bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cardiovascular Risk Factor Status in Hospitalized Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in China
Authors: Yang Xiaoyun , Liu Qian , Fan Yuxin , Ding Li , Wang Ruodan , Hu Gang , Liu Ming 
Published: July 2021

BackgroundControlling blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipid is of great importance for patients with type 2 diabetes, not only for cardiovascular disease, but also for other complications. Previous studies mainly focused on the control rate of outpatients, and the results were suboptimal, but few studies aimed at the inpatients.MethodThe present study involved 3,245 hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes from 2013 to 2017 in the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of Tianjin Medical University General Hospital. The percentages of inpatients who attained the goals of the China Diabetes Society and the American Diabetes Association were calculated for major cardiovascular risk factors (HbA1c, blood pressure, and blood lipid). The prevalence of microvascular and macrovascular complications was also assessed.ResultThe percentages of patients who met the Chinese Diabetes Society goals—HbA1c &lt;7%, blood pressure &lt;130/80 mmHg, normal lipids, and all three goals—were 26.7, 14.8, 10.4, and 0.2% in 2013 and 30.5, 16.2, 8.0, and 0.9% in 2017, respectively. The percentage of patients who met all three American Diabetes Association goals (HbA1c&lt;7%, blood pressure &lt;140/90 mmHg, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol &lt;2.6 mmol/L) increased from 4.3% in 2013 to 9.0% in 2017. The prevalence of major diabetes complications including coronary heart disease (31.7 vs. 31.9%), stroke (16.7 vs. 14.8%), diabetic kidney disease (37.9 vs. 35.8%), diabetic retinopathy (48.0 vs. 46.5%), neuropathy (63.1 vs. 61.9%), and diabetic foot (0.8 vs. 1.2%) were stable from 2013 to 2017.ConclusionDuring 2013 to 2017, control rates of major cardiovascular risk factors including HbA1c, blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were improved among hospitalized patients in Tianjin, China.
Response of Soil Respiration and Its Components to Precipitation Exclusion in Vitex negundo Var. Heterophylla Shrubland of the Middle Taihang Mountain in North China
Authors: Shen Huitao , Zhang Lingkai , Meng Henan , Zheng Zhenhua , Zhao Yanxia , Zhang Tao 
Published: July 2021

Assessing the response of soil heterotrophic and autotrophic respiration to climate change is critical for forecasting terrestrial carbon cycle behavior in the future. In the present study, we conducted a drought experiment in Vitexnegundo var. heterophylla shrub ecosystem of the Middle Taihang Mountain. Three precipitation manipulation treatments (natural conditions/ambient precipitation (CK), reduced precipitation by 30% (PE30), and reduced precipitation by 60% (PE60)) were used to study the impact of different levels of precipitation exclusion on total soil respiration (Rs) and its heterotrophic (Rh) and autotrophic (Ra) components. Our results showed that the rates of Rs and its components were significantly decreased under the precipitation exclusion treatments. The proportion of Rh in Rs reduced from 72.6% for CK to 71.9% under PE60. The annual cumulative C fluxes of Rs decreased by 47.8 g C m−2 in PE30 and 106.0 g C m−2 in PE60, respectively. An exponential relationship was observed between the rate of each soil respiration component and soil temperature in all treatments ( p &lt; 0.01). Moreover, each soil respiration component rate was better represented by a quadratic model which included soil moisture ( p &lt; 0.01). However, including both of soil temperature and soil moisture did not explain more variation in soil respiration components compared than the regression model with soil moisture only. In addition, excluding precipitation increased the temperature sensitivity (Q10 values) of Rs and its Ra and Rh components compared to the control. Collectively, our findings suggest that increased drought will inhibit the release of carbon from the soil to the atmosphere, and will likely decrease the contribution of Rh to Rs in this semiarid shrubland ecosystem.
A Novel de novo Mutation in EBF3 Associated With Hypotonia, Ataxia, and Delayed Development Syndrome in a Chinese Boy
Authors: Huang Yanru , Mei Libin , Wang Yangdan , Ye Huiming , Ma Xiaomin , Zhang Jian , Cai Meijiao , Li Ping , Ge Yunsheng , Zhou Yulin 
Published: July 2021

