bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Constructing immune and prognostic features associated with ADCP in hepatocellular carcinoma and pan-cancer based on scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq
Authors: Zhang Zhengwei , Li Yuying , Quan Zhen , Li Yapeng , Zhu Liying , Sun Shibo , Chen Xiaoning 
Published: May 2024

AimDespite the significant therapeutic outcomes achieved in systemic treatments for liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC), it is an objective reality that only a low proportion of patients exhibit an improved objective response rate (ORR) to current immunotherapies. Antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) immunotherapy is considered the new engine for precision immunotherapy. Based on this, we aim to develop an ADCP-based LIHC risk stratification system and screen for relevant targets.MethodUtilizing a combination of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk RNA-seq data, we screened for ADCP modulating factors in LIHC and identified differentially expressed genes along with their involved functional pathways. A risk scoring model was established by identifying ADCP-related genes with prognostic value through LASSO Cox regression analysis. The risk scoring model was then subjected to evaluations of immune infiltration and immunotherapy relevance, with pan-cancer analysis and in vitro experimental studies conducted on key targets.ResultsBuilding on the research by Kamber RA et al., we identified GYPA, CLDN18, and IRX5 as potential key target genes regulating ADCP in LIHC. These genes demonstrated significant correlations with immune infiltration cells, such as M1-type macrophages, and the effectiveness of immunotherapy in LIHC, as well as a close association with clinical pathological staging and patient prognosis. Pan-cancer analysis revealed that CLDN18 was prognostically and immunologically relevant across multiple types of cancer. Validation through tissue and cell samples confirmed that GYPA and CLDN18 were upregulated in liver cancer tissues and cells. Furthermore, in vitro knockdown of CLDN18 inhibited the malignancy capabilities of liver cancer cells.ConclusionWe have identified an ADCP signature in LIHC comprising three genes. Analysis based on a risk scoring model derived from these three genes, coupled with subsequent experimental validation, confirmed the pivotal role of M1-type macrophages in ADCP within LIHC, establishing CLDN18 as a critical ADCP regulatory target in LIHC.
Enhancing nursing competency through virtual reality simulation among nursing students: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Cho Mi-Kyoung , Kim Mi Young 
Published: May 2024

AimStudies on the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) in nursing education have explored its impact on learning outcomes, emotional immersion and engagement, learner self-confidence, and satisfaction, generally showing positive aspects. However, there is a need for a systematic review to examine the specific influence of VR-based education on nursing students’ practical competency.MethodAccording to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 22 studies were selected based on inclusion criteria from 579 articles, published from January 1, 2018, to March 31, 2024, across nine major databases including PubMed and EMbase. The target population comprised nursing students, and the intervention focused on VR-based simulations aimed at enhancing competency, compared to control groups receiving either no intervention or conventional non-virtual simulation. The primary outcome, nursing competency, was analyzed using MIX 2.0 Pro (Ver. 2.0.1.6, BiostatXL, 2017) to calculate pooled effect sizes.ResultThe pooled effect size for nursing competency was determined to be large, with Hedge’s g = 0.88 (95% CI, 0.47 to 1.29). Meta-regression analysis identified several factors associated with an increase in nursing competency. These included studies published after 2022, approval of an IRB, absence of funding, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), interventions reported as shorter than 4 weeks or not reported, sessions fewer than 4 or not reported, session duration under 1 h or not reported, and observational measurement methods. Additional factors enhancing nursing competency were the inclusion of a pre-briefing before simulations, the absence of a debriefing afterward, and the exclusion of other activities during the simulation.ConclusionBy combining the results of the included studies, the systematic review and meta-analysis accounted for variations in sample size, study methodology, and independent intervention effects, providing an overall evaluation of the effectiveness of simulation-based education in improving nursing students’ competency.LimitationThe selection criteria for the studies analyzed, which included only those published in English or Korean and reported precise means, standard deviations, and sample sizes, could lead to selection bias and limit the generalization of our study results.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023446348.
Impact of high-altitude acclimatization and de-acclimatization on the intestinal microbiota of rats in a natural high-altitude environment
Authors: Hao Doudou , Niu Haomeng , Zhao Qin , Shi Jing , An Chuanhao , Wang Siyu , Zhou Chaohua , Chen Siyuan , Fu Yongxing , Zhang Yongqun , He Zeng 
Published: May 2024

