tseng Tsai , Sim Hui-Wen , Yeo Tiong-Cheng , Tan Huay-Cheem , Chan Mark Yan-Yee , Loh Joshua Ping-Yun , Sia Ching-Hui
Published: September 2022

Objective

To investigate the incidence, risk factors, and association with cardiovascular outcomes of patients who developed symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) after non-emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods

We conducted a single-institution retrospective study of patients who developed symptomatic ICH after non-emergency PCI. To identify associations between clinical variables and outcomes, Cox-proportional hazards regression models were constructed. Outcomes analyzed include (1) all-cause mortality, (2) acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA), and (3) major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Results

A total of 1,732 patients were included in the analysis. The mean (±SD) age was 61.1 (±11.3) years, and 1,396 patients (80.6%) were male. The cumulative incidence of symptomatic ICH after non-emergency PCI was 1.3% (22 patients). Age, chronic kidney disease, and prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery were independently associated with a higher risk of ICH after PCI, while hyperlipidemia was independently associated with a lower risk of ICH after PCI. ICH after PCI was independently associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality and AIS or TIA after PCI.

Conclusion

Patients who are older, who have chronic kidney disease, and who have had prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery should be monitored for symptomatic ICH after non-emergency PCI.
Selective inhibition of soluble tumor necrosis factor signaling reduces abdominal aortic aneurysm progression
Authors: Griepke Silke , Grupe Emilie , Lindholt Jes Sanddal , Fuglsang Elizabeth Hvitfeldt , Steffensen Lasse Bach , Beck Hans Christian , Larsen Mia Dupont , Bang-Møller Sissel Karoline , Overgaard Martin , Rasmussen Lars Melholt , Lambertsen Kate Lykke , Stubbe Jane
Published: September 2022

Background

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is pathologically elevated in human abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Non-selective TNF inhibition-based therapeutics are approved for human use but have been linked to several side effects. Compounds that target the proinflammatory soluble form of TNF (solTNF) but preserve the immunomodulatory capabilities of the transmembrane form of TNF (tmTNF) may prevent these side effects. We hypothesize that inhibition of solTNF signaling prevents AAA expansion.

Methods

The effect of the selective solTNF inhibitor, XPro1595, and the non-selective TNF inhibitor, Etanercept (ETN) was examined in porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) induced AAA mice, and findings with XPro1595 was confirmed in angiotensin II (ANGII) induced AAA in hyperlipidemic apolipoprotein E (Apoe) –/– mice.

Results

XPro1595 treatment significantly reduced AAA expansion in both models, and a similar trend (p = 0.06) was observed in PPE-induced AAA in ETN-treated mice. In the PPE aneurysm wall, XPro1595 improved elastin integrity scores. In aneurysms, mean TNFR1 levels reduced non-significantly (p = 0.07) by 50% after TNF inhibition, but the histological location in murine AAAs was unaffected and similar to that in human AAAs. Semi-quantification of infiltrating leucocytes, macrophages, T-cells, and neutrophils in the aneurysm wall were unaffected by TNF inhibition. XPro1595 increased systemic TNF levels, while ETN increased systemic IL-10 levels. In ANGII-induced AAA mice, XPro1595 increased systemic TNF and IL-5 levels. In early AAA development, proteomic analyses revealed that XPro1595 significantly upregulated ontology terms including “platelet aggregation” and “coagulation” related to the fibrinogen complex, from which several proteins were among the top regulated proteins. Downregulated ontology terms were associated with metabolic processes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, selective inhibition of solTNF signaling reduced aneurysm expansion in mice, supporting its potential as an attractive treatment option for AAA patients.
Mixed corticomedullary tumor of the adrenal gland
Authors: Kimura Noriko , Motoyama Teiich , Saito Jun , Nishikawa Tetsuo
Published: September 2022

