bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metagenomic next-generation sequencing for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia in critically pediatric patients
Authors: Chen Hengxin , Liang Yujian , Wang Ruizhi , Wu Yijie , Zhang Xiaoyun , Huang Hao , Yu Xuegao , Hong Mengzhi , Yang Juhua , Liao Kang , Xu Hongxu , Liu Min , Chen Peisong , Chen Yili
Published: January 2023

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia (PCP) in critically pediatric patients.

Methods

Seventeen critically pediatric patients with PCP and sixty patients diagnosed with non-PCP pneumonia who were admitted in pediatric intensive care unit between June 2018 and July 2021 were enrolled. Conventional methods and mNGS for detecting Pneumocystis jirovecii (P. jirovecii) were compared. The patients’ demographics, comorbidities, laboratory test results, antibiotic treatment response and 30 day mortality were analyzed.

Result

The mNGS showed a satisfying diagnostic performance with a sensitivity of 100% in detecting P. jirovecii compared with Gomori methenamine silver staining (5.9%), serum (1,3)-β-D-glucan (86.7%) and and LDH (55.6%). The diagnostic specificity of mNGS for PCP was higher than that of serum BDG (56.7%) and LDH (71.4%). In PCP group, over one thirds’ cases had mixed infections. Compared with survivors, non-survivors had higher stringently mapped read numbers (SMRNs) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) sample (P < 0.05), suggesting SMRNs were closely associated with the severity of response. The detection for P. jirovecii by mNGS both in BALF and blood samples reached a concordance rate of 100%, and the SMRNs in the BALF were remarkably higher than that in blood samples. Initial antimicrobial treatment was modified in 88.2% of PCP patients based on the mNGS results.

Conclusion

The mNGS is a potential and efficient technology in diagnosing PCP and shows a satisfying performance in the detection of co-pathogens. Both blood and BALF samples for mNGS are suggested for the presumptive diagnosis of PCP.
Deposition of hydrophilic Ti3C2Tx on a superhydrophobic ZnO nanorod array for improved surface-enhanced raman scattering performance
Authors: Wu Zhihua , Zhao De , Han Xin , Liu Jichang , Sun Ying , Li Yaogang , Duan Yourong
Published: January 2023

Background

Superhydrophobic substrate modifications are an effective way to improve SERS sensitivity by concentrating analyte molecules into a small surface area. However, it is difficult to manipulate low-volume liquid droplets on superhydrophobic substrates.

Results

To overcome this limitation, we deposited a hydrophilic Ti3C2Tx film on a superhydrophobic ZnO nanorod array to create a SERS substrate with improved analyte affinity. Combined with its interfacial charge transfer properties, this enabled a rhodamine 6G detection limit of 10−11 M to be achieved. In addition, the new SERS substrate showed potential for detection of biological macromolecules, such as microRNA.

Conclusion

Combined with its facile preparation, the SERS activity of ZnO/Ti3C2Tx suggests it may provide an ultrasensitive environmental pollutant-monitoring and effective substrate for biological analyte detection.

Graphical Abstract
Secondary Budd-Chiari syndrome occurred after adjuvant radiotherapy for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: a case report
Authors: Miura Yuya , Ashida Ryo , Saiga Atsushi , Sugiura Teiichi , Ohgi Katsuhisa , Yamada Mihoko , Otsuka Shimpei , Aramaki Takeshi , Sato Rui , Uesaka Katsuhiko
Published: January 2023

Background

Budd–Chiari syndrome (BCS) is a rare vascular disorder of the liver, and acute and secondary BCS is even rarer.

Case presentation

A 62-year-old man with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma of Bismuth type IIIa underwent right hemi-hepatectomy with caudate lobectomy and pancreatoduodenectomy. Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy was performed due to a positive hepatic ductal margin. Subsequently, the disease passed without recurrence. The patient visited for acute onset abdominal pain at the 32nd postoperative month. Multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) showed stenosis of the left hepatic vein (LHV) root, which was the irradiated field, and thrombotic occlusion of the LHV. The patient was diagnosed with acute BCS caused by adjuvant radiotherapy. Although anticoagulation therapy was performed, the patient complained of sudden upper abdominal pain again. MDCT showed an enlarged LHV thrombus and hepatomegaly. The patient was diagnosed with exacerbated acute BCS, and stenting for the stenotic LHV root was performed with a bare stent. Although stenting for the LHV root was very effective, restenosis occurred twice due to thrombus in the existing stent, so re-stenting was performed twice. The subsequent clinical course was acceptable without recurrence or restenosis of the LHV root as of 6 months after the last stenting using a stent graft.

Conclusion

Although no case of BCS caused by radiotherapy has yet been reported, the present case showed that late side effect of radiotherapy can cause hepatic vein stenosis and secondary BCS.
Transcriptome analysis reveals the differential inflammatory effects between propofol and sevoflurane during lung cancer resection: a randomized pilot study
Authors: Wang Sufang , Li Mengjiao , Cai Suna , Zhang Wei
Published: January 2023

Background

Propofol and sevoflurane are two commonly used perioperative anesthetics. Some studies have found that these anesthetic drugs affect tumorigenesis. Previous studies have mostly focused on in vitro experiments, and the specimens collected were mainly peripheral body fluids, lacking direct evidence of the impact of anesthetic drugs on human tissues. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of propofol and sevoflurane on lung cancer using next-generation sequencing through an in vivo experiment.

