bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of urine chloride in acute heart failure
Authors: Nawrocka-Millward Sylwia , Biegus Jan , Fudim Marat , Guzik Mateusz , Iwanek Gracjan , Ponikowski Piotr , Zymliński Robert 
Published: June 2024

AbstractIn our retrospective study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between urinary chloride (uCl−) and selected clinical and laboratory biomarkers, renal function, and patient outcomes in the acute heart failure (AHF) population. We divided 248 adult patients (≥ 18 years) with AHF into two groups: low uCl− (< 115 mmol/L) and high uCl−. The mean age of the patient group was 70.2 ± 12.6, and 182 patients were male (73.4%). Clinical endpoints included in-hospital mortality, one-year mortality, and a composite endpoint of one-year mortality and rehospitalization for heart failure. Patients were followed up for at least one year. Relevant clinical and baseline biomarker data were collected, including markers concerning inflammation, liver and kidney function, perfusion and congestion, iron status, cardiac remodeling, gasometry, renin and aldosterone. Low uCl− was associated with worse in-hospital outcomes, including higher in-hospital mortality (7.7% vs. 1.4%, p = 0.014), the need for inotropic support (20.19% vs. 2.08%, p ≤ 0.001), worsening of HF during therapy (17.31% vs. 4.86%, p ≤ 0.001), and the need for treatment in an intensive cardiac care unit (33.65% vs. 15.28%, p ≤ 0.001). Low uCl− was a significant predictor of one-year mortality (40.4% vs. 16.7%, p < 0.05) and the composite outcome (HR 2.42, 95% CI 1.43–4.08, p < 0.001). In the multivariable analysis, uCl− was independently associated with the risk of one-year mortality (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.87–0.98, p < 0.05) and the composite outcome (HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.92–0.99, p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that low uCl− is a marker of more advanced heart failure, activation of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system and is related to worse one-year outcomes.
Ambient temperature-related sex ratio at birth in historical urban populations: the example of the city of Poznań, 1848–1900
Authors: Liczbińska Grażyna , Antosik Szymon , Brabec Marek , Tomczyk Arkadiusz M. 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThis study examines whether exposure to ambient temperature in nineteenth-century urban space affected the ratio of boys to girls at birth. Furthermore, we investigate the details of temperature effects timing upon sex ratio at birth. The research included 66,009 individual births, aggregated in subsequent months of births for the years 1847–1900, i.e. 33,922 boys and 32,087 girls. The statistical modelling of the probability of a girl being born is based on logistic GAM with penalized splines and automatically selected complexity. Our research emphasizes the significant effect of temperature in the year of conception: the higher the temperature was, the smaller probability of a girl being born was observed. There were also several significant temperature lags before conception and during pregnancy. Our findings indicate that in the past, ambient temperature, similar to psychological stress, hunger, malnutrition, and social and economic factors, influenced the viability of a foetus. Research on the effects of climate on the sex ratio in historical populations may allow for a better understanding of the relationship between environmental factors and reproduction, especially concerning historical populations since due to some cultural limitations, they were more prone to stronger environmental stressors than currently.
PBP-A, a cyanobacterial dd-peptidase with high specificity for amidated muropeptides, exhibits pH-dependent promiscuous activity harmful to Escherichia coli
Authors: Dorrazehi Gol Mohammad , Winkle Matthias , Desmet Martin , Stroobant Vincent , Tanriver Gamze , Degand Hervé , Evrard Damien , Desguin Benoît , Morsomme Pierre , Biboy Jacob , Gray Joe , Mitusińska Karolina , Góra Artur , Vollmer Waldemar , Soumillion Patrice 
Published: June 2024