Mixed corticomedullary tumor (MCMT) of the adrenal gland is an extremely rare tumor characterized by an admixture of steroidogenic cells and chromaffin cells in a single tumor mass simultaneously producing adrenocortical hormones and catecholamines; it is associated with ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in some cases. We reviewed and summarized clinicopathological data of 28 MCMTs, including four metastatic tumors in 26 previous reports. These reports included 21 females and 7 males, and the average tumor sizes were 4.8 ± 2.5 cm and 12.6 ± 6.4 cm in the non-metastatic and metastatic groups, respectively (P<0.001). The clinical manifestations and laboratory data were as follows: Cushing or subclinical Cushing syndrome, 58% (14/24); hypertension, 71% (17/24); elevated adrenocortical hormones, 75% (18/24); elevated catecholamines, 75% (18/24); and ectopic ACTH, 71% (10/14). All four patients with metastatic MCMTs had poor prognoses and elevated adrenocortical hormone levels; however, only two patients had elevated catecholamine levels. Immunohistochemistry was essential for the pathologic diagnosis of MCMTs. In this study, using an improved technique, we detected ectopic ACTH-producing cells in the same paraffin-embedded sections reported to be negative in our previous reports. As MCMT is composed of cells with embryologically different origins, its pathogenesis has been explained by various hypotheses. We compared MCMT to the adrenal gland of birds and the early stage of human fetuses, in which nests of chromaffin cells and steroidogenic cells admix without the formation of cortex and medulla. MCMT is characterized by the immaturity of organogenesis and might be classified as an adrenal embryonal tumor.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease: A meta-analysis
Authors: Wen Wen , Li Hong , Wang Chunyi , Chen Chen , Tang Jiake , Zhou Mengyun , Hong Xuwei , Cheng Yongran , Wu Qi , Zhang Xingwei , Feng Zhanhui , Wang Mingwei
Published: September 2022

Background

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease [MAFLD, formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)] is one of the most important causes of liver disease worldwide, while cardiovascular disease (CVD) is still one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and the two are closely related. This study aimed to investigate the risk of CVD incidence or CVD-related mortality (CVD mortality) in patients diagnosed with MAFLD under new concepts and new diagnostic criteria.

Methods

We searched English databases PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library for relevant literature. The language was restricted to English.

Results

By 22 January 2022, 556 published studies were obtained through preliminary retrieval, and 10 cohort studies were included in this study. All statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.2 software. Compared with the control group, patients in the MAFLD group had a significantly higher relative risk of CVD incidence or CVD mortality during the follow-up, with an RR rate of 1.95 (95% CI 1.76–2.17, p < 0.01). The incidence of CVD in the MAFLD group was more than twice that in the control group (RR 2.26, 95% CI 2.00–2.54, p < 0.01). The mortality rate of CVD was 1.57 times higher than that in the control group (RR 1.57, 95% CI 1.42–1.72, p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Patients diagnosed with MAFLD alone had higher cardiovascular mortality than those diagnosed with NAFLD alone based on the available data.
Research on the method of predicting CEFR core thermal hydraulic parameters based on adaptive radial basis function neural network
Authors: Yi Jinhao , Ji Nan , Zhao Pengcheng , Wu Hong
Published: September 2022

Alterations in thermal hydraulic parameters directly affect the safety of reactors. Accurately predicting the trends of key thermal hydraulic parameters under various working conditions can greatly improve reactor safety, thereby effectively preventing the occurrence of nuclear power plant accidents. The thermal hydraulic characteristic parameters in the reactor are affected by many factors, in order to preliminarily study whose forecasting methods and determine the feasibility of neural network forecasting, the China Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR) is selected as the research target in this study, and the maximum surface temperature of fuel rod sheath and mass flow rate are used as predictive variables. After data samples are generated through the reactor sub channel analysis code (named SUBCHANFLOW), two widely used adaptive neural networks are used to perform the thermal hydraulic parameter forecast analysis of CEFR fuel assembly under steady-state conditions. The 1/2 core model of CEFR is used to perform a single-step predictive analysis of thermal hydraulic parameters under transient conditions. The results show that the adaptive radial basis function (RBF) neural network exhibits a better fitting ability and higher forecasting accuracy than that of the adaptive back propagation neural network, and the maximum error under steady-state conditions is 0.5%. Under transient conditions, poor forecasting accuracy is observed for some local points; however, the adaptive RBF neural network is generally excellent at predicting temperature and mass flow. The mean relative error of temperature does not exceed 1%, and the mean relative error of flow does not exceed 6.5%. The proposed RBF neural network model can provide real-time forecasting in a short time under unstable flow conditions, and its forecasting results have a certain reference value.
Microbial water quality and health risk assessment in karst springs from Apuseni Mountains, Romania
Authors: Stupar Zamfira , Levei Erika Andrea , Neag Emilia , Baricz Andreea , Szekeres Edina , Moldovan Oana Teodora
Published: September 2022

