bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Infection and telomere length: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Tunnicliffe Louis , Muzambi Rutendo , Bartlett Jonathan W , Howe Laura , Abdul Basit Khalid , Warren-Gash Charlotte 
Published: April 2024

IntroductionTelomeres are a measure of cellular ageing with potential links to diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Studies have shown that some infections may be associated with telomere shortening, but whether an association exists across all types and severities of infections and in which populations is unclear. Therefore we aim to collate available evidence to enable comparison and to inform future research in this field.Methods and analysisWe will search for studies involving telomere length and infection in various databases including MEDLINE (Ovid interface), EMBASE (Ovid interface), Web of Science, Scopus, Global Health and the Cochrane Library. For grey literature, the British Library of electronic theses databases (ETHOS) will be explored. We will not limit by study type, geographical location, infection type or method of outcome measurement. Two researchers will independently carry out study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment using the ROB2 and ROBINS-E tools. The overall quality of the studies will be determined using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation criteria. We will also evaluate study heterogeneity with respect to study design, exposure and outcome measurement and if there is sufficient homogeneity, a meta-analysis will be conducted. Otherwise, we will provide a narrative synthesis with results grouped by exposure category and study design.Ethics and disseminationThe present study does not require ethical approval. Results will be disseminated via publishing in a peer-reviewed journal and conference presentations.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42023444854.
Prevalence and social determinants of anxiety and depression among adults in Ghana: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol
Authors: Awortwe Victoria , Daivadanam Meena , Adjorlolo Samuel , Olsson Erik MG , Coumoundouros Chelsea , Woodford Joanne 
Published: April 2024

IntroductionAnxiety and depression pose a significant global health challenge, especially affecting adults in low-income and middle-income countries. In many low-income and middle-income countries, including those in sub-Saharan Africa, social determinants such as access to affordable health services, conflict, food insecurity, and poverty may be associated with the prevalence of anxiety and depression, further contributing to health disparities. To mitigate the burden of anxiety and depression in sub-Saharan Africa, it is essential to develop country-level tailored mental health policies and strategies. For example, Ghana is working towards improving mental health via its 12 year Mental Health policy launched in 2021. However, the prevalence of anxiety and depression among adults in Ghana, along with associated social determinants remains largely unknown, posing challenges for mental health planning, resource allocation and developing targeted interventions. This systematic review seeks to (1) examine the prevalence of anxiety and depression among adults in Ghana and (2) explore social determinants potentially associated with anxiety and depression.Methods and analysisElectronic databases (eg, African Index Medicus, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO) will be searched with all screening steps conducted by two independent reviewers. Secondary search strategies, including grey literature searches, will be used. Studies reporting on the prevalence of anxiety, depression and/or a combined symptom measure (ie, psychological distress) among adults in Ghana, using validated instruments will be included. If data allows, random-effects-meta-analyses will be performed to estimate pooled prevalence rates of anxiety and depression. Potential clinical and methodological moderators will be examined using subgroup analyses and meta-regression. A narrative synthesis will explore social determinants potentially associated with anxiety and depression among adults in Ghana.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required as no primary data will be collected. Results will be disseminated via a peer-reviewed publication and presentations at academic conferences. Plain language summaries will be provided to relevant non-governmental organisations working in Ghana.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42023463078
Non-radial oscillations in anisotropic dark energy stars
Authors: Jyothilakshmi O. P. , Naik Lakshmi J. , Sreekanth V. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractWe study the non-radial f-mode oscillations of both isotropic and anisotropic dark energy stars by using the modified Chaplygin prescription of dark energy to model the stellar matter. The anisotropic pressure in the system is modeled with Bowers–Liang prescription. By solving the stellar structure equations in presence of anisotropy, we study the global properties of the dark energy star and compare the mass-radius profiles with data from GW events and milli-second pulsars. The stellar radial and anisotropic pressure profiles have also been investigated. We proceed to determine the prominent non-radial $$l=2$$

l
=
2

f-mode frequencies of the anisotropic dark energy star by employing the Cowling approximation and analyse and quantify the spectra by varying the anisotropic parameter. We report that f-mode spectra of dark energy star have distinctly different behaviour compared to neutron star and quark star, and this may possibly help in its future identification. Further, the tidal deformability factors of the anisotropic dark energy stars have also been analyzed.
Study of Lorentz violation in hadron production process from pair annihilation induced by a nonminimal coupling
Authors: Ekraminasab Vahid , Nejad S. Mohammad Moosavi 
Published: April 2024