Methods

Patients were randomly assigned to a group receiving either propofol or sevoflurane during surgery. Then, the patients’ tumor and paired normal samples were collected and sequenced by next-generation sequencing. Differentially expressed genes (DEG) were analyzed by two statistical models, followed by cluster analysis, PCA, Gene Ontology, and KEGG pathway analysis. Candidate genes were confirmed by qRT–PCR.

Results

The demographic data of the two study groups were not statistically significant. Through single-factor model analysis, 810 DEG in the propofol group and 508 DEG in the sevoflurane group were obtained. To better reflect the differential effects between propofol and sevoflurane while reducing the false-positive DEG, we used multifactor model analysis, which resulted in 124 DEG. In PCA and cluster analysis, four groups (propofol cancer group, propofol normal group, sevoflurane cancer group, sevoflurane normal group) were separated adequately, indicating the accuracy of the analysis. We chose seven significant pathways (cellular response to interleukin-1, chemokine-mediated signaling pathway, chemokine signaling pathway, cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, inflammatory response, immune response, and TNF signaling pathway) for downstream analysis. Based on the pathway analysis, three candidate genes (CXCR1, CXCL8, and TNFAIP3) were chosen, and their qRT–PCR results were consistent with the sequencing results.

Conclusions

Through RNA-seq analysis, the effects of propofol and sevoflurane during lung cancer resection were different, mainly in inflammatory-related pathways, which might be possibly by targeting CXCL8.

Trial registration

Trial registry number was ChiCTR1900026213.
Association of mitochondrial homeostasis and dynamic balance with malignant biological behaviors of gastrointestinal cancer
Authors: Liu Ao-ran , Lv Zhi , Yan Zi-wei , Wu Xiao-yang , Yan Li-rong , Sun Li-ping , Yuan Yuan , Xu Qian
Published: January 2023

Mitochondria determine the physiological status of most eukaryotes. Mitochondrial dynamics plays an important role in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis, and the disorder in mitochondrial dynamics could affect cellular energy metabolism leading to tumorigenesis. In recent years, disrupted mitochondrial dynamics has been found to influence the biological behaviors of gastrointestinal cancer with the potential to be a novel target for its individualized therapy. This review systematically introduced the role of mitochondrial dynamics in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis, and further elaborated the effects of disrupted mitochondrial dynamics on the cellular biological behaviors of gastrointestinal cancer as well as its association with cancer progression. We aim to provide clues for elucidating the etiology and pathogenesis of gastrointestinal cancer from the perspective of mitochondrial homeostasis and disorder.
Transcriptomic analyses of treatment-naïve pediatric ulcerative colitis patients and exploration of underlying disease pathogenesis
Authors: Pang Xiaoli , Song Hongxiao , Li Xiaolu , Xu Fengchao , Lei Bingxun , Wang Fei , Xu Jing , Qi Lingli , Wang Libo , Tan Guangyun
Published: January 2023

Background

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a form of chronic inflammatory bowel disease of nonspecific origin. This study used an RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) approach to evaluate the transcriptomic landscape of a well-stratified treatment-naïve pediatric UC patient population by comparing them with healthy control children. The data were analyzed to evaluate the mechanisms driving UC-related intestinal inflammation and fibrosis.

Methods

Intestinal mucosal samples from five pediatric UC patients and five healthy controls were analyzed by RNA-Seq, and results were verified by qPCR. A CRISPR/Cas9 approach was used to knock out the expression of HLA-DRB5, and molecular biology techniques were used for additional mechanistic studies.

Results

In these analyses, 2290 genes were found to be differentially expressed between the UC and control samples, of which 1258 and 1032 were upregulated and downregulated, respectively. Gene Ontology analysis showed that these genes were enriched in extracellular matrix (ECM)-related processes and that 7 of 8 differentially expressed genes of interest (PIK3CD, IL1β, IL1α, TIMP1, MMP1, MMP12, COL6A3, and HLADRB5) were upregulated and involved in ECM-receptor interaction and inflammatory bowel disease-related pathways. Increased HLA-DRB5 expression driven by intestinal bacteria was found to promote IL-1α secretion, leading to intestinal inflammation and fibrosis, suggesting a possible target for the treatment of UC.