In Apuseni Mountains (North-Western Romania), many of the inhabitants live in rural communities with limited or no access to the centralized and controlled water supply. This study assesses the microbiological quality of six karst spring waters from Bihor County used by rural communities as drinking water sources. Twenty-four water samples collected in January, April, June, and November 2021 were analyzed for E. coli, total coliforms, intestinal enterococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and heterotrophic plate count at 37 and 22°C. Standard microbiological methods based on the membrane filter technique or pour plate method were used for the microbiological characterization of the spring waters. The study revealed that the karst springs from the studied area present microbiological contamination. The microbiological parameters for five out of the six studied spring waters exceeded the maximum limits allowed by the 98/83/EC Directive. Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment estimated the risk of gastrointestinal illness for both adults and children due to the enteropathogenic E. coli contamination. According to the health risk evaluation model, the risk of infection/day and the risk of infection/year were high, with the maximum values of 0.24 and 1.00, respectively. The probability of illness caused by E. coli contamination of water ranged between 0.09 and 0.35 for five out of six groundwater sources. The local communities using the contaminated springs are exposed to daily and accumulated health threats. Therefore, preventive measures accompanied by continuous monitoring are necessary mainly for those water sources that are critical drinking water sources for the rural communities.
The impact of climate change on maize production: Empirical findings and implications for sustainable agricultural development
Authors: Zhang Zhexi , Wei Jiashuo , Li Jinkai , Jia Yuankai , Wang Wei , Li Jie , Lei Ze , Gao Ming
Published: September 2022

Continuous warming climate conditions have triggered numerous extreme weather events, exerting an unprecedented impact on agricultural and food production. Based on the panel data of 3,050 small farmers engaged in maize planting from 2009 to 2018 and collected by the National Rural Fixed Observation Point in China, this study uses the Transcendental Logarithmic Production Function model to estimate the impact of temperature, precipitation, and sunshine hours on maize output. Further, considering climate condition heterogeneity, this study analyzes the development potential of five major maize production areas in China. Results show that temperature and precipitation have a positive impact on maize output and that insufficient sunshine hour is an obstacle to the growth of maize output. Five major maize production areas are affected by climate condition differently, entailing the need for tailored response measures. Additionally, land, labor, and material capital input are key factors affecting maize output. Based on conclusion, we put forward the following suggestions to promote sustainable agricultural production, including strengthening the prediction of temperature, precipitation, and sunshine hours in major maize production areas, optimizing the agricultural production layout and the planting structure based on local endowment, enhancing farmers’ adaptive behavior training toward climate change, developing irrigation and water conservation projects.
Metatranscriptomic holobiont analysis of carbohydrate-active enzymes in the millipede Telodeinopus aoutii (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida)
Authors: Sardar Puspendu , Šustr Vladimír , Chroňáková Alica , Lorenc František
Published: September 2022

As important decomposers of soil organic matter, millipedes contribute to lignocellulose decomposition and nutrient cycling. The degradation of lignocellulose requires the action of several carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and, in most invertebrates, depends on the activity of mutualistic gut microorganisms. To address the question of the importance of the microbiota and endogenous (host) enzymes in digestive processes in millipedes, we analyzed metatranscriptomic data from the tropical millipedeTelodeinopus aoutiiat the holobiont level. Functional annotation included identification of expressed CAZymes (CAZy families and EC terms) in the host and its intestinal microbiota, foregut, midgut, and hindgut, compared to non-intestinal tissues. Most of the 175 CAZy families were expressed exclusively in the gut microbiota and more than 50% of these microbial families were expressed exclusively in the hindgut. The greatest diversity of expressed endogenous CAZymes from all gut sections was found in the midgut (77 families). Bacteria were the major microbial producers of CAZymes, Proteobacteria dominating in the midgut and Bacteriodetes with Firmicutes in the hindgut. The contribution of the eukaryotic microbiota to CAZymes production was negligible. Functional classification of expressed CAZy families confirmed a broad functional spectrum of CAZymes potentially expressed in the holobiont. Degradation of lignocellulose in the digestive tract of the millipedeT. aoutiidepends largely on bacterial enzymes expressed in the hindgut. Endogenous cellulases were not detected, except for the potentially cellulolytic family AA15, but an expression of cellulolytic enzymes of this family was not confirmed at the EC-number level. The midgut had the greatest diversity of expressed endogenous CAZymes, mainly amylases, indicating the importance of digesting α-glucosidases for the millipede. In contrast, bacterial lignocellulolytic enzymes are sparsely expressed here. The hindgut was the hotspot of microbial degradation of cellulose and hemicellulases. The gain of the millipede from the microbial lignocellulose degradation in the gut, and consequently the mutualistic status of the relationship between the millipede and its cellulolytic gut bacteria, depends on the ability of the millipede to take up microbial metabolites as nutrients through the hindgut wall. Enzymes expressed in the intestine can degrade all components of lignocellulose except lignin. Assuming that soil microbiota is partially degraded lignin in the millipede diet,T. aoutiican be considered a decomposer of soil organic matter relying primarily on its gut bacteria. The deposition of millipede fecal pellets containing an organic matter modified by the hindgut bacterial community could be of ecological significance.
The “Guamúchil” cultivation in a Mexican cultural landscape: A wild food source for people and birds
Authors: Ortega-Álvarez Rubén , Pacheco-Flores Alana , Casas Alejandro
Published: September 2022