AbstractVarious processes have been yet considered to study the effect of Lorentz-violating terms and different limits have been determined for the magnitude of Lorentz violation coefficients. In this work, we study the effect of Lorentz-violating terms on B-meson production through pair annihilation ($$e^+e^-\rightarrow q\bar{q}\rightarrow B+Jets$$

e
+

e
-

→
q

q

¯

→
B
+
J
e
t
s

) in two distinct cases correspondent to axial and vectorial nonminimal couplings in QED and determine the corresponding Lorentz violation coefficients. In both cases, significant modifications are seen with respect to the usual relativistic result. Our analytical results for partonic differential cross section, i.e., $$d\sigma (e^+e^-\rightarrow q\bar{q})/d\Omega $$

d
σ
(

e
+

e
-

→
q

q

¯

)
/
d
Ω

, reveal an anisotropy which implies new constraints on the possible Lorentz-violating terms.
Progressive Adapting and Pruning: Domain-Incremental Learning for Saliency Prediction
Authors: Yang Kaihui , Han Junwei , Guo Guangyu , Fang Chaowei , Fan Yingzi , Cheng Lechao , Zhang Dingwen 
Published: April 2024

Saliency prediction (SAP) plays a crucial role in simulating the visual perception function of human beings. In practical situations, humans can quickly grasp saliency extraction in new image domains. However, current SAP methods mainly concentrate on training models in single domains, which do not effectively handle diverse content and styles present in real-world images. As a result, it would be of great significance if SAP models could efficiently adjust to new image domains. To this end, this article aims to design SAP models that can imitate the incremental learning ability of human beings on multiple image domains and name domain-incremental saliency prediction (DISAP). To make a tradeoff between preventing the forgetting of historical domains and achieving high performance on new domains, we propose a progressively updated domain incremental encoder. This encoder consists of a domain-sharing branch and a domain-specific branch. The domain-sharing branch includes a feature selection mechanism to preserve crucial parameters after fine-tuning the model on each current domain. The remaining parameters are reserved to absorb knowledge from future domains. Furthermore, to capture the unique characteristics of each domain with relatively low computational overhead, we introduce a lightweight design to construct the domain-specific branch, enabling effective adaptation to new domains. Extensive experiments are conducted on multiple domain-incremental learning settings formed by four saliency prediction datasets, including Salicon, MIT1003, the art subset of CAT2000, and WebSal. The results demonstrate that our method outperforms existing methods significantly. The code is available at
https://github.com/KaIi-github/DIL4SAP
.
ACSM1 and ACSM3 Regulate Fatty Acid Metabolism to Support Prostate Cancer Growth and Constrain Ferroptosis
Authors: Shrestha Raj K. , Nassar Zeyad D. , Hanson Adrienne R. , Iggo Richard , Townley Scott L. , Dehairs Jonas , Mah Chui Y. , Helm Madison , Alizadeh-Ghodsi Mohammadreza , Pickering Marie , Ghesquière Bart , Watt Matthew J. , Quek Lake-Ee , Hoy Andrew J. , Tilley Wayne D. , Swinnen Johannes V. , Butler Lisa M. , Selth Luke A. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Solid tumors are highly reliant on lipids for energy, growth, and survival. In prostate cancer, the activity of the androgen receptor (AR) is associated with reprogramming of lipid metabolic processes. Here, we identified acyl-CoA synthetase medium chain family members 1 and 3 (ACSM1 and ACSM3) as AR-regulated mediators of prostate cancer metabolism and growth. ACSM1 and ACSM3 were upregulated in prostate tumors compared with nonmalignant tissues and other cancer types. Both enzymes enhanced proliferation and protected prostate cancer cells from death in vitro, whereas silencing ACSM3 led to reduced tumor growth in an orthotopic xenograft model. ACSM1 and ACSM3 were major regulators of the prostate cancer lipidome and enhanced energy production via fatty acid oxidation. Metabolic dysregulation caused by loss of ACSM1/3 led to mitochondrial oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and cell death by ferroptosis. Conversely, elevated ACSM1/3 activity enabled prostate cancer cells to survive toxic levels of medium chain fatty acids and promoted resistance to ferroptosis-inducing drugs and AR antagonists. Collectively, this study reveals a tumor-promoting function of medium chain acyl-CoA synthetases and positions ACSM1 and ACSM3 as key players in prostate cancer progression and therapy resistance.