AbstractPenicillin binding proteins (PBPs) are involved in biosynthesis, remodeling and recycling of peptidoglycan (PG) in bacteria. PBP-A from Thermosynechococcus elongatus belongs to a cyanobacterial family of enzymes sharing close structural and phylogenetic proximity to class A β-lactamases. With the long-term aim of converting PBP-A into a β-lactamase by directed evolution, we simulated what may happen when an organism like Escherichia coli acquires such a new PBP and observed growth defect associated with the enzyme activity. To further explore the molecular origins of this harmful effect, we decided to characterize deeper the activity of PBP-A both in vitro and in vivo. We found that PBP-A is an enzyme endowed with dd-carboxypeptidase and dd-endopeptidase activities, featuring high specificity towards muropeptides amidated on the d-iso-glutamyl residue. We also show that a low promiscuous activity on non-amidated peptidoglycan deteriorates E. coli’s envelope, which is much higher under acidic conditions where substrate discrimination is mitigated. Besides expanding our knowledge of the biochemical activity of PBP-A, this work also highlights that promiscuity may depend on environmental conditions and how it may hinder rather than promote enzyme evolution in nature or in the laboratory.
Mucus carbohydrate composition correlates with scleractinian coral phylogeny
Authors: Thobor Bianca M. , Tilstra Arjen , Mueller Benjamin , Haas Andreas , Hehemann Jan-Hendrik , Wild Christian 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe mucus surface layer serves vital functions for scleractinian corals and consists mainly of carbohydrates. Its carbohydrate composition has been suggested to be influenced by environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, nutrients) and microbial pressures (e.g., microbial degradation, microbial coral symbionts), yet to what extend the coral mucus composition is determined by phylogeny remains to be tested. To investigate the variation of mucus carbohydrate compositions among coral species, we analyzed the composition of mucosal carbohydrate building blocks (i.e., monosaccharides) for five species of scleractinian corals, supplemented with previously reported data, to discern overall patterns using cluster analysis. Monosaccharide composition from a total of 23 species (belonging to 14 genera and 11 families) revealed significant differences between two phylogenetic clades that diverged early in the evolutionary history of scleractinian corals (i.e., complex and robust; p = 0.001, R2 = 0.20), mainly driven by the absence of arabinose in the robust clade. Despite considerable differences in environmental conditions and sample analysis protocols applied, coral phylogeny significantly correlated with monosaccharide composition (Mantel test: p < 0.001, R2 = 0.70). These results suggest that coral mucus carbohydrates display phylogenetic dependence and support their essential role in the functioning of corals.
Identification and bioinformatics analysis of genes associated with pyroptosis in spinal cord injury of rat and mouse
Authors: Liu Fu-Sheng , Huang Hai-Long , Deng Lin-Xia , Zhang Qian-Shi , Wang Xiao-Bin , Li Jing , Liu Fu-Bing 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe mechanism of spinal cord injury (SCI) is highly complex, and an increasing number of studies have indicated the involvement of pyroptosis in the physiological and pathological processes of secondary SCI. However, there is limited bioinformatics research on pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) in SCI. This study aims to identify and validate differentially expressed PRGs in the GEO database, perform bioinformatics analysis, and construct regulatory networks to explore potential regulatory mechanisms and therapeutic targets for SCI. We obtained high-throughput sequencing datasets of SCI in rats and mice from the GEO database. Differential analysis was conducted using the “limma” package in R to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). These genes were then intersected with previously reported PRGs, resulting in a set of PRGs in SCI. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses, as well as correlation analysis, were performed on the PRGs in both rat and mouse models of SCI. Additionally, a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the STRING website to examine the relationships between proteins. Hub genes were identified using Cytoscape software, and the intersection of the top 5 hub genes in rats and mice were selected for subsequent experimentally validated. Furthermore, a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed to explore potential regulatory mechanisms. The gene expression profiles of GSE93249, GSE133093, GSE138637, GSE174549, GSE45376, GSE171441_3d and GSE171441_35d were selected in this study. We identified 10 and 12 PRGs in rats and mice datasets respectively. Six common DEGs were identified in the intersection of rats and mice PRGs. Enrichment analysis of these DEGs indicated that GO analysis was mainly focused on inflammation-related factors, while KEGG analysis showed that the most genes were enriched on the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. We constructed a ceRNA regulatory network that consisted of five important PRGs, as well as 24 miRNAs and 34 lncRNAs. This network revealed potential regulatory mechanisms. Additionally, the three hub genes obtained from the intersection were validated in the rat model, showing high expression of PRGs in SCI. Pyroptosis is involved in secondary SCI and may play a significant role in its pathogenesis. The regulatory mechanisms associated with pyroptosis deserve further in-depth research.
Neuronal avalanches in temporal lobe epilepsy as a noninvasive diagnostic tool investigating large scale brain dynamics
Authors: Corsi Marie-Constance , Troisi Lopez Emahnuel , Sorrentino Pierpaolo , Cuozzo Simone , Danieli Alberto , Bonanni Paolo , Duma Gian Marco 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe epilepsy diagnosis still represents a complex process, with misdiagnosis reaching 40%. We aimed at building an automatable workflow, helping the clinicians in the diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We hypothesized that neuronal avalanches (NA) represent a feature better encapsulating the rich brain dynamics compared to classically used functional connectivity measures (Imaginary Coherence; ImCoh). We analyzed large-scale activation bursts (NA) from source estimation of resting-state electroencephalography. Using a support vector machine, we reached a classification accuracy of TLE versus controls of 0.86 ± 0.08 (SD) and an area under the curve of 0.93 ± 0.07. The use of NA features increase by around 16% the accuracy of diagnosis prediction compared to ImCoh. Classification accuracy increased with larger signal duration, reaching a plateau at 5 min of recording. To summarize, NA represents an interpretable feature for an automated epilepsy identification, being related with intrinsic neuronal timescales of pathology-relevant regions.
The efficacy of physeal bar resection with guided growth in the treatment of physeal arrest with angular limb deformity
Authors: Alhassan Mohammed Salman , Park Kun Bo , Kim Hyun Woo , Park Hoon , Park Kyeong Hyeon 
Published: June 2024

