bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Somatic piRNAs and Transposons are Differentially Expressed Coincident with Skeletal Muscle Atrophy and Programmed Cell Death
Authors: Tsuji Junko , Thomson Travis , Brown Christine , Ghosh Subhanita , Theurkauf William E. , Weng Zhiping , Schwartz Lawrence M. 
Published: December 2021

PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small single-stranded RNAs that can repress transposon expression via epigenetic silencing and transcript degradation. They have been identified predominantly in the ovary and testis, where they serve essential roles in transposon silencing in order to protect the integrity of the genome in the germline. The potential expression of piRNAs in somatic cells has been controversial. In the present study we demonstrate the expression of piRNAs derived from both genic and transposon RNAs in the intersegmental muscles (ISMs) from the tobacco hawkmoth Manduca sexta. These piRNAs are abundantly expressed, ∼27 nt long, map antisense to transposons, are oxidation resistant, exhibit a 5’ uridine bias, and amplify via the canonical ping-pong pathway. An RNA-seq analysis demonstrated that 19 piRNA pathway genes are expressed in the ISMs and are developmentally regulated. The abundance of piRNAs does not change when the muscles initiate developmentally-regulated atrophy, but are repressed coincident with the commitment of the muscles undergo programmed cell death at the end of metamorphosis. This change in piRNA expression is correlated with the repression of several retrotransposons and the induction of specific DNA transposons. The developmentally-regulated changes in the expression of piRNAs, piRNA pathway genes, and transposons are all regulated by 20-hydroxyecdysone, the steroid hormone that controls the timing of ISM death. Taken together, these data provide compelling evidence for the existence of piRNA in somatic tissues and suggest that they may play roles in developmental processes such as programmed cell death.
Case Report: First Case of Cefotaxime-Sulbactam-Induced Acute Intravascular Hemolysis in a Newborn With ABO Blood Type Incompatibility by the Mechanism of Non-Immunologic Protein Adsorption
Authors: Wu Yuanjun , Wu Yong , Yang Yong , Chen Baochan , Li Jianqun , Guo Ganping , Xiong Fu 
Published: December 2021

BackgroundABO blood type incompatibility hemolytic disease of newborn (ABO-HDN) and drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia (DIIHA) due to non-immunologic protein adsorption (NIPA) mainly cause extravascular hemolysis. All the reported severe DIIHA were caused by drug-induced antibodies, and rare report of acute intravascular hemolysis was caused by the NIPA mechanism or ABO-HDN.Case presentationWe report the first case of acute intravascular hemolysis induced by cefotaxime sodium - sulbactam sodium (CTX - SBT) in a case of ABO-HDN which resulted in death at 55 h after birth. The mother’s blood type was O and RhD-positive, and the newborn’s blood type was B and RhD-positive. No irregular red blood cell (RBC) antibodies or drug-dependent antibodies related to CTX or SBT was detected in the mother’s plasma and the plasma or the RBC acid eluent of the newborn. Before the newborn received CTX - SBT treatment, the result of direct antiglobulin test (DAT) was negative while anti-B was positive (2 +) in both plasma and acid eluent. After the newborn received CTX - SBT treatment, the results of DAT for anti-IgG and anti-C3d were both positive, while anti-B was not detected in plasma, but stronger anti-B (3 +) was detected in acid eluent. In vitro experiments confirmed that NIPA of SBT promoted the specific binding of maternal-derived IgG anti-B to B antigen on RBCs of the newborn, thereby inducing acute intravascular hemolysis.ConclusionThe NIPA effect of SBT promoted the specific binding of mother-derived IgG anti-B in newborn’s plasma to the newborn’s RBC B antigens and formed an immune complex, and then activated complement, which led to acute intravascular hemolysis. Drugs such as SBT with NIPA effect should not be used for newborns with HDN.
Immune Response to Hepatitis B Virus Vaccine Among People Living With HIV: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Tian Yakun , Hua Wei , Wu Yaxin , Zhang Tong , Wang Wen , Wu Hao , Guo Caiping , Huang Xiaojie 
Published: December 2021