ObjectiveGlobal developmental delay has markedly high phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity, and is a great challenge for clinical diagnosis. Hypotonia, ataxia, and delayed development syndrome (HADDS), first reported in 2017, is one type of global development delay. The aim of the present study was to investigate the genetic etiology of a Chinese boy with global developmental delay.MethodsWe combined clinical and imaging phenotyping with trio whole-exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing to the patient and his clinically unaffected parents. A luciferase reporter and immunofluorescence were performed to detect the effect of mutation on transcriptional activity and subcellular localization.ResultsThe patient presented with several previously unreported symptoms in the patients with HADDS, including hemangiomas, mild hearing abnormalities and tracheomalacia. A novel EBF3 c.589A &gt; G missense mutation (p.Asn197Asp, p.N197D) was identified in the patient but not in his parents. By constructing the plasmid and transfecting HEK293T cells, EBF3-N197D mutant showed impaired activation of luciferase reporter expression of the p21 promoter, and the mutant affected its entry into the nucleus.ConclusionTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of EBF3 pathogenic mutation which associated with HADDS in the Chinese population. Our results expand the phenotypes and pathogenic mutation spectrum of HADDS, thus potentially facilitating the clinical diagnosis and genetic counseling of HADDS patients.
S100A4 Is Critical for a Mouse Model of Allergic Asthma by Impacting Mast Cell Activation
Authors: Wu Tongqian , Ma Lan , Jin Xiaoqian , He Jingjing , Chen Ke , Zhang Dingshan , Yuan Rui , Yang Jun , Zhong Qin , Zhou Haiyan , Xiang Zou , Fang Yu 
Published: July 2021

BackgroundThe calcium-binding protein S100A4 demonstrates important regulatory roles in many biological processes including tumorigenesis and inflammatory disorders such as allergy. However, the specific mechanism of the contribution of S100A4 to allergic diseases awaits further clarification.ObjectiveTo address the effect of S100A4 on the regulation of mast cell activation and its impact on allergy.MethodsBone marrow-derived cultured mast cells (BMMCs) were derived from wild-type (WT) or S100A4-/- mice for in vitro investigation. WT and S100A4-/- mice were induced to develop a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) model, a passive systemic anaphylaxis (PSA) model, and an ovalbumin (OVA)-mediated mouse asthma model.ResultsFollowing OVA/alum-based sensitization and provocation, S100A4-/- mice demonstrated overall suppressed levels of serum anti-OVA IgE and IgG antibodies and proinflammatory cytokines in serum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and lung exudates. S100A4-/- mice exhibited less severe asthma signs which included inflammatory cell infiltration in the lung tissue and BALF, and suppressed mast cell recruitment in the lungs. Reduced levels of antigen reencounter-induced splenocyte proliferation in vitro were recorded in splenocytes from OVA-sensitized and challenged mice that lacked S100A4-/-. Furthermore, deficiency in the S100A4 gene could dampen mast cell activation both in vitro and in vivo, evidenced by reduced β-hexosaminidase release and compromised PCA and PSA reaction. We also provided evidence supporting the expression of S100A4 by mast cells.ConclusionS100A4 is required for mast cell functional activation, and S100A4 may participate in the regulation of allergic responses at least partly through regulating the activation of mast cells.
Smoldering and Flaming of Disc Wood Particles Under External Radiation: Autoignition and Size Effect
Authors: Wang Supan , Ding Pengfei , Lin Shaorun , Gong Junhui , Huang Xinyan 
Published: July 2021

Wildfires are global issues that cause severe damages to the society and environment. Wood particles and firebrands are the most common fuels in wildfires, but the size effect on the flaming and smoldering ignitions as well as the subsequent burning behavior is still poorly understood. In this work, a well-controlled experiment was performed to investigate smoldering and flaming ignitions of stationary disc-shaped wood particles with different diameters (25–60 mm) and thicknesses (15–25 mm) under varying radiant heat flux. The ignition difficulty, in terms of the minimum heat flux, increases from smoldering ignition to piloted flaming ignition and then to flaming autoignition. As the sample thickness increases, the minimum heat flux, ignition temperature, and burning duration for flaming autoignition all increase, while the peak burning flux decreases, but they are insensitive to the sample diameter. During ignition and burning processes, the disc particle is deformed due to the interaction between chemical reactions and thermomechanical stresses, especially for smoldering. The characteristic thickness of the smoldering front on wood is also found to be 10–15 mm. This study sheds light on the size effect on the ignition of wood particles by wildfire radiation and helps understand the interaction between flaming and smoldering wildfires.
Acute Hemodynamic Effect of Acetazolamide in Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension Whilst Breathing Normoxic and Hypoxic Gas: A Randomized Cross-Over Trial
Authors: Lichtblau Mona , Berlier Charlotte , Saxer Stéphanie , Carta Arcangelo F. , Mayer Laura , Groth Alexandra , Bader Patrick R. , Schneider Simon R. , Furian Michael , Schwarz Esther I. , Swenson Erik R. , Bloch Konrad E. , Ulrich Silvia 
Published: July 2021

