bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Second‐line immunotherapy in new onset refractory status epilepticus
Authors: Hanin Aurélie , Muscal Eyal , Hirsch Lawrence J. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractSeveral pieces of evidence suggest immune dysregulation could trigger the onset and modulate sequelae of new onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE), including its subtype with prior fever known as febrile infection‐related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES). Consensus‐driven recommendations have been established to guide the initiation of first‐ and second‐line immunotherapies in these patients. Here, we review the literature to date on second‐line immunotherapy for NORSE/FIRES, presenting results from 28 case reports and series describing the use of anakinra, tocilizumab, or intrathecal dexamethasone in 75 patients with NORSE. Among them, 52 patients were managed with anakinra, 21 with tocilizumab, and eight with intrathecal dexamethasone. Most had elevated serum or cerebrospinal fluid cytokine levels at treatment initiation. Treatments were predominantly initiated during the acute phase of the disease (92%) and resulted, within the first 2 weeks, in seizure control for up to 73% of patients with anakinra, 70% with tocilizumab, and 50% with intrathecal dexamethasone. Cytokine levels decreased after treatment for most patients. Anakinra and intrathecal dexamethasone were mainly initiated in children with FIRES, whereas tocilizumab was more frequently prescribed for adults, with or without a prior febrile infection. There was no clear correlation between the response to treatment and the time to initiate the treatment. Most patients experienced long‐term disability and drug‐resistant post‐NORSE epilepsy. Initiation of second‐line immunotherapies during status epilepticus (SE) had no clear effect on the emergence of post‐NORSE epilepsy or long‐term functional outcomes. In a small number of cases, the initiation of anakinra or tocilizumab several years after SE onset resulted in a reduction of seizure frequency for 67% of patients. These data highlight the potential utility of anakinra, tocilizumab, and intrathecal dexamethasone in patients with NORSE. There continues to be interest in the utilization of early cytokine measurements to guide treatment selection and response. Prospective studies are necessary to understand the role of early immunomodulation and its associations with epilepsy and functional outcomes.
Elevated expression of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and serum amyloid A (SAA) in the skin and the serum of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa: Skin as a possible source of IL‐6 through Toll‐like receptor ligands and SAA
Authors: Kawakami Yoshio , Kajita Ai , Hasui Ken‐Ichi , Matsuda Yoshihiro , Iwatsuki Keiji , Morizane Shin 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe effect of persistent skin inflammation on extracutaneous organs and blood is not well studied. Patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), a severe form of the inherited blistering skin disorder, have widespread and persistent skin ulcers, and they develop various complications including anaemia, hyperglobulinaemia, hypoalbuminaemia and secondary amyloidosis. These complications are associated with the bioactivities of IL‐6, and the development of secondary amyloidosis requires the persistent elevation of serum amyloid A (SAA) level. We found that patients with RDEB had significantly higher serum levels of IL‐6 and SAA compared to healthy volunteers and patients with psoriasis or atopic dermatitis. Both IL‐6 and SAA were highly expressed in epidermal keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts of the skin ulcer lesions. Keratinocytes and fibroblasts surrounding the ulcer lesions are continuously exposed to Toll‐like receptor (TLR) ligands, pathogen‐associated and damage‐associated molecular pattern molecules. In vitro, TLR ligands induced IL‐6 expression via NF‐κB in normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) and dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs). SAA further induced the expression of IL‐6 via TLR1/2 and NF‐κB in NHEKs and NHDFs. The limitation of this study is that NHEKs and NHDFs were not derived from RDEB patients. These observations suggest that TLR‐mediated persistent skin inflammation might increase the risk of IL‐6‐related systemic complications, including RDEB.