IntroductionIntestinal microorganisms play an important role in the health of both humans and animals, with their composition being influenced by changes in the host’s environment.MethodsWe evaluated the longitudinal changes in the fecal microbial community of rats at different altitudes across various time points. Rats were airlifted to high altitude (3,650 m) and acclimatized for 42 days (HAC), before being by airlifted back to low altitude (500 m) and de-acclimatized for 28 days (HADA); meanwhile, the control group included rats living at low altitude (500 m; LA). We investigated changes in the gut microbiota at 12 time points during high-altitude acclimatization and de-acclimatization, employing 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology alongside physiological indices, such as weight and daily autonomous activity time.ResultsA significant increase in the Chao1 index was observed on day 14 in the HAC and HADA groups compared to that in the LA group, indicating clear differences in species richness. Moreover, the principal coordinate analysis revealed that the bacterial community structures of HAC and HADA differed from those in LA. Long-term high-altitude acclimatization and de- acclimatization resulted in the reduced abundance of the probiotic Lactobacillus. Altitude and age significantly influenced intestinal microbiota composition, with changes in ambient oxygen content and atmospheric partial pressure being considered key causal factors of altitude-dependent alterations in microbiota composition. High-altitude may be linked to an increase in anaerobic bacterial abundance and a decrease in non-anaerobic bacterial abundance.DiscussionIn this study, the hypobaric hypoxic conditions at high-altitude increased the abundance of anaerobes, while reducing the abundance of probiotics; these changes in bacterial community structure may, ultimately, affect host health. Overall, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the intestinal microbiota alterations during high-altitude acclimatization and de-acclimatization is essential for the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies to better protect the health of individuals traveling between high- and low-altitude areas.
Actin cytoskeleton differently regulates cell surface organization of GPI-anchored proteins in polarized epithelial cells and fibroblasts
Authors: Lebreton Stéphanie , Paladino Simona , Lelek Mickaël , Tramier Marc , Zimmer Christophe , Zurzolo Chiara 
Published: May 2024

The spatiotemporal compartmentalization of membrane-associated glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) on the cell surface regulates their biological activities. These GPI-APs occupy distinct cellular functions such as enzymes, receptors, and adhesion molecules, and they are implicated in several vital cellular processes. Thus, unraveling the mechanisms and regulators of their membrane organization is essential. In polarized epithelial cells, GPI-APs are enriched at the apical surface, where they form small cholesterol-independent homoclusters and larger heteroclusters accommodating multiple GPI-AP species, all confined within areas of approximately 65–70 nm in diameter. Notably, GPI-AP homoclustering occurs in the Golgi apparatus through a cholesterol- and calcium-dependent mechanism that drives their apical sorting. Despite the critical role of Golgi GPI-AP clustering in their cell surface organization and the importance of cholesterol in heterocluster formation, the regulatory mechanisms governing GPI-AP surface organization, particularly in the context of epithelial polarity, remain elusive. Given that the actin cytoskeleton undergoes substantial remodeling during polarity establishment, this study explores whether the actin cytoskeleton regulates the spatiotemporal apical organization of GPI-APs in MDCK cells. Utilizing various imaging techniques (number and brightness, FRET/FLIM, and dSTORM coupled to pair correlation analysis), we demonstrate that the apical organization of GPI-APs, at different scales, does not rely on the actin cytoskeleton, unlike in fibroblastic cells. Interestingly, calcium chelation disrupts the organization of GPI-APs at the apical surface by impairing Golgi GPI-AP clustering, emphasizing the existence of an interplay among Golgi clustering, apical sorting, and surface organization in epithelial cells. In summary, our findings unveil distinct mechanisms regulating the organization of GPI-APs in cell types of different origins, plausibly allowing them to adapt to different external signals and different cellular environments in order to achieve specialized functions.
Ontology based autonomous robot task processing framework
Authors: Ge Yueguang , Zhang Shaolin , Cai Yinghao , Lu Tao , Wang Haitao , Hui Xiaolong , Wang Shuo 
Published: May 2024

IntroductionIn recent years, the perceptual capabilities of robots have been significantly enhanced. However, the task execution of the robots still lacks adaptive capabilities in unstructured and dynamic environments.MethodsIn this paper, we propose an ontology based autonomous robot task processing framework (ARTProF), to improve the robot's adaptability within unstructured and dynamic environments. ARTProF unifies ontological knowledge representation, reasoning, and autonomous task planning and execution into a single framework. The interface between the knowledge base and neural network-based object detection is first introduced in ARTProF to improve the robot's perception capabilities. A knowledge-driven manipulation operator based on Robot Operating System (ROS) is then designed to facilitate the interaction between the knowledge base and the robot's primitive actions. Additionally, an operation similarity model is proposed to endow the robot with the ability to generalize to novel objects. Finally, a dynamic task planning algorithm, leveraging ontological knowledge, equips the robot with adaptability to execute tasks in unstructured and dynamic environments.ResultsExperimental results on real-world scenarios and simulations demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed ARTProF framework.DiscussionIn future work, we will focus on refining the ARTProF framework by integrating neurosymbolic inference.
Quadriceps muscle activity during walking with a knee ankle foot orthosis is associated with improved gait ability in acute hemiplegic stroke patients with severe gait disturbance
Authors: Hayashi Yusuke , Yamazaki Kota , Komatsu Shinya , Yamamoto Naoaki , Ueda Shujiro , Sato Kazunori , Yamaguchi Tomofumi , Hatori Kozo , Honaga Kaoru , Takakura Tomokazu , Wada Futoshi , Tanuma Akira , Fujiwara Toshiyuki 
Published: May 2024