Conclusion

These data suggest that intestinal inflammation is present in pediatric UC patients for extended periods before the onset of symptoms, and intestinal fibrosis begins even during the early stages of UC. Intestinal bacteria were also found to trigger intestinal inflammation and fibrosis, with HLA-DRB5 playing a central role in this process.
Effect of combination fluoxetine and exercise on prefrontal BDNF, anxiety-like behavior and fear extinction in a female rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): a comparison with male animals
Authors: Shafia Sakineh , Nikkhah Farkhonde , Akhoundzadeh Kobra
Published: January 2023

Despite significant differences between men and women in the symptoms of PTSD and the response to therapeutic interventions, most PTSD studies have been done on male subjects. Continuing our previous study in male rats, this study aimed at better understanding the effect of a combination therapy of exercise with fluoxetine on female PTSD rats. The results were then compared with our past findings in male animals. Female adult Wistar rats subjected to PTSD were treated with moderate treadmill exercise or fluoxetine, or a combination of both. PTSD was induced by the single prolonged stress (SPS) model. Elevated plus-maze (EPM), serum and prefrontal BDNF, and fear extinctions were evaluated. The results showed that exercise plus fluoxetine decreased anxiety-like behavior, improved fear extinction, and increased BDNF changes in female rats. The effects of exercise alone were comparable with those of combination therapy except that combination therapy was more effective on OAT (open arm entry). The majority of results in female rats, except for those of prefrontal BDNF, 4th extinction, and OAT, were similar to those of male rats as shown in our previous study. According to our findings, exercise as a safe and cost-effective intervention can be considered as a complementary efficient option for PTSD treatment in both sexes. To achieve better treatment outcomes in PTSD patient, considering sex differences is recommended.
Primary Xp11 translocation PEComa of the testis with SFPQ⁃TFE3 rearrangement: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Zhang Huizhi , Wang Suying , Meng Lingli
Published: January 2023

Background

Perivascular epithelioid cell neoplasms (PEComas) are a family of mesenchymal tumors with features of both smooth muscle and melanocytic differentiation. A subset of PEComas demonstrate rearrangements involving the TFE3 (Xp11) locus. Xp11 translocation PEComa is a rare neoplasm with special clinicopathological features and a more aggressive behavior. We recently encountered a case of Xp11 translocation PEComa occurring in the testis, with SFPQ⁃TFE3 rearrangement.

Case presentation

A 57-year-old male touched a mass in his testis incidentally. MRI revealed a 10 mm diameter mass in the right testis. The patient underwent radical orchiectomy. Gross examination revealed a well-demarcated mass from the surrounding testicular tissue. Microscopically, the tumor mainly displayed nested or sheet-like architecture separated by delicate fibrovascular septa. The tumor cells exhibited marked nuclear atypia and pleomorphism. Immunohistochemistry showed that the tumor cells were strongly positive for cathepsin-K, HMB45 and TFE3. Molecular analysis revealed SFPQ⁃TFE3 gene fusion. Thus, it was diagnosed as primary Xp11 translocation PEComa of the testis.

Conclusions

The present case reports primary Xp11 translocation PEComa of the testis for the first time, which to our knowledge has not been described in the literature in this anatomic site, where it could potentially be problematic in diagnosis.
Tracheal injury from dog bite in a child
Authors: Miyawaki Michiyo , Ogawa Kazuya , Kamada Kosuke , Karashima Takashi , Abe Miyuki , Takumi Yohei , Hashimoto Takafumi , Osoegawa Atsushi , Sugio Kenji
Published: January 2023

Background

Dog bites associated with the head and neck area in children are a common problem. Most of the lacerations are found in the upper lip and the nose region, and tracheal injury is rare [1]. Tracheal injury requires prompt and accurate diagnosis and treatment to rescue the patient. Especially in children, securing the airway is often more difficult than in adults because of their short neck and narrow trachea. In this report, we experienced a pediatric case of multiple dog bites with tracheal injuries in the neck.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 3-year-old girl who presented with multiple dog bites. There were multiple wounds on the head, face, neck, and anterior chest, and air leakage was observed from the cervical wound at the time of transfer. It was difficult to perform oral endotracheal intubation, therefore, we extended the neck wound, probed the trachea with finger, and inserted a tracheal tube directly from the cervical wound in the emergency room. Tracheoplasty and another wound cleansing were performed in the operating room. The patient was discharged on the 18th day after surgery, without further complications.

Conclusion

Tracheal injury from a dog bite is rare. It is important to prompt and accurate diagnosis and treatment. Children should be especially careful because of their short necks and narrow tracheas.
Social rejection sensitivity and its role in adolescent emotional disorder symptomatology
Authors: Minihan Savannah , Kwok Cassandra , Schweizer Susanne
Published: January 2023

Background

Most emotional disorders first emerge during adolescence, a time characterized by heightened sensitivity to social information, especially social rejection. Social rejection sensitivity (SRS), then, may be a promising intervention target.

Methods

To explore this, 357 participants (M (SD) age = 19.40 (4.18), 63% female) completed self-report measures of SRS, its proposed antecedent, perceived parenting style, its proposed behavioral correlate, negative interpretation bias, and its proposed  clinical correlate, emotional disorder symptoms. Participants additionally completed a single session of a social interpretation bias modification task, the ambiguous social scenarios task (ASST).