BackgroundThere is conflicting evidence about whether a double dose of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine induces better immunity than the standard-dose vaccine for people living with HIV (PLWH). This study provides a meta-analysis that summarizes the efficacy of HBV vaccine regimens among HIV-infected patients, clarifying the role of particular factors such as dose and frequency of vaccination in vaccine responsiveness and highlighting the need for evidence-based practice to assess HBV vaccination among PLWH.MethodsRandomized clinical trials (RCTs) and prospective studies reporting vaccination response rates among PLWH were found through a search of PubMed, Cochrane, and the Web of Science. The key outcome was vaccine response. A random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled response rate. Subgroup analysis was conducted to evaluate key factors and explore sources of heterogeneity. Possible biases were assessed using quality and publication bias assessment.ResultsEligible studies included controlled trials that examined the effects of 17 interventional studies with 1,821 participants. Among PLWH who received the HBV vaccine, the pooled response rate of HBV vaccination was 71.5% (95% CI 64.0%–77.9%, p &lt; 0.001). Compared with the standard dose (65.5%, 95% CI 53.1%–76.1%), the double dose (75.2%, 95% CI 66.2%–82.5%) was associated with a better response rate [Q(1) = 19.617, p &lt; 0.001]. When stratified by schedule, the four-dose schedule (89.7%, 95% CI 83.1%–93.9%) had a higher response rate than the three-dose schedule (63.3%, 95% CI 56.6%–69.4%) and the difference was significant [Q(1) = 88.305, p &lt; 0.001]. PLWH with higher CD4+ T-cell counts (&gt;500 cells/mm3) at the time of vaccination had better response rates [Q(1) = 88.305, p &lt; 0.001].ConclusionsIn this meta-analysis, the double dose of the HBV vaccine and multiple injections were associated with better immune responses than the standard HBV vaccine regimen in PLWH. Higher seroconversion rates were observed in PLWH with high CD4+ T-cell levels, indicating that individuals infected with HIV should receive the HBV vaccine as soon as possible after diagnosis.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/.
Optical Coherence Tomography Findings of Underlying Choroidal Neovascularization in Punctate Inner Choroidopathy
Authors: Agarwal Aniruddha , Handa Sabia , Marchese Alessandro , Parrulli Salvatore , Invernizzi Alessandro , Erckens Roel J. , Berendschot Tos T. J. M. , Webers C. A. B. , Bansal Reema , Gupta Vishali 
Published: December 2021

Purpose: To analyze findings on optical coherence tomography (OCT) suggestive of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in lesions of punctate inner choroidopathy (PIC).Methods: In this multi-center retrospective study, clinical data of patients with PIC were retrospectively analyzed. Quantitative data (height, width, and volume of PIC lesions), and qualitative data (disruption of ellipsoid zone (EZ)/Bruch's membrane (BM), outer retinal fuzziness, and choroidal back-shadowing) were compared between CNV+ and CNV– groups using Mann–Whitney U-test and Fischer's exact test.Results: In total, 35 eyes (29 patients; 21 women; mean age: 33.3 ± 6.5 years) were selected for analysis. Of the 35 PIC lesions studied, 17 had underlying CNV. Lesions with CNV+ had larger height, width, and volume (p &lt; 0.001) and several distinctive features, such as disruption of EZ and BM, outer retinal fuzziness, and hypo-reflective back-shadowing (p &lt; 0.001) compared with CNV—lesions.Conclusions: Quantitative and qualitative OCT analysis can aid in the prediction of an underlying CNV in the eyes with PIC.
Circulating Skeletal Troponin During Weaning From Mechanical Ventilation and Their Association to Diaphragmatic Function: A Pilot Study
Authors: Spadaro Savino , Dalla Corte Francesca , Scaramuzzo Gaetano , Grasso Salvatore , Cinnella Gilda , Rosta Valentina , Chiavieri Valentina , Alvisi Valentina , Di Mussi Rosa , Volta Carlo Alberto , Bellini Tiziana , Trentini Alessandro 
Published: December 2021