Indigenous management of biocultural resources can influence behavior of non-target animals. Hence, identifying shared resources between indigenous communities and fauna is essential to understand the ecological relationships that occur within cultural landscapes and promote sustainable practices. In this ethnoecological research we analyzed the feeding importance of a wild food that is used by both people and birds. We employed unstructured interviews and a survey to learn about food resources used by people of a Nahua community in western Mexico. Trees were frequently mentioned by locals; thus, we determined salience and cultural meaning of arboreal feeding sources for the indigenous community. The “Guamúchil” or Manila tamarind (Pithecellobium dulce) was the most bioculturally salient tree for the feeding and economy of local people, and we evaluated its significance for birds too. We analyzed avian foraging behavior to estimate the number of species that used the tree as a food source, the relevance of Guamúchil as foraging substrate, food types provided by this tree, and the avian feeding use of Guamúchil when it was locally employed as a live fence. We observed that local people tracked fruiting Guamúchil across the landscape and cultivated it in homegardens to facilitate fruit access. Seed pods were locally appreciated for direct consumption by households and commercialization. Guamúchil’s cover was low in the surrounding forest (mean: 0.4, standard deviation: 0.7), but much higher in homegardens (mean: 20.9, standard deviation: 16.3). We estimated that about a fourth of the avian species that foraged across the cultural landscape during our sampling feed on Guamúchil. Birds prey on invertebrates associated with this tree, but Guamúchil was mostly important to avian foraging for the fruit it produces. We determined that live fences of Guamúchil functioned as complementary food sources to birds. Our research shows how humans and birds share key feeding resources within cultural landscapes. Also, we depict how indigenous agroforestry practices positively impact wildlife foraging, which should be promoted as conservation and restoration tools to support sustainability. Identifying key foods and analyzing their use might facilitate the development of activities aimed to benefiting both humans and animal communities.
The clinicopathological significances and related signal pathways of BTG3 mRNA expression in cancers: A bioinformatics analysis
Authors: Zheng Hua-Chuan , Xue Hang , Zhang Cong-Yu , Shi Kai-Hang , Zhang Rui
Published: September 2022

B cell transposition gene 3 (BTG3) is reported to be a tumor suppressor and suppresses proliferation and cell cycle progression. This study aims to analyze the clinicopathological and prognostic significances, and signal pathways of BTG3 mRNA expression in human beings through bioinformatics analysis. We analyzed BTG3 expression using Oncomine, TCGA (the cancer genome atlas), Xiantao, UALCAN (The University of ALabama at Birmingham Cancer data analysis Portal) and Kaplan-Meier plotter databases. Down-regulated BTG3 expression was observed in lung and breast cancers, compared with normal tissues (p < 0.05), but not for gastric and ovarian cancer (p < 0.05). The methylation of BTG3 was shown to be adversely correlated with its mRNA expression (p < 0.05). BTG3 expression was higher in gastric intestinal-type than diffuse-type carcinomas, G1 than G3 carcinomas (p < 0.05), in female than male cancer patients, T1-2 than T3-4, and adenocarcinoma than squamous cell carcinoma of lung cancer (p < 0.05), in invasive ductal than lobular carcinoma, N0 than N1 and N3, TNBC (triple-negative breast cancer) than luminal and Her2+, and Her2+ than luminal cancer of breast cancer (p < 0.05), and G3 than G2 ovarian carcinoma (p < 0.05). BTG3 expression was positively related to the survival rate of gastric and ovarian cancer patients (p < 0.05), but not for breast cancer (p < 0.05). KEGG and PPI (protein-protein interaction) analysis showed that the BTG3 was involved in cell cycle and DNA replication, digestion and absorption of fat and protein, spliceosome and ribosome in cancer. BTG3 expression was positively linked to carcinogenesis, histogenesis, and aggressive behaviors, and was employed to evaluate the prognosis of cancers by regulating cell cycle, metabolism, splicing and translation of RNA.
Identification of subtypes of clear cell renal cell carcinoma and construction of a prognostic model based on fatty acid metabolism genes
Authors: Nie Shiwen , Huili Youlong , Yao Anliang , Liu Jian , Wang Yong , Wang Lei , Zhang Liguo , Kang Shaosan , Cao Fenghong
Published: September 2022