Results

SRS was associated with perceived parental rejection, while controlling for other types of maladaptive parenting. SRS partially accounted for variance in the relationship between perceived parental rejection and emotional disorder symptomatology, as well as the relationship between negative interpretation bias and emotional disorder symptoms. Learning rates (i.e., change in reaction time across the task) on the ASST differed as a function of age and SRS, such that younger participants with higher SRS showed the slowest rate of learning. Moreover, individual differences in SRS accounted for the magnitude of change in negative interpretation bias before and after the ASST. Individuals with greater SRS showed less change in interpretation bias.

Conclusions

SRS appears strongly associated with emotional disorder symptoms in adolescents. Importantly, SRS was associated with the malleability of negative interpretation bias, which may help account for the mixed findings on the effectiveness of interpretation-bias-modification-paradigms in adolescents.
Integrated analysis of single-cell RNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq unveils heterogeneity and establishes a novel signature for prognosis and tumor immune microenvironment in ovarian cancer
Authors: Wang Zitao , Zhang Jie , Dai Fangfang , Li Bingshu , Cheng Yanxiang
Published: January 2023

Ovarian cancer is a highly heterogeneous gynecological malignancy that seriously affects the survival and prognosis of female patients. Single-cell sequencing and transcriptome analysis can effectively characterize tumor heterogeneity to better study the mechanism of occurrence and development. In this study, we identified differentially expressed genes with different differentiation outcomes of tumor cells by analyzing a single-cell dataset. Based on the differentially expressed genes, we explored the differences in function and tumor microenvironment among clusters via consensus clustering. Meanwhile, WGCNA was employed to obtain key genes related to ovarian cancer. On the basis of the TCGA and GEO datasets, we constructed a risk model consisting of 7 genes using the LASSO regression model, and successfully verified that the model was characterized as an independent prognostic factor, efficiently predicting the survival prognosis of patients. In addition, immune signature analysis showed that patients in the high-risk group exhibited lower anti-tumor immune cell infiltration and immunosuppressive status, and had poorer responsiveness to chemotherapeutic drugs and immunotherapy. In conclusion, our study provided a 7-gene prognostic model based on the heterogeneity of OC cells for ovarian cancer patients, which could effectively predict the prognosis of patients and identify the immune microenvironment status of patients.
Severity scores for status epilepticus in the ICU: systemic illness also matters
Authors: Yuan Fang , Damien Charlotte , Gaspard Nicolas
Published: January 2023

Background

Current prognostic scores for status epilepticus (SE) may not be adequate for patients in ICU who usually have more severe systemic conditions or more refractory episodes of SE. We aimed to compare the prognostic performance of two SE scores, Status Epilepticus Severity Score (STESS) and Epidemiology-Based Mortality Score in Status Epilepticus (EMSE) score, with four systemic severity scores, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation 2 (APACHE-2), Simplified Acute Physiology Score 2 (SAPS-2), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, and Inflammation, Nutrition, Consciousness, Neurologic function and Systemic condition (INCNS) score in critically ill patients with SE.

Methods

This retrospective observational study of a prospectively identified SE cohort was conducted in the ICU at a tertiary-care center. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy, and associations with outcomes of STESS, EMSE, INCNS, APACHE-2, SAPS-2, and SOFA score for the prediction of in-hospital mortality and no return to baseline condition were assessed.

Results

Between January 2015 and December 2020, 166 patients with SE in ICU were included in the study. In predicting in-hospital death, APACHE-2 (0.72), SAPS-2 (0.73), and SOFA score (0.71) had higher AUCs than STESS (0.58) and EMSE (0.69). In predicting no return to baseline condition, the AUC of APACHE-2 (0.75) was the highest, and the AUC of INCNS (0.55) was the lowest. When the specificity approached 90%, the sensitivity values of these scores were not quite acceptable (< 40%). Neither SE scores nor systemic severity scores had desirable prognostic power. In the multivariate logistic regression analyses, the best combinations of scores always included at least one or more systemic severity scores.

Conclusions

STESS and EMSE were insufficient in outcome prediction for SE patients in ICU, and EMSE was marginally better than STESS. Systemic illness matters in ICU patients with SE, and SE scores should be modified to achieve better accuracy in this severely ill population. This study mostly refers to severely ill patients in the ICU.

Graphical abstract
Image life trails based on contrast reduction models for face counter-spoofing
Authors: Katika Balaji Rao , Karthik Kannan
Published: January 2023

Natural face images are both content and context-rich, in the sense that they carry significant immersive information via depth cues embedded in the form of self-shadows or a space varying blur. Images of planar face prints, on the other hand, tend to have lower contrast and also suppressed depth cues. In this work, a solution is proposed, to detect planar print spoofing by enhancing self-shadow patterns present in face images. This process is facilitated and siphoned via the application of a non-linear iterative functional map, which is used to produce a contrast reductionist image sequence, termed as an image life trail. Subsequent images in this trail tend to have lower contrast in relation to the previous iteration. Differences taken across this image sequence help in bringing out the self-shadows already present in the original image. The proposed solution has two fronts: (i) a calibration and customization heavy 2-class client specific model construction process, based on self-shadow statistics, in which the model has to be trained with respect to samples from the new environment, and (ii) a subject independent and virtually environment independent model building procedure using random scans and Fourier descriptors, which can be cross-ported and applied to new environments without prior training. For the first case, where calibration and customization is required, overall mean error rate for the calibration-set (reduced CASIA dataset) was found to be 0.3106%, and the error rates for other datasets such OULU-NPU and CASIA-SURF were 1.1928% and 2.2462% respectively. For the second case, which involved building a 1-class and 2-class model using CASIA alone and testing completely on OULU, the error rates were 5.86% and 2.34% respectively, comparable to the customized solution for OULU-NPU.
Analysis of euploidy rates in preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy cycles with progestin-primed versus GnRH agonist/antagonist protocol
Authors: Wang Lu , Wang Jingyun , Zhang Yuan , Qian Chen , Wang Xiaohui , Bai Jie , Li Fang , Chen Zhiqin , Ai Ai
Published: January 2023