IntroductionA knee-ankle-foot orthosis (KAFO) prevents knee buckling during walking and enables gait training for acute hemiplegic stroke patients with severe gait disturbances. Although the goal of gait training with a KAFO is to improve gait ability, that is, to acquire walking with an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO), it is not clear how gait training with a KAFO contributes to improving gait ability. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between muscle activities during walking with a KAFO and the improvement of gait ability in hemiplegic stroke patients with severe gait disturbance.MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted. Fifty acute hemiplegic stroke patients who could not walk with an AFO participated. Muscle activities of the paretic rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, and soleus were assessed with surface electromyogram during walking with a KAFO. Electromyograms were assessed at the beginning of gait training and at the time the Ambulation Independence Measure score improved by 3 or higher, or discharge.ResultsEven in patients with complete hemiplegia, paretic rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and soleus showed periodic muscle activity during walking with a KAFO. Twenty-three patients improved to an Ambulation Independence Measure score of 3 or higher and were able to walk with an AFO (good recovery group). At the beginning of gait training, paretic rectus femoris muscle activity during the first double-limb support phase was significantly higher in the good recovery group than in the poor recovery group. The rectus femoris muscle activity significantly increased from before to after acute rehabilitation, which consisted mainly of gait training with a KAFO.DiscussionFor acute hemiplegic stroke patients with severe disturbance, the induction and enhancement of paretic quadriceps muscle activity during walking with a KAFO play an important role in acquiring walking with an AFO.
Causal association of blood cell traits with inflammatory bowel diseases: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhang Fangyuan , Jiang Feiyu , Yao Ziqin , Luo Hongbin , Xu Shoufang , Zhang Yingying , Wang Xinhui , Liu Zhiwei 
Published: May 2024

BackgroundObservational studies have found associations between blood cell traits and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), whereas the causality and dose-effect relationships are still undetermined.MethodsTwo-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses using linear regression approaches, as well as Bayesian model averaging (MR-BMA), were conducted to identify and prioritize the causal blood cell traits for Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). An observational study was also performed using restricted cubic spline (RCS) to explore the relationship between important blood cell traits and IBDs.ResultsOur uvMR analysis using the random effects inverse variance weighted (IVW) method identified eosinophil (EOS) as a causal factor for UC (OR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.13, 1.63). Our MR-BMA analysis further prioritized that high level of lymphocyte (LYM) decreased CD risk (MIP = 0.307; θ^MACE = −0.059; PP = 0.189; θ^λ = −0.173), whereas high level of EOS increased UC risk (MIP = 0.824; θ^MACE = 0.198; PP = 0.627; θ^λ = 0.239). Furthermore, the observational study clearly depicts the nonlinear relationship between important blood cell traits and the risk of IBDs.ConclusionUsing MR approaches, several blood cell traits were identified as risk factors of CD and UC, which could be used as potential targets for the management of IBDs. Stratified genome-wide association studies (GWASs) based on the concentration of traits would be helpful owing to the nonlinear relationships between blood cell traits and IBDs, as demonstrated in our clinical observational study. Together, these findings could shed light on the clinical strategies applied to the management of CD and UC.
Assessing the reproducibility and validity of a food frequency questionnaire for pregnant women from the Chinese Miao ethnic group
Authors: Ni Xiaorong , Qiao Tian , Wang Rong , Wang Fang , Liang Yi , Wei Shaofeng 
Published: May 2024

