bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Early Criteria for the Diagnosis of Optic Neuritis in the Setting of Davic’s Disease
Authors: Kamilov Kh. M. , Kasimova M. S. , Khamraeva G. Kh. 
Published: July 2021

Background. Optic neuritis is the first symptom of Davic’s disease in more than half of cases. Differential diagnosis of optic neuritis in the clinical practice is complicated due to the uniformity of the clinical pattern of inflammatory and demyelinating optic neuritis in the early stages of the disease. The approach to the management of patients with Davic’s disease is varied and requires a precise differentiation at the initial stages of its development.Purpose. To determine early objective criteria for diagnosing the optic neuritis in the setting of Davic’s disease.Materials and methods. We observed 31 patients (51 eyes), while the control group consisted of 12 healthy individuals (12 eyes). Research methods were both standard ophthalmic and specialized – optical coherence tomography, visual evoked potential test, magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spinal cord.Results. In patients with optic neuritis in the setting of Davic’s disease, optical coherence tomography revealed a smaller area of the optic nerve disc and neuroretinal belt as well as a decrease in macular volume and macular thickness. A reduction of the retinal ganglion cell complex and the inner plexiform layer was also revealed.Conclusion. At the initial stages of Davic’s disease, it is necessary to conduct optical coherence tomography of the retina, perform visual evoked potential test as well as magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spinal cord. Appropriate treatment at an early stage of the disease can reduce the rates of axonal degeneration and optic disc atrophy development.
Condrosarcoma mesenquimal en región pectoral, reporte de caso
Authors: Ortega Cedeño John , Solórzano Pérez Evelyn 
Published: July 2021

Introducción: El condrosarcoma mesenquimal extraesquelético (CME), corresponde al 1% de todos los tumores malignos de los tejidos blandos. Se localizan principalmente en la región de la cabeza y cuello, sobre todo en la órbita, y en la duramadre del cráneo, seguida de las extremidades inferiores particularmente a nivel del muslo. La ubicación pectoral es rara, motivo de reporte.
Reporte de caso: Paciente hombre de 38 años quien desarrolla un nódulo de aproximadamente 2 cm de diámetro localizado en región pectoral derecha con dolor mínimo a la palpación y crecimiento rápido. Dos meses después, al momento la de resección, el nódulo mide 7.5x 6.5 x 3.5 cm, y pesa 106g. Presenta aspecto lobulado, color café grisáceo, al corte es de consistencia cauchosa y superficie blanquecina nodular con áreas centrales de aspecto mineralizado/calcificado. Se procesa 6 cortes de parafina y se diagnostica como condrosarcoma mesenquimal (CM).
Evolución: El paciente fue egresado y está en control por consulta externa no ha desarrollado recidivas hasta el momento.
Conclusiones: El crecimiento acelerado de una masa de consistencia cartilaginosa se correlacionó en este paciente con la presencia de un condrosarcoma mesenquimal extraesquelético.
Astragaloside IV Ameliorates Myocardial Infarction Induced Apoptosis and Restores Cardiac Function
Authors: Sun Chuang , Zeng Guangwei , Wang Tingting , Ren He , An Huixian , Lian Cheng , Liu Jing , Guo Li , Li Wei 
Published: July 2021