Background: The effects of fatty acid metabolism in many tumors have been widely reported. Due to the diversity of lipid synthesis, uptake, and transformation in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) cells, many studies have shown that ccRCC is associated with fatty acid metabolism. The study aimed was to explore the impact of fatty acid metabolism genes on the prognosis and immunotherapy of ccRCC.

Methods: Two subtypes were distinguished by unsupervised clustering analysis based on the expression of 309 fatty acid metabolism genes. A prognostic model was constructed by lasso algorithm and multivariate COX regression analysis using fatty acid metabolism genes as the signatures. The tumor microenvironment between subtypes and between risk groups was further analyzed. The International Cancer Genome Consortium cohort was used for external validation of the model.

Results: The analysis showed that subtype B had a poorer prognosis and a higher degree of immune infiltration. The high-risk group had a poorer prognosis and higher tumor microenvironment scores. The nomogram could accurately predict patient survival.

Conclusion: Fatty acid metabolism may affect the prognosis and immune infiltration of patients with ccRCC. The analysis was performed to understand the potential role of fatty acid metabolism genes in the immune infiltration and prognosis of patients. These findings have implications for individualized treatment, prognosis, and immunization for patients with ccRCC.
Dissecting genetic links between Alzheimer’s disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus in a systems biology way
Authors: Kang Peiyuan , Wang Zhao , Qiao Dan , Zhang Bohan , Mu Chenyu , Cui Huixian , Li Sha
Published: September 2022

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are two of the most common diseases for older adults. Accumulating epidemiological studies suggest that T2DM is a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction in the elderly. In this study, we aimed to dissect the genetic links between the two diseases and identify potential genes contributing the most to the mechanistic link.

Methods: Two AD (GSE159699 and GSE28146) and two T2DM (GSE38642 and GSE164416) datasets were used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The datasets for each disease were detected using two platforms, microarray and RNA-seq. Functional similarity was calculated and evaluated between AD and T2DM DEGs considering semantic similarity, protein-protein interaction, and biological pathways.

Results: We observed that the overlapped DEGs between the two diseases are not in a high proportion, but the functional similarity between them is significantly high when considering Gene Ontology (GO) semantic similarity and protein-protein interactions (PPIs), indicating that T2DM shares some common pathways with AD development. Moreover, we constructed a PPI network consisting of AD and T2DM DEGs, and found that the hub gene SLC2A2 (coding transmembrane carrier protein GLUT2), which connects the most DEGs in both AD and T2DM, plays as a key regulator in linking T2DM and AD via glucose metabolism related pathways.

Conclusion: Through functional evaluation at the systems biology level, we demonstrated that AD and T2DM are similar diseases sharing common pathways and pathogenic genes. SLC2A2 may serve as a potential marker for early warning and monitoring of AD for the T2DM patients.
A comprehensive analysis of G-protein-signaling modulator 2 as a prognostic and diagnostic marker for pan-cancer
Authors: Hu Lei-Ming , Ou Xue-Hai , Shi Shao-Yan
Published: September 2022

Background: G-protein signaling modulator 2 (GPSM2) maintains cell polarization and regulates the cell cycle. Recent studies have shown that it is highly expressed in various tumors, but its pan-cancer analysis has not been reported.

Methods: First, we analyzed the differential GPSM2 expression in normal and cancer tissues by the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) and Human Protein Atlas databases and investigated its expression effect on the survival of cancer patients by gene expression profiling interactive analysis 2 (GEPIA2). Second, we analyzed the GPSM2 phosphorylation level using the clinical proteomic tumor analysis consortium dataset. In addition, we investigated GPSM2 gene mutations in human tumor specimens and the impact of gene mutations on patient survival. Finally, we analyzed the relationship between GPSM2 expression and cellular immune infiltration through the TIMER 2.0 database. Meanwhile, the possible signaling pathway of the gene was analyzed by the Gene Ontology (GO)| Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway to explore its potential mechanism.