Aims: To test the acute hemodynamic effect of acetazolamide in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) under ambient air and hypoxia.Methods: Patients with pulmonary arterial or chronic thromboembolic PH (PAH/CTEPH) undergoing right heart catheterization were included in this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, crossover trial. The main outcome, pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), further hemodynamics, blood- and cerebral oxygenation were measured 1 h after intravenous administration of 500 mg acetazolamide or placebo-saline on ambient air (normoxia) and at the end of breathing hypoxic gas (FIO2 0.15, hypoxia) for 15 min.Results: 24 PH-patients, 71% men, mean ± SD age 59 ± 14 years, BMI 28 ± 5 kg/m2, PVR 4.7 ± 2.1 WU participated. Mean PVR after acetazolamide vs. placebo was 5.5 ± 3.0 vs. 5.3 ± 3.0 WU; mean difference (95% CI) 0.2 (−0.2–0.6, p = 0.341). Heart rate was higher after acetazolamide (79 ± 12 vs. 77 ± 11 bpm, p = 0.026), pH was lower (7.40 ± 0.02 vs. 7.42 ± 0.03, p = 0.002) but PaCO2 and PaO2 remained unchanged while cerebral tissue oxygenation increased (71 ± 6 vs. 69 ± 6%, p = 0.017). In acute hypoxia, acetazolamide decreased PVR by 0.4 WU (0.0–0.9, p = 0.046) while PaO2 and PaCO2 were not changed. No adverse effects occurred.Conclusions: In patients with PAH/CTEPH, i.v. acetazolamide did not change pulmonary hemodynamics compared to placebo after 1 hour in normoxia but it reduced PVR after subsequent acute exposure to hypoxia. Our findings in normoxia do not suggest a direct acute pulmonary vasodilator effect of acetazolamide. The reduction of PVR during hypoxia requires further corroboration. Whether acetazolamide improves PH when given over a prolonged period by stimulating ventilation, increasing oxygenation, and/or altering vascular inflammation and remodeling remains to be investigated.
Point-Of-Care Capillary Refill Technology Improves Accuracy of Peripheral Perfusion Assessment
Authors: Sheridan David C. , Cloutier Robert L. , Samatham Ravi , Hansen Matthew L. 
Published: July 2021

Background: Peripheral perfusion assessment is used routinely at the bedside by measuring the capillary refill time (CRT). Recent clinical trials have shown evidence to its ability to recognize conditions with decreased end organ perfusion as well as guiding therapeutic interventions in sepsis. However, the current standard of physician assessment at the bedside has shown large variability. New technology can improve the precision and repeatability of CRT affecting translation of previous high impact research.Methods: This was a prospective, observational study in the intensive care unit and emergency department at a quaternary care hospital using a non-invasive finger sensor for CRT. The device CRT was compared to the gold standard of trained research personnel assessment of CRT as well as to providers clinically caring for the patient.Results: Pearson correlations coefficients were performed across 89 pairs of measurements. The Pearson correlation for the device CRT compared to research personnel CRT was 0.693. The Pearson correlation for the provider CRT compared to research personnel CRT was 0.359.Conclusions: New point-of-care technology shows great promise in the ability to improve peripheral perfusion assessment performed at the bedside in the emergency department triage and during active resuscitation. This standardized approach allows for better translation of prior research that is limited by the subjectivity of manual visual assessment of CRT.
Clinical Features and Long-Term Outcomes After Laparoscopic Surgery in Patients Co-existing With Endometriosis and Adenomyosis
Authors: Sun Ting-Ting , Li Xiao-Yan , Shi Jing-Hua , Wu Yu-Shi , Gu Zhi-Yue , Leng Jin-Hua 
Published: July 2021

