bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Association of inflammatory cytokines with type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Song Siyuan , Ni Jing , Sun Yuqing , Pu Qiang , Zhang Li , Yan Qianhua , Yu Jiangyi 
Published: November 2024

ObjectivePrevious observational studies have suggested associations between various inflammatory cytokines with type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy. However, the causal association remains uncertain.MethodSummary statistics for type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy were obtained from a publicly available genome-wide association study. Data on inflammatory cytokines were sourced from a genome-wide association study on protein quantitative trait loci. The inverse variance-weighted method was applied as the primary method for causal inference. MR-Egger, weighted mode, and weighted median method were employed as supplementary analyses. Sensitivity analyses were performed to detect heterogeneity and potential horizontal pleiotropy in the study.ResultGenetic evidence indicated that elevated levels of fibroblast growth factor 19 levels promoted the occurrence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and increased concentrations of fibroblast growth factor 21 levels, C-C motif chemokine 19 levels, eotaxin levels, and interleukin-10 mitigated the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus, while type 2 diabetes mellitus did not exert a significant influence on said proteins. Elevated levels of tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 14 and TNF-related activation-induced cytokine were associated with an increased risk of diabetic nephropathy, and increased concentrations of interleukin-1-alpha and transforming growth factor-alpha were potentially correlated with a diminished risk of diabetic nephropathy. Sensitivity analyses further ensure the robustness of our findings.ConclusionMendelian randomization analysis highlights a causal association between inflammatory cytokines with type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy, offering valuable evidence and reference for future research.
Genetic and immunologic features associated with thrombocytopenia progression and poor prognosis in patients with myelofibrosis
Authors: Kim Tong Yoon , Eom Ki-Seong , Lee Ji Yoon , Lee Jong-Mi , Kim Myungshin , Lee Sung-Eun 
Published: November 2024

IntroductionMyelofibrosis, which includes primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and secondary myelofibrosis (SMF), can exhibit cytopenic features associated with poor outcomes; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Moreover, characterized by its aggressive nature and limited therapeutic options, myelofibrosis poses a major clinical challenge in hematology. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to identify genetic and immunologic features associated with thrombocytopenia progression and poor prognosis.MethodsThe study involved 226 patients with PMF or SMF, who were categorized into three groups: platelet count ≥ 100 × 109/L (PLT ≥ 100 group; n = 131), progression to thrombocytopenia (PROG group; n = 64), and platelet count &lt; 100 × 109/L (PLT &lt; 100 group; n = 31).ResultsSurvival analysis revealed 4-year overall survival rate of 57.7%, 89.4%, and 93.9% for the PLT &lt; 100, PROG, and PLT ≥ 100 groups, respectively. Time-dependent covariate analysis of the PLT ≥ 100 and PROG groups revealed inferior overall survival rate of the PROG group. Multivariate analysis indicated that progression to thrombocytopenia and ASXL1 and IDH1 mutations were associated with poor overall survival. Flow cytometry revealed fewer CD45RA+CD4+ T cells in the PROG group than in the PLT ≥ 100 group. ASXL1 mutations were more prevalent in the PROG group than in the other groups, correlating with a reduced number of CD45RA+CD4+ T cells.DiscussionASXL1 mutation and low CD45RA+CD4+ T-cell counts correlated with progression to thrombocytopenia. Our findings underscore the clinical significance of thrombocytopenia dynamics in MF progression and prognosis, with implications for patient management and therapeutic interventions.
The relationship between pain duration characteristics and pain intensity in herpes zoster-related pain: a single-center retrospective study
Authors: Wang Liu , Lan Xiaoxiao , Lan Zhixuan , Xu Shengrong , He Ruilin , Jiang Zongbin 
Published: November 2024