BackgroundType 2 diabetes mellitus increases the risk of cardiovascular disease including myocardial infarction (MI). Inflammation and apoptosis have been implicated in the pathophysiology of MI. In the present study, the effects of astragaloside IV (AS-IV) on MI in diabetic mice were evaluated.MethodsHigh glucose/high fat (HG/HF) and hypoxia culture condition were established to mimic diabetic condition. After administration of AS-IV to H9c2 myocytes, the cell apoptosis, viability, and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways were detected. MI was induced in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. After administration of AS-IV to mice, cardiac function, cardiac fibrosis, inflammation, and activation of MAPK signaling pathway were detected.ResultsAstragaloside IV treatment significantly inhibited HG/HF and hypoxia-induced apoptosis of H9c2. AS-IV inhibited activation of JNK and p38 signaling pathway while promoting the activation of EKR signaling pathway. AS-IV treatment rescued cardiac function, suppressed cardiac fibrosis and inflammation, and differently regulated the activation of MAPK signaling pathways.ConclusionAstragaloside IV prevented apoptosis and restored cardiac function in MI, which may be due to the regulation of MAPK signaling pathway in diabetes.
Recent Progress on NIR-II Photothermal Therapy
Authors: Zhang Yunguang , Zhang Siyu , Zhang Zihan , Ji Lingling , Zhang Jiamei , Wang Qihao , Guo Tian , Ni Simin , Cai Ru , Mu Xiaoyu , Long Wei , Wang Hao 
Published: July 2021

Photothermal therapy is a very promising treatment method in the field of cancer therapy. The photothermal nanomaterials in near-infrared region (NIR-I, 750-900 nm) attracts extensive attention in recent years because of the good biological penetration of NIR light. However, the penetration depth is still not enough for solid tumors due to high tissue scattering. The light in the second near-infrared region (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) allows deeper tissue penetration, higher upper limit of radiation and greater tissue tolerance than that in the NIR-I, and it shows greater application potential in photothermal conversion. This review summarizes the photothermal properties of Au nanomaterials, two-dimensional materials, metal oxide sulfides and polymers in the NIR-II and their application prospects in photothermal therapy. It will arouse the interest of scientists in the field of cancer treatment as well as nanomedicine.
The Discriminatory Ability of Renalase and Biomarkers of Cardiac Remodeling for the Prediction of Ischemia in Chronic Heart Failure Patients With the Regard to the Ejection Fraction
Authors: Stojanovic Dijana , Mitic Valentina , Stojanovic Miodrag , Petrovic Dejan , Ignjatovic Aleksandra , Milojkovic Maja , Dunjic Olivera , Milenkovic Jelena , Bojanic Vladmila , Deljanin Ilic Marina 
Published: July 2021

Background: Renalase has been implicated in chronic heart failure (CHF); however, nothing is known about renalase discriminatory ability and prognostic evaluation. The aims of the study were to assess whether plasma renalase may be validated as a predictor of ischemia in CHF patients stratified to the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and to determine its discriminatory ability coupled with biomarkers representing a range of heart failure (HF) pathophysiology: brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), soluble suppressor of tumorigenicity (sST2), galectin-3, growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15), syndecan-1, and cystatin C.Methods: A total of 77 CHF patients were stratified according to the LVEF and were subjected to exercise stress testing. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed, and the areas under curves (AUC) were determined, whereas the calibration was evaluated using the Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic. A DeLong test was performed to compare the AUCs of biomarkers.Results: Independent predictors for ischemia in the total HF cohort were increased plasma concentrations: BNP (p = 0.008), renalase (p = 0.012), sST2 (p = 0.020), galectin-3 (p = 0.018), GDF-15 (p = 0.034), and syndecan-1 (p = 0.024), whereas after adjustments, only BNP (p = 0.010) demonstrated predictive power. In patients with LVEF &lt;45% (HFrEF), independent predictors of ischemia were BNP (p = 0.001), renalase (p &lt; 0.001), sST2 (p = 0.004), galectin-3 (p = 0.003), GDF-15 (p = 0.001), and syndecan-1 (p &lt; 0.001). The AUC of BNP (0.837) was statistically higher compared to those of sST2 (DeLong test: p = 0.042), syndecan-1 (DeLong: p = 0.022), and cystatin C (DeLong: p = 0.022). The AUCs of renalase (0.753), galectin-3 (0.726), and GDF-15 (0.735) were similar and were non-inferior compared to BNP, regarding ischemia prediction. In HFrEF patients, the AUC of BNP (0.980) was statistically higher compared to those of renalase (DeLong: p &lt; 0.001), sST2 (DeLong: p &lt; 0.004), galectin-3 (DeLong: p &lt; 0.001), GDF-15 (DeLong: p = 0.001), syndecan-1 (DeLong: p = 0.009), and cystatin C (DeLong: p = 0.001). The AUC of renalase (0.814) was statistically higher compared to those of galectin-3 (DeLong: p = 0.014) and GDF-15 (DeLong: p = 0.046) and similar to that of sST2. No significant results were obtained in the patients with LVEF &gt;45%.Conclusion: Plasma renalase concentration provided significant discrimination for the prediction of ischemia in patients with CHF and appeared to have similar discriminatory potential to that of BNP. Although further confirmatory studies are warranted, renalase seems to be a relevant biomarker for ischemia prediction, implying its potential contribution to ischemia-risk stratification.
Effects of Vitamin D and Dexamethasone on Lymphocyte Proportions and Their Associations With Serum Concentrations of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3In Vitro in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis or Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Cho Eun Bin , Shin Jong Hwa , Kwon Soonwook , Kim Juhyeon , Seok Jin Myoung , Kim Byoung Joon , Min Ju-Hong 
Published: July 2021