BackgroundCurrently, no food frequency questionnaire is available to be administered exclusively to ethnic minorities in China. This study aimed to evaluate the reproducibility and validity of a culturally tailored semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) designed for pregnant women belonging to the Miao ethnic group in China.MethodsA total of 74 questions in the FFQ were administered to collect dietary information from Miao women in China during their pregnancy. This study included 153 and 127 pregnant women, respectively, for testing the validity and reproducibility of the results. Baseline FFQ data (FFQ1) were collected initially, followed by the administration of a repeated FFQ 4–6 weeks later (FFQ2). Two 24-h recalls (24HR) were used as references to compare food groups and nutrient intake. Pearson/Spearman's coefficients were used to measure the validity and reproducibility of the FFQ. Quartile cross-classification, weighted kappa coefficients, and Bland–Altman plots were employed to assess the agreement.ResultsMost food groups and nutrient intake estimated by the FFQ were higher than those estimated by the 24HR. Food groups and nutrients' correlations for FFQ vs. 24HR after being energy-adjusted and de-attenuated, respectively, were 0.10 (vegetables) to 0.45 (grains/tubers) and 0.15 (iron) to 0.52 (riboflavin). Comparatively, correlation coefficients for FFQ1 vs. FFQ2 ranged from 0.41 (fruit) to 0.71 (vegetables) and from 0.45 (energy) to 0.64 (calcium). The percentage of pregnant women classified in the same or adjacent quartiles ranged from 64.08% (vegetables) to 95.29% (sour soup) and from 68.88% (vitamin E) to 78.81% (energy). Weighted kappa coefficients exceeded 0.2 for food groups and most nutrients, and Bland–Altman plots demonstrated acceptable agreement between the two tools.ConclusionsThis study provides novel information on the validation of FFQ. It demonstrates that the FFQ exhibits ideal reproducibility and acceptable validity in estimating and ranking the intake of food groups and most nutrients among pregnant women belonging to the Chinese Miao ethnic group.
Dietary micronutrients intake and its effect on haemoglobin levels of pregnant women for clinic visit in the Mount Cameroon health area: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Jugha Vanessa Tita , Anchang Juliana Adjem , Sofeu-Feugaing David Denis , Taiwe Germain Sotoing , Kimbi Helen Kuokuo , Anchang-Kimbi Judith Kuoh 
Published: May 2024

BackgroundNutritional deficiencies and its consequences such as anaemia are frequent among pregnant women residing in under resource settings. Hence, this study sought to investigate specific dietary micronutrient inadequacy and its effect on maternal haemoglobin levels.MethodsThis institution based cross-sectional survey enrolled 1,014 consenting pregnant women consecutively. Data on socio-demographic, economic and antenatal characteristics were recorded using a structured questionnaire. Minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W) was assessed using the 24-h recall method and haemoglobin (Hb) concentration (g/dL) determined using a portable Hb metre. Significant levels between associations was set at p &lt; 0.05.ResultsAmong those enrolled, 40.9% were anaemic while 89.6% had inadequate dietary nutrient intake. In addition, uptake of blood supplements, haem iron, plant and animal-based foods rich in vitamin A were 71.5, 86.2, 35.5 and 12.6%, respectively. Moreover, anaemia prevalence was significantly (p &lt; 0.05) lower in women who took iron-folic acid along with food groups rich in haem iron (38.5%) or both plant and animal vitamin A (29.0%). Besides, mean maternal Hb levels was significantly (p &lt; 0.001) higher in women who consumed haem iron (11.08 ± 1.35) and vitamin A food groups (11.34 ± 1.30) when compared with their counterparts who did not consume haem iron (10.54 ± 1.19) and vitamin A food groups (10.74 ± 1.31).ConclusionDietary uptake of foods rich in haem-iron and vitamin A significantly improves Hb levels in Cameroonian pregnant women. Our findings underscore the importance of improving maternal nutritional awareness and counselling during antenatal period to reduce the anaemia burden.
Characterizing the relationships between dietary indices, gallstone prevalence and the need for gallbladder surgery in the general US population
Authors: Jiang Chenyu , Shao Yaojian 
Published: May 2024

BackgroundThe dietary inflammatory index (DII) and composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI) were developed as tools for use when seeking to assess the potential inflammatory and antioxidant activity of a given diet, respectively. The associations between these indices and gallstone incidence remain largely unexplored.ObjectiveThe present study sought to clarify how both the DII and the CDAI are related to gallstone incidence and age at first gallbladder surgery among adults in the USA.MethodsCross-sectional data from the 2017–2020 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) pertaining to 12,426 individuals were used to conduct the present study. Data from 2 days with 24-h dietary recall were employed when calculating DII and CDAI scores. Relationships between dietary indices and the incidence of gallstones were assessed through logistic regression analyses, while linear regression analyses were employed to characterize how these indices are associated with the age at first gallbladder surgery.ResultsHigher DII scores and lower CDAI scores, which, respectively, denote diets with greater inflammatory potential and reduced antioxidant potential, were found to be associated with higher gallstone incidence even following adjustment for potential confounding factors. Smooth curve fitting suggested that the association between DII and gallstones was nearly linear, whereas that between CDAI and gallstone incidence was nonlinear. Higher DII values were also related to first gallbladder surgery at an earlier age (β = −0.64, 95% CI: −1.26, −0.02).ConclusionThese results emphasize the benefits of anti-inflammatory diets rich in antioxidants, which may help reduce gallstone incidence among adults in the USA. Higher DII scores may also predict the need for gallbladder surgery at a younger age.