Results:GPSM2 is overexpressed in most cancers, which leads to reduced overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival in patients. The results of phosphorylation analysis suggest that tumor development involves a complex GPSM2 phosphorylation process. We identified GPSM2 mutation loci with the highest frequency of mutations in uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC), and this mutation increased progression-free survival and overall survival in uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma patients. Finally, we found that the role of GPSM2 in tumors may be associated with cellular immune infiltration. Gene Ontology|KEGG pathway analysis showed that the enrichment pathways were mainly “mitotic nuclear division,” “chromosome segregation,” and “spindle.”

Conclusions: Our pan-cancer analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the oncogenic roles and potential mechanisms of GPSM2 in multiple human cancers.
OncomiRs as noncoding RNAs having functions in cancer: Their role in immune suppression and clinical implications
Authors: Otmani Khalid , Rouas Redouane , Lewalle Philippe
Published: September 2022

Currently, microRNAs have been established as central players in tumorigenesis, but above all, they have opened an important door for our understanding of immune and tumor cell communication. This dialog is largely due to onco-miR transfer from tumor cells to cells of the tumor microenvironment by exosome. This review outlines recent advances regarding the role of oncomiRs in enhancing cancer and how they modulate the cancer-related immune response in the tumor immune microenvironment.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a type of noncoding RNA that are important posttranscriptional regulators of messenger RNA (mRNA) translation into proteins. By regulating gene expression, miRNAs enhance or inhibit cancer development and participate in several cancer biological processes, including proliferation, invasion metastasis, angiogenesis, chemoresistance and immune escape. Consistent with their widespread effects, miRNAs have been categorized as oncogenes (oncomiRs) or tumor suppressor (TS) miRNAs. MiRNAs that promote tumor growth, called oncomiRs, inhibit messenger RNAs of TS genes and are therefore overexpressed in cancer. In contrast, TS miRNAs inhibit oncogene messenger RNAs and are therefore underexpressed in cancer. Endogenous miRNAs regulate different cellular pathways in all cell types. Therefore, they are not only key modulators in cancer cells but also in the cells constituting their microenvironments. Recently, it was shown that miRNAs are also involved in intercellular communication. Indeed, miRNAs can be transferred from one cell type to another where they regulate targeted gene expression. The primary carriers for the transfer of miRNAs from one cell to another are exosomes. Exosomes are currently considered the primary carriers for communication between the tumor and its surrounding stromal cells to support cancer progression and drive immune suppression. Exosome and miRNAs are seen by many as a hope for developing a new class of targeted therapy. This review outlines recent advances in understanding the role of oncomiRs in enhancing cancer and how they promote its aggressive characteristics and deeply discusses the role of oncomiRs in suppressing the anticancer immune response in its microenvironment. Additionally, further understanding the mechanism of oncomiR-related immune suppression will facilitate the use of miRNAs as biomarkers for impaired antitumor immune function, making them ideal immunotherapy targets.
Immunogenicity and safety of two-dose SARS-CoV-2 vaccination via different platforms in kidney transplantation recipients
Authors: Chen Chien-Chia , Huang Yi-Jen , Lai Mei-Jun , Lin Min-Huey , Lin Wei-Chou , Lin Hui-Ying , Lin Yu-Chun , Huang Yu-Tsung , Lee Ya-Fen , Tsai Meng-Kun , Lee Chih-Yuan
Published: September 2022

After kidney transplantation, patients exhibit a poor response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination. However, the efficacy and adverse effects of vaccines based on different platforms in these patients remain unclear. We prospectively analyzed both anti-spike protein antibody and cellular responses 1 month after the first and second doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in 171 kidney transplant patients. Four vaccines, including one viral vector (ChAdOx1 nCov-19, n = 30), two mRNA (mRNA1273, n = 81 and BNT162b2, n = 38), and one protein subunit (MVC-COV1901, n = 22) vaccines were administered. Among the four vaccines, mRNA1273 elicited the strongest humoral response and induced the highest interferon-γ levels in patients with a positive cellular response against the spike protein. Antiproliferative agents were negatively associated with both the antibody and cellular responses. A transient elevation in creatinine levels was noted in approximately half of the patients after the first dose of mRNA1273 or ChadOx1, and only one of them presented with borderline cellular rejection without definite causality to vaccination. In conclusion, mRNA1273 had better immunogenicity than the other vaccines. Further, renal function needs to be carefully monitored after vaccination, and vaccination strategies should be tailored according to the transplant status and vaccine characteristics.
Dietary curcumin supplementation can enhance health and resistance to ammonia stress in the greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili)
Authors: He Yuhang , Fu Zhengyi , Dai Shiming , Yu Gang , Ma Zhenhua
Published: September 2022