BackgroundClear associations have been found between vitamin D deficiency and several autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the benefits of vitamin D supplementation on disease management remain a matter of debate.Objective and MethodsPatients with MS (N=12) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD; N=12) were enrolled along with 15 healthy controls. Changes in lymphocyte subset proportions during stimulation of their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with the active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), and correlations with serum concentrations of the vitamin D precursor 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (serum 25(OH)D3) were explored. The impact of 1,25(OH)2D3 stimulation on the expression of vitamin-D-responsive genes in immune cells was also investigated.ResultsIn both MS and NMOSD, stimulation of PBMCs with 1,25(OH)2D3 followed by steroid suppressed the proliferation of total lymphocytes and T cells. The ratio of CD19+CD27+ memory B cells (Bmem) to all B cells after stimulation with 1,25(OH)2D3 was negatively correlated with serum 25(OH)D3 in MS (Spearman’s ρ=–0.594, p=0.042), but positively correlated in NMOSD (Pearson’s r = 0.739, p=0.006). However, there was no relationship between the ratio of Bmem to CD19+CD24+CD38+ regulatory B cells and serum 25(OH)D3 in either MS or NMOSD. In addition, the level of 1,25(OH)2D3-induced CYP24A1 mRNA expression in PBMCs was significantly and negatively correlated with serum 25(OH)D3 (for ΔCT, r=0.744, p=0.014) in MS.ConclusionThese findings suggest a beneficial impact of stimulation of PBMCs with vitamin D followed by steroid on the T-cell population. The association between patient serum 25(OH)D3 and the proportion of Bmem under immune-cell stimulation differed between MS and NMOSD. Further investigations are warranted with larger patient populations.
Healthy Patients Are Not the Best Controls for Microbiome-Based Clinical Studies: Example of Sjögren’s Syndrome in a Systematic Review
Authors: Doaré Elise , Héry-Arnaud Geneviève , Devauchelle-Pensec Valérie , Alegria Guillermo Carvajal 
Published: July 2021

IntroductionIt has been hypothesized that gut and oral dysbiosis may contribute to the development of primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS). The aim of this systematic review was to assemble available data regarding the oral and gut microbiota in pSS and to compare them to data from healthy individuals and patients with dry symptoms without a diagnosis of Sjögren’s syndrome or lupus disease to identify dysbiosis and discuss the results.MethodologyUsing the PRISMA guidelines, we systematically reviewed studies that compared the oral and gut microbiota of Sjögren’s patients and controls. The PubMed database and Google Scholar were searched.ResultsTwo-hundred and eighty-nine studies were found, and 18 studies were included: 13 referred to the oral microbiota, 4 referred to the gut microbiota, and 1 referred to both anatomical sites. The most frequent controls were healthy volunteers and patients with sicca symptoms. The most common analysis method used was 16S-targeted metagenomics. The results were mostly heterogeneous, and the results regarding diversity were not always in accordance. Dysbiosis in pSS was not confirmed, and reduced salivary secretion seems to explain more microbial changes than the underlying disease.ConclusionThese heterogeneous results might be explained by the lack of a standardized methodology at each step of the process and highlight the need for guidelines. Our review provides evidence that sicca patients seem to be more relevant than healthy subjects as a control group.
Prognostic Value of an Immunohistochemical Signature in Patients With Head and Neck Mucosal Melanoma
Authors: Xu Qing-Qing , Li Qing-Jie , Huang Cheng-Long , Cai Mu-Yan , Zhang Mei-Fang , Yin Shao-Han , Lu Li-Xia , Chen Lei 
Published: July 2021