Background

Progestins can suppress endogenous luteinising hormone (LH) secretion from the pituitary gland and have shown similar efficacy in terms of collecting competent oocytes and embryos; however, some inconsistencies have been proposed regarding the quality of embryos collected with the use of progestins. This study aimed to evaluate euploidy rates and pregnancy outcomes in preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) cycles using the progestin-primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) protocol versus the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist/antagonist protocol.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included 608 PGT-A cycles: 146 women in the PPOS group, 160 women in the GnRH agonist group, and 302 women in the GnRH antagonist group. This study was performed at the in vitro fertilisation (IVF) centre of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital between January 2019 and December 2021. Additionally, 267 corresponding first frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles were analysed to assess pregnancy outcomes.

Results

The euploid blastocyst rate per injected metaphase II(MII) oocytes (14.60% vs. 14.09% vs. 13.94%) was comparable among the three groups (p > 0.05). No significant differences were observed among the three groups regarding pregnancy outcomes, including biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, implantation, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and live birth rates per transfer in the first FET cycles (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

The PPOS protocol had no negative effect on euploid blastocyst formation, and the pregnancy outcomes in FET cycles using the PPOS protocol were similar to those of the GnRH agonist and antagonist protocols.

Trial registration This trial was retrospectively registered
Pharmacodynamic modeling of moderate sedation and rationale for dosing using midazolam, propofol and alfentanil
Authors: Liou Jing-Yang , Kuo I-Ting , Chang Weng-Kuei , Ting Chien-Kun , Tsou Mei-Yung
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Regulations have broadened to allow moderate sedation administration for gastrointestinal endoscopy by non-anesthesia personnel. The line between moderate and deep sedation is ambiguous. Deep sedation offers patient comfort as well as greater safety concerns. Unintended deep sedation can occur if drug interactions are overlooked. We present a pharmacodynamic model for moderate sedation using midazolam, alfentanil and propofol. The model is suitable for training and devising rationales for appropriate dosing.

Methods

The study consists of two parts: modeling and validation. In modeling, patients scheduled for esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) or colonoscopy sedation are enrolled. The modified observer’s assessment of alertness/sedation (MOAA/S) score < 4 is defined as loss of response to represent moderate sedation. Two patient groups receiving bronchoscopy or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) are used for validation. Model performance is assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC). Simulations are performed to demonstrate how the model is used to rationally determine drug regimen for moderate sedation.

Results

Interaction between propofol and alfentanil is stronger than the other pairwise combinations. Additional synergy is observed with three drugs. ROC AUC is 0.83 for the modeling group, and 0.96 and 0.93 for ERCP and bronchoscopy groups respectively. Model simulation suggests that 1 mg midazolam, 250 µg alfentanil and propofol maximally benefits from drug interactions and suitable for moderate sedation.

Conclusion

We demonstrate the accurate prediction of a three-drug response surface model for moderate sedation and simulation suggests a rational dosing strategy for moderate sedation with midazolam, alfentanil and propofol.
Psychotic spectrum features in borderline and bipolar disorders within the scope of the DSM-5 section III personality traits: a case control study
Authors: Henriques-Calado Joana , Pires Rute , Paulino Marco , Gama Marques João , Gonçalves Bruno
Published: January 2023

Background

Psychotic spectrum features in borderline personality disorder (PD) are a long-standing phenomenon, but remarkably, to date, they have not been the focus of many empirical studies. Moreover, the comparative studies that acknowledge their links to affective psychoses are even more scarce. Likewise, the contributions of empirical research on the DSM-5 dimensional approach to this topic are also uncommon. This study seeks to identify the best set of pathological personality traits and/or symptoms that are predictors of psychotic features (psychoticism and ideation paranoid symptoms) in borderline PD and in bipolar disorder, based on the framework of the DSM-5 section III personality traits.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of two clinical samples: 1) Borderline PD group of 63 participants; 2) Bipolar disorder group of 65 participants. Self-reported assessment: Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5); Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). A series of linear and logistic regression analyses were computed.

Results

Overall, the data emerging as common predictors are detachment, negative affectivity, psychoticism, depressivity, grandiosity, suspiciousness and interpersonal sensitivity symptoms. Borderline PD has the highest score in BSI paranoid ideation which emerges as its discriminating trait (Nagelkerke R2 = .58): cognitive and perceptual dysregulation (OR: 13.02), restricted affectivity (OR: 12.09), withdrawal (OR: 11.70), anhedonia (OR: 10.98) and emotional lability (OR: 6.69).