AbstractPremature physeal arrest can cause progressive deformities and functional disabilities of the lower limbs. This study addressed the outcomes after physeal bar resection with or without guided growth (temporary hemiepiphysiodesis) for the treatment of angular limb deformities. We retrospectively analyzed 27 patients (mean 9 years; range, 3–12 years) who underwent physeal bar resection of the distal femur (15 patients), proximal tibia (3 patients), and distal tibia (9 patients) between 2002 and 2020. Fifteen patients underwent physeal bar resection only (Group A), and the other twelve underwent simultaneous guided growth (Group B). The correction angle (angle change between the preoperative and last follow-up values) was compared and analyzed. The overall mean correction angle was 2.9° (range, − 9 to 18.3°). A total of 12 (45%) patients had a > 5° angular deformity improvement (mean, 9.6°; range, 5–18.3°), 9 (33%) had a < 5° angular change; and 6 (22%) had a > 5° worsening of the angular deformity (mean, 6.7°; range, 5.2–9°). The correction angle in Group B (mean 7.6° ± 6.2) was significantly higher than that in Group A (mean − 0.77° ± 6.3) (P = 0.01). We found six (40%) and zero patients with a > 5° angular deformity increase in Groups A and B, respectively (P < 0.047). The group that underwent physeal bar resection with guided growth showed significantly higher correction angles than the group that underwent physeal bar resection alone. Additionally, none of the patients in the guided growth group experienced an increased angular deformity. Therefore, combining guided growth with physeal bar resection may lead to better outcomes in the treatment of growth arrest with angular deformities.
Analysis of MDM2 and TP53 genes in canine liposarcoma
Authors: Muscatello Luisa Vera , de Biase Dario , Maloberti Thais , di Oto Enrico , Tallini Giovanni , Pellegrino Valeria , Bacci Barbara , Roccabianca Paola , Lepri Elvio , Crippa Luca , Avallone Giancarlo 
Published: June 2024