Objective: To investigate the difference of clinical features and outcomes between EM patients with and without AM after following up for at least 6 years after surgery.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 358 EM patients who had a minimum of 6 years follow-up after laparoscopic cystectomy, which was performed by one single doctor at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2009 to April 2013. All women were divided into AM group and non-AM group and analysis was performed in preoperative characteristics, surgical findings and postoperative outcomes during follow-up.Results: A total of 358 EM patients were recruited, of which 142 (39.7%) were in the AM group and the rest 216 (60.3%) in the non-AM group. Between the two group, the mean age was 34.6 vs. 32.2 years (P &lt; 0.001). The mean operating time in the AM and non-AM group was 73.2 vs. 61.9 min (P &lt; 0.001). According to the revised AFS classification, the mean score of the two group were 60.3 vs. 45.5 (P &lt; 0.001). At the end of the follow-up, though the AM group was with higher rate of disease relapse, yet no significant difference was found between the two groups in statistical comparison (34/142 [23.9%] vs. 34/216 [15.7%], P = 0.053). With a minimum follow-up of 6 years after laparoscopic cystectomy, failed and successful pregnancy were seen in 107/142(75.4%) and 35/142 (24.6%) patients in the AM group vs. 114/216(52.8%) and 102/216 (47.2%) patients in the non-AM group (P &lt; 0.05). As for the successfully pregnant patients, live births, including spontaneous pregnancy and IVF-ET, were seen in 34/35 (97.1) vs. 99/102 (97.1) patients between AM and non-AM groups, while others ended in spontaneous abortion. No significant associations were found between the two groups in infertility, leiomyoma presence, the size of ovarian endometrioma, type of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) or type of recurrence (P &gt; 0.05).Conclusion: Compared with non-AM group, EM patients with concurrent AM may have higher age, longer mean operating time and higher mean AFS score. In terms of fertility outcomes, patients in the AM group were with lower likelihood of pregnancy after surgery during the long-time follow-up.
The Muscle Activation Differences in Post-Stroke Upper Limb Flexion Synergy Based on Spinal Cord Segments: A Preliminary Proof-of-Concept Study
Authors: Liu Gang , Chia Chin-hsuan , Wang Wei-ning , Cao Yue , Tian Shan , Shen Xue-yan , Chen Ying , Lu Rong-rong , Wu Jun-fa , Zhu Yu-lian , Wu Yi 
Published: July 2021

Objective: This study examined the activation difference of muscles innervated by cervical cord 5-6 (C5-C6) and cervical cord 8- thoracic cord 1 (C8-T1) in upper limb flexion synergy after stroke.Methods: Surface electromyography (sEMG) signals were collected during elbow flexion in stroke patients and healthy controls. The study compared normalized activation of two pairs of muscles that could cause similar joint movement but which dominated different spinal cord segments (clavicular part of the pectoralis major, PC vs. Sternocostal part of the pectoralis major, PS; Flexor carpi radialis, FCR vs. Flexor carpi ulnaris, FCU). In each muscle pair, one muscle was innervated by the same spinal cord segment (C5-C6), dominating the elbow flexion and the other was not. The comparison of the activation of the same muscle between patients and healthy controls was undertaken after standardization based on the activation of the biceps brachii in elbow flexion.Results: There was no difference between the PC and PS's normalized activation in healthy controls while the PC's normalized activation was higher than PS in stroke patients during elbow flexion. Similarly, there was no significant difference in normalized activation between FCR and FCU in healthy controls, and the same is true for stroke patients. However, the standardized activation of both FCR and FCU in stroke patients was significantly lower than that in healthy controls.Conclusion: After stroke, the activation of the distal muscles of the upper limb decreased significantly regardless of the difference of spinal cord segments; while the activation of the proximal muscles innervated by the same spinal cord segment (C5-C6) dominating the elbow flexion showed higher activation during flexion synergy. The difference in muscle activation based on spinal cord segments may be the reason for the stereotyped joint movement of upper limb flexion synergy.
SARS-CoV-2 Susceptibility and COVID-19 Mortality Among Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment: Cross-Sectional Analysis From Hospital Records in a Diverse US Metropolitan Area
Authors: Pan Alan P. , Meeks Jennifer , Potter Thomas , Masdeu Joseph C. , Seshadri Sudha , Smith Matthew Lee , Ory Marcia G. , Vahidy Farhaan S. 
Published: July 2021