Conclusions

Besides the commonality that appears to overlap both disorders with a psychosis superspectrum, the patterns of the pathological personality-symptoms underlying the psychotic features appear to reinforce a position between schizophrenia and bipolar disorders that borderline PD may occupy, highlighting the possibility of its intersection with schizoaffective/psychosis spectra. The pathological personality nature of the psychotic features emerges as a potential comprehensive trait of the phenomenological dimensions.
Effect of gut microbiome-derived metabolites and extracellular vesicles on hepatocyte functions in a gut-liver axis chip
Authors: Kang Seong Goo , Choi Yoon Young , Mo Sung Jun , Kim Tae Hyeon , Ha Jang Ho , Hong Dong Ki , Lee Hayera , Park Soo Dong , Shim Jae-Jung , Lee Jung-Lyoul , Chung Bong Geun
Published: January 2023

Metabolism, is a complex process involving the gut and the liver tissue, is difficult to be reproduced in vitro with conventional single cell culture systems. To tackle this challenge, we developed a gut-liver-axis chip consisting of the gut epithelial cell chamber and three-dimensional (3D) uniform-sized liver spheroid chamber. Two cell culture chamber compartments were separated with a porous membrane to prevent microorganisms from passing through the chamber. When the hepG2 spheroids cultured with microbiota-derived metabolites, we observed the changes in the physiological function of hepG2 spheroids, showing that the albumin and urea secretion activity of liver spheroids was significantly enhanced. Additionally, the functional validation of hepG2 spheroids treated with microbiota-derived exosome was evaluated that the treatment of the microbiota-derived exosome significantly enhanced albumin and urea in hepG2 spheroids in a gut-liver axis chip. Therefore, this gut-liver axis chip could be a potentially powerful co-culture platform to study the interaction of microbiota and host cells.

Graphical Abstract
PREBIOTIC: a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial to assess prebiotic supplementation in kidney transplant recipients for preventing infections and gastrointestinal upset — a feasibility study
Authors: Chan Samuel , Hawley Carmel M. , Pascoe Elaine M. , Cao Christopher , Campbell Katrina L. , Campbell Scott B. , Francis Ross S. , Hale Rachael , Isbel Nicole M. , Morrison Mark , Johnson David W.
Published: January 2023

Background

Modulating the microbiota in the large intestine of kidney transplant recipients through prebiotic supplementation may prevent infectious complications from occurring. To date, there have been no interventional trials which have investigated this novel treatment in kidney transplantation. The aim of PREBIOTIC is to assess the feasibility of performing a randomised controlled trial of prebiotics in reducing infections and gastrointestinal symptoms in kidney transplant recipients.

Methods

Sixty kidney transplant patients will be recruited to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised feasibility trial. Patients will be provided with prebiotic therapy or placebo for 4 to 6 weeks. Outcomes will include recruitment, adherence, tolerance, retention, laboratory parameters (including serum indoxyl sulphate, ρ-cresyl sulphate and stool collection), patients’ self-assessed quality of life, gastrointestinal symptoms and clinical outcomes.

Discussion

This trial will assess the feasibility of prebiotic supplementation in kidney transplant recipients. Prebiotics not only may alter the gut microbiota and their inherent metabolism and production of uraemic toxins but also may prevent infections from occurring in kidney transplant recipients.

Trial registration

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number ACTRN12618001057279p. The date of registration was 25th June 2018,https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=375370&isReview=true.
Effects of fine-scale habitat quality on activity, dormancy, habitat use, and survival after reproduction in Rana dybowskii (Chordata, Amphibia)
Authors: Tong Qing , Dong Wen-jing , Long Xin-zhou , Hu Zong-fu , Luo Zhi-wen , Guo Peng , Cui Li-yong
Published: January 2023

Amphibians are facing population declines and extinctions, and protecting and supplementing refuges can help species survive. However, the microhabitat requirements of most species are unknown, and artificial shelters or burrows have not been well tested for amphibians. Some amphibians exhibit complex behaviour during the transition from post-reproductive dormancy to activity. However, little is known about the ecology, post-reproductive dormancy, and terrestrial activity of amphibians. Here, habitat site selection in experimental enclosures and the effects of shelters (stones, soil) and shade (with and without shade netting) on the activity, exposed body percentage, burrow depth, body-soil contact percentage, and survival of Rana dybowskii were investigated during post-reproductive dormancy and post-dormant activity. The results showed that R. dybowskii live individually under leaves, soil, stones or tree roots. Furthermore, although the dormant sites of frogs are significantly different, the distribution of male and female frogs in these sites is similar. Shading and shelter significantly affected the exposed body percentage, burrow depth and body-soil contact percentage of frogs compared with soil. In the stone group, soil and stone form the frog's refuge/burrow, whereas in the soil group, the refuge/burrow is composed entirely of soil. Even though the soil group has a deeper burrow and a larger area of soil contact with the body, it still has a higher exposure rate than the stone group. Frog activity frequency was affected by shelter and shade; the interaction of shelter and time and the interaction of shading and time were significant. The soil group had a higher activity frequency than the stone group, and the no-shade group had a higher activity frequency than the shade group. Shelter and shading differences do not significantly affect frog survival; however, the death rate during post-reproductive dormancy is lower than that during the active period.
Matrix remodeling associated 7 proteins promote cutaneous wound healing through vimentin in coordinating fibroblast functions
Authors: Shen Ying , Ning Jinling , Zhao Lu , Liu Wei , Wang Ting , Yu Jie , Wang Yiqiang
Published: January 2023