Long‐term tropospheric ozone pollution disrupts plant‐microbe‐soil interactions in the agroecosystem
Authors: Zhang Kaile , Zentella Rodolfo , Burkey Kent O. , Liao Hui‐Ling , Tisdale Ripley H. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractTropospheric ozone (O3) threatens agroecosystems, yet its long‐term effects on intricate plant‐microbe‐soil interactions remain overlooked. This study employed two soybean genotypes of contrasting O3‐sensitivity grown in field plots exposed elevated O3 (eO3) and evaluated cause‐effect relationships with their associated soil microbiomes and soil quality. Results revealed long‐term eO3 effects on belowground soil microbiomes and soil health surpass damage visible on plants. Elevated O3 significantly disrupted belowground bacteria‐fungi interactions, reduced fungal diversity, and altered fungal community assembly by impacting soybean physiological properties. Particularly, eO3 impacts on plant performance were significantly associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, undermining their contribution to plants, whereas eO3 increased fungal saprotroph proliferation, accelerating soil organic matter decomposition and soil carbon pool depletion. Free‐living diazotrophs exhibited remarkable acclimation under eO3, improving plant performance by enhancing nitrogen fixation. However, overarching detrimental consequences of eO3 negated this benefit. Overall, this study demonstrated long‐term eO3 profoundly governed negative impacts on plant‐soil‐microbiota interactions, pointing to a potential crisis for agroecosystems. These findings highlight urgent needs to develop adaptive strategies to navigate future eO3 scenarios.
Low pulse pressure and high serum complement C1q are risk factors for hemodialysis headache: A case–control study
Authors: Gan Quan , Zhang Lily , Fang Yuting , Yang Liu , Shi Ming , Xiao Zheman 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBackground and ObjectiveHemodialysis headache (HDH) is a common complication of dialysis that negatively affects the patient's quality of life. The etiology and triggering factors of HDH are not fully understood. This study aims to assess the prevalence and characteristics of HDH among patients undergoing hemodialysis across multiple centers in China. Furthermore, we conducted a case–control study at one hospital to identify risk factors associated with HDH.MethodsThe study consisted of two phases including a cross‐sectional observational study and a case–control study. Participants underwent neurological examinations and interviews. Demographic and medical information were collected from both medical records and patient files. Serum creatinine, uric acid, urea, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), plasma osmolarity, glucose, C1q, and a variety of electrolytes including potassium, sodium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus were measured before and after dialysis. Blood pressure variables including systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure (PP), and heart rate were monitored hourly. Serum levels of inflammatory factors, including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α), interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐4, IL‐6, and IL‐10 were quantified using a double‐antibody sandwich enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).ResultsThe prevalence of HDH was 37.7% (183/485). HDH was characterized by a bilateral tightening headache of moderate intensity and duration of <2 h, occurring in different locations. The case–control study included 50 patients with HDH and 84 control patients, pre‐dialysis PP was found to be lower in the HDH group than in the control group (mean ± standard deviation 51.5 ± 18.2 vs. 67.9 ± 14.9, p = 0.027). Furthermore, the pre‐dialysis serum complement C1q level was significantly higher for the HDH group than the control group (median and interquartile range 201.5 [179.0–231.5] vs. 189.0 [168.9–209.0], p = 0.021). Pre‐dialysis PP was associated with 5.1% decreased odds of HDH (odds ratio [OR] = 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93–0.99, p = 0.026), body weight was associated with a 5.4% decreased risk of HDH (OR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91–0.99, p = 0.013), and pre‐dialysis C1q levels increased the odds of HDH by 1.9% (OR = 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01–1.03, p = 0.005).ConclusionLow PP, low body weight, and high blood complement C1q may be potential risk factors associated with HDH.