Background: Patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) may need mechanical ventilation (MV), which can lead to diaphragmatic dysfunction and muscle wasting, thus making difficult the weaning from the ventilator. Currently, there are no biomarkers specific for respiratory muscle and their function can only be assessed trough ultrasound or other invasive methods. Previously, the fast and slow isoform of the skeletal troponin I (fsTnI and ssTnI, respectively) have shown to be specific markers of muscle damage in healthy volunteers. We aimed therefore at describing the trend of skeletal troponin in mixed population of ICU patients undergoing weaning from mechanical ventilation and compared the value of fsTnI and ssTnI with diaphragmatic ultrasound derived parameters.Methods: In this prospective observational study we enrolled consecutive patients recovering from acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) within 24 h from the start of weaning. Every day an arterial blood sample was collected to measure fsTnI, ssTnI, and global markers of muscle damage, such as ALT, AST, and CPK. Moreover, thickening fraction (TF) and diaphragmatic displacement (DE) were assessed by diaphragmatic ultrasound. The trend of fsTnI and ssTnI was evaluated during the first 3 days of weaning.Results: We enrolled 62 consecutive patients in the study, with a mean age of 67 ± 13 years and 43 of them (69%) were male. We did not find significant variations in the ssTnI trend (p = 0.623), but fsTnI significantly decreased over time by 30% from Day 1 to Day 2 and by 20% from Day 2 to Day 3 (p &lt; 0.05). There was a significant interaction effect between baseline ssTnI and DE [F(2) = 4.396, p = 0.015], with high basal levels of ssTnI being associated to a higher decrease in DE. On the contrary, the high basal levels of fsTnI at day 1 were characterized by significant higher DE at each time point.Conclusions: Skeletal muscle proteins have a distinctive pattern of variation during weaning from mechanical ventilation. At day 1, a high basal value of ssTnI were associated to a higher decrease over time of diaphragmatic function while high values of fsTnI were associated to a higher displacement at each time point.
Persistence of Antibodies Against Spike Glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 in Healthcare Workers Post Double Dose of BBV-152 and AZD1222 Vaccines
Authors: Choudhary Hari Ram , Parai Debaprasad , Chandra Dash Girish , Kshatri Jaya Singh , Mishra Narayan , Choudhary Prasanta Kumar , Pattnaik Dipti , Panigrahi Kumudini , Behera Susmita , Ranjan Sahoo Nihar , Podder Sreeparna , Mishra Adyasha , Raghav Sunil Kumar , Mishra Sanjeeb Kumar , Pradhan Subrat Kumar , Sahoo Subrat Kumar , Pattnaik Matrujyoti , Rout Usha Kiran , Nanda Rashmi Ranjan , Mondal Nityananda , Kanungo Srikanta , Palo Subrata Kumar , Bhattacharya Debdutta , Pati Sanghamitra 
Published: December 2021

Purpose: We investigated the persistence of the vaccine-induced immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Odisha who received a complete dose of either Covaxin or Covishield vaccine.Methods: This 24-week longitudinal cohort study was conducted from January to July 2021 with participants from 6 healthcare and research facilities of Odisha to understand the dynamicity of the vaccine-induced IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 after the complete dose of vaccines.Results: Serum samples were collected from 614 participants during each follow-up and were tested in two chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CLIA)-based platforms to detect SARS-CoV-2 antibodies both qualitatively and quantitatively. Among these participants, 308 (50.2%) participants were Covishield recipients and the rest 306 (49.8%) participants took Covaxin. A total of 81 breakthrough cases were recorded and the rest 533 HCWs without any history of postvaccination infection showed significant antibody waning either from T3 (Covaxin recipient) or T4 (Covishield recipient). The production of vaccine-induced IgG antibodies is significantly higher (p &lt; 0.001) in Covishield compared with Covaxin. Covishield recipients produced higher median anti-S IgG titer than Covaxin. No statistically significant differences in antibody titers were observed based on age, gender, comorbidities, and blood groups.Conclusion: This 6-month follow-up study documents a 2-fold and 4-fold decrease in spike antibody titer among Covishield and Covaxin recipients, respectively. The clinical implications of antibody waning after vaccination are not well understood. It also highlights the need for further data to understand the long-term persistence of vaccine-induced antibody and threshold antibody titer required for protection against reinfection.
MLL-SEPT5 Fusion Transcript in Myelodysplastic Syndrome Patient With t(11;22)(q23;q11)
Authors: Zou Duobing , Chen Ying , Wu Ningning , Zhang Yi , Ouyang Guifang , Mu Qitian 
Published: December 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to identify unknown mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) translocation partner genes in a de novo patient with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with t(11;22)(q23;q11) and investigate the clinical and molecular features of this patient.Methods: Bone marrow cells were assessed by karyotype analysis to reveal chromosomal abnormalities. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed to detect MLL gene rearrangement using an MLL-specific break-apart probe. LDI-PCR and RT-PCR were performed, and the PCR products were sequenced using an Illumina MiSeq sequencer (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA). The sequence data of the PCR products were analyzed using bioinformatics tools. Meanwhile, clinical data were collected to evaluate the prognosis of the patient.Results: Chromosomal karyotype analysis showed that the karyotype of the patient was 46, XX, t(11;22)(q23;q11)[10]/46, XX[1]. Subsequently, FISH data confirmed MLL gene rearrangement in the patient. LDI-PCR precisely showed that SEPT5 was the MLL translocation partner gene. RT-PCR and sequencing analysis disclosed the presence of MLL-SEPT5 fusion transcript and confirmed the fusion between MLL exon 8 and SEPT5 exon 3. Moreover, the patient had a recurrence shortly after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.Conclusion: Although the MLL-SEPT5 fusion transcript was occasionally described in acute myeloid leukemia, it was first identified in MDS. Patients with MLL-SEPT5 fusion gene exhibited a poor prognosis even with an aggressive treatment.
Safety and Effectiveness of Oral Methylprednisolone Therapy in Comparison With Intramuscular Adrenocorticotropic Hormone and Oral Prednisolone in Children With Infantile Spasms
Authors: Zhu Hong-Min , Yuan Chun-Hui , Luo Meng-Qing , Deng Xiao-Long , Huang Sheng , Wu Ge-Fei , Hu Jia-Sheng , Yao Cong , Liu Zhi-Sheng 
Published: December 2021