Wound healing depends largely on the remodeling of the extracellular matrix around and reorganization of tissue-resident cells. Matrix remodeling associated 7 (MXRA7) is a member of the matrix remodeling-associated gene family and is involved in matrix remodeling-associated processes, such as inflammatory neovascularization, liver injury, and autoimmune skin disease. To investigate whether and how MXRA7 participate in cutaneous wound healing, an ear-punching model was utilized in wild-type (WT) and MXRA7-deficient mice, and the dermal fibroblasts from these mice were further studied in vitro. Results showed that the MXRA7 deficiency impaired the wound healing process in mice. Quantitative PCR indicated that lack of MXRA7 impaired the expression of several extracellular matrix genes (e.g., MMP-2) and inhibited signaling pathways (e.g., STAT3) in healing ear tissues. In in vitro culture system, migration, contraction, or proliferation of fibroblasts was impaired upon MXRA7 deficiency. Pull-down and mass spectrum assay revealed that vimentin was among the proteins that bound MXRA7 proteins in cells, and further investigations indicate MXRA7 was an autocrine factor in fibroblasts that involved vimentin in certain ways, such as JNK and STAT3/STAT5 signaling pathways in our study. In conclusion, MXRA7 proteins promote wound healing through vimentin in coordinating fibroblast functions.
Geography and elevation as drivers of cloacal microbiome assemblages of a passerine bird distributed across Sulawesi, Indonesia
Authors: Joakim Rachael L. , Irham Mohammad , Haryoko Tri , Rowe Karen M. C. , Dalimunthe Yohanna , Anita Syahfitri , Achmadi Anang S. , McGuire Jimmy A. , Perkins Susan , Bowie Rauri C. K.
Published: January 2023

Background

Empirical field studies allow us to view how ecological and environmental processes shape the biodiversity of our planet, but collecting samples in situ creates inherent challenges. The majority of empirical vertebrate gut microbiome research compares multiple host species against abiotic and biotic factors, increasing the potential for confounding environmental variables. To minimize these confounding factors, we focus on a single species of passerine bird found throughout the geologically complex island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. We assessed the effects of two environmental factors, geographic Areas of Endemism (AOEs) and elevation, as well as host sex on the gut microbiota assemblages of the Sulawesi Babbler, Pellorneum celebense, from three different mountains across the island. Using cloacal swabs, high-throughput-amplicon sequencing, and multiple statistical models, we identified the core microbiome and determined the signal of these three factors on microbial composition.

Results

The five most prevalent bacterial phyla within the gut microbiome of P. celebense were Proteobacteria (32.6%), Actinobacteria (25.2%), Firmicutes (22.1%), Bacteroidetes (8.7%), and Plantomycetes (2.6%). These results are similar to those identified in prior studies of passeriform microbiomes. Overall, microbiota diversity decreased as elevation increased, irrespective of sex or AOE. A single ASV of Clostridium was enriched in higher elevation samples, while lower elevation samples were enriched with the genera Perlucidibaca (Family Moraxellaceae), Lachnoclostridium (Family Lachnospiraceae), and an unidentified species in the Family Pseudonocardiaceae.

Conclusions

While the core microbiota families recovered here are consistent with other passerine studies, the decreases in diversity as elevation increases has only been seen in non-avian hosts. Additionally, the increased abundance of Clostridium at high elevations suggests a potential microbial response to lower oxygen levels. This study emphasizes the importance of incorporating multiple statistical models and abiotic factors such as elevation in empirical microbiome research, and is the first to describe an avian gut microbiome from the island of Sulawesi.
A FIR filter assisted with the predictive model and ELM integrated for UWB-based quadrotor aircraft localization
Authors: Xu Yuan , Wan Dong , Bi Shuhui , Guo Hang , Zhuang Yuan
Published: January 2023

To improve the accuracy of the Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) based quadrotor aircraft localization, a Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter aided with an integration of the predictive model and Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) is proposed in this work. The FIR filter estimates the quad-rotor aircraft ’s position by fusing the positions measured with the UWB and Inertial Navigation System respectively. When the UWB dada are unavailable, both the ELM and the predictive model are used to provide the measurements, replacing those unavailable UWB data, for the FIR filter. The ELM estimates the measurement via the mapping between the one step prediction of state vector and the measurement built when the UWB data are available. For the predictive model, we mathematically describe the missing UWB data. Then, both the measurements estimated with the ELM and predictive model are employed to estimate the observations via Mahalanobis distance. The test results show that the FIR filter aided by the predictive model/ELM integrated can reduce the Cumulative Distribution Function and position Root Mean Square Error effectively when the UWB is unavailable. Compared with the ELM assisted FIR filter, the proposed FIR filter can reduce the localization error by about 48.59 %, meanwhile, the integrated method is close to the method with a better solution.