BackgroundThe varicella-zoster virus (VZV) can cause herpes zoster (HZ), which may progress to postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), leading to severe inflammatory responses and pain.ObjectiveThis study investigates the relationship between pain duration characteristics and pain intensity in patients with herpes zoster-related pain, hypothesizing that persistent pain correlates with higher pain intensity compared to intermittent pain.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, China. Data from patients treated for herpes zoster-related pain between January 2019 and February 2024 were analyzed. Pain intensity was measured using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS-11), and pain duration was categorized as intermittent or persistent. Multivariate regression models were used to assess the association between pain duration and intensity, adjusting for potential confounders.ResultsA total of 840 patients were included. Persistent pain was significantly associated with higher NRS-11 scores compared to intermittent pain (β = 0.71, 95% CI 0.50–0.91, p &lt; 0.001). Subgroup analyses showed that persistent pain was associated with higher pain intensity in both acute HZ and PHN patients (HZ: β = 0.71, 95% CI 0.45–0.96, p &lt; 0.001; PHN: β = 0.76, 95% CI 0.40–1.13, p &lt; 0.001). Inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count, were positively correlated with pain intensity.ConclusionPain duration significantly impacts pain intensity in HZ patients. Considering pain duration is crucial for effective pain management. Further research should explore the mechanisms underlying persistent pain to develop better treatment strategies.
Elevated metabolic score for visceral fat was associated with increased prevalence of gallstones in American adults: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Lin Hao , Shi Kexuan , Luo Shuang , Ye Wu , Cai Xiaoniao 
Published: November 2024

BackgroundMetabolic Visceral Fat Score (METS-VF) recently introduced is posited to be a superior metric for assessing visceral adipose tissues (VAT) compared to traditional obesity indexes. This study aims to elucidate the correlation between METS-VF and the incidence of gallstones.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) during the period from 2013 to 2020 were analyzed. And the correlation between METS-VF and the incidence of gallstones was explored through multivariate logistic regression analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, subgroup analysis and restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression.ResultsThis study included 5,975 participants, of whom 645 (10.8%) were gallstone formers. As the quartile range of METS-VF increased, a notable rise in the prevalence of gallstones was observed (3.2% vs. 7.4% vs. 12.1% vs. 20.6%, p &lt; 0.001). Logistic regression analyses indicated a significant positive correlation between METS-VF and the risk of gallstones (OR = 3.075, 95% CI: 2.158, 4.381). Subgroup analyses further revealed a stronger correlation between gallstones and METS-VF in subjects over 50 years old. RCS regression identified a non-linear positive correlation, with an inflection point at 6.698. Finally, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of METS-VF was significantly larger (AUC = 0.705, 95%: 0.685, 0.725) than those of traditional obesity indexes and other VAT surrogate markers.ConclusionThis study is the first to reveal a significant positive correlation between the prevalence of gallstones and METS-VF, with METS-VF outperforming other VAT surrogate markers in the diagnosis of gallstones.
Panaroma of microglia in traumatic brain injury: a bibliometric analysis and visualization study during 2000–2023
Authors: Zhang Yuhang , Deng Tingzhen , Ding Xiao , Ma Xingyuan , Wang Yatao , Yang Haijun , Ding Ruiwen , Wang Dawen , Li Haotian , Zheng Maohua 
Published: November 2024

BackgroundTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a critical global health concern characterized by elevated rates of both morbidity and mortality. The pathological and physiological changes after TBI are closely related to microglia. Microglia, the primary immune cells in the brain, are closely linked to the mechanisms and treatment of TBI. With increasing research in this area, this study employs bibliometric analysis to identify current research hotspots and predict future trends.ObjectiveWe decided to perform a bibliometric analysis to provide a comprehensive overview of the advancements in microglia research related to traumatic brain injury. We aim to offer researchers insights into current trends and future research directions.MethodWe collected all articles and reviews related to microglia and traumatic brain injury published between 2000 and 2023 from the Web of Science Core Collection. These records were analyzed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the R package “bibliometrix”.ResultsWe retrieved 665 publications from 25 countries, with the majority contributed by the United States and China. The number of publications on traumatic brain injury and microglia has been steadily increasing each year. Our analysis highlighted the Journal of Neurotrauma and the Journal of Neuroinflammation as the most influential journals in this field. Alan I. Faden and David J. Loane are recognized as leading contributors. Keyword analysis indicates that neuroinflammation, microglial polarization, and neurodegenerative diseases are pivotal areas for future research.ConclusionIn recent years, research on TBI-related microglia has proliferated, with current studies primarily focusing on microglial involvement in neuroinflammation, neurodegenerative changes, and microglial polarization following TBI. Since neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration are two hallmark features of TBI, targeting microglia in TBI treatment may become a central focus for future research.
Investigating neural markers of Alzheimer's disease in posttraumatic stress disorder using machine learning algorithms and magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Yakemow Gabriella , Kolesar Tiffany A. , Wright Natalie , Beheshti Iman , Choi Eun Hyung , Ryner Lawrence , Chaulk Sarah , Patel Ronak , Ko Ji Hyun 
Published: November 2024

IntroductionPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder caused by experiencing or witnessing traumatic events. Recent studies show that patients with PTSD have an increased risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), but there is currently no way to predict which patients will go on to develop AD. The objective of this study was to identify structural and functional neural changes in patients with PTSD that may contribute to the future development of AD.MethodsNeuroimaging (pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling [pCASL] and structural magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) and behavioral data for the current study (n = 67) were taken from our non-randomized open label clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03229915) for treatment-seeking individuals with PTSD (n = 40) and age-matched healthy controls (HC; n = 27). Only the baseline measures were utilized for this study. Mean cerebral blood flow (CBF) and gray matter (GM) volume were compared between groups. Additionally, we utilized two previously established machine learning-based algorithms, one representing AD-like brain activity (Machine learning-based AD Designation [MAD]) and the other focused on AD-like brain structural changes (AD-like Brain Structure [ABS]). MAD scores were calculated from pCASL data and ABS scores were calculated from structural T1-MRI images. Correlations between neuroimaging data (regional CBF, GM volume, MAD scores, ABS scores) and PTSD symptom severity scores measured by the clinician-administered PTSD scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) were assessed.ResultsDecreased CBF was observed in two brain regions (left caudate/striatum and left inferior parietal lobule/middle temporal lobe) in the PTSD group, compared to the HC group. Decreased GM volume was also observed in the PTSD group in the right temporal lobe (parahippocampal gyrus, middle temporal lobe), compared to the HC group. GM volume within the right temporal lobe cluster negatively correlated with CAPS-5 scores and MAD scores in the PTSD group.ConclusionResults suggest that patients with PTSD with reduced GM volume in the right temporal regions (parahippocampal gyrus) experienced greater symptom severity and showed more AD-like brain activity. These results show potential for early identification of those who may be at an increased risk for future development of dementia.
Partnership of I-ACT for children (US) and European pediatric clinical trial networks to facilitate pediatric clinical trials
Authors: Degraeuwe Eva , Hovinga Collin , De Maré Annelies , Fernandes Ricardo M. , Heaton Callie , Nuytinck Lieve , Persijn Laura , Raes Ann , Vande Walle Johan , Turner Mark A. 
Published: November 2024

Background/aimsDue to a lack of standard pediatric prescribing information, medicines are often used in a dosage form or for an indication that has not been investigated in children. Pediatric clinical trial research networks aim to facilitate the timely availability of innovative drugs for children by developing standardized trial facilitation and conduct processes. This paper aims to assess the (pre)feasibility duration and characteristics of a US-sponsored clinical trial, in collaboration with I-ACT for Children, for distribution across European sites via European clinical research facilitation networks.MethodA transatlantic partnership between the Belgian Pediatric Clinical Research Network (BPCRN,) and I-ACT for Children conducted feasibilities in Europe for industry-sponsored early-stage pharmacological clinical trials between 2019 and 2022. The collaboration recorded time to event for key elements of feasibility, influences on successful feasibility, and benefits of collaboration.ResultsTrials were conducted across 17 European countries with 202 participating hospital sites. The initial phase, the pre-feasibility questionnaire had a 70% response rate from 142 sites, and sites took a median 38 days (IQR 20 days) to complete the questionnaire for five trials. All responses underwent a quality control, addressing inaccuracies in site capabilities and recruitment. The first trial's CDA and feasibility questionnaire were completed in roughly 2 months for 7 countries. Time to completion was affected by precontracted sites, limited scope of studies, changes in timelines, COVID-related disruptions, and a learning curve for collaboration.ConclusionCollaboration between European collaborative national networks and US-network I-ACT for Children has supported site identification of global pediatric clinical trials. This illustrates one method for the importance of early engagement with sponsors and implementation of effective communication systems.
Investigation of the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Houpo Mahuang Decoction on a mouse model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Li Shanlan , Dai Ziqi , Zhang Tong , Guo Zhuoqian , Gao Feng , Cheng Xuehao , An Jin , Lin Yixuan , Xiong Xiaomin , Wang Nan , Jiang Guanghui , Xu Bing , Lei Haimin 
Published: November 2024