We evaluated the effect of dietary curcumin supplementation on the antioxidant capacity of the liver and the resistance of the liver and spleen to ammonia stress in the great amberjack (Seriola dumerili). Three isonitrogenous and isolipidic test diets were prepared by supplementing incremental levels of dietary curcumin at 0 mg/kg (CUR0%, control), 100 mg/kg (CUR0.01%), and 200 mg/kg (CUR0.02%), respectively. Each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of 15 fish per tank. At the end of the feeding experiment, dietary curcumin supplementation positively modulated antioxidant-related genes and enzyme activity in liver tissues. After the ammonia challenge, dietary supplementation with the appropriate level of curcumin alleviated ammonia stress in liver tissue by upregulating the relative expression of GSH-Px and downregulating the relative expression of Keap1 and GR. Meanwhile, ammonia stress in spleen tissue could also be alleviated by upregulating the relative expression of CAT, downregulating the relative expression of GR, and increasing the activity of SOD and GSH. After the recovery, dietary supplementation with curcumin still alleviated ammonia stress in the liver tissue by upregulating the relative expression of CAT, downregulating the relative expression of Keap1 and GR, and increasing the activity of SOD and GSH. On the other hand, ammonia stress in spleen tissue was still alleviated by upregulating the relative expression of Mn-SOD and increasing the activity of SOD and GSH. The histological structure results also showed that liver cells in the curcumin-containing groups exhibited a positive impact on cell boundaries, alignment, and nuclei after the ammonia challenge and recovery. Spleen cells in the curcumin-containing groups exhibited greater aggregation of melano-macrophage centers after the ammonia challenge and recovery. These results suggest that dietary curcumin supplementation at 100 mg/kg can promote the health condition and resistance to ammonia stress of the greater amberjack.
Molecular Composition of Dissolved Organic Matter in the Changjiang (Yangtze River) – Imprints of Anthropogenic Impact
Authors: Wu Ying , Koch Boris P. , Wang Xiaona , Witt Matthias , Wang Xiaolu , Bao Hongyan , Gan Shuchai , Kattner Gerhard , Zhang Jing
Published: September 2022

Understanding the biogeochemical transformation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) across fluvial networks will ultimately help to predict anthropogenic influences. To date, few studies have evaluated the anthropogenic impact on the spatial and temporal changes of DOM composition in large river systems. Here, FT-ICR-MS combined with excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy (EEMs) and biomarkers were applied to resolve chemical differences of DOM collected from the Changjiang basin at different hydrological and environmental conditions. PCA and cluster analysis illustrated that samples collected from lake systems and northern and southern tributaries differed from the two batches of main stream samples, particularly due to higher contribution of nitrogen and sulfur containing compounds. Correlation of land-use information along the tributaries with different PCA loadings indicated that agricultural, forest and wetland areas and wastewater discharge control the composition of DOM within these subregions. Higher heteroatom content (especially CHONx) in the low discharge period (2009) may be contributed by paddy soil leaching into groundwater. The relative peak magnitude of sulfur containing formulas was elevated during flood season (2010), which may be related to pollutions in areas of high population density. In addition, lignin phenol concentrations were higher in the flood season because of elevated soil erosion. Consequently, land use and human activities can strongly alter the quality and composition of DOM in watersheds flowing through densely populated regions, which may also impact or influence the riverine carbon flux in anthropogenically disturbed river systems.
Using environmental DNA method to clarify the distribution of Pampus echinogaster in the East China Sea
Authors: Zhang Haobo , Li Yuan , Zhong Lanping , Gao Tianxiang , Wang Xiaoyan
Published: September 2022