Significance: Androgen receptor–induced ACSM1 and ACSM3 mediate a metabolic pathway in prostate cancer that enables the utilization of medium chain fatty acids for energy production, blocks ferroptosis, and drives resistance to clinically approved antiandrogens.
Single-Cell and Spatial Transcriptome Profiling Identifies the Transcription Factor BHLHE40 as a Driver of EMT in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Yang Sheng , Zhang Dongsheng , Sun Qingyang , Nie Hongxu , Zhang Yue , Wang Xiaowei , Huang Yuanjian , Sun Yueming 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in humans, with liver metastasis being the primary cause of mortality. The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) process endows cancer cells with enhanced metastatic potential. To elucidate the cellular mechanisms driving EMT in colorectal cancer, we analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing data from 11 nonmetastatic primary tumors (TnM) and 11 metastatic primary tumors (TM) from colorectal cancer patients. Compared with the TnM group, the TM samples showed elevated numbers of malignant epithelial cell and cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) subsets that displayed enrichments of EMT, angiogenesis, and TGFβ signaling pathways. One specific TM-enriched subgroup of malignant epithelial cells underwent EMT to transdifferentiate into CXCL1+ CAFs that subsequently differentiated into SFRP2+ CAFs, which was validated by spatial transcriptomic and pseudotime trajectory analyses. Furthermore, cell–cell communication analysis identified BHLHE40 as a probable key transcription factor driving EMT that was associated with poor prognosis. Finally, in vitro and in vivo experiments functionally substantiated that BHLHE40 promoted the proliferation, invasion, migration, EMT, and liver metastasis of colorectal cancer cells. In summary, this study identified BHLHE40 as a key transcription factor regulating EMT that promotes liver metastasis in colorectal cancer.
Significance: Integrated analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics in metastatic colorectal cancer provides insights into the mechanisms underlying EMT and cancer-associated fibroblast differentiation, which could help improve patient diagnosis and treatment.
IL1R2 Blockade Alleviates Immunosuppression and Potentiates Anti-PD-1 Efficacy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Xia Jie , Zhang Lixing , Peng Xilei , Tu Juchuanli , Li Siqin , He Xueyan , Li Fengkai , Qiang Jiankun , Dong Haonan , Deng Qiaodan , Liu Cuicui , Xu Jiahui , Zhang Rui , Liu Quentin , Hu Guohong , Liu Chong , Jiang Yi-Zhou , Shao Zhi-Ming , Chen Ceshi , Liu Suling 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with limited therapeutic options. IL1 receptor type 2 (IL1R2) promotes breast tumor–initiating cell (BTIC) self-renewal and tumor growth in TNBC, indicating that targeting it could improve patient treatment. In this study, we observed that IL1R2 blockade strongly attenuated macrophage recruitment and the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) to inhibit BTIC self-renewal and CD8+ T-cell exhaustion, which resulted in reduced tumor burden and prolonged survival in TNBC mouse models. IL1R2 activation by TAM-derived IL1β increased PD-L1 expression by interacting with the transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) and inducing YY1 ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation in both TAMs and TNBC cells. Loss of YY1 alleviated the transcriptional repression of c-Fos, which is a transcriptional activator of PDL-1. Combined treatment with an IL1R2-neutralizing antibodies and anti-PD-1 led to enhanced antitumor efficacy and reduced TAMs, BTICs, and exhausted CD8+ T cells. These results suggest that IL1R2 blockade might be a strategy to potentiate immune checkpoint blockade efficacy in TNBC to improve patient outcomes.
Significance: IL1R2 in both macrophages and breast cancer cells orchestrates an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by upregulating PD-L1 expression and can be targeted to enhance the efficacy of anti-PD-1 in triple-negative breast cancer.
Association of Residential Exposure to Hazardous Air Pollutants with Risk of Non–Hodgkin Lymphoma and Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Chen Jie , Hart Jaime E. , VoPham Trang , Elliott Elise G. , Birmann Brenda M. , Laden Francine 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Background:
Certain hazardous air pollutants (HAP) are known or suspected to pose immunological or cancer risk to humans, but evidence is limited from the general population.