High expression of autotaxin is associated with poor recurrence‐free survival in cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Li Xuefeng , Koyama Yukinori , Taura Kojiro , Nishio Takahiro , Yoh Tomoaki , Nishino Hiroto , Uemoto Yusuke , Kimura Yusuke , Nakamura Daichi , Nam Nguyen Hai , Sato Motohiko , Seo Satoru , Iwaisako Keiko , Hatano Etsuro 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBackground and AimAutotaxin (ATX) is an extracellular lysophospholipase D that catalyzes the hydrolysis of lysophosphatidylcholine into lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). Recent accumulating evidence indicates the biological roles of ATX in malignant tumors. However, the expression and clinical implications of ATX in human cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) remain elusive.MethodsIn this study, the expression of ATX in 97 human CCA tissues was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Serum ATX levels were determined in CCA patients (n = 26) and healthy subjects (n = 8). Autotaxin expression in cell types within the tumor microenvironment was characterized by immunofluorescence staining.ResultsHigh ATX expression in CCA tissue was significantly associated with a higher frequency of lymph node metastasis (p = 0.050). High ATX expression was correlated with shorter overall survival (p = 0.032) and recurrence‐free survival (RFS) (p = 0.001) than low ATX expression. In multivariate Cox analysis, high ATX expression (p = 0.019) was an independent factor for shorter RFS. Compared with low ATX expression, high ATX expression was significantly associated with higher Ki‐67‐positive cell counts (p < 0.001). Serum ATX levels were significantly higher in male CCA patients than in healthy male subjects (p = 0.030). In the tumor microenvironment of CCA, ATX protein was predominantly expressed in tumor cells, cancer‐associated fibroblasts, plasma cells, and biliary epithelial cells.ConclusionsOur study highlights the clinical evidence and independent prognostic value of ATX in human CCA.
Development of β‐SiAlON/12H composite and their cutting performance on Inconel 718 turning
Authors: Kula Gökhan , Kara Ferhat 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIn this study, the development of β‐SiAlON/12H polytype composites for the turning of Inconel 718 was investigated. Various sintering additives, including La2O3, Sm2O3, Y2O3, and their combinations, were used to obtain β‐SiAlON/12H polytype composites. It was found that β‐SiAlON/12H polytype composite with a reasonable amount (12%–14%) of the 12H phase was developed by using La2O3–Y2O3 as codopant and Sm2O3 as a single dopant. The presence of Y2O3 led to a substantial amount of undesired α‐SiAlON formation due to its smaller cation size. Although adjusting the AlN/Al2O3 ratio in the composition could entirely prevent α‐SiAlON formation, this approach is only applicable to Sm2O3 dopant due to its larger cation size. β‐SiAlON/12H cutting tools have significantly less flank wear than a commercial β‐SiAlON and quite comparable to Al2O3–SiCw, which is widely used in Inconel 718 turning. No significant differences in cutting performance were observed between cutting tools made of β‐SiAlON/12H obtained by using different dopants.
Dielectric properties of polycrystalline and single‐crystal magnesium oxide at high temperatures
Authors: Devoe Alan , Trinh Hung , Dogan Fatih 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe electrical properties of high‐purity magnesium oxide (MgO) samples sintered between 1500 and 1650°C were investigated up to 800°C. Dielectric constant, loss tangent and electrical conductivity were measured between 25 and 800°C. Optimum electrical properties were obtained for the sample sintered at 1600°C. The impurities in polycrystalline and single crystal MgO were discussed to understand their effect on electrical properties and the role of grain boundaries. Higher dielectric losses of polycrystalline samples as compared to the single crystal MgO were attributed to the presence of grain boundaries. MgO could be a useful dielectric material for capacitor applications up to 600°C.
Improving the functional properties of rice glutelin: impact of succinic anhydride modification
Authors: Luo Junjie , Wang Songyu , Xie Hexiang , Ouyang Kefan , Wang Can , Yang Yurui , Xiong Hua , Zhao Qiang 
Published: March 2024

SummaryRice glutelin is poorly soluble which restricts its potential food application. Succinylation is a chemical modification that improves the solubility of proteins by derivatising the ɛ‐amino group of lysine residues. In this study, rice glutelin was modified by succinic anhydride at different succinic anhydride concentrations (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%). The succinylated rice glutelin samples showed enhanced solubility, reduced particle size, and increased absolute zeta potential values. The emulsifying and foaming properties of succinylated rice glutelin were also significantly improved. Moreover, SEM revealed that the surface of succinylated rice glutelin had small pits and protrusions. These results suggest that succinylation can effectively improve the functional properties of rice glutelin, which will facilitate its application in the food industry.