AbstractCanine liposarcoma is an uncommon tumor that shares morphological similarities with its human counterpart. In dogs, the genetic features of this tumor are unknown and, based on immunohistochemical studies, amplification of the gene MDM2 and the mutation of TP53 are suspected. In this study 51 cases of primary liposarcomas were immunohistochemically stained for MDM2 and p53 and subjected to fluorescent in situ hybridization and next-generation sequencing to detect MDM2 amplification and TP53 mutations, respectively. MDM2 and p53 were expressed in 21 and 6 cases, respectively. MDM2 amplification and TP53 mutations were identified in 10 and 15 cases, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed an association of the myxoid subtype and the mitotic count with p53 expression and TP53 mutation. No association was found between MDM2 amplification and MDM2 expression or tumor subtype. These results suggest that despite morphological similarities, canine liposarcoma differs from its human counterpart, for which MDM2 amplification is diagnostic for well differentiated and de-differentiated variants, and TP53 mutations are more common in pleomorphic liposarcoma rather than the myxoid one as occur in our cases. Furthermore, canine myxoid liposarcoma likely represents a distinct disease rather than a mere morphological variant.
BMI, weight change, appetite reduction and cognitive impairment of elderly patients with diabetes
Authors: Ding Gongwu , Lu Meng , Li Jinlei 
Published: June 2024

AbstractBody weight is related to both diabetes and cognitive impairment; however, the associations between body mass index (BMI) and cognitive impairment have been reported less frequently among diabetes patients. A total of 1355 patients with type 2 diabetes aged ≥ 60 years were included in this study. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was administered to assess participants’ cognitive status. We collected self-reported body weight, weight loss and appetite loss data using questionnaires. Associations between body weight status (in childhood, midlife age, and late life), weight loss, appetite changes and cognitive impairment were explored using logistic regression. Among the participants, 41.7% exhibited cognitive impairment. Overweight in childhood and late life was associated with cognitive impairment among diabetes patients (OR 2.63, 95% CI 1.52–4.55; OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.03–1.69). Diabetes patients with cognitive impairment were more likely to report a body weight decline and appetite reduction in the past three months (OR 4.18, 95% CI 2.61–6.71; OR 4.41, 95% CI 2.67–7.29). Higher BMI, weight loss, and appetite reduction were positively correlated with cognitive impairment. Given the risk of cognitive impairment, we suggest that body weight and BMI decline should be monitored in patients with diabetes.
Mechanical properties and acoustic emission characteristics of mixed granite after different numbers of freeze‒thaw cycles
Authors: Cao Jinpeng , Hu Jun , Wang Xinrong , Yang Bin , Xia Zhiguo , Wang Hukun , Zhang Linbin 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe mechanical properties of rocks in cold regions undergo significant changes as a result of decades of freeze‒thaw cycles with seasonal variations, which can lead to a series of geological disasters, such as collapse. This study investigates the evolution of the mechanical characteristics and internal progressive damage characteristics of mixed granite under freeze‒thaw cycling and axial loading. By measuring the mass, wave velocity, and uniaxial compressive strength of rock samples and combining these metrics with acoustic emission (AE) characteristics, the physical and mechanical properties and microfracture development of mixed granite after different numbers of freeze‒thaw cycles were investigated. The results indicate that as the number of freeze‒thaw cycles increases, the longitudinal wave velocity, uniaxial compressive strength, and elastic modulus of the mixed granite decrease nonlinearly, while the peak strain gradually increases. Combined with the stress‒strain curve, the AE characteristics can be divided into four stages. As the number of freeze‒thaw cycles increases, the AE cumulative count decreases, and the AE counts of the four stages are different. The low-frequency-high-amplitude signals first increases and then tends to stabilize, and they only appeared in the third and fourth stages. At the same time, the proportion of the low-frequency ratio gradually increases, and the proportion of the high-frequency ratio decreases. In addition, based on the rise time/amplitude (RA) and average frequency (AF) characteristics and failure modes, it was found that the internal crack types of mixed granite transition from shear cracks to tensile cracks, among which tensile cracks play a crucial role in rock failure.
Speech Disfluencies in Bilingual Lebanese Children Who Do and Do Not Stutter
Authors: Saad Merouwe Selma , Bertram Raymond , Eggers Kurt 
Published: June 2024

Purpose:
Prior studies have shown that bilingual children who do not stutter (CWNS) exhibit a high number of disfluencies in both languages, increasing the risk of misidentification by speech-language pathologists as children who stutter (CWS). Conversely, there is a risk of misidentifying CWS with a relatively low incidence of disfluencies as CWNS. This study aims to explore the qualitative and quantitative distinctions in speech disfluency profiles between CWNS and CWS. The assessment covers both the dominant and nondominant language to examine the impact of language dominance on disfluency patterns.