BackgroundWith a growing global population affected by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), the traditional Chinese herbal formula Houpo Mahuang Decoction (HPMHD) has been used for centuries to address respiratory ailments. While studies have demonstrated the therapeutic benefits of HPMHD in COPD, the effective active ingredients, potential targets, and molecular mechanisms underlying its effectiveness remained unclear.MethodsThe mechanisms of action of certain HPMHD components, targets, and pathways for the treatment of COPD were predicted using a network pharmacology method. We induced a COPD mouse model using porcine pancreatic elastase and evaluated the pathological changes and healing processes through HE and Masson staining. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the levels of IL-6 and TNF-ɑ. RNA-Seq analysis was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the lungs of normal, control, and treated mice, revealing the biological pathways enriched by HPMHD in COPD treatment. Finally, the expression of DEGs was verified using Western blotting and RT-qPCR.ResultsHPMHD effectively alleviated pathological symptoms and improved COPD in mice by modulating the IL-17 signaling pathway. Treatment with HPMHD improved lung morphology and structure, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, and inhibited IL-6 and TNF-ɑ levels. Network pharmacology and transcriptomics further revealed the mechanism, indicating that the IL-17 signaling pathway might been instrumental in the inhibitory effect of HPMHD on mouse model of COPD. Subsequent experiments, including protein blotting and RT-qPCR analysis, confirmed the activation of the IL-17 signaling pathway by HPMHD in the COPD mouse model, further supporting the initial findings.ConclusionHPMHD was shown to alleviate COPD and reduce lung inflammation in mice, potentially through the activation of the IL-17 signaling pathway. This study provides a novel direction for the development of COPD drugs.
MS-YOLOv8: multi-scale adaptive recognition and counting model for peanut seedlings under salt-alkali stress from remote sensing
Authors: Zhang Fan , Zhao Longgang , Wang Dongwei , Wang Jiasheng , Smirnov Igor , Li Juan 
Published: November 2024

IntroductionThe emergence rate of crop seedlings is an important indicator for variety selection, evaluation, field management, and yield prediction. To address the low recognition accuracy caused by the uneven size and varying growth conditions of crop seedlings under salt-alkali stress, this research proposes a peanut seedling recognition model, MS-YOLOv8.MethodsThis research employs close-range remote sensing from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to rapidly recognize and count peanut seedlings. First, a lightweight adaptive feature fusion module (called MSModule) is constructed, which groups the channels of input feature maps and feeds them into different convolutional layers for multi-scale feature extraction. Additionally, the module automatically adjusts the channel weights of each group based on their contribution, improving the feature fusion effect. Second, the neck network structure is reconstructed to enhance recognition capabilities for small objects, and the MPDIoU loss function is introduced to effectively optimize the detection boxes for seedlings with scattered branch growth.ResultsExperimental results demonstrate that the proposed MS-YOLOv8 model achieves an AP50 of 97.5% for peanut seedling detection, which is 12.9%, 9.8%, 4.7%, 5.0%, 11.2%, 5.0%, and 3.6% higher than Faster R-CNN, EfficientDet, YOLOv5, YOLOv6, YOLOv7, YOLOv8, and RT-DETR, respectively.DiscussionThis research provides valuable insights for crop recognition under extreme environmental stress and lays a theoretical foundation for the development of intelligent production equipment.
Effect of planting methods and tillage practices on soil health and maize productivity
Authors: Gao Peng Ju , Abbas Hasnain , Li Fa Qiao , Tang Guo Rong , Lv Ju Zhi , Zhou Xun Bo 
Published: November 2024

