bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cystathionine γ‐lyase contributes to exacerbation of periodontal destruction in experimental periodontitis under hyperglycemia
Authors: Song Danni , He Jiangfeng , Cheng Tianfan , Jin Lijian , Li Sijin , Chen Beibei , Li Yongming , Liao Chongshan 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundDiabetes is one of the major inflammatory comorbidities of periodontitis via 2‐way interactions. Cystathionine γ‐lyase (CTH) is a pivotal endogenous enzyme synthesizing hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and CTH/H2S is crucially implicated in modulating inflammation in various diseases. This study aimed to explore the potential role of CTH in experimental periodontitis under a hyperglycemic condition.MethodsCTH‐silenced and normal human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs) were cultured in a high glucose and Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (P.g‐LPS) condition. The effects of CTH on hPDLCs were assessed by Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK8), real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR), and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The model of experimental periodontitis under hyperglycemia was established on both Cth−/− and wild‐type (WT) mice, and the extent of periodontal destruction was assessed by micro‐CT, histology, RNA‐Seq, Western blot, tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining and immunostaining.ResultsCTH mRNA expression increased in hPDLCs in response to increasing concentration of P.g‐LPS stimulation in a high glucose medium. With reference to WT mice, Cth−/− mice with experimental periodontitis under hyperglycemia exhibited reduced bone loss, decreased leukocyte infiltration and hindered osteoclast formation, along with reduced expression of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) in periodontal tissue. RNA‐seq‐enriched altered NF‐κB pathway signaling in healthy murine gingiva with experimental periodontitis mice under hyperglycemia. Accordingly, phosphorylation of p65 (P‐p65) was alleviated in CTH‐silenced hPDLCs, leading to decreased expression of IL6 and TNF. CTH knockdown inhibited activation of nuclear factor kappa‐B (NF‐κB) pathway and decreased production of proinflammatory cytokines under high glucose and P.g‐LPS treatment.ConclusionThe present findings suggest the potential of CTH as a therapeutic target for tackling periodontitis in diabetic patients.
Local practice variations and payer differences underlie state‐wide disparities in oncoplastic breast surgery
Authors: Yang Alan Z. , Hyland Colby J. , Miller Amitai S. , Killelea Brigid K. , Starr Bryce F. , Broyles Justin M. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundLittle is known about disparities in oncoplastic breast surgery delivery.MethodsThe Massachusetts All‐Payer Claims Database was queried for patients who received lumpectomy for a diagnosis of breast cancer. Oncoplastic surgery was defined as adjacent tissue transfer, complex trunk repair, reduction mammoplasty, mastopexy, flap‐based reconstruction, prosthesis insertion, or unspecified breast reconstruction after lumpectomy.ResultsWe identified 18 748 patients who underwent lumpectomy between 2016 and 2020. Among those, 3140 patients underwent immediate oncoplastic surgery and 436 patients underwent delayed oncoplastic surgery. Eighty‐one percent of patients who underwent oncoplastic surgery did so in the same county as they underwent a lumpectomy. However, the relative frequency of oncoplastic surgery varied significantly among counties. In multivariable regression, public insurance status (odds ratio: 0.87, 95% confidence interval: 0.80–0.95, p = 0.002) was associated with lower odds of undergoing oncoplastic surgery, even after adjusting for macromastia, other comorbidities, and county of lumpectomy. Average payments for lumpectomy with oncoplastic surgery were more than twice as high from private insurers ($840 vs. $1942, p < 0.001).ConclusionDisparities in the receipt of oncoplastic surgery were related to differences in local practice patterns and the type of insurance patients held. Expanding services across counties and considering billing reform may help reduce these disparities.