Methods:
We assessed associations between residential exposure to HAPs at the census tract level and incident non–Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and multiple myeloma in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS, 1986–2012) and NHSII (1989–2019). We used the covariate-adjusted proportional hazards model to estimate hazard ratios (HR) of NHL, major NHL subtypes, and multiple myeloma per interquartile range increase in exposure to a given HAP and pooled the cohort-specific estimates using fixed-effects meta-analyses.

Results:
There were 810 NHL and 158 multiple myeloma cases in NHS (1,700,707 person-years) and 379 NHL and 59 multiple myeloma cases in NHSII (2,820,772 person-years). Most HRs approximated unity. Meta-analyses did not show consistent evidence of associations between any HAP exposure and risk of NHL or multiple myeloma.

Conclusions:
Exposure to HAPs was not consistently associated with risks of NHL or multiple myeloma in these nationwide prospective cohorts of women.

Impact:
This is the first nationwide study assessing associations between residential HAP exposures and risk of lymphoid malignances in prospective cohorts and focuses on women, who have frequently been underrepresented in (primarily occupational) studies of exposure to HAPs.
Enhancing Standard of Care Chemotherapy Efficacy Using DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase (DNA-PK) Inhibition in Preclinical Models of Ewing Sarcoma
Authors: Collins Victor J. , Ludwig Katelyn R. , Nelson Ariana E. , Sundara Rajan Soumya , Yeung Choh , Vulikh Ksenia , Isanogle Kristine A. , Mendoza Arnulfo , Difilippantonio Simone , Karim Baktiar O. , Caplen Natasha J. , Heske Christine M. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Disruption of DNA damage repair via impaired homologous recombination is characteristic of Ewing sarcoma (EWS) cells. We hypothesize that this disruption results in increased reliance on nonhomologous end joining to repair DNA damage. In this study, we investigated if pharmacologic inhibition of the enzyme responsible for nonhomologous end joining, the DNA-PK holoenzyme, alters the response of EWS cells to genotoxic standard of care chemotherapy. We used analyses of cell viability and proliferation to investigate the effects of clinical DNA-PK inhibitors (DNA-PKi) in combination with six therapeutic or experimental agents for EWS. We performed calculations of synergy using the Loewe additivity model. Immunoblotting evaluated treatment effects on DNA-PK, DNA damage, and apoptosis. Flow cytometric analyses evaluated effects on cell cycle and fate. We used orthotopic xenograft models to interrogate tolerability, drug mechanism, and efficacy in vivo. DNA-PKi demonstrated on-target activity, reducing phosphorylated DNA-PK levels in EWS cells. DNA-PKi sensitized EWS cell lines to agents that function as topoisomerase 2 (TOP2) poisons and enhanced the DNA damage induced by TOP2 poisons. Nanomolar concentrations of single-agent TOP2 poisons induced G2M arrest and little apoptotic response while adding DNA-PKi-mediated apoptosis. In vivo, the combination of AZD7648 and etoposide had limited tolerability but resulted in enhanced DNA damage, apoptosis, and EWS tumor shrinkage. The combination of DNA-PKi with standard of care TOP2 poisons in EWS models is synergistic, enhances DNA damage and cell death, and may form the basis of a promising future therapeutic strategy for EWS.
Condensate-Promoting ENL Mutation Drives Tumorigenesis In Vivo Through Dynamic Regulation of Histone Modifications and Gene Expression
Authors: Liu Yiman , Li Qinglan , Song Lele , Gong Chujie , Tang Sylvia , Budinich Krista A. , Vanderbeck Ashley , Mathias Kaeli M. , Wertheim Gerald B. , Nguyen Son C. , Outen Riley , Joyce Eric F. , Maillard Ivan , Wan Liling 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Gain-of-function mutations in the histone acetylation “reader” eleven-nineteen-leukemia (ENL), found in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and Wilms tumor, are known to drive condensate formation and gene activation in cellular systems. However, their role in tumorigenesis remains unclear. Using a conditional knock-in mouse model, we show that mutant ENL perturbs normal hematopoiesis, induces aberrant expansion of myeloid progenitors, and triggers rapid onset of aggressive AML. Mutant ENL alters developmental and inflammatory gene programs in part by remodeling histone modifications. Mutant ENL forms condensates in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells at key leukemogenic genes, and disrupting condensate formation via mutagenesis impairs its chromatin and oncogenic function. Moreover, treatment with an acetyl-binding inhibitor of the mutant ENL displaces these condensates from target loci, inhibits mutant ENL-induced chromatin changes, and delays AML initiation and progression in vivo. Our study elucidates the function of ENL mutations in chromatin regulation and tumorigenesis and demonstrates the potential of targeting pathogenic condensates in cancer treatment.
Significance: A direct link between ENL mutations, condensate formation, and tumorigenesis is lacking. This study elucidates the function and mechanism of ENL mutations in leukemogenesis, establishing these mutations as bona fide oncogenic drivers. Our results also support the role of condensate dysregulation in cancer and reveal strategies to target pathogenic condensates.
Predictors of Success for Pulmonary Vein Isolation With Pulsed-field Ablation Using a Variable-loop Catheter With 3D Mapping Integration: Complete 12-month Outcomes From inspIRE
Authors: De Potter Tom , Grimaldi Massimo , Duytschaever Mattias , Anic Ante , Vijgen Johan , Neuzil Petr , Van Herendael Hugo , Verma Atul , Skanes Allan , Scherr Daniel , Pürerfellner Helmut , Rackauskas Gediminas , Jais Pierre , Reddy Vivek Y. ,   on behalf of the inspIRE Trial Investigators
Published: April 2024