Spatial extent predicts Andean epiphyte biodiversity responses to habitat loss and fragmentation across human‐modified landscapes
Authors: Parra‐Sanchez Edicson , Edwards David P. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAimHuman‐driven landscape processes such as habitat loss and fragmentation act on biodiversity, but their effects are mediated by the spatial scale at which they are observed. We aim to analyse the scale‐of‐effects (direction and spatial extent) of landscape‐scale processes that best explain species richness and abundance across epiphyte communities.LocationNeotropics, Northern Andes, Colombia, Eastern cordillera.TaxonVascular epiphytes, Orchidaceae.MethodsWe used field data to unravel the scale‐of‐effect of three landscape processes—habitat loss (forest cover), fragmentation (number of patches) and edge effects (edge density)—on epiphyte biodiversity. Vascular epiphytes were sampled in the understorey across 141 plots within 23 Andean forests in the eastern Colombian cordillera We focused on the community‐level responses (species richness and total abundance) of the hyperdiverse vascular epiphyte communities using generalized linear mixed models to quantify the direction and the spatial extent of the scale‐of‐effects.ResultsHabitat loss and edge effects act at fine spatial extents (scale‐of‐effects = 200 m), predicting low species richness and abundance across groups. Likewise, fragmentation negatively impacts communities, but operates at larger spatial extents (scale‐of‐effects = 2000–2400 m radius). The detection of these effects is contingent upon the spatial extent and specific landscape processes involved. Models of habitat loss within a spatial extent of 800–1500 m (large confidence intervals), fragmentation below 300 m, and edge effects above 800 m show weak statistical support (marginal r2 = 0.02–0.1). Thus, the impacts of these landscape processes may be overlooked if studied at inadequate spatial extents.Main ConclusionsWe showed that habitat loss, fragmentation and edge effects all play a negative role on understorey epiphytic communities, but their detectability is scale dependant. The scale‐of‐effects can assist landscape designs that are beneficial for epiphytic communities, by preserving forest cover, and reducing fragmentation and exposure to edge effects at small scales (200–300 m). Conversely, landscape‐scale actions directed at reducing habitat loss and fragmentation function at larger spatial extents (>2000 m). Selecting a priori or inadequate spatial extents of analysis can obscure the detectability of landscape processes.
Revealing the palaeoecology of silent taxa: selecting proxy species from associations in modern vegetation data
Authors: Vanderhoorn Jacqui M. M. , Wilmshurst Janet M. , Richardson Sarah J. , Etherington Thomas R. , Perry George L. W. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAimSpecies severely under‐represented in fossil pollen records leave gaps in interpretations and reconstructions of past vegetation. These ‘silent taxa’ leave little or no trace due to low pollen production, dispersal, preservation and taxonomic resolution. An approach for including them is through associating them with other species with reliable pollen representation. Here, we demonstrate a method for selecting such a proxy species for the Holocene using modern vegetation data.LocationNew Zealand.TaxonBeilschmiedia tawa (A.Cunn.) Benth. & Hook. F. ex Kirk (Lauraceae).MethodsWe used vegetation plot data to perform a pairwise co‐occurrence analysis of the New Zealand indigenous forest metacommunity to identify species with a strong positive association with Beilschmiedia tawa (tawa), a common tree severely under‐recorded in the pollen record. For those species, we then modelled their realised climatic niches to identify species with high niche overlap. We discuss how well those species could be interpreted from the Holocene fossil pollen record based on the representation of their pollen taxa.ResultsKnightia excelsa (rewarewa; Proteaceae) is a potential proxy for B. tawa in Holocene fossil pollen records, and other, range‐limited species may provide community‐specific proxies. We show combining resampling with sub‐sampling is a robust method for reducing the high false positive rate associated with large co‐occurrence analyses (1000+ sites) by limiting the sample size to 100 sites.Main ConclusionsWe show that the palaeoecology of silent taxa can be studied via proxy species, allowing their past distributions to be better understood. We highlight the importance of modelling many aspects of the realised niche to understand the usefulness and limitations of the silent–proxy association. Future research should focus on testing the underlying assumptions of the silent–proxy relationship so that models built on modern data can confidently be applied to palaeoecological data.