Efficacy of using autologous cells with graft substitutes for spinal fusion surgery: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of clinical outcomes and imaging features
Authors: Salamanna F. , Contartese D. , Tedesco G. , Ruffilli A. , Manzetti M. , Viroli G. , Traversari M. , Faldini C. , Giavaresi G. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractOver the past several decades, there has been a notable increase in the total number of spinal fusion procedures worldwide. Advanced spinal fusion techniques, surgical approaches, and new alternatives in grafting materials and implants, as well as autologous cellular therapies, have been widely employed for treating spinal diseases. While the potential of cellular therapies to yield better clinical results is appealing, supportive data are needed to confirm this claim. This meta‐analysis aims to compare the radiographic and clinical outcomes between graft substitutes with autologous cell therapies and graft substitutes alone. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for studies comparing graft substitutes with autologous cell therapies and graft substitutes alone up to February 2024. The risk of bias of the included studies was evaluated using the Downs and Black checklist. The following outcomes were extracted for comparison: fusion success, complications/adverse events, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score. Thirteen studies involving 836 patients were included, with 7 studies considered for the meta‐analysis. Results indicated that the use of graft substitutes with autologous cell therapies demonstrated higher fusion success rates at 3, 6, and 12 months, lower VAS score at 6 months, and lower ODI score at 3, 6, and 12 months. The complication rate was similar between graft substitutes with autologous cell therapies and graft substitutes alone. Although the current literature remains limited, this meta‐analysis suggests that the incorporation of cellular therapies such as bone marrow and platelet derivatives with graft substitutes is associated with a higher fusion rate and significant improvements in functional status and pain following spinal fusion. Future well‐designed randomized clinical trials are needed to definitively assess the clinical effectiveness of cellular therapies in spinal fusion.
The genetics of the European polecat in the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Barrientos Rafael , Carmona Guillermo , Burgos Tamara , Martin‐Garcia Sara , Vargas‐Ramírez Marta , Hernández‐Hernández Javier , Bandeira Victor J. , Quiles Pablo , Palacín Carlos , Martín Carlos A. , Virgós Emilio , Horreo Jose L. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractVolunteer‐based roadkill monitoring schemes, including road carcass sampling, can represent considerable advances with respect to classical methods employed in conservation biology. We studied the genetic diversity, structure, and dynamics of the European polecat (Mustela putorius) across the Iberian Peninsula. We used samples of road carcasses collected by volunteers because this carnivore is an elusive species otherwise difficult to monitor with standard field protocols. We gathered 238 samples obtained from 2004 to 2022 from 13 different areas (8–31 samples/area). Using microsatellite loci, we identified 4 genetic units with gene flow among 3 of them in the Iberian Peninsula. The genetic variability was steadily low in 1 of the areas (Girona) for all the parameters evaluated. This area is also genetically isolated from the other studied areas. The inbreeding coefficient was significant in the north‐ and south‐Iberia units, and we did not detect a bottleneck signature in any of the 4 genetic units. Future conservation actions should consider the genetic dissimilarity among detected units and elucidate the ecological factors that have led to the observed genetic patterns.