Background and Purpose: To assess the safety and effectiveness of oral methylprednisolone (oMP) in comparison with intramuscular adrenocorticotropic hormone (imACTH) and oral prednisolone (oP) therapies in children with infantile spasms (IS).Methods: In this prospective, open-label, non-blinded, uncontrolled observational study, children (aged 2–24 months) with newly diagnosed IS presenting with hypsarrhythmia or its variants on electroencephalogram (EEG) were included. It was followed by imACTH, oP, or oMP (32–48 mg/day for 2 weeks followed by tapering) treatments. Electroclinical remission/spasm control, relapse, and adverse effects were evaluated in the short-term (days 14 and 42) and intermediary-term (3, 6, and 12 months) intervals.Results: A total of 320 pediatric patients were enrolled: 108, 107, and 105 in the imACTH, oMP, and oP groups, respectively. The proportion of children achieving electroclinical remission on days 14 and 42 was similar among the three groups (day 14: 53.70 vs. 60.75 vs. 51.43%, p = 0.362; day 42: 57.55 vs. 63.46 vs. 55.34%, p = 0.470). The time to response was significantly faster in the oMP group (6.5 [3.00, 10.00] days vs. 8.00 [5.00, 11.00] days for imACTH and 8.00 [5.00, 13.00] days for oP, p = 0.025). Spasm control at 3, 6, and 12 months was also similar in the three groups (P = 0.775, 0.667, and 0.779). The relapse rate in the imACTH group (24.10%) was lower than oMP (30.77%) and oP groups (33.33%), and the time taken for relapse in the imACTH group (79.00 [56.50, 152.00] days) was longer than oMP (62.50 [38.00, 121.75] days) and oP groups (71.50 [40.00, 99.75] days), but the differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.539 and 0.530, respectively). The occurrence of adverse effects was similar among the three groups.Conclusions: The short and intermediary-term efficacy and recurrence rates of oMP are not inferior to those of imACTH and oP for the treatment of IS. Significantly, the time to achieve electroclinical remission with oMP was quicker than that with imACTH and oP. Considering its convenience, affordability, and the absence of irreversible side effects, oMP can serve as a form of first-line treatment for newly diagnosed IS.
Alteration of Effective Connectivity in the Default Mode Network of Autism After an Intervention
Authors: Yu Han , Qu Hang , Chen Aiguo , Du Yifan , Liu Zhimei , Wang Wei 
Published: December 2021