BACKGROUND:
We previously presented the safety and early efficacy of the inspIRE study (Study for Treatment of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation [PAF] by Pulsed-field Ablation [PFA] System With Irreversible Electroporation [IRE]). With the study’s conclusion, we report the outcomes of the full pivotal study cohort, with an additional analysis of predictors of success.

METHODS:
InspIRE was a prospective, multicenter, single-arm clinical trial of drug-refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Pulmonary vein isolation was performed with a variable-loop circular catheter integrated with a 3-dimensional mapping system. Follow-up with 24-hour Holter was at 3, 6, and 12 months, as well as remote rhythm monitoring: weekly from 3 to 5 months, monthly from 6 to 12 months, and for symptoms. The primary effectiveness end point (PEE) was acute pulmonary vein isolation plus freedom from any atrial arrhythmia at 12 months. Additional subanalyses report predictors of PEE success.

RESULTS:

The patient cohort included 186 patients: aged 59±10 years, female 30%, and CHA
2
DS
2
-VASc 1.3±1.2. The previously reported primary adverse event rate was 0%. One serious procedure-related adverse event, urinary retention, was reported. The PEE was achieved in 75.6% (95% CI, 69.5%–81.8%). The clinical success of freedom from symptomatic recurrence was 81.7% (95% CI, 76.1%–87.2%). Simulating a monitoring method used in standard real-world practice (without protocol-driven remote rhythm monitoring), this translates to a freedom from all and symptomatic recurrence of 85.8% (95% CI, 80.8%–90.9%) or 94.0% (95% CI, 90.6%–97.5%), respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that left ventricular ejection fraction ≥60% (adjusted odds ratio, 0.30) and patients receiving ≥48 PFA applications (adjusted odds ratio, 0.28) were independent predictors of PEE success. Moreover, PEE success was 79.2% in patients who received ≥12 PFA applications per vein compared with 57.1% in patients receiving fewer PFA applications.

CONCLUSIONS:
The inspIRE study confirms the safety and effectiveness of pulmonary vein isolation using the novel 3-dimensional mapping integrated circular loop catheter. An optimal number of PFA applications (≥48 total or ≥12 per vein) resulted in an improved 1-year success rate of ≈80%.

REGISTRATION:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT04524364