Use of Cervical Fascia to Prevent Pharyngocutaneus Fistula After Total Laryngectomy
Authors: Zorlu Mehmet Ekrem , Kertmen Canberk , Aysel Abdulhalim , Yilmaz Fatih , Dalgic Abdullah , Muderris Togay 
Published: June 2024

ObjectiveThis study aimed to compare the pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) between patients who underwent reconstruction using cervical fascia after total laryngectomy and those who did not and to investigate the factors affecting PCF rates.MethodsWe retrospectively compared 22 patients operated between February 2021 and March 2023 who received cervical fascia flap as the study group and 21 patients operated between January 2018 and March 2023 who did not receive fascia flap as the control group. The study included patients who underwent total laryngectomy for Stage 3 and 4 squamous cell laryngeal cancer.ResultsWe included 43 patients, with 22 (51.2%) and 21 patients (48.8%) in the study and control groups, respectively. The age and sex were not different between the two groups (p = 0.471, p = 0.176, respectively). The distribution of patients as per sex, smoking, alcohol use, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and multiple comorbidities was similar in both groups (p > 0.05). PCF was observed in one patient (4.5%) and seven patients (33.3%) in the study and control groups, respectively. The PCF rate was significantly lower in the study group (p = 0.021). When the relationship between flap use and risk factors was compared by correlation analysis, a moderate negative relationship was found between flap use and PCF (p = 0.015, r = −0.370).ConclusionThe use of a cervical fascia flap is effective in reducing fistula rates after total laryngectomy. Its main advantages include being technically simpler than alternative techniques, locally available, cost‐effective.Level of Evidence3 Laryngoscope, 134:4964–4970, 2024
Melt‐Processable and Electrospinnable Shape‐Memory Hydrogels
Authors: Abdullah Turdimuhammad , Altınkok Cagatay , Okay Oguz 
Published: June 2024

AbstractDue to their ability to adapt to subtle changes in response to various external and internal stimuli, smart hydrogels have become increasingly popular in research and industry. However, many currently available hydrogels suffer from poor processability and inferior mechanical properties. For example, the preparation of a hydrogel network that can be subjected to melt processing and electrospinning is challenging. Herein, a series of mechanically strong, shape‐memory hydrogels based on polyacrylic acid (PAAc) chains containing 20–50 mol% of crystallizable n‐octadecylacrylate (C18A) segments are prepared by an organosolv method followed by in situ physical cross‐linking via hydrophobic interactions. The hydrogels exhibit a reversible strong to weak gel transition at 50–60 °C and can be melt‐processed at 60–100 °C, depending on the molar fraction of C18A. Additionally, the hydrogels can be dissolved in chloroform/ethanol mixture to form a viscous solution, which can then be used to produce a nanofibrous network by electrospinning. Effects of polymer concentration, volume ratio of solvents, and mole fraction of C18A on electrospinning are investigated to produce smooth, uniform nanofibers with small fiber diameter. The produced nanofibers, while maintaining their chemical structure, show significantly improved water adsorption capacity, enhanced mechanical properties, and fast shape‐memory performance.
A Critical Examination of the Clinical Diagnosis of Functional Tic‐like Behaviors
Authors: Andersen Kaja , Cavanna Andrea Eugenio , Szejko Natalia , Müller‐Vahl Kirsten R. , Hedderly Tammy , Skov Liselotte , Mol Debes Nanette 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundSince the COVID‐19 pandemic, movement disorder clinics have seen an increase in patients with an unusual type of tic‐like symptoms: young adults with abrupt onset complex behaviors. It was quickly suspected that these patients suffered from functional neurological symptoms, later named Functional Tic‐Like Behaviors (FTLB). Subsequent research on the differential diagnosis between FTLB and tics has been substantial and led to the development of diagnostic checklists.ObjectivesWe conducted a theoretical reappraisal of the FTLB literature to clarify the validity of the concept and its diagnostic implications.MethodsThis paper addresses several key aspects of the current FTLB literature: circular reasoning, the complications of the FTLB phenomenology and demographics, the impact of FTLB on tic literature at large, and issues with alignment of the FTLB concept with the diagnostic criteria for functional disorders.ResultsThe clinical approach to FTLB might involve circular reasoning due to a lack of clinical benchmarks. The FTLB phenomenology and demographics may need more work to ensure a lack of bias and a proper description of this patient group including a clear distinction from tics. The impact of the FTLB discussion on the wider literature needs consideration. The validation of positive signs may help with both these endeavors and pave way to the inclusion of FTLB within psychiatric classification systems. Furthermore, the coexistence of FTLB and tics within the same patient needs to be addressed.ConclusionMore research may be needed to fully establish the diagnosis of FTLB and differentiate it from tics.