Introduction: Persistent knowledge gaps exist as to the extent that preexisting cognitive impairment is a risk factor for susceptibility to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and mortality from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of adults tested for SARS-CoV-2 at a tertiary healthcare system. Cognitive impairment was identified utilizing diagnosis codes (mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, vascular, and other dementias) or cognitive impairment-specific medication use. Propensity score (PS) matched analyses were utilized to report odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for association of cognitive impairment with SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and COVID-19 mortality.Results: Between March-3rd and December-11th, 2020, 179,979 adults were tested, of whom 21,607 (12.0%) tested positive. We identified 6,364 individuals with preexisting cognitive impairment (mean age: 78.5 years, 56.8% females), among whom 843 (13.2%) tested positive and 139 (19.5%) of those hospitalized died. In the pre-PS matched cohort, cognitive impairment was significantly associated with increased SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility (OR, CI: 1.12, 1.04–1.21) and COVID-19 mortality (OR, CI: 2.54, 2.07–3.12). One-to-one matches were identified for 6,192 of 6,364 (97.3%) individuals with prior cognitive impairment and 687 of 712 (96.5%) hospitalized patients with prior cognitive impairment. In the fully balanced post-matched cohort, preexisting cognitive impairment was significantly associated with higher likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR, CI: 1.51, 1.35–1.70); however, cognitive impairment did not confer higher risk of COVID-19 mortality (OR, CI: 0.96, 0.73–1.25).Discussion: To mitigate the effects of healthcare catastrophes such as the COVID-19 pandemic, strategies for targeted prevention and risk-stratified comorbidity management are warranted among the vulnerable sub-population living with cognitive impairment.
Application of CT-Based Radiomics in Discriminating Pancreatic Cystadenomas From Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors Using Machine Learning Methods
Authors: Han Xuejiao , Yang Jing , Luo Jingwen , Chen Pengan , Zhang Zilong , Alu Aqu , Xiao Yinan , Ma Xuelei 
Published: July 2021

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study aimed at investigating the reliability of radiomics features extracted from contrast-enhanced CT in differentiating pancreatic cystadenomas from pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) using machine-learning methods.MethodsIn this study, a total number of 120 patients, including 66 pancreatic cystadenomas patients and 54 PNETs patients were enrolled. Forty-eight radiomic features were extracted from contrast-enhanced CT images using LIFEx software. Five feature selection methods were adopted to determine the appropriate features for classifiers. Then, nine machine learning classifiers were employed to build predictive models. The performance of the forty-five models was evaluated with area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and F1 score in the testing group.ResultsThe predictive models exhibited reliable ability of differentiating pancreatic cystadenomas from PNETs when combined with suitable selection methods. A combination of DC as the selection method and RF as the classifier, as well as Xgboost+RF, demonstrated the best discriminative ability, with the highest AUC of 0.997 in the testing group.ConclusionsRadiomics-based machine learning methods might be a noninvasive tool to assist in differentiating pancreatic cystadenomas and PNETs.
Correlation Between Prognostic Biomarker SLC1A5 and Immune Infiltrates in Various Types of Cancers Including Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Zhao Junsheng , Yang Zhongli , Tu Mingmin , Meng Wei , Gao Hainv , Li Ming D. , Li Lanjuan 
Published: July 2021

BackgroundSolute carrier family 1 member 5 (SLC1A5) is a major glutamine transporter and plays a key role in tumor growth. The main objectives of this study were to visualize the prognostic landscape of SLC1A5 in multiple cancers and determine the relations between SLC1A5 expression and tumor immunity.MethodsSLC1A5 expression and its effect on tumor prognosis were analyzed using multiple online tools Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, PrognoScan, and Kaplan-Meier plotter with their own datasets as well as the data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. The correlations between SLC1A5 and tumor immune infiltrates were determined via TIMER.ResultsSLC1A5 expression was significantly higher in several types of cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), compared with corresponding normal tissues. High SLC1A5 expression correlated with poor overall survival and with disease-free survival related to alcohol consumption. Moreover, SLC1A5 expression correlated positively with the numbers of tumor-infiltrating B cells, CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells in HCC and in lower-grade glioma (LGG). Also, SLC1A5 expression showed strong correlations with diverse immune marker sets in HCC and LGG, indicating its role in regulating tumor immunity.ConclusionsSLC1A5 represents a useful prognostic biomarker in multiple cancers, and its expression correlates highly with tumor immune-cell infiltration, especially in HCC and LGG.