IntroductionTo increase the crop yield, the amount of agrochemicals used in field has increased in recent years. Moreover, indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers has led to soil deterioration and compaction. Inclusion of straw and tillage practices to the field could play an important role in improving the soil quality and crop yield. Therefore, we hypothesized that combination of straw return and different tillage practices would result in improvement in soil health and crop productivity.MethodsTherefore an experiment was conducted a split plot design during 2018-2022. They were comprised of traditional planting with no straw return and straw return, accompanied by four different tillage methods: control (no tillage), rotary tillage (25 cm tillage depth), subsoiling (35 cm tillage depth), and subsoiling plus rotary tillage (35 + 25 cm tillage depth).ResultsResults showed that subsoiling along with rotary tillage enhanced soil total nitrogen (TN) by 9.0%, soil organic carbon (SOC) 7.5%, soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) 6.8%, soil catalase (S-CAT) 9.6%, soil urease (S-UE) 4.1%, soil cellulase (S-CL) 14.5%, soil sucrase (S-SC) 10.8% and maize yield 3.0% compared to no tillage.DiscussionCorrelation analysis showed that (i) maize yield was significantly and positively correlated with S-SC, S-CL, S-UE, SOC, and TN. (ii) S-SC was significantly and positively correlated with TN, SOC, and MBC. (iii) TN was significantly and positively correlated with S-UE, and SOC was significantly and positively correlated with S-SC. It has been concluded that straw return coupled with subsoiling and rotary tillage is an appropriate approach to enrich soil nutrients, enzyme activities, and maize yield.
Association between stressful life events and depression, anxiety, and quality of life among urban adolescents and young adults in Latin America
Authors: Diez-Canseco Francisco , Carbonel Adriana , Bernabe-Ortiz Antonio , Olivar Natividad , Gómez-Restrepo Carlos , Toyama Mauricio , Uribe-Restrepo José Miguel , Brusco Luis Ignacio , Hidalgo-Padilla Liliana , Ramirez-Meneses Daniela , Carbonetti Fernando Luis , Ariza-Salazar Karen , Sureshkumar Diliniya Stanislaus , Fung Catherine , Priebe Stefan 
Published: November 2024

BackgroundLatin American youth have a high prevalence of mental health disorders and face major socioeconomic and public safety problems. This study assesses the association between stressful life events (SLEs) and depression, anxiety, and quality of life among adolescents and young adults from deprived neighbourhoods of Latin America.MethodsThe sample consisted of 2,402 participants, between adolescents (15–16 years) and young adults (20–24 years), from Bogotá (Colombia), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and Lima (Peru), assessed in 2021–2022 and recruited in education and community settings and social media. We evaluated the most frequent recent and distant SLEs (occurred in the previous year and more than a year ago, respectively), the relationship between SLEs and severity of depression (PHQ-8), anxiety (GAD-7), and quality of life (MANSA), and we tested for differences by gender and age group.ResultsThe most common recent and distant SLEs were related to public safety issues and financial distress. Accidents and school suspensions were more frequent among men, and sexual harassment and bullying among women. Every additional reported recent SLE increased the odds of mild, moderate, and severe depression (18, 17, and 25%, respectively) and anxiety (10, 17, and 21%, respectively) symptoms. Similar trends were found with distant SLEs and depression (8, 9, and 11% for mild, moderate, and severe symptoms, respectively) and anxiety (9, 11, and 12%, respectively). Furthermore, a higher number of recent and distant SLEs were associated with lower quality of life (β = −0.05, p &lt; 0.001, 95% CI [−0.06, −0.04] and β = −0.04, p &lt; 0.001, 95% CI [−0.05, −0.03], respectively). The relationship between mental distress and quality of life of recent SLEs seems stronger than the one from distant SLEs, and recent SLEs may have a higher impact on adolescents’ mental health compared with young adults.ConclusionBoth recent and distant SLEs are related to mental distress and quality of life. Policies and programmes should aim to enhance public and health safety, as well as improve individual, family, and community protective factors that could mitigate the effect of SLEs on Latin American youth.