Postbiotics Prepared Using Lactobacillus reuteri Ameliorates Ethanol‐Induced Liver Injury by Regulating the FXR/SHP/SREBP‐1c Axis
Authors: Liu Chen , Cai Tianying , Cheng Yonglang , Bai Junjie , Li Mo , Gu Boyuan , Huang Meizhou , Fu Wenguang 
Published: June 2024

ScopeWhile probiotics‐based therapies have exhibited potential in alleviating alcohol‐associated liver disease (ALD), the specific role of postbiotics derived from Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) in ALD remains elusive. This study aims to investigate the impact of postbiotics on ameliorating alcohol‐induced hepatic steatosis and the underlying mechanisms.Methods and resultsUsing network pharmacology, the study elucidates the targets and pathways impacted by postbiotics from L. reuteri, identifying the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) as a promising target for postbiotics against ALD, and lipid metabolism and alcoholism act as crucial pathways associated with postbiotics‐targeting ALD. Furthermore, the study conducts histological and biochemical analyses coupled with LC/MS to evaluate the protective effects and mechanisms of postbiotics against ALD. Postbiotics may modulate bile acid metabolism in vivo by regulating FXR signaling, activating the FXR/FGF15 pathway, and influencing the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids (BAs). Subsequently, postbiotics regulate hepatic FXR activated by BAs and modulate the expression of FXR‐mediated protein, including short regulatory partner (SHP) and sterol regulatory element binding protein‐1c (SREBP‐1c), thereby ameliorating hepatic steatosis in mice with ALD.ConclusionPostbiotics effectively alleviate ethanol‐induced hepatic steatosis by regulating the FXR/SHP/SREBP‐1c axis, as rigorously validated in both in vivo and in vitro.
Integrated liquid–liquid percentage determination microwave sensor exploiting single‐frequency transmission amplitude measurement technique
Authors: Masoumabad Mehdi Alipour , Delmonte Nicolò , Silvestri Lorenzo , Perregrini Luca , Bozzi Maurizio 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThis letter presents an integrated liquid–liquid percentage determination system exploiting the single‐frequency transmission measurement technique. The system is composed of an oscillator, working at a single‐frequency (f0), a circular substrate‐integrated waveguide (SIW) cavity resonator perturbed at the center to accommodate a glass pipe with the liquid under test (LUT), and a power detector to measure the transmission amplitude variation due to the presence of different LUTs. This system is a great solution for locally embedded and inexpensive applications by avoiding bulky and expensive scattering parameter measurement devices such as vector network analyzers. Furthermore, its single‐frequency measurement capability makes it an excellent candidate for real‐time measurements. The system is designed to work at 2.47 GHz, which falls into the Industrial, Scientific, and Medical regime. The discrepancies between the proposed model and the measurements are compensated using a proper error calibration method, leading to a significant reduction in the percentage reading errors.
RZ‐PPM impulse tone‐based CSI estimation for adaptive threshold decision in FSO communications
Authors: Jing Qian‐Wen , Hong Yan‐Qing , Liu Min‐Fang 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThis paper proposes a return‐to‐zero pulse position modulation (RZ‐PPM) impulse tone‐based channel state information (CSI) estimation for adaptive threshold decision (ATD) in free‐space optical (FSO) communications. RZ‐PPM is characterized by impulse tones in the spectrum. Therefore, CSI can be extracted by applying a local oscillator (LO) with the frequencies of impulse tones and low pass filter, which is then used to realize ATD. The proposed method was studied in simulation under RZ‐PPM signals with various number of pulse positions and frequencies of LO. The simulation results show that in FSO communication systems, the use of optimized weighting factor for impulse tone CSI estimation method significantly improves the performance in the absence of accurate CSI, approaching the performance of the traditional ATD with precise CSI knowledge. It proves that the proposed technique was feasible for adaptation in FSO communication systems.