Neuroimaging has revealed numerous atypical functional connectivity of default mode network (DMN) dedicated to social communications (SC) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet their nature and directionality remain unclear. Here, preschoolers with autism received physical intervention from a 12-week mini-basketball training program (12W-MBTP). Therefore, the directionality and nature of regional interactions within the DMN after the intervention are evaluated while assessing the impact of an intervention on SC. Based on the results of independent component analysis (ICA), we applied spectral dynamic causal modeling (DCM) for participants aged 3–6 years (experimental group, N = 17, control group, N = 14) to characterize the longitudinal changes following intervention in intrinsic and extrinsic effective connectivity (EC) between core regions of the DMN. Then, we analyzed the correlation between the changes in EC and SRS-2 scores to establish symptom-based validation. We found that after the 12W-MBTP intervention, the SRS-2 score of preschoolers with ASD in the experimental group was decreased. Concurrently, the inhibitory directional connections were observed between the core regions of the DMN, including increased self-inhibition in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and the changes of EC in mPFC were significantly correlated with change in the social responsiveness scale-2 (SRS-2) score. These new findings shed light on DMN as a potential intervention target, as the inhibitory information transmission between its core regions may play a positive role in improving SC behavior in preschoolers with ASD, which may be a reliable neuroimaging biomarker for future studies.Clinical Trial Registration: This study registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1900024973) on August 05, 2019.
Circulating Vitamin D Levels and Risk of Vitiligo: Evidence From Meta-Analysis and Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization
Authors: Song Jie , Liu Ke , Chen Weiwei , Liu Bin , Yang Hong , Lv Linshuoshuo , Sun Xiaohui , Mao Yingying , Ye Ding 
Published: December 2021

Background: The association between circulating vitamin D levels and risk of vitiligo was inconsistent among observational studies, and whether these observed associations were causal remained unclear. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin D on the risk of vitiigo using meta-analysis and Mendelian randomization (MR).Methods: At the meta-analysis stage, literature search was performed in PubMed and Web of Science to identify eligible observational studies examining the association of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] or 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] levels with risk of vitiligo up to April 30, 2021. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of 25(OH)D and 25(OH)D3 in patients with vitiligo relative to controls were pooled. Then at the MR stage, genetic instruments for circulating 25(OH)D (N = 120,618) and 25(OH)D3 (N = 40,562) levels were selected from a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of European descent, and summary statistics of vitiligo were obtained from a meta-analysis of three GWASs including 4,680 cases and 39,586 controls. We used inverse-variance weighted (IVW) as main method, followed by weighted-median and likelihood-based methods. Pleiotropic and outlier variants were assessed by MR-Egger regression and MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO) test.Results: In the meta-analysis, patients with vitiligo had a lower level of circulating 25(OH)D compared with controls [SMD = −1.40; 95% confidence interval (CI): −1.91, −0.89; P &lt; 0.001], while no statistically significant difference of 25(OH)D3 between vitiligo cases and controls was found (SMD = −0.63; 95% CI: −1.29, 0.04; P = 0.064). However, in the MR analyses, genetically predicted 25(OH)D [odds ratio (OR) = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.66–1.31, P = 0.66] and 25(OH)D3 levels (OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.80–1.14, P = 0.60) had null associations with risk of vitiligo using the IVW method. Sensitivity analyses using alternative MR methods and instrumental variables (IV) sets obtained consistent results, and no evidence of pleiotropy or outliers was observed.Conclusion: Our study provided no convincing evidence for a causal effect of 25(OH)D or 25(OH)D3 levels on the risk of vitiligo. Further longitudinal and experimental studies, as well as functional studies are warranted to elucidate the role of vitamin D in the development of vitiligo.
Meta-Analysis of Postoperative Adjuvant Hepatic Artery Infusion Chemotherapy Versus Surgical Resection Alone for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Ke Qiao , Wang Lei , Wu Weimin , Huang Xinhui , Li Ling , Liu Jingfeng , Guo Wuhua 
Published: December 2021

BackgroundTo systematically identify the long-term efficacy of postoperative adjuvant hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).MethodsPubMed, MedLine, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched to collect the eligible studies up to March 31, 2021, that compared the surgical resection (SR) versus SR+HAIC for HCC patients. The endpoints were overall survival (OS) rates and disease-free survival (DFS) rates, and the effect size was determined by hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI.ResultsA total of 12 studies (two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 10 non-RCTs) including 1,333 patients were eligible for this meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that OS and DFS rates in the SR+HAIC group were both better than those in the SR alone group (HR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.41–0.77, p &lt; 0.001; HR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.55–0.78, p &lt; 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, the subgroup analysis showed that patients would benefit from SR+HAIC regardless of chemotherapy regimens and courses (all p &lt; 0.05), and patients with microvascular or macrovascular invasion would also benefit more from SR+HAIC in terms of OS and DFS (all p &lt; 0.05).ConclusionPostoperative adjuvant HAIC could improve the long-term prognosis of HCC patients, especially for those with microvascular or macrovascular invasion, regardless of chemotherapy regimens and courses, but it deserves further validation.