Graphical Abstract
Sentiment analysis of COVID-19 tweets from selected hashtags in Nigeria using VADER and Text Blob analyser
Authors: Abiola Odeyinka , Abayomi-Alli Adebayo , Tale Oluwasefunmi Arogundade , Misra Sanjay , Abayomi-Alli Olusola
Published: January 2023

Background

Information is essential for growth; without it, little can be accomplished. Data gathering has seen significant changes throughout the previous few centuries because of the certain transitory medium. The look and style of information transference are affected by the employment of new and emerging technologies, some of which are efficient, others are reliable, and many more are quick and effective, but a few were disappointing for various reasons.

Aims

This study aims at using TextBlob and VADER analyser with historical tweets, to analyse emotional responses to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). It shows us how much of a sociological, environmental, and economic impact it has in Nigeria, among other things. This study would be a tremendous step forward for students, researchers, and scholars who want to advance in fields like data science, machine learning, and deep learning.

Methodology

The hashtag ‘COVID-19' was used to collect 1,048,575 tweets from Twitter. The tweets were pre-processed with a Twitter tokenizer, while TextBlob and Valence Aware Dictionary for Sentiment Reasoning (VADER) were used for text mining and sentiment analysis, respectively. Topic modelling was done with Latent Dirichlet Allocation and visualized with Multidimensional scaling.

Results

The result of the VADER sentiment returned 39.8%, 31.3%, and 28.9%, positive, neutral, and negative sentiment, respectively, while the result of the TextBlob sentiment returned 46.0%, 36.7%, and 17.3%, neutral, positive, and negative sentiment, respectively.

Conclusion

With all of this, information from social media may be used to help organizations, governments, and nations around the world make smart and effective decisions about how to restrict and limit the negative effects of COVID-19. Also, know the opinion and challenges of people, then deal with the problem of misinformation. It is concluded that with popular belief a significant number of the populace regards COVID-19 as a virus that has come to stay, some believe it will eventually be conquered.
The potential scale-free network mechanism underlying the formation of focal epilepsy
Authors: Fan Denggui , Wu Hongyu , Luan Guoming , Wang Qingyun
Published: January 2023

Abnormal brain networks are likely to be the trigger of seizure generation of epilepsy. Clarifying the effects of abnormal structures on brain function is of great significance for brain diseases. Due to the complexity of brain networks, the relationship between structural and functional brain networks is not yet well-defined. In this letter, we apply a generative model depicting the interrelationship between structural and functional connectivity, to reproduce similar resting whole brain networks and focal epileptic networks through networks with different topologies. It is found that only the underlying network connected with scale-free structure can reproduce the properties of focal epilepsy network, while the resting network has a small probability of reproduction under both the small-world network and the scale-free network. In particular, this reproduction capacity is immune to the nodal distance modes of the underlying network. This suggests that there exists severe heterogeneity in the focal epilepsy network similar to the scale-free network, which may facilitate to the clinical structural inference of seizure location.
Short- and Long-Term Outcomes of Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Navigation- Versus Conventional-Laparoscopic Hepatectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity Score-Matched, Retrospective, Cohort Study
Authors: Liu Fusheng , Wang Haitao , Ma Weijie , Li Jinghua , Liu Yingyi , Tang Shengli , Li Kun , Jiang Ping , Yang Zhiyong , He Yueming , Liu Zhisu , Zhang Zhonglin , Yuan Yufeng
Published: January 2023

Background

Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging technology is increasingly widely used in laparoscopic hepatectomy. However, whether it can provide long-term survival benefits to patients with liver malignancies remains unclear. This study investigated the clinical effect of laparoscopic hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using ICG imaging technology.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed HCC patients who underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from January 2016 to December 2020. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match patients undergoing ICG fluorescence navigation laparoscopic hepatectomy (ICG-FNLH) with those undergoing conventional laparoscopic hepatectomy (CLH) in a 1:1 ratio to minimize the influence of confounding factors. We compared perioperative status and long-term prognosis between the two groups and performed multivariate analysis to identify risk factors associated with overall survival and recurrence-free survival.

Results

The original cohort consisted of 141 patients, with 50 patients in each group (100 patients in total) after PSM. The anatomical liver resection rate, R0 resection rate, and resection margin distance in the ICG-FNLH group were higher than those in the CLH group. The intraoperative blood loss was lower than that in the CLH group. The recurrence-free survival and overall survival of the ICG-FNLH group were better than those of the CLH group. ICG-FNLH improved the recurrence-free survival of HCC patients (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.165, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.136-4.127, P = 0.024).

Conclusions

Compared with CLH, ICG-FNLH can improve the recurrence-free survival rate of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and may help to improve the long-term prognosis of patients.