PurposeWe aimed to develop a prognostic immunohistochemistry (IHC) signature for patients with head and neck mucosal melanoma (MMHN).MethodsIn total, 190 patients with nonmetastatic MMHN with complete clinical and pathological data before treatment were included in our retrospective study.ResultsWe extracted five IHC markers associated with overall survival (OS) and then constructed a signature in the training set (n=116) with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model. The validation set (n=74) was further built to confirm the prognostic significance of this classifier. We then divided patients into high- and low-risk groups according to the IHC score. In the training set, the 5-year OS rate was 22.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 11.2%- 43.2%) for the high-risk group and 54.1% (95% CI: 41.8%-69.9%) for the low-risk group (P&lt;0.001), and in the validation set, the 5-year OS rate was 38.1% (95% CI: 17.9%-81.1%) for the high-risk group and 43.1% (95% CI: 30.0%-61.9%) for the low-risk group (P=0.26). Multivariable analysis revealed that IHC score, T stage, and primary tumor site were independent variables for predicting OS (all P&lt;0.05). We developed a nomogram incorporating clinicopathological risk factors (primary site and T stage) and the IHC score to predict 3-, 5-, and 10-year OS.ConclusionsA nomogram was generated and confirmed to be of clinical value. Our IHC classifier integrating five IHC markers could help clinicians make decisions and determine optimal treatments for patients with MMHN.
Dynamic Observation of Autophagy and Transcriptome Profiles in a Mouse Model of Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis
Authors: Wang Yani , Hu Siqi , Shen Lisha , Liu Song , Wan Linyan , Yang Shuhui , Hou Mengjie , Tian Xinlun , Zhang Hongbing , Xu Kai-Feng 
Published: July 2021

Pulmonary fibrosis is a group of progressive, fibrotic, and fatal lung diseases, and the role of autophagy in pulmonary fibrosis is controversial. In the current research, we dynamically observed a bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis mouse model after 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days and investigated the expression of autophagy markers. We found that autophagy markers were not significantly changed on the indicated days in the mouse lung tissue. Then, RNA-Seq was used to analyze the gene expression and associated functions and pathways in fibrotic lung tissue on different days post-bleomycin. In addition, short time series expression miner (STEM) analysis was performed to explore the temporal post-bleomycin gene expression. Through STEM, continually up- or downregulated profiles did not demonstrate the critical role of autophagy in the development of fibrosis. Furthermore, gene ontology (GO) annotations showed that continually upregulated profiles were mainly related to fibrosis synthesis, extracellular space, and inflammation, while enriched pathways were mainly related to the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, ECM–receptor interactions, and focal adhesion signaling pathway. For continually downregulated profiles, GO annotations mainly involved sarcomere organization, muscle contraction, and muscle fiber development. The enriched KEGG signaling pathways were the cAMP signaling pathway, cGMP-PKG signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway, and cardiac muscle contraction. Moreover, we analyzed autophagy-related genes’ expression in specific cells from a publicly available database of three human and one animal study of pulmonary fibrosis using single-cell sequencing technology. All results consistently demonstrated no critical role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. In summary, autophagy may not critically and consistently change during the development of pulmonary fibrosis at different stages post-bleomycin in a mouse model. These continually up- or downregulated profiles, including gene profiles, and the corresponding functions and pathways may provide mechanistic insights into IPF therapy.
Cold-Induced RNA-Binding Protein Promotes Glucose Metabolism and Reduces Apoptosis by Increasing AKT Phosphorylation in Mouse Skeletal Muscle Under Acute Cold Exposure
Authors: Liu Yang , Liu Peng , Hu Yajie , Cao Yu , Lu Jingjing , Yang Yuying , Lv Hongming , Lian Shuai , Xu Bin , Li Shize 
Published: July 2021