Sleep disturbance associations between parents and children with overweight and obesity
Authors: Tsai Shao‐Yu , Tung Yi‐Ching , Huang Chuen‐Min , Gordon Christopher James , Machan Elizabeth , Lee Chien‐Chang 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThis cross‐sectional study examined sleep disturbance associations between parents and their school‐age children with overweight and obesity. A 7‐day wrist‐worn actigraph recording was performed on 246 children aged 6–9 years with overweight and obesity recruited from 10 public elementary schools in Taipei, Taiwan. Children's sleep disturbance was assessed using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire. Parental subjective sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, with parental depressive symptoms measured using the Epidemiologic Studies‐Depression Scale. General linear models were used to examine sleep disturbance associations within parent‐child dyads. The results showed that 208 (84.6%) children had a clinically significant sleep disturbance score, and 123 (50%) parents had poor sleep quality. Higher children's sleep disturbance scores significantly predicted poorer parental sleep quality (b = 0.11, p < 0.001). Poorer parental sleep quality was associated with more severe sleep disturbances in children (b = 0.46, p < 0.001). This association was independent of children's actigraphic sleep (all p > 0.05) and was not attenuated by adjustment for parental depressive symptoms (b = 0.14, p < 0.001). Findings from our study suggest that sleep disturbances occur in both parents and their school‐age children with overweight and obesity, with a significant bidirectional association between the two. Nurses and healthcare professionals should proactively assess and screen for sleep disturbances in parent‐child dyads of children with overweight and obesity. Future studies should develop family‐based sleep interventions and evaluate their effects on the sleep, health, and well‐being of children with overweight and obesity and their parents.
Resilient and robust management policy for multi‐stage supply chains with perishable goods and inaccurate forecast information: A distributed model predictive control approach
Authors: Jetto B. , Orsini V. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractAn efficient supply chain (SC) management requires that decisions are taken to minimize the effects of parametric uncertainties and unpredictable external disturbances. In this article, we consider this problem with reference to a multi‐stage SC (MSSC) whose dynamics is characterized by the following elements of complexity: perishable goods with uncertain perishability rate, an uncertain future customer demand that is only known to fluctuate inside a given compact set. The problem we face is to define a resilient and robust Replenishment Policy (RP) such that at any stage the following requirements are satisfied: the fulfilled demand is maximized, overstocking is avoided, the bullwhip effect (BE) is mitigated. These objectives should be pursued despite the mentioned uncertainties and unexpected customer demand behaviors violating the bounds of the compact set. Robustness is here intended with respect to uncertainty on the perishability rate, and resiliency as the ability to quickly react to the mentioned unforeseen customer demands. We propose a method based on a distributed resilient robust model predictive control (DRRMPC) approach. Each local robust MPC (RMPC) involves solving a Min‐Max constrained optimization problem (MMCOP). To drastically reduce the numerical complexity of each MMCOP, we parametrize its solution by means of B‐spline functions.
Overexpression of H2AFX gene in neuroblastoma is associated with worse prognosis
Authors: Ognibene Marzia , Parodi Stefano , Amoroso Loredana , Zara Federico , Pezzolo Annalisa 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBackgroundNeuroblastoma (NB) is the most common solid tumour in childhood, and rises in the sympathetic nervous system. Here, we addressed the in silico analysis of the association between the expression of H2AFX gene involved in DNA damage response, and the survival of a cohort of 786 NB patients.MethodsIn silico gene expression was retrieved from the publicly available dataset summarised by Cangelosi et al., including 13,696 gene expression profiles of 786 NB tumours at onset of disease. The prognostic value of H2AFX (H2A histone family member X) gene expression for event‐free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) was evaluated by Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analysis. The main results were validated on another openly accessible in silico database (NRC‐283) containing 13,489 gene expressions in 283 NB patients. The expression of H2AFX protein was then tested by immunofluorescence on 48 primary NB samples of different tumour stages. H2AFX activity as an oncogene has been further validated in vitro by silencing the molecule in two NB cell lines, characterised by MYCN amplified or not, and performing cell growth and migration assays.ResultsA strong inverse association between H2AFX expression and patients’ survival was observed and confirmed by immunofluorescence results on primary NB tissue sections. Cox regression analysis also disclosed H2AFX as an independent predictor of EFS and OS. The gene‐silencing experiments strongly suggested an oncogenic role for H2AFX on NB cells, regardless of MYCN amplification.ConclusionsH2AFX is a prognostic marker for unfavourable NB and could be considered a target for therapeutic interventions.