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is becoming a potentially valuable survey technique to monitor marine organisms, especially when the research spans wide-ranging temporal or spatial dimensions. Pampus echinogaster plays an important role in China’s marine fisheries. However, the stock of P. echinogaster is gradually declining, so the fishery protection and management of P. echinogaster are becoming crucial. To achieve the non-invasive and large-scale monitoring of P. echinogaster, we developed a specific quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) method based on eDNA technology. Results showed that positive signals of P. echinogaster eDNA were successfully detected at 36 sites (82% of the total) in the East China Sea. Significant differences in eDNA concentrations between the southern and northern stations in the East China Sea suggested differences between the life histories of P. echinogaster in these two sea areas. The hotspot was found around the central areas of the East China Sea, especially around the Taizhou seawater (Jiaojiang Estuary). Vertical distribution showed that the eDNA hotspots were primarily concentrated in the middle and upper layers (0–40 m). The distribution results of eDNA hotspots were similar to those of previous findings through motor–trawl capture, indicating the validity of the eDNA results. The relationship between environmental factors and the eDNA concentration showed that PO43-− was significantly correlated with the P. echinogaster eDNA concentration. Overall, our study indicated that the eDNA approach was an effective survey method and can be used as a monitoring tool. We advocate this monitoring approach as supplementary means to guide the management and conservation of large-scale sea areas and thus enable the initially surveying to provide the best information about species-specific distribution.
Multimodal data augmentation for digital twining assisted by artificial intelligence in mechanics of materials
Authors: Aublet Axel , N’Guyen Franck , Proudhon Henry , Ryckelynck David
Published: September 2022

Digital twins in the mechanics of materials usually involve multimodal data in the sense that an instance of a mechanical component has both experimental and simulated data. These simulations aim not only to replicate experimental observations but also to extend the data. Whether spatially, temporally, or functionally, augmentation is needed for various possible uses of the components to improve the predictions of mechanical behavior. Related multimodal data are scarce, high-dimensional and a physics-based causality relation exists between observational and simulated data. We propose a data augmentation scheme coupled with data pruning, in order to limit memory requirements for high-dimensional augmented data. This augmentation is desirable for digital twining assisted by artificial intelligence when performing nonlinear model reduction. Here, data augmentation aims at preserving similarities in terms of the validity domain of reduced digital twins. In this article, we consider a specimen subjected to a mechanical test at high temperature, where the as-manufactured geometry may impact the lifetime of the component. Hence, an instance is represented by a digital twin that includes 3D X-Ray tomography data of the specimen, the related finite element mesh, and the finite element predictions of thermo-mechanical variables at several time steps. There is, thus, for each specimen, geometrical and mechanical information. Multimodal data, which couple different representation modalities together, are hard to collect, and annotating them requires a significant effort. Thus, the analysis of multimodal data generally suffers from the problem of data scarcity. The proposed data augmentation scheme aims at training a recommending system that recognizes a category of data available in a training set that has already been fully analyzed by using high-fidelity models. Such a recommending system enables the use of a ROM-net for fast lifetime assessment via local reduced-order models.
Application of tomosynthesis for vertebral compression fracture diagnosis and bone healing assessment in fracture liaison services
Authors: Chen Hsuan-Yu , Wu Tuoh , Tseng Sheng-Pin , Lin Chia-Yu , Chen Chih-Wei , Wong Tze-Hong , Wei Yuh-Fen , Chen Ya-Fang
Published: September 2022

Early identification of vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) is crucial for successful secondary fracture prevention. Tomosynthesis, a low-dose tomographic imaging technique, may facilitate the evaluation and long-term follow-up of VCFs in patients with osteoporosis. Herein, we compared the performances of plain radiography and tomosynthesis for VCF diagnosis and healing assessment in patients enrolled in fracture liaison services in our hospital. Forty-nine patients with new VCFs at the T10–L5 levels were prospectively recruited between August 2018 and May 2020; all patients underwent thoracolumbar plain radiography and tomosynthesis. We evaluated the accuracy of the VCF diagnosis, image quality, and VCFs healing process. Tomosynthesis identified 90 levels of VCF in 49 patients, while plain radiography revealed only 87.8% (79/90) of them. There were 44.9% (22/49) patients with neglected chronic VCFs as seen on tomosynthesis. Tomosynthesis images had improved VCF diagnostic accuracy up to 12.2% and showed significantly more anatomic details than plain radiography. For diagnosis of VCFs, the performance of plain radiographs was poorer than that of tomosynthesis images (plain radiographs: sensitivity 84%, specificity 93.5%, false positive rate 6.5%, and false negative rate 16%; tomosynthesis: sensitivity 93.2%, specificity 100%, false positive rate 0%, and false negative 6.8%), using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as gold standard. The Kappa coefficient between Tomosynthesis and MRI is 0.956 while between radiography and MRI is 0.704. Tomosynthesis showed significantly more anatomic details than plain radiography and all the examiners revealed a clear preference for tomosynthesis. Tomosynthesis scored 3.3 times higher on the fracture healing assessment at the 3-month follow-up than plain radiographs. Tomosynthesis is a promising tool for VCF screening and diagnosis in patients with osteoporosis and for monitoring fracture healing status at a low radiation dose and cost.