The main danger of cold stress to animals in cold regions is systemic metabolic changes and protein synthesis inhibition. Cold-induced RNA-binding protein is a cold shock protein that is rapidly up-regulated under cold stimulation in contrast to the inhibition of most proteins and participates in multiple cellular physiological activities by regulating targets. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the possible mechanism of CIRP-mediated glucose metabolism regulation and survival promotion in skeletal muscle after acute cold exposure. Skeletal muscle and serum from mice were obtained after 0, 2, 4 and 8 h of acute hypothermia exposure. Subsequently, the changes of CIRP, metabolism and apoptosis were examined. Acute cold exposure increased energy consumption, enhanced glycolysis, increased apoptosis, and up-regulated CIRP and phosphorylation of AKT. In addition, CIRP overexpression in C2C12 mouse myoblasts at each time point under 37°C and 32°C mild hypothermia increased AKT phosphorylation, enhanced glucose metabolism, and reduced apoptosis. CIRP knockdown by siRNA interference significantly reduced the AKT phosphorylation of C2C12 cells. Wortmannin inhibited the AKT phosphorylation of skeletal muscle after acute cold exposure, thereby inhibiting glucose metabolism and aggravating apoptosis. Taken together, acute cold exposure up-regulates CIRP in mouse skeletal muscle, which regulates glucose metabolism and maintains energy balance in skeletal muscle cells through the AKT signaling pathway, thus slowing down the apoptosis of skeletal muscle cells.
Combination of Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata and Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma Alleviates Learning and Memory Impairment in Scopolamine-Treated Mice by Regulating Synaptic-Related Proteins
Authors: Ning Funan , Chen Lvyi , Chen Linlin , Liu Xin , Zhu Yao , Hu Jiayi , Xie Guangjing , Xia Jiaxuan , Shi Kun , Lan Zhou , Wang Ping 
Published: July 2021

Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata (ZhiHeShouWu, PMRP) and Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (ShiChangPu, ATR) and their traditional combination (PA) are frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine to prevent and treat Alzheimer disease (AD) based on the theory that PMRP tonifies the kidney and ATR dissipates phlegm. However, the components of PA and their mechanisms of action are not known. The present study analyzed the active components of PA, and investigated the protective effect of PA against cognitive impairment induced by scopolamine in mice along with the underlying mechanism.The aqueous extract of PA was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) and gas chromatography (GC)-MS in order to identify the major components. To evaluate the protective effect of PA against cognitive dysfunction, mice were orally administered PA, PMRP, or ATR for 30 days before treatment with scopolamine. Learning and memory were assessed in mice with the Morris water maze test; neurotransmitter levels in the hippocampus were analyzed by HPLC-MS; and the expression of synapse-related proteins in the hippocampus was detected by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Eight active compounds in PA and rat plasma were identified by HPLC-MS and GC-MS. Plasma concentrations of 2,3,5,4′-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-d-glucoside, emodin, α-asarone, and asarylaldehyde were increased following PA administration; meanwhile, gallic acid, emodin-8-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, β-asarone, and cis-methyl isoeugenol concentrations were similar in rats treated with PA, PMRP, and ATR. In scopolamine-treated mice, PA increased the concentrations of neurotransmitters in the hippocampus, activated the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) signaling pathway, and increased the expression of p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (p90RSK) and postsynaptic density (PSD)95 proteins. Thus, PA alleviates cognitive deficits by enhancing synaptic-related proteins, suggesting that it has therapeutic potential for the treatment of aging-related diseases such as AD.