Method:
A total of 92 Lebanese bilinguals (70 CWNS and 22 CWS) from 4;06 to 7;06 (years;months) were included. Language dominance was determined based on parental assessments. Spontaneous and narrative speech samples were collected for each child in both languages and all stuttering-like disfluencies (SLD) and other disfluencies (OD) were coded.

Results:
On average, CWNS showed a significantly lower percentage of total SLD, weighted SLD, SLD subtypes, and iterations compared to CWS. However, the number of disfluencies of CWNS exceeded monolingual clinical standards. Language dominance did not impact SLD and OD percentages, but some differences for SLD subtypes emerged. Binary logistic regression analyses showed that repetitions and dysrhythmic phonations are good predictors for correct CWS or CWNS classification, in contrast to OD. A combination of predictors from both languages led to better classification than using predictors from either language alone.

Conclusions:
The current study shows that speech disfluency percentages in bilingual CWNS typically surpass monolingual standards and can be at par with those of CWS. However, through careful consideration of disfluency characteristics, ideally in both languages, an accurate differential diagnosis of stuttering in bilingual children can be achieved.
Bat algorithm based on kinetic adaptation and elite communication for engineering problems
Authors: Yuan Chong , Zhao Dong , Heidari Ali Asghar , Liu Lei , Wang Shuihua , Chen Huiling , Zhang Yudong 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe Bat algorithm, a metaheuristic optimization technique inspired by the foraging behaviour of bats, has been employed to tackle optimization problems. Known for its ease of implementation, parameter tunability, and strong global search capabilities, this algorithm finds application across diverse optimization problem domains. However, in the face of increasingly complex optimization challenges, the Bat algorithm encounters certain limitations, such as slow convergence and sensitivity to initial solutions. In order to tackle these challenges, the present study incorporates a range of optimization components into the Bat algorithm, thereby proposing a variant called PKEBA. A projection screening strategy is implemented to mitigate its sensitivity to initial solutions, thereby enhancing the quality of the initial solution set. A kinetic adaptation strategy reforms exploration patterns, while an elite communication strategy enhances group interaction, to avoid algorithm from local optima. Subsequently, the effectiveness of the proposed PKEBA is rigorously evaluated. Testing encompasses 30 benchmark functions from IEEE CEC2014, featuring ablation experiments and comparative assessments against classical algorithms and their variants. Moreover, real‐world engineering problems are employed as further validation. The results conclusively demonstrate that PKEBA exhibits superior convergence and precision compared to existing algorithms.
Improved 5G network slicing for enhanced QoS against attack in SDN environment using deep learning
Authors: Abood Mohammed Salah , Wang Hua , Virdee Bal S. , He Dongxuan , Fathy Maha , Yusuf Abdulganiyu Abdu , Jamal Omar , Elwi Taha A. , Alibakhshikenari Mohammad , Kouhalvandi Lida , Ahmad Ashfaq 
Published: June 2024

AbstractWithin the evolving landscape of fifth‐generation (5G) wireless networks, the introduction of network‐slicing protocols has become pivotal, enabling the accommodation of diverse application needs while fortifying defences against potential security breaches. This study endeavours to construct a comprehensive network‐slicing model integrated with an attack detection system within the 5G framework. Leveraging software‐defined networking (SDN) along with deep learning techniques, this approach seeks to fortify security measures while optimizing network performance. This undertaking introduces network slicing predicated on SDN with the OpenFlow protocol and Ryu control technology, complemented by a neural network model for attack detection using deep learning methodologies. Additionally, the proposed convolutional neural networks‐long short‐term memory approach demonstrates superiority over conventional ML algorithms, signifying its potential for real‐time attack detection. Evaluation of the proposed system using a 5G dataset showcases an impressive accuracy of 99%, surpassing previous studies, and affirming the efficacy of the approach. Moreover, network slicing significantly enhances quality of service by segmenting services based on bandwidth. Future research will concentrate on real‐world implementation, encompassing diverse dataset evaluations, and assessing the model's adaptability across varied scenarios.