Association between metformin treatment and coronary artery inflammation based on pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients
Authors: Liu Yuankang , Dong Yue , Wang Xiang , Xu Xiangyang 
Published: March 2024

AbstractCardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. The role of metformin in reducing cardiovascular events is well‐established, but its effect on coronary artery inflammation in T2DM patients is still unclear. In this study, we evaluated 547 T2DM patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) at Wuhan Central Hospital. Using propensity score matching, we compared the attenuation of pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT), an imaging marker of coronary artery inflammation, between patients treated with and without metformin. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the influence of metformin on PCAT attenuation. The results of the propensity‐matched analysis showed that patients on metformin therapy had significantly lower PCAT attenuation, indicating reduced coronary inflammation. Specifically, the PCAT attenuation in the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and right coronary artery (RCA) was lower in the metformin group compared to the non‐metformin group. Metformin use was independently associated with decreased LAD‐PCAT attenuation in the multivariate regression analysis. The association of metformin with PCAT attenuation differed significantly in populations analyzed in subgroups of patients with obesity and chronic kidney disease. In conclusion, our study shows a preliminary signal that metformin therapy may be associated with decreased coronary artery inflammation in T2DM patients, as indicated by PCAT attenuation on CCTA. And this correlation may vary depending on the patient population. This initial finding suggests that PCAT attenuation could be potentially used as an imaging biomarker to monitor the anti‐inflammatory effects of medication.
Nomogram‐based risk assessment model for left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with essential hypertension: Incorporating clinical characteristics and biomarkers
Authors: Wang Chuang‐chang , Liang Li‐Keng , Luo Sheng‐ming , Wang Hui‐Cheng , Wang Xiao‐li , Cheng Ya‐Hui , Pan Guang‐ming , Peng Jiang‐Yang , Han Shu‐jie , Wang Xia 
Published: March 2024

AbstractLeft ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a hypertensive heart disease that significantly escalates the risk of clinical cardiovascular events. Its etiology potentially incorporates various clinical attributes such as gender, age, and renal function. From mechanistic perspective, the remodeling process of LVH can trigger increment in certain biomarkers, notably sST2 and NT‐proBNP. This multicenter, retrospective study aimed to construct an LVH risk assessment model and identify the risk factors. A total of 417 patients with essential hypertension (EH), including 214 males and 203 females aged 31–80 years, were enrolled in this study; of these, 161 (38.6%) were diagnosed with LVH. Based on variables demonstrating significant disparities between the LVH and Non‐LVH groups, three multivariate stepwise logistic regression models were constructed for risk assessment: the “Clinical characteristics” model, the “Biomarkers” model (each based on their respective variables), and the “Clinical characteristics + Biomarkers” model, which amalgamated both sets of variables. The results revealed that the “Clinical characteristics + Biomarkers” model surpassed the baseline models in performance (AUC values of the “Clinical characteristics + Biomarkers” model, the “Biomarkers” model, and the “Clinical characteristics” model were .83, .75, and .74, respectively; P < .0001 for both comparisons). The optimized model suggested that being female (OR: 4.26, P <.001), being overweight (OR: 1.88, p = .02) or obese (OR: 2.36, p = .02), duration of hypertension (OR: 1.04, P = .04), grade III hypertension (OR: 2.12, P < .001), and sST2 (log‐transformed, OR: 1.14, P < .001) were risk factors, while eGFR acted as a protective factor (OR: .98, P = .01). These findings suggest that the integration of clinical characteristics and biomarkers can enhance the performance of LVH risk assessment.